…and why you should subscribe too.
Yes, email can be a bore. Yes, it can be a timesuck. Yet, there are some amazing email newsletters out there that can be a joy to receive.
Below are a few of my favourites that I ALWAYS learn something from. I would most definitely miss them if they weren’t dropping into my inbox.
I think you should subscribe to them too :)
1. Swipe File
Swipe File by Jimmy Daly is, in Jimmy’s words, “a newsletter for people who want more from their work. It’s an exploration of this awkward time between college and retirement.”
Email Frequency: Weekly
I like it because: there are key lessons to be learned from the body of the email itself and if I want to explore further by clicking the links, then I can. It’s the type of email which usually leaves me wanting to share what I’ve learned with someone else as soon as the opportunity arises.
When I read it: I often binge of the swipe file, often on a Sunday, on the sofa. It’s quick to digest and far more interesting (and useful) than what might be on the TV.
A screenshotted example from a recent edition to give you a flavour of what you can expect to learn
Subscribe for Swipe File here, or get previous editions here.
2. The Launch Ticker
The Launch Ticker is one of Jason Calacanis’ companies under the Launch.co umbrella (they also do conferences, have an incubator, produce the This Week In Startups series among other things.)
It’s a daily newsletter curating all the most important news in tech.
Email Frequency: Daily with a weekly summary
I like it because: It spoon feeds me the industry news. If I’ve read the Launch Ticker for the day, I undoubtedly know what’s going on. Simply put, it keeps me informed like no other source.
When I read it: As soon as it drops in my inbox. It’s fast to skim.
A screenshotted example from a recent edition to give you a flavour of what you can expect to learn.
Subscribe for the Launch Ticker here. You should also follow @Jason – he produces some great commentary.
3. Distrosnack
Distrosnack by 500Startups’ Susan Su is a superb little daily email for anyone interested in marketing. It’s small nuggets of information accompanied by a gif.
Email Frequency: Daily (they’re very short and take ~10-30secs to digest)
I like it because: There’s tips, tricks, hacks, myth busters and more.
When I read it: Usually on the day, or it doesn’t take long to catch up if I’ve let a few days go by.
A screenshotted example from a recent edition to give you a flavour of what you can expect to learn.
Subscribe to Distrosnack here. See past editions here.
4. Mattermark Daily
Mattermark Daily is a “daily digest of timely, must-read posts by investors and operators.” It’s arguably the meatiest newsletter I’ve included. There’s lots of detailed industry analysis, opinions from ‘thought-leaders’, news and everything in between.
Email Frequency: Daily. Or you can get the weekly edition which is the most clicked articles from the daily editions in the previous week.
I like it because: It surfaces the articles that I should be reading. The emails themselves don’t usually provide immediate learning; that comes from clicking through to the articles themselves.
When I read it: Whenever I get around to it and have some spare time. Often I’ll open the email, and then save the articles of interest to my Pocket for later reading.
A screenshotted example from a recent edition to give you a flavour of what you can expect to learn.
Subscribe to Mattermark Daily here. See previous editions here.
Bonus: Nuzzel App
Not a newsletter, but it serves a similar purpose. The Nuzzel App (both desktop and mobile) surfaces the top news stories that your twitter followers are reading and sharing.
I like it because: It sends me push notifications of interesting stories that my followers are sharing. If it’s of interest to enough of my twitter followers, then more often than not, it’s of interest to me too.
When I read it: If it sends me a push notification with an article of interest, I’ll read it right there and then. Or if I have time to kill on a bus or similar then I’ll often browse through the app.
A screenshot of what to expect.
Others that come recommended:
- I’ve been enjoying Kevin Rose‘s ‘Journal‘. It’s monthly and new for 2016 so still in its early days. Get it here.
- I know lots of people love Azeem Azhar’s ‘The Exponential View‘. I haven’t subscribed myself but a skim through the archives and it looks like an excellent resource if you like digging deep into the topics of technology, business models, political economy & society. Get it here.
- I’ve also been a long time subscriber of Tim Ferriss and Gary Vaynerchuk emails. They’re both very good but I tend to keep up to speed with them on other platforms (The Tim Ferriss Show and DailyVee, Snapchat, Instagram etc).
What email newsletters do you enjoy? Which give you a leg up each week and help keep you ahead of the pack? I’d love to hear your suggestions!
Also published on Medium.