As the (often humid) summer weather escapes us and we start putting on more layers again, there’s something genuinely magical about fall. The refreshing cool breeze, the sense of warmth around people, and the fact that the final holidays through the end of the year revolve around a loving community (Thanksgiving, Halloween, Diwali, Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, etc).
It also gives us a small reminder to become more empathetic, to listen and learn more to people around us, and to simply be more curious. It's also a powerful reminder on a day where we came together against an unspeakable evil that tried to take something away.
We always have so much to learn.
What are you currently working on?
Travel time! After very little travel in August, I’m headed to Las Vegas this coming weekend (and next week) for the annual Grocery Shop conference. I’m traveling alongside some friends from Boxed, and if you haven’t tried their product, definitely give it a whirl. Plus, the above link will give you $15 to spend!
I also am headed to Bordeaux, France at the end of the month for a wedding. I’ve never been, so please send any recommendations for there and Lisbon, Portugal if you have any!
What are you currently excited about?
Thresholds. On a recent chat with a founder, we were looking at various products that people deem as their “dream items.” It ranged from the Hermes Birkin Bag to the Off-White Air Jordan 1. The bigger question we had amongst these material goods is what thresholds people set themselves to, both with these “dream items” and with product categories in general (from white sneakers and stationary to work bags and food items).
I’m watching these two areas closely as they play off of each other:
Threshold Prices: There’s a maximum price where people are willing to pay for a product (e.g., a clean white sneaker) in terms of quality, cost per wear, and durability, and once we surpass that price, people will turn away because they can’t justify spending that amount of money.
Threshold Bracket: Staying on the idea of luxury goods, if you were to mark the intrinsic value of that good (let’s go with the aforementioned Jordans) in relation to income bracket, you see that the lower the bracket, the more valuable the treat the good. They’ll almost keep it as a rainy day fund to resell, but as you get higher, you have a higher propensity for the person to wear it. Then, there’s a “Threshold Bracket” where once you surpass that income amount, it will go from lightly using the product to, well, treating it as just another pair of shoes.
Money talks in various ways.
What’s a story or article that you're currently thinking about?
Doodling. I’ve been a longtime fan of Valet, an online lifestyle magazine started in 2008 by Cory Ohlendorf and his team. Their consistently-updated list of products and stories (now combined with a new news-focused daily newsletter) has always combined with great original content recommending items. A recent article focused on the powers of doodling and how it can get you ahead professionally.
From feeling good to starting creative juices, doodling can help bring some focus to an unfocused environment, and there are various studies that do prove it. In fact:
[…] the neuroscience points to the act of scribbling to be key in unlocking the free thinking and creativity that can be hindered by otherwise mundane daily tasks and routines. In short, doodling is the secret to thinking like a trailblazing entrepreneur.
I’m a major fan of visual aids, and I have countless stacks of scrap paper at my desk. Combined with my current view (don’t want to give it away too much, but if you’re in the World Trade Center neighborhood in NYC, let me know!), it’s an amazing exercise of letting my mind wander and start up my aforementioned creative juices, really jumpstarting my productivity in the process.
It’s amazing where 30 minutes of the messing around can often lead to hours of successful work.
What’s a product you’re currently obsessed with?
If you know me well, chances are that you’ve seen, trained with me on, or loved my boxing passion. I’ve been boxing for over 6 years, fought in 3 fights (2 sanctioned, 1 unsanctioned), and continue to harp the many, many benefits of learning how to box. There are so many boxing studios and gyms out there, and the product lines are absolutely crazy and diverse. So, what would I recommend?
Shoes: Nike Machomai boxing shoes. They remind me of the Air Fear of God 1s but are extremely light and stylish.
Boxing Gloves and Wraps: Kali Active. Started by a badass female founder in Anjni Singh, Kali Active makes some great professional and stylish equipment out there. There are dozens of great boxing glove brands out there, but if you’re asking me to settle on one, go with them. I pair them with my quite-patriotic Ringside IMF Sparring Gloves that I’ve been the crap out of over the past few years.
Boxing Clothing: Superare. Started as East Coast MMA and rebranded as Superare, the LA and NYC boxing shop has an EBE (Everything But Everlast) mentality (also because the quality of the storied boxing brand has gone down lately). You’ll also find some very cool fashion-forward clothes there.
Boxing Clothing, Part 2: Overthrow’s store. One of the many boxing gyms in NYC, Overthrow’s shop has a drop-like process where they’ll create limited runs of products, never to be created again. Overthrow, if you’re reading this: please re-create this hoodie!!
Wild Card: What’s an item you can’t shake your mind off of?
Continuing on the boxing trend: I’d love to see the behemoths like Nike focus more on showcasing men and women boxers and create direct product lines with them like they do with Nadal, Lebron, Serena, and the like. I’ve seen the Swoosh brand touch the space lightly with boxers like Gennady Golovkin in 2016 (joining Andre Ward and Roy Jones Jr. as Jordan Brand athletes), but the slew of amazing female boxers (Clarissa Shields, Alicia Napoleon, Mikaela Mayer, Katie Taylor, to name a few) have come up the ranks and would be amazing sponsors and role models.
All that said, Nike’s Dream Crazy campaign with Chantel Navarro was an AWESOME video to watch and I highly recommend you save 5 minutes to enjoy it.
~ C O L O P H O N ~
Please send all feedback, both positive and negative, to sumeetshahwork@gmail.com as this project continues to evolve.
Interested in contributing an edition? Email me at sumeetshahwork@gmail.com!
Want more great things to read? Follow my Quartz app profile.
Did this get forwarded to you by a friend? Please consider subscribing below!