Writing about technology, finance, and building things on the internet.https://joelelewis.com/en-ushttps://joelelewis.com/blog/what-would-you-say-you-do-here/https://joelelewis.com/blog/what-would-you-say-you-do-here/The articulation gap limits both your career and your AI effectiveness. A structured interview tool built for context engineering revealed something unexpected about self-knowledge.Tue, 10 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMTapplied-aisystems-thinkingleadershiphttps://joelelewis.com/blog/the-onboarding-problem-is-a-revenue-problem/https://joelelewis.com/blog/the-onboarding-problem-is-a-revenue-problem/Wealth management spends billions optimizing portfolios and basis points — then loses clients to a PDF intake form. The highest-leverage moment in the client relationship is the one nobody has redesigned.Thu, 05 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMTwealthtechproduct-strategyapplied-aihttps://joelelewis.com/blog/the-best-i-could-build-in-a-week/https://joelelewis.com/blog/the-best-i-could-build-in-a-week/A week-long prototype proves the advisor desktop is the easy part — and the $5M infrastructure beneath it is the real constraintFri, 27 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMTwealthtechproduct-strategyapplied-aihttps://joelelewis.com/blog/the-5-month-and-5m-button/https://joelelewis.com/blog/the-5-month-and-5m-button/Why the real constraint on wealth management innovation is not the front end — it is everything beneath itThu, 26 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMTplatform-architectureproduct-strategywealthtechhttps://joelelewis.com/blog/taste-and-connection/https://joelelewis.com/blog/taste-and-connection/AI commoditizes replacement-level work. The winning move is taste — and building an audience that trusts yours.Tue, 24 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMTapplied-aisystems-thinkingproduct-strategyhttps://joelelewis.com/blog/the-knowledge-gap-in-ai-finance-tools/https://joelelewis.com/blog/the-knowledge-gap-in-ai-finance-tools/Workflow automation and domain knowledge are two different layers in AI-assisted finance. Most teams are building one. Almost nobody is building both.Tue, 24 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMTapplied-aiplatform-architecturesystems-thinkinghttps://joelelewis.com/blog/mental-muscle-memory/https://joelelewis.com/blog/mental-muscle-memory/Parenting makes you think a lot about your outlook on the world, especially as your kids come to you with things they hear from their friends that may not...Fri, 23 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMTleadershipsystems-thinkinghttps://joelelewis.com/blog/bad-policies-for-the-cash-poor/https://joelelewis.com/blog/bad-policies-for-the-cash-poor/I'm going through the process of submitting expenses to my dependent care FSA, and this is just another great example of a benefit for parent's that not...Thu, 22 Jul 2021 00:00:00 GMThttps://joelelewis.com/blog/starlink-and-national-security/https://joelelewis.com/blog/starlink-and-national-security/A recent post on twitter got me thinking. The cold war space race was about nuclear offensive and deffesnive capabilities.Fri, 16 Jul 2021 00:00:00 GMThttps://joelelewis.com/blog/bye-line/https://joelelewis.com/blog/bye-line/Journalism is going through a fascinating transition.Fri, 11 Jun 2021 00:00:00 GMTgo-to-marketproduct-strategysystems-thinkinghttps://joelelewis.com/blog/slow-news-revisited/https://joelelewis.com/blog/slow-news-revisited/In 2018, I talked about slow news. Since then, the media has gone a subscription boom. More and more sovereign writers have left big publishers.Thu, 27 May 2021 00:00:00 GMThttps://joelelewis.com/blog/replacement-level-marketing/https://joelelewis.com/blog/replacement-level-marketing/Small teams have more reach than ever before, and can build huge businesses with very few resources.Tue, 25 May 2021 00:00:00 GMTgo-to-marketrevenue-operationsapplied-aihttps://joelelewis.com/blog/bodies-and-buried-crypto-treasure/https://joelelewis.com/blog/bodies-and-buried-crypto-treasure/I see hype about how