Introducing: Coffee with Wes ☕

A condensed version of what I'm thinking about + the projects I'm working on

Welcome to Coffee with Wes, an occasional newsletter where I’ll share what I'm thinking about and the projects I'm working on.

TL;DR

• Last week, I left my position as Head of Growth at Microverse (YC S19).

• Over the coming weeks, I plan to write and think about two main ideas: 1) how technology can more quickly accelerate human potential and 2) how technology can help us act more intentionally in our personal relationships.

• I’ll be splitting my time between Medellín, Colombia and San Francisco. If you’re around—let me know.

Get the full caffeine dose

Most of the content will either be links to tweet threads I’ve written or blog posts I’ve published.

On leaving Microverse…

(Click for the full thread)

Wes Wagner @caffeinatedwes

Some personal news... This is my last week at @microverseinc. It's been an amazing journey, and I'm incredibly grateful for the experience. (Additional context👇)7

On my next steps…

I’ll be writing, tweeting, and connecting with people that are thinking in the same things I am.

One of the biggest things on my mind? How we can more quickly accelerate human potential.

Thoughts below—both are Twitter threads, so you’ll have to click on them to read the full excerpts.

Wes Wagner @caffeinatedwes

I'm really excited about the growing list of platforms that (I believe) will facilitate p2p connections that will be 10x more valuable than those of the last decade. Some examples... @pioneerdotapp @startupschool @beondeck @cosign (🤔❓) Thread👇

Wes Wagner ☕ @caffeinatedwes

If I started a modern YC, it would look like @pioneerdotapp + @startupschool + @joininteract, but I would go all-in on being outside the valley and being much more flexible in terms of funding terms.

I’ll also be exploring a completely different interest—how social technology can help us foster more meaningful relationships and how there’s a coming disruption to advertising-driven social tech.

Wes Wagner @caffeinatedwes

When a product’s usage and revenue inversely correlate with user happiness, there’s a disruption opportunity.

Wes Wagner @caffeinatedwes

"Ad companies are governed by a rule as durable as gravity: they must make their products worse over time." https://t.co/wmcvnasNbn

Wes Wagner @caffeinatedwes

I think the breakout social CRM platform will look less like a CRM platform and much more like a really great friend, significant other, or personal assistant.

I’ll also continue to elaborate and share more about my conviction in the future of remote work. 😄

Wes Wagner @caffeinatedwes

Something I don't think remote folks talk about enough: market salaries.

Wes Wagner ☕ @caffeinatedwes

I agree that investing in social capital is important. I disagree—and would actively advise against—that flying to SF would be the smartest way to invest.

Ankit🕺 @ankitkr0

"....and if you’re a founder just starting out, trying to create something out of nothing, one of the best investments you can make is still a plane ticket to San Francisco." https://t.co/UWNRfDWATQ

If you’d like to follow along in my journey—max one email a month—leave your contact info below.

And if you’d like to follow along more closely, follow me on Twitter.

Until next time,

Wes