On Saturday, I organized a birthday picnic in McCarren park with 60 of my friends in the city.
I was worried about the weather, the forecast a few weeks ago said it was going to rain. Instead, it ended up being one of the most beautiful days of the year. In the words of Aman, I choose the perfect day for a picnic.
I worried about getting a spot in McCarren park. McCarren isn’t the biggest park and the weather was optimal for picnics. I camped at McCarren 4 hours before the start time to secure a spot (shoutout Rishi for running shifts with me). We had more than enough space at the park.
I remember telling a few friends that I wish I could’ve just chilled for my birthday instead of hosting a birthday picnic. But I’m so glad I did.
My heart felt so full getting to celebrate my birthday with so many of my NYC friends that it made all the effort worth it.
In 2005, streetwear designer Jeff Staple was commissioned by Nike to design a “New York City” shoe.
His team initially suggested obvious symbols like the Statue of Liberty or the Empire State Building. But Jeff had another idea: base the design on a pigeon. His team pushed back as pigeons were seen as “flying rats.” Who would want to wear a shoe inspired by one?
But the idea stuck with Jeff, and eventually, the team came around.
When he pitched it to Nike’s executives, they didn’t understand it either. Why a pigeon? Jeff explained: They weren’t supposed to get it. If a room full of executives in Portland, Oregon did get it, then the design had failed. The sneaker was meant to be an if you know, you know.
The Pigeon Dunk ended up selling out and even sparked riots and widespread media coverage across New York City when it dropped ushering in the era of the hypebeast sneaker.
One of my friends, S, was one of the first core members of the Writing Club.
She was a super connector, always inviting people and bringing new energy into the group. I met so many friends through her. Over time, we became close. I went to her birthday party, and we’d regularly see each other at overlapping events.
But less than a year later, she moved out of the city. And ever since she left, I don’t really see many of those friends anymore. She was the central node holding that web together.
I’m sure a lot of people know someone like that, the glue in a friend group. When they leave, it doesn’t just feel like one person moving away. It feels like a whole circle quietly fades. In a transient city like New York, I’ve had many close friends come and go. And when one of them leaves, it’s not just them, it’s everyone you met through them that seems to disappear too.
“One of the great joys of life is riding a scooter through Vietnam, to be part of this mysterious, thrilling, beautiful choreography” - Anthony Bourdain
A few weeks ago, a close friend and I decided we wanted to travel to Vietnam this year. I told my manager this week that I’ll be off for Juneteeth to 4th of July weekend. Last step is to book my flights. Once that’s done this trip is set.
It’s a country I’ve always wanted to visit. Back when I was planning my post-grad solo trip, Southeast Asia was at the top of my list, but Vietnam was closed to visitors due to the pandemic in 2022, right around the time I wanted to go.
Every trip, every adventure, begins as an idea.
Who knows how this will turn out, but I already know I’ll be making future memories.
In last week’s episode of One Piece, Luffy faces off against Admiral Kizaru. The last time they fought, Luffy and the entire Straw Hat crew were completely outclassed. They got demolished without Kizaru even breaking a sweat.
That episode first aired in April 2009.
This past weekend, Luffy saw Kizaru again. Luffy then dropped a line that’s been living rent-free in my head ever since:
“We’re 100 times stronger than we were two years ago.”
Whenever someone asks, “Why do you love One Piece so much?” It’s because I feel like I’m on this journey as part of the Straw Hat crew.
In the One Piece universe, that fight was just two years ago. In the real world, it was 16 years ago.
When Luffy first fought Kizaru I was 11 years old. I’ve grown so much since then.
Not only did Luffy and the Straw Hat pirates grow 100 times stronger since they last saw Kizaru, I too have grown 100 times stronger since then.
Last Wednesday, I wrote about my ideal afternoon routine:
-Take a (ideally) 1-hour lunch break
Eat a light lunch to avoid the crash
Drink a cup of green tea
Around 3 PM: go for a walk, stretch, or do some light chores
Stay hydrated
Plan ahead for the next day
That Thursday and Friday, I had the most productive afternoons I’ve ever had. I’m not kidding.
The game changer was the dedicated 3 PM midday break. Before, I’d take breaks whenever I felt like it—if at all. But having a set time gives me something to look forward to and a much-needed mental reset before closing out the day.
It actually reminds me of recess back in elementary school. We had a 15-minute recess at 10 AM, a 45-minute lunch break, and another 15-minute recess at 2 PM.
Even during those short breaks, my friends and I would squeeze in a quick game of basketball or soccer, or classics like manhunt, four square, or elimination (the one with the tennis ball).
Looking back, I think they were really onto something with these scheduled outdoor breaks built right into the day. I’m going to start calling my own breaks Adult Recess. It just sounds more fun that way.