cryptocurrency frees people from a malicious government seizing your assets.Fri, 14 May 2021 00:00:00 GMTwealthtechsystems-thinkinghttps://joelelewis.com/blog/with-persistence/https://joelelewis.com/blog/with-persistence/We bought a large, 6x6 yoga mat a few weeks ago.Mon, 11 May 2020 00:00:00 GMThttps://joelelewis.com/blog/the-spice-must-flow/https://joelelewis.com/blog/the-spice-must-flow/It’s been an amazing month for business news.Fri, 27 Sep 2019 00:00:00 GMTleadershipsystems-thinkinghttps://joelelewis.com/blog/deprived-of-agency/https://joelelewis.com/blog/deprived-of-agency/I’ve had experience working on the phone and in the management of call centers.Wed, 11 Sep 2019 00:00:00 GMTproduct-strategysystems-thinkingapplied-aihttps://joelelewis.com/blog/career-keys/https://joelelewis.com/blog/career-keys/Some thoughts about what skills are becoming more valuable: The best jobs are getting more cross-functional: know business, marketing, product, design,...Wed, 04 Sep 2019 00:00:00 GMTleadershipproduct-strategysystems-thinkinghttps://joelelewis.com/blog/my-take-on-coaching/https://joelelewis.com/blog/my-take-on-coaching/Some quick thoughts on coaching a team: give people clear ownership and get out of the way give people room to stretch outside that area of ownership, so...Wed, 28 Aug 2019 00:00:00 GMTleadershiphttps://joelelewis.com/blog/reshaping-our-environment/https://joelelewis.com/blog/reshaping-our-environment/The two biggest ways to change behavior are 1) changing your environment and 2) making small, incremental change.Wed, 21 Aug 2019 00:00:00 GMThttps://joelelewis.com/blog/michael_lewis_interview/https://joelelewis.com/blog/michael_lewis_interview/I listened to a fantastic podcast with Michael Lewis, where among other things, he dropped several great keys to the way he approaches writing and...Tue, 18 Jun 2019 00:00:00 GMThttps://joelelewis.com/blog/keeping-government-simple/https://joelelewis.com/blog/keeping-government-simple/I spend a lot of time thinking about user experience. When I build something, I want it to be simple and clear for the people using it.Mon, 24 Dec 2018 00:00:00 GMTproduct-strategysystems-thinkinghttps://joelelewis.com/blog/how-2018-changed-my-media-consumption/https://joelelewis.com/blog/how-2018-changed-my-media-consumption/The last few years have really accelerated the “sound and fury” of news media.Sat, 22 Dec 2018 00:00:00 GMThttps://joelelewis.com/blog/the-end-of-truth/https://joelelewis.com/blog/the-end-of-truth/We think we are already in a post truth world, but we are barely starting down the path. There are tools that can already fake anyone’s voice or face.Sat, 25 Aug 2018 00:00:00 GMTapplied-aisystems-thinkinghttps://joelelewis.com/blog/slow-news/https://joelelewis.com/blog/slow-news/The “old” adage on the internet is that “information wants to be free”.Mon, 06 Aug 2018 00:00:00 GMTsystems-thinkinghttps://joelelewis.com/blog/we-go-for-the-uncompromised/https://joelelewis.com/blog/we-go-for-the-uncompromised/“The compromise part of the market is very well serviced,” Burmeister says. “So we go for the uncompromised.Sat, 04 Aug 2018 00:00:00 GMTproduct-strategygo-to-marketwealthtechhttps://joelelewis.com/blog/strong-verbs--short-sentences/https://joelelewis.com/blog/strong-verbs--short-sentences/My favorite advice for communication and persuasion I was listening to Revisionist History, Malcolm Gladwell’s great podcast, and he featured Bernadine...Wed, 01 Aug 2018 00:00:00 GMThttps://joelelewis.com/blog/what-a--3-million-campaign-donation-buys-154fc82189d1/https://joelelewis.com/blog/what-a--3-million-campaign-donation-buys-154fc82189d1/In Georgia today, a recording of the Lt.Thu, 14 Jun 2018 00:00:00 GMThttps://joelelewis.com/blog/bannon--isis--and-the-clash-of-civilizations-5804348ad8b/https://joelelewis.com/blog/bannon--isis--and-the-clash-of-civilizations-5804348ad8b/Bannon gave an interview in 2014, which is a fascinating look into his worldview.Mon, 30 Jan 2017 00:00:00 GMThttps://joelelewis.com/blog/trump-s-america--what-i-am-watching-cb00c65f1ffc/https://joelelewis.com/blog/trump-s-america--what-i-am-watching-cb00c65f1ffc/We