Field Notes: Systems & Mindset Shifts

My theme for July is building out SYSTEMS & hiring. When I left Amazon, I naively thought that I would find these pockets of time where I had previously been working on Amazon stuff… But, since leaving, I’ve somehow been booked and busier than ever, and it’s been A LOT. I’ve come to the realization over the last few weeks/month that I need more help with the basic admin and behind-the-scenes work of scaling my social media pages and podcast—it’s no longer physically possible to do it all myself. So I’ve come to terms that I need assistance to handle the backend systems and admin work that come with this growth.

So this is a new chapter! I’ve been a manager in my corporate Amazon life and ALDI days, but this is the first time that I’m really building out a team for my own business. I’ve had a handful of stumbles so far (and l’ve learned some critical things about what to look for and ask about when bringing someone on). Now, I finally feel like I’m putting the right people in place that will enable me to focus on my first love in media, which is content! I am really excited about this, because this is where I thrive.

Personally, I’m also trying to build out more routines and systems to help create a sense of stability and focus since as a solo-prenuer, I’ve working 12-14 hours per day most days. On top of all of this, I’m also getting ready to leave for a very, very delayed honeymoon (we’re going to Bali for 2.5 weeks from July 28-August 14, so respond to this email if you have any recommendations), so I’m sprinting to batch content ahead of the trip so the podcast episodes can keep rolling. If I’m being completely honest, I was initially a bit worried about leaving for my honeymoon because I was worried about what would happen to my platform if I take my foot off the gas. After speaking with many founders (and many of you guys) about this fear, this seems to be a very common set of feelings. When so much of the action for your business is dependent on you driving the ship forward, it can be really stressful to walk away.

However, I’m reminding myself that the journey I’m on is truly a marathon and not a sprint. There’s PLENTY of time for me to catch on things once I’m back. That’s the beauty and curse of social media- it’s always running, with or without you. The back half of 2025 is going to be much bigger than the first half, so I need some time to recharge to make sure that I’m able to rise to the occasion.

In this moment of reflection and preparing for the next crazy few months ahead, I just want to say thanks for all of your support with this newsletter, my social platforms, and my podcast. I hope you all get some time to rest and recharge sometime this summer, and I’m so excited to share some very exciting news with you all once I get back from my trip in August (!!!) 😁 -Sammi

Business, Economy & Culture🛍️📈💸

👜 The Original Birkin Sells for $10 Million It actually sold for a little over $10 million. Rumor has it that some of the unsuccessful bidders include Jen Rubio (co-founder of Away) and Lauren Sanchez Bezos. (nyt)

🍵 In the Hamptons, a $20 Celebrity Chef Smoothie Gets a VIP Line I’ve been saying for a while that it’s very surprising that no one has come out with an Erewhon-smoothie competitor. Erewhon’s social media X factor has been these smoothies, and now finally, someone’s going for it. I created a fun little video on this here. (bloomberg)

👓️ The Smart Glasses Gold Rush Explained Meta’s $3.5 billion investment in EssilorLuxottica is the clearest sign yet that some of the biggest names in tech and eyewear see smart glasses as a commercially viable category with a long-term future. (bof) 

👕 Justin Bieber Officially Launches Skylrk Justin had a bit of a meltdown/breakup with his last apparel brand Drew House, and he’s been teasing the launch of his new company, Skylrk, for quite some time now. The first lineup of products include beanies, sunglasses, and shoes. I don’t get it- someone please explain the allure of this (if there is any) to me. (gq)

🍩 Why Krispy Kreme and McDonald’s Broke Up The sweetest partnership soured as Krispy Kreme struggled to keep up with McDonald’s scale and speed. Operational mismatches like donut freshness and logistics highlighted the risks of trying niche offerings to mass market giants. (wsj)

🖼️  Kodak, Once the Picture of a Dying Brand, Is Having a Moment Once dismissed as a relic, Kodak is staging a vibrant comeback—driven by Gen Z’s nostalgia for analog aesthetics. By leaning into nostalgia and authenticity, Kodak is turning legacy into leverage, proving old-school tech can still spark modern interests. (nyt)

🍸 What Gen Z Really Wants from Alcohol Brands Gen Z is trading mass-market drinks for health-conscious, occasion-based brands—favoring RTDs, hard seltzers, non-alcoholic options, with novelty packaging & cultural relevance. They are choosing authenticity and creativity over tradition. (vogue business)

🎨 Chanel Looks to Build Cultural Capital With Arts Magazine Chanel’s new annual publication “Arts & Culture” spotlights contemporary artists and will be distributed in indie bookstores—positioning the brand as a serious cultural patron as it deepens its creative influence. (nyt)

