"Start right before you get eaten by the bear. Most people need less context and preamble than you might think."
The default: writers front-load setup no one signed up for
The move: cut everything before the moment that actually matters
The same rule applies to Slack messages, memos, presentations, cold outreach
If you're not getting the reaction you want, ask: how might I be contributing?
Framework
The Content Hierarchy of BS
"At the bottom there's more room for BS. Twitter, podcasts, keynote speeches, one-directional, nobody can push back. As you move up, there's less and less room."
Twitter's 280 characters is a mic drop; you walk away, no rationale required
Books demand you defend the idea; live cohort courses demand you defend it in real time
Use the hierarchy to hold yourself to a higher standard than the format alone allows
A book that could have been a 10-page blog post is BS the hierarchy would catch
Why courses stand alone
A course has hours of content plus live and async interaction. You can't say "here's a wise thought" and move on. People hold you accountable, in the moment.
Framework
The State Change Method
Punctuate every monologue with a state change — anything that shakes the audience awake
Ask people to put something in the chat box
Switch from Brady Bunch gallery to a screen share, then back
Turn a piece of information into a question first: "so, what do YOU think it is?"
"Punctuate your monologues with state changes. Anytime you want to share a piece of information, that's an opportunity for a potential state change."
Salesforce's "no software," inverted
Wes tells course designers: no monologues. Long monologues put your audience to sleep, and there is almost never a moment in a talk that a state change wouldn't improve.
Craft
Working With Seth Godin
The speed at Seth HQ blew past what most people call fast — and stayed excellent
Refusal to accept anything but excellence was contagious; craft was non-negotiable
Seth is sharper, funnier, and more genuine in person than online, which almost no one manages
Wes carried both traits into building Maven: obsession with craft, willingness to ship fast
The obsessive-personality bet
Wes freely calls herself obsessive and treats it as an asset when aimed at craft. She looked for the same in Seth. Then she built Maven around cohort-based courses, where obsession shows up on video, live.
Contrarian
Wes's Craft Contrarian Takes
✗Set the scene, then tell the storyINSTEAD →✓ Start right before you get eaten by the bear. Most preamble is a courtesy to yourself, not to the reader.
✗A tweet is easier so it's fine to be lazyINSTEAD →✓ The format is where BS hides. Twitter and keynotes let you walk away without defending; a course won't. Hold yourself to the top of the pyramid.
✗Deliver the material, then take questionsINSTEAD →✓ No monologues. Punctuate with state changes: a chat prompt, a view switch, a "what do you think?" — every few minutes.
✗Talent and speed are oppositesINSTEAD →✓ Seth HQ shipped faster than most companies, and still stayed excellent. Wes credits the obsession, not the tools.