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Category: Essays

Unit Economics: Cost Types and the Stages of Business Growth

July 28, 2025 Matt Sparks

As I’ve written before, start-ups should use variable costs whenever possible, growth stage companies should shift to using fixed period…

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Posted in: Essays Filed under: business, entrepreneurship, finance, opportunity analysis, startups, Unit Economics

Unit Economics: Lifetime Value and Customer Acquisition Cost

Matt Sparks

Another common way to think of Unit Economics (i.e. instead of the method I’ve described in my prior posts) is to…

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Posted in: Essays Filed under: business, entrepreneurship, finance, opportunity analysis, startups, Unit Economics

Unit Economics Explained – Part 6: Summary

Matt Sparks

Unit Economics are the most important quantitative tool for opportunity analysis. Having even read this chapter, you’re in the company of an…

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Posted in: Essays Filed under: business, entrepreneurship, finance, opportunity analysis, startups, Unit Economics

Unit Economics Explained – Part 5: Common Mistakes

Matt Sparks

Even though basic Unit Economics and the four formulas are simple, novices often make mistakes when calculating Unit Economics. Below…

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Posted in: Essays Filed under: business, entrepreneurship, finance, opportunity analysis, startups, Unit Economics

Unit Economics Explained – Part 4: Advanced Unit Economics

Matt Sparks

The Unit Economics in some businesses can be quite complicated. Airlines and schools are good examples. Airlines must understand how many tickets…

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Posted in: Essays Filed under: business, entrepreneurship, finance, opportunity analysis, startups, Unit Economics

Unit Economics Explained – Part 3: The Formulas

Matt Sparks

Unit Economics are calculated using four separate formulas that build upon each other and use the various cost totals as…

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Posted in: Essays Filed under: business, entrepreneurship, finance, opportunity analysis, startups, Unit Economics

Unit Economics Explained – Part 2: Units and Costs

Matt Sparks

Units  When calculating Unit Economics, you must first decide what unit you will use as your base unit for the…

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Posted in: Essays Filed under: business, entrepreneurship, finance, opportunity analysis, startups, Unit Economics

Unit Economics Explained – Part 1: Why Unit Economics Matter

Matt Sparks

The single best tool for analyzing a potential entrepreneurial or investment opportunity is Unit Economics. Unit Economics answer three basic questions,…

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Posted in: Essays Filed under: business, entrepreneurship, finance, opportunity analysis, startups, Unit Economics

How to Do SXSW Right

March 4, 2025 Matt Sparks

I’ve attended SXSW since 2015. I take all nine days off from work and go go go 15+ hours a…

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Posted in: Essays Filed under: AR, art, comedy, emerging technologies, film, investment, music, networking, startups, SXSW, technology, VR, XR

Choosing Cooperation over Competition

February 7, 2022 Matt Sparks

I played competitive sports all the way through college. However, I didn’t have the best experience with it, for which I’m now grateful.

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Posted in: Essays Filed under: athletics, biking, board games, community, competition, cooperation, creativity, dance, fitness, health, hiking, meditation, nature, philosophy, rock climbing, spirituality, sports, table top games, yoga

Nudges

July 26, 2020 Matt Sparks

Nudges in the structure and context of our lives are far more important than we realize. They make the difference between achieving and failing at our goals.

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Posted in: Essays Filed under: failure, fitness, goals, health, life path, longevity, nudges, philosophy, spirituality, success

Never Apply Cold

July 25, 2020 Matt Sparks

The approach of applying for dozens of jobs doesn’t work. Never apply cold. Do these three highly effective job search methods instead.

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Posted in: Essays Filed under: content, job search, networking, personal brand, platform, writing

Dad Never Met Jenn

Matt Sparks

Loved ones who have passed on don’t get to experience major events that occur after their lives have ended. But perhaps there’s more to the story than we know.

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Posted in: Essays Filed under: #metoo, adventure, blm, death, life, life path, pandemic, philosophy, reincarnation, spirituality, stories

Playgrounds for Adults

June 28, 2020 Matt Sparks

Many of us effectively stop using our bodies after childhood. Adult playgrounds are an easy and fun solution.

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Posted in: Essays Filed under: adult playgrounds, cities, climbing, fitness, health, movement, play, playgrounds, running, spirituality, urban design

Normal Is a Delusion

June 24, 2020 Matt Sparks

There is no such thing normal. There never has been and there never will be. Every day, every week becomes some kind of exception if we let it.

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Posted in: Essays Filed under: cheat day, commitment, goals, philosophy, productivity, rest, spirituality

Gardens Do a Lot

May 21, 2020 Matt Sparks

Cities can be sprawling food forests, with healthy, tasty meals growing everywhere we look. Go plant something today.

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Posted in: Essays, Lessons Learned Filed under: COVID, covid-19, food, food forest, garden, gardening, health, pandemic, permaculture, quarantine, recession, sustainability

Decentralized Interactive Education

May 20, 2020 Matt Sparks

Regardless of how the shift in education will look, it’s coming.

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Posted in: Essays Filed under: 360-degree video, AR, augmented reality, education, eLearning, emerging technologies, future, game based learned, game engine, gbl, head-mounted display, hmd, merged reality, mixed reality, MR, unity, unreal engine, video games, virtual reality, VR, XR

Adventure No Matter What

May 17, 2020 Matt Sparks

Feeling quarantine cabin fever? No problem! With the right mindset, we can make adventure happen anytime, anywhere.

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Posted in: Essays Filed under: adventure, backcountry, cabin fever, camping, COVID, covid-19, cynicism, jaded, jim carrey, life path, passion, philosophy, quarantine, road trips, spirituality, stories, storytelling, travel, up pixar film, yes man film

Alternate Universe Warnings

May 16, 2020 Matt Sparks

Things not going well? Maybe they actually are but we just can’t see it yet.

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Posted in: Essays Filed under: COVID, covid-19, education, eLearning, entrepreneurship, life path, pandemic, philosophy, spirituality, stories, storytelling, video games, XR

Mental Vegetables and Breadcrumbs

May 14, 2020 Matt Sparks

Online distractions break our brains. Learn why that happens and how to fix it.

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Posted in: Essays, Lessons Learned Filed under: attention, brain, distractions, focus, intellectual breadcrumbs, john craun, mastery, memory, mental health, mental vegetables, news, philosophy, social media, spirituality, video games

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