No. 301 | October 3, 2025
Welcome to this week’s Friday Five—a quick hit of insights, inspiration, and favorites to kick off your weekend with clarity and purpose.
Music of the Week
The Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra (LPO) keeps a full-scale orchestra alive for the people of the Gulf South.
Formed in 1991, the LPO runs a 36-week season and collaborates with performing arts groups throughout the year.
Its mission is to transform people and communities through music.
If you’re new to the LPO, start with My One and Only Love, Mo’ Betta Blues, and Yesterday.
Quotes of the Week
Lately, I’ve been reflecting on silence, restraint, and the power of quiet. These quotes have been my mantras—reminders to slow down and speak less.
“Keep silence for the most part, and speak only when you must, and then briefly.” – Epictetus
“Let silence be your general rule; or say only what is necessary and in few words.” – Epictetus
“The best answer to anger is silence.” – Marcus Aurelius
“A happy life must be to a great extent a quiet life, for it is only in an atmosphere of quiet that true joy can live.” – Bertrand Russell
“When you walk in silence your excellence will always speak for you.” – Onyi Anyado
Article of the Week
“Nothing great in the world has ever been accomplished without passion.” — G.W.F. Hegel
One of Steve Jobs’ lasting lessons: view technology through the lens of the liberal arts.
Another: resilience and the ability to reinvent yourself.
He also reminded us: life is short—don’t waste it living someone else’s life.
Long-term thinking. Legacy. Another Jobs lesson: leave an impact on culture—like Pixar’s Toy Story or Disney’s Snow White.
For more on the many lessons we can learn from him, check out my article:
📝 Steve Jobs Leadership Lessons from Make Something Wonderful
Book of the Week
In Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of Nike, Phil Knight tells how, fresh out of business school, he borrowed $50 from his dad to import affordable, high-quality running shoes from Japan.
It’s an unfiltered memoir—the inside story of Nike.
Knight begins the Nike story on a trip around the world, where he wrestles with life’s big questions.
On this trip, he decides the conventional path isn’t for him.
Rather than the traditional corporate path, Knight wants to create something—something that’s him, that’s truly unique.
He tells it all—the ups, the downs, the highs, and the lows.
It’s the story of how a group of ragtag misfits built Nike into an iconic brand that has stood the test of time.
For more on the story of Nike, check out the book below:
📚 Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of Nike
Podcast of the Week
Sam Hinkie worked in the NBA for more than a decade, first with the Houston Rockets and then with the Philadelphia 76ers.
After years in the NBA and personal investing, he launched 87 Capital.
Sam and host Patrick O’Shaughnessy explore how to study the digital breadcrumbs people leave behind, how to attract top talent, and what the NBA can teach us about business.
To learn more about Sam Hinkie, check out the Invest Like the Best episode below:
