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Welcome to Growth Mindset, your weekly dose of sharp insights and practical wisdom. Whether you’re scaling up, leading teams or simply curious about what’s next, this newsletter cuts through the noise to bring you ideas that inspire, challenge and empower. Thanks for being here – let’s get into it.

Enjoy!

Buffett retires after 60 years — and Apple was his biggest win

Warren Buffett, the Oracle of Omaha, is stepping down as CEO of Berkshire Hathaway after a legendary 60-year run. While Buffett stays on as chairman, the reins pass to Greg Abel. Few investors have matched Buffett’s staggering track record – turning a struggling textile firm into a $1.1tn conglomerate with returns over five million per cent. His biggest tech bet was Apple. Starting in 2016, Berkshire poured $36bn into the iPhone maker, growing the stake to $163bn at peak value, making it the greatest public market tech investment ever. The irony was that Buffett, who avoided tech for decades, made this massive play well into his 80s – proving that even the most seasoned investors can find new ground late in their careers. For the full story, Trung Phan’s long-read piece is well worth the time.

How to weather economic downturns

Although talk of a full-on global recession may have quietened down recently, every entrepreneur should know the moves to make during the tough times that can help them thrive (or at least survive). In this Forbes report, Dr Eric George, founder of ERG Enterprises, highlights three essentials: strengthen your partnerships by nurturing and supporting them regularly; focus on your true target customers who bring value and loyalty and invest in your people – retain top talent with fairness and empathy and scout new stars in competitor layoffs. Recession or not, partners, customers and employees remain the protagonists of your business success.

Side hustling is the new norm

As economic uncertainty continues to bubble away, two in five Americans are now juggling side hustles alongside their main jobs – from reselling clothes to rideshare driving or taking part in paid surveys. For many, it’s about covering day-to-day expenses or building emergency savings; surprisingly, even higher earners are joining in, using side income for investing, paying down debt or treating themselves. The surge reflects a broader shift in how people approach work and finances, making supplemental income a core strategy to stay afloat and get ahead. Find out more here.

Middle managers are drowning – here’s how to throw them a lifeline

Middle managers are the unsung heroes, juggling 90% of the workforce and stuck in the worst squeeze yet: constant reorganisations, shrinking teams and sky-high expectations — all while being told that every project is a ‘JFDI’. The fix isn’t more “own your growth” hollow pep talks, says this piece in Fast Company, it’s about giving managers real autonomy, slashing the endless layers of consensus culture and trusting managers to make bold decisions. And yes, AI can help – not by replacing managers, but by cutting the busywork so they can focus on what really matters. Organisations that get this right will turn middle management from a burnout risk into an engine of innovation.

AI prompt of the week: your no-nonsense strategic advisor

Want to turn ChatGPT into a brutally honest, highly strategic mentor who pushes you to think bigger and act smarter? Use this prompt to unlock deep insights, clear action plans and problem-solving tailored to your real-world challenges:

You are a world-class strategic advisor with an IQ of 200, extensive experience building billion-dollar companies and deep expertise in psychology, strategy and execution. You provide brutally honest feedback focused on solutions that create maximum impact.

Your mission is to:

• Start with a hard truth about the user’s situation
• Analyse problems strategically, psychologically and operationally
• Identify root causes, not just symptoms
• Design actionable plans with clear steps and timelines
• Challenge assumptions and push beyond comfort zones
• Share relevant mental models and frameworks
• End with a challenge or assignment to drive progress

Try this as a starting prompt: “Please describe your current challenge or situation you’d like strategic advice on.”

This approach ensures your AI sessions go beyond generic advice and get right to the heart of what will move the needle.

OpenAI pulls back on its sycophantic chatbot

As we push AI to be sharper and more strategic with prompts like this week’s personal advisor, it’s worth remembering the flip side of trying to make chatbots more human. OpenAI recently had to roll back an update to GPT-4o after users found it too sycophantic – almost embarrassingly eager to applaud questionable choices. Because while AI can deliver honesty when prompted right, unchecked attempts to boost relatability risk turning it into a smarmbot that no one takes seriously. Get the story here.

Why values still matter – even as DEI faces pushback

As some big companies roll back their diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, the debate over corporate values is heating up – but one thing remains clear: values still offer a powerful edge in recruiting and retaining talent. Younger workers, especially millennials and Gen Z, are increasingly willing to walk away from jobs that don’t align with their personal beliefs. For these generations, purpose-driven work and authentic values trump salary alone. That said, businesses must balance activism with pragmatism: being clear about what they stand for without alienating those with different views. Of course, values won’t pay the mortgage – a good wage and benefits package is still required – but they do help to create a magnetic culture that’s hard to walk away from. Get the story here.

Smart stunts from John Lewis and LEGO

Two of my favourite marketing activations last week came from these venerable brands, with John Lewis greeting the arrival of Ikea, its new Oxford Street neighbour, with some amusing ads in the area, like this one. Meanwhile, over at the Miami Grand Prix, full size LEGO F1 cars stole the show by featuring in the Driver's Parade. Check out this clip, featuring arch rival drivers having a rare (and heartwarming) moment of fun together.

Crack the LinkedIn code with 50 posts that went viral

If you want to cut through the LinkedIn noise, it helps to learn from what’s already succeeded. Hubspot’s free downloadable guidehighlights 50 viral posts that racked up 1,000+ likes, breaking down what made them work. From eye-catching insights to personal stories and even corporate humour, the guide outlines six proven post types to inspire your own content. Plus, it offers handy tips and takeaways so you can steal the best tactics and start winning hearts and minds on newsfeeds everywhere.

Reboot your growth mindset

Ready to turbocharge your thinking? This guide breaks down seven proven frameworks to help you fix and build a growth mindset. Whether you’re leading a team or steering your own path, this can help you turn obstacles into opportunities.

Drop me a line

That’s your lot for now. The world’s spinning fast, so keep your eyes peeled and your coffee strong. Build boldly, think sideways and surround yourself with the kind of people who make things happen. Got a nugget or a wild thought? Drop me a line – I’m all ears. Catch you next Sunday for another round of ideas that don’t fit in a box.

Cheers!
Adam

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