What To Do If You’re Scared to Share Your Work Online
One of the most common fears I hear from new creatives is the fear of putting yourself out there. And I get it, it’s vulnerable, it’s awkward. When I first started writing online, I’d constantly have thoughts like What will that acquaintance from high school think? What will my parents think? How about my past coworkers?
The logical advice is to not care what people think. Most people won’t actually judge you and they’ll admire you for having the courage. And if someone does judge you, they don’t matter.
But fear is an emotional problem not a logical one.
The good news is, you don’t need to make a big announcement to the world. You can start small. You can even start anonymously. That’s what I did with my menswear newsletter Riveting. I quietly launched it on Substack and wrote a few posts before telling anyone.
Another option is you can create a burner account. One of my goals this quarter is to experiment with Instagram Reels for my menswear content. I’ve never made one before, and honestly, I’m nervous. So I’m setting up a burner account where I can practice, get feedback from trusted friends, and work on the craft without the pressure of an audience.
The more reps you put in, the less scary it becomes. Bit by bit, you start tackling bigger fears. And over time, your courage begins to grow.
This year, that hasn’t really been an issue. One of the biggest mindset shifts I’ve made is changing how I approach writing. Instead of seeing it as something I have to do every day, I now view it as an opportunity to think through ideas and clarify my thoughts.
Take my afternoon routine, for example. I’ve always found it challenging. So I sat down to write about it - not with a solution in mind, but simply to explore the problem. In the process, I began to understand what my ideal afternoon could actually look like.
Over the past few days, I’ve been testing out that routine, and I’ve had some of the most productive afternoons I’ve ever had.
That’s one of the reasons why this daily blog has been such a powerful tool in my self-improvement journey. Writing helps me clarify my thoughts and ideas. And when I apply that clarity to my own life, it creates momentum. And that momentum compounds over time.
One of my favorite things about a new season is putting together a fresh reading list.
In the Information Age, I still believe the best ideas are found in books. I especially enjoy reading older titles as the ideas are foundational thinking in them, the kind that newer books build on.
Right now, my two core identities are working in Growth at a high-tech company and diving deep into menswear. I curate my content diet around these two interests. I call it the pi-shaped information diet: going deep in two areas - like the legs of the Greek letter π - while staying broadly informed by reading more general books too.
Here’s my reading list for Spring 2025.
Technology
Life 3.0: Being Human in the Age of Artificial Intelligence — Max Tegmark
Product-Led Sales - Vincent Jong
Improving Language Understanding by Generative Pre-Training (GPT-1 Paper) — OpenAI
Fashion & Menswear
Slaves to Fashion: Black Dandyism and the Styling of Black Diasporic Identity — Monica L. Miller
Uniforms: Why We Are What We Wear — Paul Fussell
The Triumph of Individual Style — Carla Mason Mathis & Helen Villa Connor
I’ve skipped the last couple days. I could never be https://www.jquiambao.com/. I’m just not a consistent person anyways. I bet that guys never been on a 48-hour multiple addys dopamine bender tho
I couldn’t help but laugh when I read that.
For one, it’s humbling to look back on the journey. I remember reading Seth Godin and Jordan Gonen’s daily blogs back in 2019, before I started writing daily myself. At the time, blogging every day felt impossible.
Now, it’s just part of my routine - like brushing my teeth or eating lunch.
One of the unexpected benefits of this daily practice is how much it’s strengthened my consistency muscle. That consistency has seeped into every part of my life. Whether it’s something as small as making my bed each morning or flossing my teeth to hosting over 70 Olive Tree Writing Club events or writing for 1,900 days in a row.
I used to carry one of those small, foldable umbrellas in my bag - just in case it rained. But the problem with those compact umbrellas is that they’re almost always cheap. I’d pay for one, and then the moment there was even a slight gust of wind, it would flip inside out. Sometimes I had to hold it with both hands - one at the handle, one near the top- just to keep it from flying around. Super annoying.
Another issue with small umbrellas is that they’re so compact, I’d constantly forget them. My roommates and I used to have about four umbrellas between us, but during one particularly rainy week in New York, I lost three umbrellas in three consecutive days. I’d leave them on the floor somewhere or forget them at the front of a store.
Fed up, I finally decided to buy a better umbrella. I went to Muji and picked out one of those full-size arched umbrellas. You know, the kind that Penguin from Batman would carry. And it’s been a game changer.
If I know it’s going to rain, I bring it with me. It’s sturdy, reliable, and doesn’t flip inside out, even in heavy wind. Because it’s bigger, it’s also a little obnoxious in a good way: I don’t forget it. If I’m on my way home and I’m not holding my “walking stick,” I immediately know something’s missing. I also feel like I’m packing a weapon when I’m carrying my umbrella which makes me feel extra safe walking in NYC.
Just investing in a slightly better umbrella - and the Muji one isn’t even that expensive - has saved me money and headaches in the long run.
As I mentioned in a recent post, Ken Sakata from Front Office is quickly becoming one of my favorite menswear creators.
