Substack Weekly Finds for 10/24/25
The future of shopping, what's in store for Substack in 2026, deriving clarity through hard conversations, and why Questions always beat Statements.
Welcome to another edition of Substack Weekly Finds, aka “what we’re reading at Biteable this week”. Let’s jump right in.
AI and the future of shopping by a16z
a16z partners Rampell and Moore argue AI agents will remake commerce by taking over research, price monitoring, and even buying. They discuss how AI agents won’t just recommend products—they’ll hunt deals, compare specs, and hit “buy” for you. Along the way, Google’s search business, affiliate sites, and today’s e-commerce playbook all get stress-tested (with some surprising winners, from TikTok-fueled impulse buys to…Costco?). If you’re curious which shopping categories AI will “eat” first—and what new companies might spring up because of it—this one’s worth the read.
As someone who’s been in the tech industry since these early days of building out e-commerce sites and seeing all the changes along the way, I enjoyed reading the transcript of their conversation.
Substack is changing in 2026 by Veronica Llorca-Smith
In this article, Veronica Llorca-Smith discusses how Substack is rapidly evolving from a writing platform into a full-fledged multimedia hub—and success in 2026 will require creators to adapt fast. She outlines six key trends shaping the future: the platform’s mainstream growth (and tougher discovery), the rising power of collaborations, the shift toward multi-format content like video and live sessions, the growing need for authentic, human connection amid AI fatigue, the overcrowding of “how-to-grow” advice, and a pivot toward treating Substack as a top-of-funnel community builder rather than the main revenue source. The message is clear: creators who diversify, collaborate, and stay human will thrive as Substack reshapes the creator economy.
There’s a flood of articles on Substack purporting to tell you how to get X number of subscribers or make Y amount of money, but I felt like Veronica’s post had some actionable insights for how you can approach the platform in 2026 that are lacking in other posts that claim to do the same thing.
Thursday Operating Note: The Opportunity Found in Hard Conversations by John Brewton
If you’ve ever found yourself in a tense meeting where you’re part of the tension or you’re just observing it, this article by John Brewton is worth your time reading. So much of this post is about finding clarity and progress in the uncomfortable — turning heat into signal, debate into design, and tension into throughput.
I’ve been in more meetings like this than I’d care to admit. If it happens again, I’ll be sure to use John’s advice and framework to make sure the conversation stays professional and not personal.
Why ? (Questions) beat ! (Statements) by Kevin Ertell
This week’s issue of The Strategy Trap Newsletter dives into the people side of strategy execution—the quiet signals that make or break how teams deliver. Kevin explores the power of the humble question mark, showing how questions build trust, spark accountability, and turn direction into ownership. You’ll also meet the “glue players” who hold teams together, revisit why incentives always win, and learn how NASA uses laughter to measure emotional intelligence.
It’s a reminder that successful execution isn’t just about plans—it’s about how people think, connect, and work together when things get hard.