This edition is brought to you by Gamma

Good morning to all new and old readers! Here is your Wednesday edition of Faster Than Normal, exploring one short story about a person, a company, a high-performance tool, a trend I’m watching closely, and curated media to help you build businesses, wealth, and the most important asset of all: yourself. 

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Today’s edition:

Cheers,
Alex

P.S. Send me feedback on how we can improve. I respond to every email.

Stories of Excellence

Person: Beyoncé

Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter, born in 1981 in Houston, Texas, has become one of the most influential artists of her generation. She rose to fame as the lead singer of Destiny's Child before launching a solo career that has earned her 32 Grammy Awards - the most of any artist in history. Beyoncé's music spans R&B, pop, and hip-hop genres, often addressing themes of feminism, racial identity, and empowerment. "I'm over being a pop star. I don't wanna be a hot girl. I wanna be iconic," she once stated, reflecting her ambition to transcend musical boundaries. Beyond music, Beyoncé has ventured into acting, fashion, and business. Her 2016 visual album "Lemonade" was a cultural phenomenon, exploring personal and societal issues. Beyoncé continues to evolve as an artist, using her platform to advocate for social justice and inspire millions worldwide.

Key Lessons from Beyoncé:

• On owning your lane: "I don't have to prove anything to anyone. I only have to follow my heart and concentrate on what I want to say to the world."

• On vision: "I can never be safe; I always try and go against the grain. As soon as I accomplish one thing, I just set a higher goal. That's how I've gotten to where I am."

• On self-belief: "I don't like to gamble, but if there's one thing I'm willing to bet on, it's myself."

Read More.

Company: Nutella

Nutella's story began in 1946 when Italian pastry maker Pietro Ferrero created a sweet spread from hazelnuts, sugar, and cocoa in post-war Italy. Facing chocolate shortages, Ferrero ingeniously used hazelnuts, abundant in the Piedmont region. His son Michele later refined the recipe, launching Nutella in 1964. The spread quickly gained popularity across Europe. By the 1980s, Nutella had expanded globally, becoming a household name. The Ferrero family, known for their secrecy and innovation, transformed a wartime necessity into a billion-dollar brand, with annual sales reaching €17 billion in 2023. Today, Nutella is sold in over 170 countries, with 37 production plants across five continents.

Key Lessons from Nutella:

• On customer loyalty: Create rituals around your product. Nutella encourages consumers to incorporate the spread into their daily routines, from breakfast to dessert. Think about how your product can become part of your customers' regular habits.

• On ingredient sourcing: Control your supply chain. Ferrero bought hazelnut orchards to ensure a steady supply of their key ingredient. This vertical integration gave them a competitive advantage. Consider which parts of your supply chain you should control directly.

Read More.

Gamma is one of the fastest growing AI products globally with over 20M+ users…and they’ve grown to this size in <2 years.

Gamma tackles an age-old problem—presentations—in a completely novel way with AI at its heart. Gamma helps you:

1. Create presentations in 1/10th of the time

2. Pull creativity out of your brain and into your presentation/website/documents

3. Spend time on creative work—not mindless tasks like aligning boxes or formatting circles

This is what happens when a new technology paradigm meets archaic, stale software products (not naming any names) that haven’t changed in decades.

I’m excited for a future with more products like Gamma.

Check it out for yourself and see what you can make.

Accelerants

High-performance tool

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Start With Why

"Start With Why" is a concept developed by Simon Sinek, author and motivational speaker. It's based on the idea that inspiring leaders and organizations communicate from the inside out, starting with their purpose or belief. "People don't buy what you do, they buy why you do it," Sinek argues.

This approach is powerful because it taps into people's emotions and beliefs, creating stronger connections than just focusing on features or benefits. It can lead to more loyal customers and more engaged employees. However, it requires a clear understanding of your own purpose and values.

What's your "why"? How might leading with this change your approach to business or leadership?

Insights

Tactical reads

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> When mastering the art of focus
How to unlock insane focus on command (Read it here)

> When learning from historical leaders
How History’s Great Leaders Managed Anxiety (Read it here)

1 question

That’s all for today, folks. As always, please give me your feedback. Which section is your favourite? What do you want to see more or less of? Other suggestions? Please let me know.

Have a wonderful rest of week, all.

Recommendation Zone

⎯

Gamma is one of the fastest growing AI products globally with over 20M+ users…and they’ve grown to this size in <2 years.

Gamma tackles an age-old problem—presentations—in a completely novel way with AI at its heart. Gamma helps you:

1. Create presentations in 1/10th of the time

2. Pull creativity out of your brain and into your presentation/website/documents

3. Spend time on creative work—not mindless tasks like aligning boxes or formatting circles

This is what happens when a new technology paradigm meets archaic, stale software products (not naming any names) that haven’t changed in decades.

I’m excited for a future with more products like Gamma.

Check it out for yourself and see what you can make.

Why Faster Than Normal? Our mission is to be a friend to the ambitious, a mentor to the becoming, and a partner to the bold. We achieve this by sharing the stories, ideas, and frameworks of the world's most prolific people and companies—and how you can apply them to build businesses, wealth, and the most important asset of all: yourself.

Faster Than Normal is a ‘state' of being’ rather than an outcome. Outlier performance requires continuous, compounded improvement. We’re your partner on this journey.

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