The Contrarian Digest [Week 11]

The Contrarian Digest is my weekly pick of LinkedIn posts I couldn’t ignore. Smart ideas, bold perspectives, or conversations worth having.

No algorithms, no hype… Just real ideas worth your time.

Let’s dive in [11th Edition] 👇

1️⃣ Your Competitors’ Ads Are Public. Why Aren’t You Looking? – Jessica Alter

⚡𝐈𝐧 𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐟: Free competitive intel hiding in plain sight. 7 minutes of research revealed what entire marketing teams overlook for months – but this can be used by more than founders & marketers.

🗞️𝐅𝐮𝐥𝐥 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐭: https://lnkd.in/evSw2uAd

2️⃣ The Odyssey Plan: 3 Futures One Decision – Daniel Pink

⚡𝐈𝐧 𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐟: What if the next 5 years of your life followed 3 completely different paths? Sometimes, clarity lies in the possibilities you’ve never dared to consider.

🗞️𝐅𝐮𝐥𝐥 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐭: https://lnkd.in/ezBDsnX3

3️⃣ 10 AI Moves You’re Probably Not Making (But Should!) – Steven Bartlett

⚡𝐈𝐧 𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐟: The future of work is changing fast. While many still debate AI’s existence, HERE’s what you should be doing now to surf the wave.

🗞️𝐅𝐮𝐥𝐥 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐭: https://lnkd.in/eS_r5tcF

4️⃣ All Ideas Are Bad (Until You Prove They’re Not) – Marc Randolph

⚡𝐈𝐧 𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐟: “No bad ideas” is probably the worst advice in business. Netflix’s co-founder explains: the best companies win by failing fast and cheap.

🗞️𝐅𝐮𝐥𝐥 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐭: https://lnkd.in/e_2FCjqe

5️⃣ Beyond Execution: Why TASTE Will Build the Next Empires – R.J. Abbott

⚡𝐈𝐧 𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐟: In a world where AI can replicate everything, there’s one hire that’s still irreplaceable. Here’s why the Creative Director (or TASTE in general) is your secret weapon.

🗞️𝐅𝐮𝐥𝐥 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐭: https://lnkd.in/ezbbv3tA

6️⃣ The Pretense Economy: Why Honesty Doesn’t Get Promoted – Shashank Sharma

⚡𝐈𝐧 𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐟: Behind every “circle back” and “let’s align” lurks the real corporate skill: PRETENDING. The exhausting performance nobody admits to.

🗞️𝐅𝐮𝐥𝐥 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐭: https://lnkd.in/eC63RC7V

7️⃣ CREATE, Don’t Apply: The 24-Hour Hiring Story – Usman Sheikh

⚡𝐈𝐧 𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐟: While thousands wait for job postings, one student created her own position, skipped the line, tagged the CEO, and got hired at Shopify in 24 hours.

🗞️𝐅𝐮𝐥𝐥 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐭: https://lnkd.in/e_8ZZmDE

8️⃣ The RFP Illusion: Why Winners Never Actually Compete – Matt Green

⚡𝐈𝐧 𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐟: Most vendors frantically respond to RFPs while the winner sips coffee, knowing they wrote the criteria months ago. The real game is invisible.

🗞️𝐅𝐮𝐥𝐥 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐭: https://lnkd.in/eEwXmf3h

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Which of these topics resonates with you the most?
Share your thoughts in the comments!

To your success,

Gaetan Portaels

Original publication date — April 28, 2025 (HERE)