💄 For Makeup That Performs, Look to Drag Queens Drag artists are leading performance-driven beauty trends—turning sweat-resistant foundation, lash glue, and bold palettes into mainstream must-haves for consumers seeking durability and artistic expression. (bof)

📱Trump Says TikTok Buyer Group Found, Needs China Nod President Trump indicated that a group of "very wealthy people" has been identified to purchase TikTok’s U.S. operations, though the deal hinges on approval from China and parent company ByteDance. (bloomberg)

👕 Lululemon Files Lawsuit Against Costco, Claims Company is Selling 'Dupes' of Some of Its Products Lululemon accuses Costco of selling close copies of its signature athleisure items—asserting the knockoffs dilute its brand and thus seek damages in court. But ironically, the lawsuit is giving Costco free PR—placing it as the go-to for stylish “dupes” that appeal to value-driven, price-conscious shoppers. (los angeles times)

💥 What Does Trump’s New ‘Victory’ Perfume Line Smell Like? President Trump has released Victory 45‑47 perfumes—bottled in gold statuettes and priced at $250, positioning it as a symbol of "Winning, Strength, and Success" for both men and women. This launch isn't just about fragrance, it's a strategic play to solidify brand loyalty and monetize political fandom through lifestyle products. (nyt)

📈 Steady Hiring Added 147,000 Jobs to U.S. Economy in June June saw 147,000 jobs added—outpacing expectations, but private-sector hiring lagged, signaling mixed economic strength. (wsj)

🥤With Dedcool, Erewhon launches its First Fragrance-Inspired Smoothie Erewhon teamed with Dedcool to create the Xtra Milk smoothie—coconut-milk based and perfume-inspired, now available through September. This surprising blend of beauty and beverage rides the wave of trend-driven indulgence, blurring category lines to spark fresh, creative consumer engagement. (glossy)

🌞 Why Sunscreen Launches Keep Missing the Inclusivity Mark Despite progress in beauty, many sunscreen brands still fail to cater to deeper skin tones, highlighting a persistent gap in shade diversity, marketing language, and formulation. Broad-spectrum is clearly not not broad enough….(bof)

🧥 Burberry Got Too Fancy. American CEO Joshua Schulman Is Taking It Back to Its British Roots American exec Schulman is reviving Burberry’s British heritage- bringing back trench coats, scarves, umbrellas, and mannequins after luxury-demand missteps. By refocusing on iconic outerwear and reinforcing visual storytelling in stores, Schulman is recalibrating brand equity and operational discipline. (wsj)

👟 Customers Can Now Have Their Shoes from Dick’s Delivered on Uber Eats Dick’s Sporting Goods now offer footwear and gear delivery through Uber Eats—bringing athletic retail into the on-demand economy. This move boosts convenience for shoppers while unlocking a fresh revenue stream for Dick’s- beyond its in-store traffic. (wwd)

🥣 Ferrero Strikes Roughly $3 Billion Deal for Maker of Froot Loops, Frosted Flakes Ferrero is scooping up the maker of Froot Loops and Frosted Flakes- WK Kellog- in a $3 billion dollar deal to expand beyond candy and tap into breakfast staples. It is a bold move for Ferrero to strengthen its position in North America and marks a strong pivot as it builds out its CPG empire. This deal also reflects a shift in consumer behavior as health conscious habits reshape snacking behavior. (wsj)

🚗 Tesla Is in Disarray. Musk Has Already Moved Beyond Caring About Cars. Tesla’s Q2 sales plunged 13.5% year-over-year, reflecting Elon Musk’s growing focus on robotaxis and humanoid robots over the company’s core automotive business. As the electric vehicle pioneer pivots toward futuristic ventures, execution risk grows and investors are left wondering if Tesla is losing its electric edge. (wsj)

👜 Trying to Dethrone the Birkin? Make Fewer Bags Chanel’s aggressive bag pricing and volume are backfiring—luxury thrives on scarcity, not inflation alone. Creating rarity, and not just raising prices is the real luxury lever. (wsj)

🪞Kate Moss’ Cosmoss Enters Liquidation Kate Moss’ wellness brand shuts down due to poor engagement and unsold inventory—revealing a brand built more on star than substance. Celebrity brands fail when storytelling overtakes product credibility and authentic engagement must match image to sustain value. (bof)

🧠 Idea of the Week: Simplifying Cognitive Load as a Competitive Advantage🧪

In a noisy, overstimulated world with low attention-spans, simplicity sells. Brands that minimize mental effort for their customers build faster trust, reduce decision paralysis, and drive repeat engagement. It’s not just about being good — it’s about being easy to choose.

