Welcome to Snafu, a newsletter about authentic selling in a chaotic world. I just bought a house and learned how messy, salesy, and weirdly urgent real estate can be. This week’s essay distills what I learned into a practical guide for first-time buyers. If you're enjoying Snafu, it would mean the world to me if you would share it! Was it sent to you? Subscribe here. ↓ How to buy a house Last month, I bought a house. Buying a house is more complicated than nearly anything else I've done –...
9 days ago • 12 min read
Welcome to Snafu, a newsletter about authentic selling in a chaotic world. This week’s article is a throwback to some of my favorite “How to” essays — practical guides on everything from buying a used car to raising a puppy. They’re the reference pieces I keep coming back to, and maybe you will too. If you're enjoying Snafu, it would mean the world to me if you would share it! Was it sent to you? Subscribe here. ↓ The best How-tos Earlier this month, I shared some of my favorite articles from...
17 days ago • 3 min read
Welcome to Snafu, a newsletter about authentic selling in a chaotic world. An unconference flips the traditional event model by putting the agenda in the hands of attendees. My own Responsive.org journey began with a 1-day unconference in 2016, and this deceptively simple format remains at the heart of Responsive Conference 2025. If you're enjoying Snafu, it would mean the world to me if you would share it! Was it sent to you? Subscribe here. ↓ How to run an unconference With Responsive...
22 days ago • 5 min read
Welcome to Snafu, a newsletter about authentic selling in a chaotic world. This week’s essay is a throwback tour through some of my most enduring Snafu pieces—from boundaries and discipline to habits, hiring, and self-experiments. If you're enjoying Snafu, it would mean the world to me if you would share it! Was it sent to you? Subscribe here. ↓ Throwbacks from a Chaotic Summer I’ve been delinquent in writing Snafu this last week, because… I bought a house and moved in Responsive Conference...
30 days ago • 3 min read
Welcome to Snafu, a newsletter about authentic selling in a chaotic world. Storytelling is the foundation of great sales. Using my own Responsive Conference origin story as an example, I break down how a well-told story connects, reveals, and intrigues — and how you can craft your own without a hard sell. If you're enjoying Snafu, it would mean the world to me if you would share it! Was it sent to you? Subscribe here. ↓ How to tell your story I've never thought of myself as a great salesman....
about 1 month ago • 4 min read
Welcome to Snafu, a newsletter about authentic selling in a chaotic world. Most of us avoid conflict, especially in public. But this week, I picked a fight on the Internet. After calling out a pushy AI salesman, I found myself debating strangers and for the first time in my life, I'm very happy to stand my ground. If you're enjoying Snafu, it would mean the world to me if you would share it! Was it sent to you? Subscribe here. ↓ This is how you lose a sale in under 24 hours A few weeks ago, a...
about 2 months ago • 3 min read
Welcome to Snafu, a newsletter about authentic selling in a chaotic world. Most people aren’t great at setting boundaries – until it’s too late. This week’s essay introduces the “Free Pass System,” a way to hold people accountable without being a jerk. It’s a simple tool to set expectations, protect your time, and build great relationships. If you're enjoying Snafu, it would mean the world to me if you would share it! Was it sent to you? Subscribe here. ↓ Set clear boundaries, before it's too...
about 2 months ago • 4 min read
Welcome to Snafu, a newsletter about authentic selling in a chaotic world. Over the last ten weeks, I’ve been teaching a group of founders how to sell without pressure, manipulation, or sleaze. In our final session, each participant taught us something they'd learned. Here are 19 takeaways — on storytelling, asking, boundaries, and what it means to sell like a human. If you're enjoying Snafu, it would mean the world to me if you would share it! Was it sent to you? Subscribe here. ↓ I just...
about 2 months ago • 4 min read
Welcome to Snafu, a newsletter about authentic selling in a chaotic world. What if the foundation of great management, sales, and relationships came down to just two principles: don’t use force, and keep your commitments? This excerpt from Responsive tells the origin story of those ideas inside a tomato factory, and why they still matter today. If you're enjoying Snafu, it would mean the world to me if you would share it! Was it sent to you? Subscribe here. ↓ The following is an expert from...
2 months ago • 4 min read