Influencers — Updated 2023.09

This is a list of people who have inspired and shaped my thinking and the way I approach life over time. Although I have never met any of them in person, I consider them mentors from afar.

The list below showcases authors and personalities I’ve discovered and explored through books, blogs, or podcasts. That said, it’s my real-life mentors who’ve taught me the most. Maybe they’ll get their own list someday.

Philosophers of our time

Flies should pay for the privilege of being on their walls.

Interviewers

I’ve unearthed a treasure trove of ideas and personalities through their interviews.

Product analysts

Inside baseball for the ones working in tech.

  • Benedict Evans
  • Ben Thompson, James Allworth, and Andrew Sharp
  • Eugene Wei
  • Horace Deidu
  • John Gruber
  • John Siracusa
  • Matt Ball
  • Packy McCormick

VCs & Entrepreneurs

The alchemists of Silicon Valley, they turn code and hustle into unicorns.

Physicists

They demystify the universe and break down the most complex topics even for folks like me.

MDs & Scientists

A shortcut to the latest research and insights on nutrition, fitness, or sleep.

Economists & Investors

Investing seems almost effortless when you see it through their lens.

Best sellers

Mainstream authors that don’t just write books, but script cultural shifts.

Stoics

They’ll be remembered as the Zeno, Epictetus, or Marcus Aurelius of our postmodern era.

Classics

Sadly, they’re no longer with us, but their ideas have shaped our world.

Candidates

AI

  • [Daniel Schmachtenberger]
  • [Eliezer Yudkowsky]
  • [George Hotz]
  • [Liv Boeree]
First published on February 25, 2023
#changelog