In this post, he breaks down the process of creating the perfect dad jean, and it’s fascinating to see the thought that goes into designing a deceptively simple garment.
He talks about selecting the right fabric weight and how it affects the drape, then dives into the different washes and the distinct vibe each one gives off. Finally, there’s the cut and silhouette: a straight leg with a higher rise for that ideal balance of structure and ease.
Working on software for my job, I know the intention and thoughtfulness put into each detail. It’s interesting to see a breakdown of this same process for other creative fields.
Andrew Chen is the founder of NYC-based menswear brand 3sixteen. It’s one of my favorite brands and a great example of a label built with soul and integrity.
In this reel, Andrew talks about how tariffs are affecting his business. It’s a great explainer for anyone who wants to understand how the tariffs impact small, independent brands.
Andrew keeps his cool on camera, but you can tell he’s frustrated. This is his livelihood after all.
Here are a few key points Andrew makes:
Increased costs — 3Sixteen imports their denim from a mill in Japan and crafts the jeans in the U.S. They have a shipment of fabric they ordered a month ago that’s expected to arrive in the next few days. Because it arrives after the tariffs were implemented, they are subject to a 26% tariff. This tariff is then absorbed bu the retailer who then passes it to the consumer.
Uncertainty — Their jersey knits are made in Canada when the 25% in Canada. They weren’t sure whether they were to deal with the 25% tariff or not then it got pulled at the 11th hour. When you sell to retailers, you give them a cost, and because of the pretiabilitu, they don’t know what exactly they’ll be charging.
Deteriorating overseas markets — If the U.S. imposes tariffs, other countries may retaliate, which overseas retailers may reconsider buying an order because they can get another product from another country with less tariffs. This then hurts American brands.
3sixteen is exactly the kind of American brand these tariffs are supposed to protect—yet Andrew shares multiple examples of how they’re hurting his business instead.
Most of the literature around Product-Led Growth (PLG) focuses on consumer companies. Many iconic tech businesses—like Facebook, Slack, and Uber—pioneered this approach. Growth hacking enabled these companies to build and distribute product with little to no traditional go-to-market (GTM) function.
But I was curious: what does Growth look like for B2B companies that have fewer customers, but much larger deal sizes?
What I’ve found is that the fundamentals remain the same, but the tactics shift.
One of my first breakthroughs was learning about Product-Led Sales (PLS). This model is especially relevant when you already have a Sales function in place but want to layer in a product-driven growth motion.
In PLS, the product itself becomes a key driver of growth, often working in tandem with Sales. You’re not replacing Sales—you’re empowering it.
For example, sales teams often work with Sales Qualified Leads (SQLs), where reps determine whether a prospect is a good fit. Marketing has Marketing Qualified Leads (MQLs), based on intent signals from campaigns or content.
But there’s a third category that’s critical for PLG: the Product Qualified Lead (PQL). These are users or accounts that demonstrate engagement or value realization within the product—signals that they may be ready to convert or expand.
That’s what I’m focused on now, building the right product signals to define PQLs. How do we know when an account is ready to grow? And how can we use those signals to support Sales and drive revenue?
There were a lot of moments that resonated, but one especially stood out early in the episode, Nash and LeBron talk about the importance of appreciating the process instead of focusing on the outcome.
“Everyone wants to hoist the Larry O’Brien trophy,” says LeBron, “It feels like you really cemented your legacy. But ultimately, the commitment you give to yourself, your body, your craft, and your mind will take care of itself. If it’s meant to happen, it’ll happen. If not, then it wasn’t meant to be. But if you’ve put in the work, if you’ve done everything you could, then you can sleep peacefully knowing you gave your mind, body, and soul everything it could possibly want.
LeBron basically described the Inner Excellence mindset, that success is a byproduct of loving the process. If you can find joy in the process, if you can see every meeting, every presentation, as a way to learn and grow and fully experience each moment, then it doesn’t matter if you win or lose. Success is a by product.
Nash follows up with a great question: “Was there a time when a lightbulb went off and you realized it was all about the process?”
LeBron said that shift happened around Year 7, when he was 25 or 26.
I’m 27 now, and I feel like I’m just starting to truly understand what enjoying the process means.
Adopting this mindset has been one of the biggest mental unlocks for me this year. It’s changed how I show up, not just in work, but in life.
Ken Sakata was a surgeon who started a satirical side project designing clothes for a fictional Australian football team. Surprisingly, the project gained traction—people began asking when and where they could buy the clothes.
Encouraged by the interest, he decided to take the idea seriously. In his free time, he began designing garments and sharing his creative process on Instagram and TikTok. His following grew quickly and he rebranded to Front Office.
Eventually, he left his career in medicine to pursue fashion full-time.
He’s one of my favorite fashion content creators. I find his story and unconventional path into fashion inspiring. His approach to style mirrors mine—breaking down fashion concepts in a way that’s clear, approachable, and engaging for everyone.