have a new president, and Republicans have control of Congress.Thu, 10 Nov 2016 00:00:00 GMThttps://joelelewis.com/blog/a-reflection-on-the-peril-of-raised-expectations-as-i-wait-for-my-verizon-repairman-34a12527e969/https://joelelewis.com/blog/a-reflection-on-the-peril-of-raised-expectations-as-i-wait-for-my-verizon-repairman-34a12527e969/My FIOS home internet stopped working on Thursday. That’s a minor inconvenience. I look up the service phone number and call — my expectations are low.Sat, 10 Sep 2016 00:00:00 GMThttps://joelelewis.com/blog/universal-basic-income-and-exploding-knowledge-b02b0efe5bb1/https://joelelewis.com/blog/universal-basic-income-and-exploding-knowledge-b02b0efe5bb1/We are living amongst the greatest democrtization of both knowledge and the means of production ever in history.Wed, 11 May 2016 00:00:00 GMThttps://joelelewis.com/blog/a-robots-native-tongue-6921278c2767/https://joelelewis.com/blog/a-robots-native-tongue-6921278c2767/There is a ton of hype today about bots and AI interacting with users as the next bug computing interface. To me, this misses the bigger question.Mon, 09 May 2016 00:00:00 GMThttps://joelelewis.com/blog/vanguard--wealthfront--and-the-fight-for-the-future-of-retirement-9ae64e0d46ce/https://joelelewis.com/blog/vanguard--wealthfront--and-the-fight-for-the-future-of-retirement-9ae64e0d46ce/For the average investor, investing in the stock market is pretty similar now to the 1950’s — it’s faster and cheaper, but not too different.Tue, 12 Apr 2016 00:00:00 GMTwealthtechproduct-strategyplatform-architecturehttps://joelelewis.com/blog/foundations-for-the-future-9c5dc649b8db/https://joelelewis.com/blog/foundations-for-the-future-9c5dc649b8db/I have been reading a lot of relatively new technologies that I think will combined in fascinating ways to create the next big shift.Sat, 18 Jul 2015 00:00:00 GMThttps://joelelewis.com/blog/debt-we-must-pay-f84d52d1f878/https://joelelewis.com/blog/debt-we-must-pay-f84d52d1f878/Most people struggle plenty with personal, financial debt. It is hard to think about the long term consequences of our short term actions.Tue, 14 Apr 2015 00:00:00 GMThttps://joelelewis.com/blog/robin-hood-and-his-merry-robo-advisors-d47761112897/https://joelelewis.com/blog/robin-hood-and-his-merry-robo-advisors-d47761112897/(image removed - originally hosted on Medium) There are a lot of young brokerage and wealth management companies starting today with a modern technology...Thu, 02 Apr 2015 00:00:00 GMTwealthtechproduct-strategygo-to-markethttps://joelelewis.com/blog/incentives-are-overdone-a370d0626d5e/https://joelelewis.com/blog/incentives-are-overdone-a370d0626d5e/We read a lot about situations where incentives lead to “bad” or less than ideal behavior (my current favorite example is every morning on my way to work,...Tue, 08 Jan 2013 00:00:00 GMThttps://joelelewis.com/blog/groupon-s-worst-nightmare-a23195bccf37/https://joelelewis.com/blog/groupon-s-worst-nightmare-a23195bccf37/Groupon is wildly successful, a market leader, generating incredible growth, revenue, attention, and market valuations.Thu, 14 Apr 2011 00:00:00 GMThttps://joelelewis.com/blog/not-just-a-pay-wall-fe4cebed082c/https://joelelewis.com/blog/not-just-a-pay-wall-fe4cebed082c/The internet has been abuzz about the NYT’s new pay wall.Fri, 25 Mar 2011 00:00:00 GMThttps://joelelewis.com/blog/good-time-to-be-great-34599181ad76/https://joelelewis.com/blog/good-time-to-be-great-34599181ad76/(image removed - originally hosted on Medium) The interactive chart featured here is making the rounds on the web, because it tells a story about how the...Mon, 07 Mar 2011 00:00:00 GMThttps://joelelewis.com/blog/battle-of-the-bulging-middle-class-908eff5c9b5e/https://joelelewis.com/blog/battle-of-the-bulging-middle-class-908eff5c9b5e/The mainstream media is starting to spread the narrative about rising income inequality in America: \[In 1915\]King was somewhat troubled to find that the...Thu, 09 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMThttps://joelelewis.com/blog/shooting-ourselves-in-the-foot-a832c4bee41b/https://joelelewis.com/blog/shooting-ourselves-in-the-foot-a832c4bee41b/Matt