Sunny Thursday salute from St. Pete, Florida.
I've been working remotely here all week during my 23rd trip to visit my son & daughter here.
The timezone blade has been cutting both ways big time as the Twotone team is currently launching new products, helping open new stores, kicking off with new clients, and pitching even more. That has meant both late nights, jammed days, and what feels like a rolling 24hr cycle of updates, invoices, and outreach as well as 10 days of valuable time with my kids.
2022 is on a roll & which is great but can take its toll; I don't want to move so quickly that I drop balls or run into walls. I've been very grateful for the support of my colleagues Kike, Guy, Brigita and next week, our new colleague, Bob! Our technically not a team member & behind the scenes fixer, Puck of Headroom makes a tremendous difference every week but especially when I'm abroad!
The Twotone team is keen to up our game more than ever and we're looking into tools, process improvements, new ways of working, and strengthening both the team as well as our relationships with longstanding and recently onboarded clients. If that sounds like improving or refining the culture at the company, you wouldn't be wrong. or would you? We're nearly all from different cultures too. (Dutch, Spanish, Lithuanian, American) I think you can teach an old dog new tricks only not just for kicks. (I learned 50/50 grinds this week, haha!) Failing to zero in on what exactly we all collectively wish to achieve with our culture at Twotone would be naive.
But what does culture even mean? My wife Kristy (👋) shared this first part of a seven-part limited series, where W. David Marx's new newsletter (it covers pop culture and the hidden mechanics behind it) examines the four main ways we use "culture". Which, he says, may be the worst word in the English language. lol.
Key Takeaway:
“Culture” is an annoyingly polysemous term used to denote at least four different things: fine arts, communal customs, commercial products and media, and the organizational norms inside of large companies.
It is a great read & I'm stoked on the series as I'm an ardent lover & critic of cultures in all shapes, sizes, and delineations. Expect more nods to Marx's series in the coming weeks & months!
thank you, as always, for reading & sharing this newsletter,
Jon
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📷 banner image of Victor Vincente Topanga from Joergen's newsletter below.
Cycling
Ampler is going to take your commuting to the next level.
Spoiler alert: Ampler has an Amsterdam showroom opening March 1 but there's even more: Save the date: 7 March, 16:00 CET
Pelago New Rack Bags
Anyone that knows me, knows I love our former client & forever friends of the brand, Pelago's racks.
Well, check out these new bags built to match! Great work, Kaissa & team!
Harley-Davidson report $41.3 million in e-bike sales is just the start
Twotone has been pushing Series 1's launch into European marketplace for going on 2 years now and there are some really exciting things coming through soon!
Ideas
📊 Micromobility data from Exponential View
The term micromobility was first coined by analyst Horace Dediu to describe transportation by vehicles that weigh less than 500 kilograms (around 1100 pounds). Long-time EV members will know Horace from a briefing on micromobility we did a few years ago. Over the years, Horace expanded the term to define efficient forms of mobility in terms of the energy consumed. I was excited to get together with him again to discuss the future of transport and cities on our podcast. The conversation is here.
Lots of great info in this one.
I really recommend you sign up!
Prioritising the Human Experience with Chris Bruntlett on the Places for Good Podcast
Check out this episode of the Places for Good Podcast about reducing the supremacy of the car is with Chris Bruntlett, a celebrated advocate for urban mobility & practical bicycle solutions.
Nice to finally meet you recently, Chris!
The Working Future: More Human, Not Less
Old habits die hard but they do die.
This long read on work culture shows that the subjective importance that we place on our jobs compared with other life factors has declined across successive generations.
Coming from a guy who's been allergic to billing based on hours since forever. When it comes to working hours: less is more.
Friends
Orbit360 - The Outer Space Cycling Club - orbit360.cc
This year, my friend Raphael's Orbit360 will contribute 100% of the donation-based entrance fees to selected cycling-related non-profit organizations. VOTEC, komoot, CRAFT, and ENJOYYOURBIKE will contribute by each adding another 10% of the total amount.
More than 1.000 riders took part in the #rideFAR challenge last year and raised almost 20k EUR!
Joergen rebooted Parallel News
If you're looking for another cycling savvy dose of weekly email action, Joergen's newsletter is for you!
The Radavist's newsletter is heating up too, FYI.
QUOC is having a new pair sale
With the code FIRSTPAIR20 you can treat yourself with a new set of cycling shoes with 20% off for all the action you have planned this year.
Radness
The Grind: Fabiana Delfino
Kristy also forwarded this interview with a local PRO skater, Fabiana Delfino, based here in Florida where I am this week.
Growing up in Florida, Fabiana Delfino didn’t have it easy breaking into the skate industry. At a time when being a female skateboarder could get you ridiculed out of the skatepark, Fabiana pushed through on her own terms, even if it meant she was the only girl around.
Definitely rad & certainly inspiring!