Welcome to the first edition of Studio Notes!

In the spirit of Waywriting^[1], I've been looking for a way to share even-more-WIP thoughts on product development, entrepreneurship, and creativity. A weekly "release notes" format felt right, but why "Studio"? I've always been drawn to the idea of a creative space where small teams build exciting things. While I don't have a physical studio (yet), I'm bringing that mindset to wherever I work.

These notes will share what's happening on my product "workbench" - the process, experiments, and lessons learned. It won't always be polished, but that's the point.

So, grab a coffee and let's dive into what’s been happening in the “studio” this week.

This Week's Focus

I focused on two main threads this past week:

• Launching my new content strategy: I spent June running a focused writing sprint, and I've used AI to help craft a more focused approach from the learnings. Excited to see how it unfolds.
• Starting with a new consulting client: Helping implement a product-oriented structure in an enterprise environment. Can't share specifics, but it's fun to teach the fundamentals of product thinking.

Key Insight: Strategic Pauses in Product Development

I’ve always been fascinated by how to tweak the balance of doing vs pausing, and my recent trip to Budapest and Prague gave me yet another lesson about breaks and productivity. I'd packed my Readwise full of articles, imagining wine-fueled cafe sessions of reading and ideation. Reality had other plans.

As my wife and I settled into our first cafe, I felt an odd resistance to my carefully curated reading list. It took a couple days to realize what was happening: my mind needed a different kind of break. Not active learning, but space for thoughts to simmer.

So, we changed course. We put away the reading and just explored. We wandered aimlessly, ate our weight in goulash and dumplings, and saw gnarly old sights like the Bone Church (seriously, look it up). No agenda, just experience.

The payoff came when I returned home. In the weeks that followed, I had some of the most productive work sessions in recent memory. Ideas flowed freely, creativity surged, and everything just clicked.

This experience reminded me of the power of strategic pauses. It's easy to fall into the trap of constant doing - whether that's producing, learning, or even "productive" vacationing. But sometimes, the most productive thing we can do is... well, nothing. It's not just about rest, but creating space for our subconscious to work in the background. Like a simmering stew, sometimes you need to stop stirring and let the flavors meld.

This concept isn't new. Basecamp’s "cooldown periods"^[2] serve a similar purpose - providing a more open space to address bugs, experiment, and tackle those important-but-not-urgent tasks… while their brains process in the background. It's a structured way of stepping back from the main project to allow for reflection and indirect progress, so that the team can refresh and be more productive in the long run.

So next time you're stuck, consider the power of doing less. The solution might not be more work or learning, but giving your mind space to process. It's about recognizing when to step back and let your brain do its thing.

In my case, it turned out that a pork knuckle was exactly what my neurons needed. Who knew?

Looking ahead

Next week is shaping up to be focused on planning and writing:

• Client interviews: I’m gearing up for the initial assessment with my new client — a round of stakeholder interviews and artifact reviews to help understand the current state of the org. These datapoints will be crucial as we plot out their product transition.
• 1-Week MVP Prep: I’ve been wanting to do a rapid 1-week MVP cycle as a way to test the current state of AI-enhanced product development tools. I’m going to share more in an upcoming article, but I’m excited to dig into this.
  

Bonus Inspiration: Beckham on SmartLess

I love the SmartLess podcast, and their (relatively) recent David Beckham interview was one of my favorites^[3]. It perfectly illustrated how a core idea can become a powerful throughline in one's career.

Early on in the show, he mentions his lifelong passion for nurturing new talent. This theme resurfaced repeatedly as he discussed his diverse endeavors, from his UK fashion academy ambassadorship to his efforts in building American soccer.

It's a fantastic example of how a central concept can anchor a creative flywheel or form the foundation of a beloved product. In Beckham's case, his commitment to developing talent has created a cohesive narrative across seemingly unrelated projects in all phases of his career.

For us in product development, it underscores the importance of identifying and staying true to our core user problem or value proposition. When we find that central theme, it can guide our decisions and fuel ongoing innovation, much like Beckham's focus on nurturing talent has driven his varied pursuits.

Thanks for checking out the first edition of Studio Notes — hope you have restful weekend!