Taibbi has another entertaining and informative article on financial reform: The Sanders amendment, if it survives in conference, will lead to some...Sat, 29 May 2010 00:00:00 GMThttps://joelelewis.com/blog/privacy-is-a-thing-of-the-past-17ccf214da0d/https://joelelewis.com/blog/privacy-is-a-thing-of-the-past-17ccf214da0d/“Three men can keep if a secret, if two are dead” — Benjamin Franklin Privacy has always been difficult to achieve, even during the time of our founding...Tue, 11 May 2010 00:00:00 GMThttps://joelelewis.com/blog/data-is-changing-everything-1599c776089e/https://joelelewis.com/blog/data-is-changing-everything-1599c776089e/The Economist has a special report on how Data and the tools and technologies we use to understand are changing our lives at an accelerating pace.Sun, 28 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMThttps://joelelewis.com/blog/estate-tax-and-meritocracy-a584d9817a41/https://joelelewis.com/blog/estate-tax-and-meritocracy-a584d9817a41/From a research paper on international management practices and their effect on firm success: One interesting group are the family firms, defined in our...Sat, 27 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMThttps://joelelewis.com/blog/imaginationland-and-intellectual-property-f7430a019698/https://joelelewis.com/blog/imaginationland-and-intellectual-property-f7430a019698/Imagine a world where when you leave a job, instead of telling you to pack your desk, they tell you to: … deposit your ideas at the door before passing...Wed, 24 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMThttps://joelelewis.com/blog/information-tech-and-the-future-of-government-4c24a2ef99f7/https://joelelewis.com/blog/information-tech-and-the-future-of-government-4c24a2ef99f7/Interesting talk about the technology revolution’s ability to remake government, from the leader of Britain’s Conservative Party.Mon, 22 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMThttps://joelelewis.com/blog/moderates-make-man-bear-pigs-cc29261564e6/https://joelelewis.com/blog/moderates-make-man-bear-pigs-cc29261564e6/538 has a great article on the role of moderate politicians in congress.Sat, 20 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMThttps://joelelewis.com/blog/political-polarization-f41da1f4462f/https://joelelewis.com/blog/political-polarization-f41da1f4462f/Another sign of mainstream recognition of political polarization in the United States — From the Economist: The supermajority rule \[60 votes in the...Fri, 19 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMThttps://joelelewis.com/blog/a-look-inside-the-tea-party-b3e68d7ff317/https://joelelewis.com/blog/a-look-inside-the-tea-party-b3e68d7ff317/The NYTimes has a must read article on the tea party movement.Wed, 17 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMThttps://joelelewis.com/blog/if-something-can-t-happen--will-it--5ac3113b9c41/https://joelelewis.com/blog/if-something-can-t-happen--will-it--5ac3113b9c41/A great article about systemic instability, financial markets, and the the deficit.Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMThttps://joelelewis.com/blog/putting-it-all-together-f2305540f465/https://joelelewis.com/blog/putting-it-all-together-f2305540f465/I have an emerging view on markets, government, and what to do moving forward, and Better Regulate Than Never | The New Republic help my tie a lot of my...Thu, 01 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMThttps://joelelewis.com/blog/the-passion-of-the-banks-1da27060eb66/https://joelelewis.com/blog/the-passion-of-the-banks-1da27060eb66/The Wall Street journal asks: Was it surprising to investors that Merrill paid $3. 