Why It Works- According to cognitive psychology, our brains are constantly trying to conserve energy. When presented with too many options or complex choices, we experience decision fatigue, leading us to either opt out or choose the path of least resistance. Brands that eliminate this friction become default choices.

Examples:

• Oura Ring: Instead of overwhelming users with health metrics, it delivers one simple sleep score. That’s the power of reducing cognitive load in wearables.

• Duolingo: Doesn’t ask you how much grammar or vocabulary you want to learn. It just says: "Start your daily goal." Micro-decisions are already made for you.

Venture Capital, Innovation & Entrepreneurship💰🌍💼

🧑‍💻 Windsurf’s CEO Goes to Google; Open AI Deal Falls Apart Open AI was supposedly going to acquire viral AI coding startup Windsurf for $3 billion last week, but the deal fell apart. Now, in a surprising plot twist, the Windsurf CEO is heading to Google, along with a co-founder and top researchers. (tech crunch)

💩 The Wild Story of How Gut Health AI Toilet Startup Throne Raised $4M Led By Moxxie Throne is turning bathroom visits into data gold with its AI-powered toilet that analyzes waste to provide gut health insights—backed by a $4M seed round led by Moxxie. Throne is tapping into rising wellness trends by turning an everyday ritual into a health data stream. (tech crunch)

🛒 Walmart Tests Dark Stores Walmart is piloting “dark stores” in Dallas and Bentonville—which are retail spaces closed to the public and stocked solely for online-order fulfilment. This move is a part of Walmart’s push to expand ultra-fast delivery across the U.S. via drones and micro‑fulfilment hubs. (retail dive)

⌚Pinwheel Introduces a Smartwatch for Kids that Includes an AI Chatbot Pinwheel’s new smartwatch includes an AI chatbot and safety-first features for tweens—balancing tech engagement with parental oversight. As AI enters the kids' tech space, Pinwheel is positioning itself as the go-to brand for trust, utility, and digital literacy. (tech crunch)

Into Your Headphones - The Social Currency Podcast Roundup

I say this all the time, but one of my favorite parts of launching a podcast is an excuse to talk to very smart, ambitious people about how they’re working to solve some of the world’s toughest problems. Over the past two weeks, I’ve had some of my favorite conversations yet:

🎤 Lauren Makler (Cofertility): Episode link is here. Cofertilty has a platform and offering where they enable people to freeze their eggs for FREE when they donate half of their eggs from a retrieval. This episode is a must for anyone who wants to learn more about the fertility space (think egg freezing, family planning and IVF), and Lauren shares her story in the most thoughtful way. I’m a massive fan of her and what she’s building.

🎤 Augustus Doricko (Rainmaker): Episode link is here. Rainmaker operates at the bleeding edge of cloud seeding technology, and his hot takes in this episode make it my wildest interview yet. Buckle up if you’d like to learn from one of the most unique minds leading the U.S. hard tech renaissance.

😄 And I’m VERY excited about the next two weeks’ worth of episodes. This upcoming Tuesday, we have Ankur Jain, CEO of Bilt, and the following week is Phoebe Gates/Sophia Kianni, Co-Founders of Phia.

I finally feel like I’m getting into the groove with podcasting, and I have some bucket-list level guests coming on soon (!!!), so stay tuned.

Resources/Links/Reads 🌶️🧥

⚠️ Plot Twist: I'm the Problem User

🤔 Choose Delusion

💉 E-tattoo Could Track Mental Workload for People in High-Stake Jobs (the guardian)

🍎 Why Apple Still Hasn’t Cracked AI (bloomberg)

💡I’ve Run 75+ Businesses. Here’s Why You’re Probably Chasing the Wrong Idea

🧩 Saying No Is a Strategy, Not a Sacrifice

🍵 Will Matcha Popularity be its Downfall

Call Me, Beep Me

If you liked this newsletter, it would be amazing if you shared it with your family, friends or even a random person that you know loves business & culture news! Link to share here 💌😄 

I seriously love chatting with you all; please feel free to send me a note on any of these platforms:

📧 Email: [email protected]

📸 My Instagram, the NEW Social Currency Instagram

SOCIAL CURRENCY, The Podcast: Spotify, Apple, YouTube

💼 LinkedIn

🎵 TikTok

P.S. - If you see any typos in this newsletter, know that I did it on purpose just like The New Yorker does via their style guide.

Collaborate/Sponsor This Newsletter

I’m always looking for new companies, people and stories to highlight. If you have any ideas for a future newsletter, please feel free to drop me a note ✏️✍️ 🥰