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Hey there, it’s Matt—I hope you’re having a great Saturday!
In this edition of Digital Native:
- How 20% of your team might think differently—and why that’s your secret weapon for focus and innovation
- Why creativity, not intelligence, is now the winning trait in the AI era, and how Finland leads the charge
- A SaaS love story gone wrong: when charm costs and how you can fall back in love with open-source alternatives
- Webflow’s icon redesign is more than just eye candy—discover the balance of form and function that’s setting a standard
- And much more…
Enjoy issue #90—have a great weekend!
— Matt (@mattdowney)
P.S. If this was forwarded to you, you can sign up here.
Most interesting
Webflow’s iconic reinvention: simplicity meets perfection
Webflow’s rebranding journey includes crafting over 800 icons—each a testament to meticulous design thinking. Goodbye, ornate colors, hello, crisp strokes. (Webflow)
The neuroscience of focus—for innovators
Did you know 20% of your team might be neurodivergent? With tech’s relentless distractions, mastering focus isn’t just art—it’s survival. (Tech For Good)
A saas love affAIr (or why I wish we never met)
It seems like almost every SaaS product tries to woo you with charm, but the “customer journey” often feels more like an obstacle course. Mathew Duggan humorously critiques the aggressive sales tactics of SaaS companies. But it’s not all laughs—there are some good lessons for onboarding here. (Mat Duggan)
Top resources
Dub.co’s open source link advantage
Dub.co is transforming the affiliate marketing space by solving attribution headaches. Here’s what caught my attention:
- Integrates discounts directly into links, eliminating coupon code chaos
- Partners like Twilio use it to customize link tracking for campaigns
- New “Conversions” feature tracks real-time marketing effectiveness
First impressions that last: mastering onboarding design
Discovering how a top innovation consultancy revamped onboarding experiences left me eager to apply these principles. They share stories about some of their client experiences:
- Behavioral science drove a 46% drop-off rate reduction for the oldest US debt firm
- A digital platform redesign boosted user engagement by 52% monthly
- Streamlined processes slashed design time by 75% for a major smartphone brand
Crafting your founder playbook
Entrepreneurship is often described with clichéd metaphors, but the reality is a blend of both chaotic and exhilarating. Learn from some of the best in the biz.
- Drew Houston: Start with a problem that pulls you, can scale, and optimizes for learning.
- Tim Chen: Check your ego. Decision-making, culture, and product building demand humility.
- Rob Hayes: Don’t run out of money. Keep a cash plan assuming zero revenue; share it for accountability.
Chatgpt’s task scheduler: your new AI personal assistant
OpenAI just unlocked a new power for ChatGPT. Introducing Tasks, where AI becomes your personal scheduler. Beta version available now to Plus, Team, and Pro users via web browser.
(CNET)
What’s trending
The internet mirror: then and now
Rummaging through the digital attic, María Escarmiento’s concerts paint a rosy picture of the Y2K internet. But let’s admit it: those MSN Messenger nights weren’t all flawless connections and friendly vibes. Our nostalgia conveniently overlooks the murky side; today, the internet’s still a reflection of us—quirks and all. (El Pais)
Navigating the consumer tech revival
After a decade-long slumber, consumer tech startups are waking up again. Since 2014, the window for launching revolutionary consumer software was nearly shut, stifled by incumbents’ dominance and outdated interfaces. But with AI taking center stage, fresh opportunities are bubbling up, offering founders a chance to reignite their creative spark and outsmart the old guard. (NfX)
MinI tools, major impact
Free ebooks are so last decade. This era belongs to bite-sized software apps, with tech marketers offering tools like Canva’s AI Instagram templates as traffic magnets. Dubbed “free tool marketing,” it’s a strategy blending keyword research with nimble development to capture leads. (Hubspot)
My stack
These are the tools that help me run my business every day. I happily pay for each of them—they’re worth every penny. I hope you find them useful, too.
- Beehiiv → How I send this newsletter every week. 10/10 would recommend.
- Brain.fm → How I kickstart my productivity and find flow-state.
- Figma → How I quickly go from idea to design to product.
- Mercury → The best business banking I’ve ever used.
- Screen Studio → How I record engaging videos.
- Typefully → How I post content to my socials.
- Kick → My bookkeeping on auto-pilot.
And that’s a wrap!
Thanks for reading today’s issue. If you have any ideas for what you’d like me to cover in future issues, just hit reply and let me know.
And if you found today’s newsletter useful, please share it with your friends!
Matt Downey
Founder, Digital Native
@mattdowney