6 billion in bonuses?Mon, 28 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMThttps://joelelewis.com/blog/requiem-for-a-firm-ac5011a1e26/https://joelelewis.com/blog/requiem-for-a-firm-ac5011a1e26/A great article about who and what actually brought down AIG and started the financial fizzle we’re in.Tue, 01 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMThttps://joelelewis.com/blog/creative-destruction-and-government-7cb03b68fa/https://joelelewis.com/blog/creative-destruction-and-government-7cb03b68fa/When was the last time our government went through a significant overhaul?Thu, 27 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMThttps://joelelewis.com/blog/trading-in-the-fast-lane-49121bc8321e/https://joelelewis.com/blog/trading-in-the-fast-lane-49121bc8321e/If you haven’t heard of High Frequency Trading yet, you will soon.Tue, 25 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMThttps://joelelewis.com/blog/the-black-swan-by-nassim-taleb-4d5e45a9d284/https://joelelewis.com/blog/the-black-swan-by-nassim-taleb-4d5e45a9d284/The first thing I learned reading Black Swan, is that Nassim Taleb is highly intelligent, but at least twice as arrogant as he is intelligent.Fri, 21 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMThttps://joelelewis.com/blog/could-we-change-finance--4a74e647d2df/https://joelelewis.com/blog/could-we-change-finance--4a74e647d2df/A good friend of mine, Amol Kapila, just started his blog back up after a few year’s absence.Wed, 19 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMThttps://joelelewis.com/blog/i-must-be-taking-crazy-pills--e75eb7020735/https://joelelewis.com/blog/i-must-be-taking-crazy-pills--e75eb7020735/because this article about health-care actually make sense. (My comments in footnotes).Thu, 13 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMThttps://joelelewis.com/blog/the-big-bad-wolf-in-finance-317148fa8c05/https://joelelewis.com/blog/the-big-bad-wolf-in-finance-317148fa8c05/The Japanese would have a a very different take on the story of the big bad wolf.Thu, 06 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMThttps://joelelewis.com/blog/freedom-to-act--like-an-idiot--a97a8605d0f6/https://joelelewis.com/blog/freedom-to-act--like-an-idiot--a97a8605d0f6/It seems to me that some of the biggest debates we see in government and politics is how much government needs to protect people from themselves.Wed, 05 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMThttps://joelelewis.com/blog/the-fat-tail-by-ian-bremmer-and-preston-keat-2a6ffd8393a2/https://joelelewis.com/blog/the-fat-tail-by-ian-bremmer-and-preston-keat-2a6ffd8393a2/The Fat Tail’s central argument is that businesses rarely forecast and prepare for political risks as well as they do economic ones, which is a mistake...Sun, 14 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMThttps://joelelewis.com/blog/financial-fix-daa1dca836c8/https://joelelewis.com/blog/financial-fix-daa1dca836c8/In the aftermath of the financial crisis, the focus has been on better accounting for risk, better matching employee pay with the long term value they...Fri, 12 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMThttps://joelelewis.com/blog/the-perils-of-paying-for-handholding-beafcd178dbb/https://joelelewis.com/blog/the-perils-of-paying-for-handholding-beafcd178dbb/A financial adviser on selling during a market decline: “They know that in hindsight, it wasn’t the best thing to do,” Mr. Hail said.Sun, 07 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMThttps://joelelewis.com/blog/banking-reform-proposal-c310b33f7980/https://joelelewis.com/blog/banking-reform-proposal-c310b33f7980/Summary of the above link: The banking system should be remade in the image of Limited Purpose Banking (LPB).Wed, 03 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMThttps://joelelewis.com/blog/a-history-of-god-by-karen-armstrong-a5576e62d4b/https://joelelewis.com/blog/a-history-of-god-by-karen-armstrong-a5576e62d4b/I never got much out of Sunday School aside from the watered down bible’s stories, usually stripped of all context and religious meaning.Thu, 28 May 2009 00:00:00 GMThttps://joelelewis.com/blog/why-finance--salaries--won-t-change-fd128074cef6/https://joelelewis.com/blog/why-finance--salaries--won-t-change-fd128074cef6/The more things change, the more they are the same. In a drought, the river may dry up, but the lay of the land stays the same.Wed, 20 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT