How Entrepreneurs Should Use AI, M&A in a Downturn and Material 3

Hey subscribers,

We're into 2023 now, with January firmly in the rear-view mirror. A global recession is looming and many organisations are restructuring, reducing cost and becoming increasingly tentative at starting or continuing programmes of work.

I surveyed my audience last week on what plans they are currently executing:

A real mix it seems, but this isn't business as usual. Far from it.

When in a downturn, they say that you should invest in technology and reduce cost elsewhere. Lower capital expenditure and increasing value. Do checkout the news on Material 3 and no-code that I've included in this issue.

There are advantages in these cycles. JP Morgan highlight that in the M&A space:

"There will always be pockets of opportunity and growth in any economic cycle. Many companies focus inward during a recession, but that may mean missing a unique chance to scale with a strategic merger or acquisition."

Even this week we've heard about 'non-core' Social Chain Ltd being bought by Brave Bison, and no doubt consolidation will continue, in-part to increase market share when businesses are on the cheaper end, but also the advancement in technology. Do check out the article on how Entrepreneurs are using AI successfully in Forbes.

Thank you for your attention reading this issue,

thanks, Ross

Here's the best links from the web with all things product design:

Material 3

Google just launched an open source design system for motion system, accessibility and components. Why build your own when there are so many good resources out there that are free to use?

How to be a DIY CTO

You can single-handedly build an MVP without writing a single line of code with do-it-yourself no-code tools. Once you gain product-market fit and a growing number of paying customers, then that's the time to consider building from scratch, not before.

Are Low-Code and No-Code Tools the Answer for Businesses?

Starting with internal applications rather than customer-facing tools is a good strategy for businesses interested in low-code and no-code. I've been speaking to some of my connections about using Notion to become a more documentation-led business (and Notion has the nicest AI assistant ever!).

How Entrepreneurs can Start using AI Successfully

"This isn’t about creating headlines and fake essays. This is about building the tools that billions of people will use."

Questions for an Interface Design Critique

In any interface there might be hundreds of things to improve. With enough experience you will notice many of them immediately. If you’re not there yet, hopefully these questions can help you.

It's never "do you like the way it looks." Try these questions instead at your next critique:

What is MLOps and How to Get Started?

Everything you need to know to build an ML-powered app end-to-end with a high level of automation.

Sharing for the CTOs. Stop talking about using ML and actually try it out!