Book List: 10 Black-Ass Books To Add to Your Shelf This week, I had a great conversation with Ralston Smith, one of Brooklyn’s finest creatives. He mentioned that he noticed my earlier book list post reflects a wide range of authors, from traditional bestsellers to indie self-published writers. Queer authors. Women. Men. Nonbinary writers. Authors representing diverse ethnicities and global perspectives. That observation meant a...

Book List: 10 Black-Ass Books To Add to Your Shelf

Book List: 10 Black-Ass Books To Add to Your Shelf - Kishau Rogers Kishau Rogers shares 10 must-read books by Black authors in honor of Black History Month. This curated book list spans bestselling and indie writers and reflects diverse identities, global perspective...

I think it’s important that diverse voices are represented in your life, your work, and on your shelf. In the spirit of Black History Month, I’m sharing 10 Black-ass books to add to your collection.

kishau.com/book-list-10...

Applications for Scale Ready Studio are open through 1/21. A 12-week, revenue-first accelerator for NYC-based women founders building tech-enabled companies. Proud to support this initiative, powered by Women.NYC & NYC Economic Development Corporation, designed by Get Sh!t Done. scalereadystudio.com

AI, Hammers & Shiny Objects What if AI disappeared tomorrow, would your business still make sense? In a world of shiny objects, we have to remember that AI is not a business, it is a tool. Here are some thoughts on how specificity builds trust, why "AI theater" is a distraction, and how to focus on the human impact of what you build.

AI, Hammers & Shiny Objects

AI, Hammers & Shiny Objects - Kishau Rogers What if AI disappeared tomorrow, would your business still make sense? In a world of shiny objects, we have to remember that AI is not a business, it is a tool. Learn why specificity builds trust.

Calling something AI-enabled is like calling it Home Depot-enabled without saying if you’re using hammers or lawn mowers, or why. When everyone has the same tools, real innovation is knowing when and where they belong and having the skill to use them well.

kishau.com/ai-strategy-...

Should I watch Pluribus? I love sci fi and I have time.

a man singing into a microphone with the words get ready get ready get ready written below him . ALT: a man singing into a microphone with the words get ready get ready get ready written below him .

Apparently it's trending on ChristianTok. I read that a pastor (South African) predicted that Jesus will return on 9/23/25 and then the internet did what it does best.

a woman in a black jacket is dancing in front of a window in a room . ALT: a woman in a black jacket is dancing in front of a window in a room .

Same! It must be a generational thing. All day I've been humming "... caught up in the rapture of Loooooooove .... noooonething else can coompaaaaare ..."

Rapture 2025

Here's a playlist to set the mood for Tuesday's Rapture. You're welcome.

Feat. Anita Baker, Usher, Fantasia, Shirley Caesar, Lenny Kravitz, Jeffrey Osborne, Simple Minds, Thelma Houston, Blondie, Kirk Franklin ...

open.spotify.com/playlist/5YG...

Screenshot of Hulu cancellation.

Screenshot of Disney+ cancellation.

Done. Canceled Hulu & Disney+. Will reroute funds to PBS.

One button. “No notifications. Ever.” That’s all I want.

Q: How does a quilting class relate to building a business? In this “From the Inbox” edition, I respond to a reader’s question about how quilting connects to entrepreneurship. I have many reflections, but will share two insights here.

Q: How does a quilting class relate to building a business?

New Rules: 2025 Fundraising Insights from Founders & Investors Kishau Rogers shares 2025 fundraising insights from founders and investors. Founders face tighter capital and higher expectations, while investors navigate new pressures. Along with these insights, I highlight tools to endure this moment, including reframing fundraising as one growth tool rather than the only one.

New Rules: 2025 Fundraising Insights from Founders & Investors

This weekend’s project is to upgrade a pair of Late 2013 iMacs using OpenCore Legacy Patcher (OCLP). If you’ve done it before, share tips so I’m not fighting for my life all weekend 😂

1. Yes, I have a plan (Media Center).
2. Yes, I’ve upgraded RAM

What If You Could Change Reality? A simple shift in viewpoint can change how we see a problem, how we make decisions, and ultimately, how we define what is real and when it becomes real. This post is inspired by skip-reading, a surrealist technique embraced by artist Frederick Sommer. By intuitively selecting words, this method disrupts linear thinking, removes preconceived ideas, and sparks creativity by allowing new connections to emerge naturally.

“What If?” is my blog series on speculative scenarios that spark curiosity + big-picture thinking. First up: skip-reading, a surrealist method that disrupts linear thought and opens new ways of seeing problems, decisions, and reality.

Issue 02 | Quilting, AI and Choosing the Right Tools In this issue, I share new stories from my creative sabbatical, lessons on choosing the right tools, how to decouple "innovation" from "tools", and practical tips on prototyping and MVPs.

Issue 02 | Quilting, AI and Choosing the Right Tools

Creative Practice: Quilting, AI and the Art of Picking the Right Tool A few days before quilting class, the instructor casually reminded us to “bring your sewing machine.” Bless her heart for assuming I owned one. I borrowed my mother-in-law’s, got a crash course, and walked in with a big plan… that unraveled within minutes. What I learned applies as much to AI as it does to sewing.

Creative Practice: Quilting, AI and the Art of Picking the Right Tool

Issue 02 | Quilting, AI and Choosing the Right Tools - Kishau Rogers In this issue, I share new stories from my creative sabbatical, lessons on choosing the right tools, how to decouple "innovation" from "tools", and practical tips on prototyping and MVPs.

Creative sabbatical update: I took a quilting class. Before class, the instructor emailed a supply list that ended with, “Bring your sewing machine.” Bless her heart for assuming 😂

More on my quilting adventures, + insights on AI as a tool & prototyping in my latest newsletter

kishau.com/issue-02/

Creative Practice: Be Prepared, Not Predictable Preparation is essential, but rigidity can block innovation. This post explores how structure, curiosity, and improvisation interact, and why presence matters when the best laid plans no longer apply.

This summer, I started a creative sabbatical to recharge and rebuild my creative muscle. I’m sharing my adventures on my blog, with insights for tech & entrepreneurship. First adventure: collaging. Here are my notes from preparing for class. Apply wherever useful + subscribe to follow the series.

Issue 01 | Start Where You Are - Kishau Rogers Rule #1: There’s no single way to succeed. This issue highlights creative strategies for shifting your mindset, so you can keep building even when the rules no longer apply. You’ll find stories on imp...

I've relaunched my newsletter.

After over 20 years as a full-time entrepreneur, I’m sharing what I’ve learned about building with what you have, where you are.

Issue 01 is about challenging your mindset & trusting your instincts when the usual formulas don’t work.

📖 Read: kishau.com/issue-01/

The Secret to Being More Innovative - Kishau Rogers Kishau Rogers shares the secret to being more innovative for entrepreneurs and creators crafting meaningful solutions in complex times.

I wrote this in response to conversations with founders and tech leaders navigating today’s landscape. If you want to read the full piece or similar essays, click below. Also, feel free to share. /end

kishau.com/the-secret-t...

We need tools that move us through constraints.
Creative practice builds the muscle to adapt, improvise, & shape meaningful outcomes with what you have.
Maybe the next best step isn’t new tools or more funding rounds.
Maybe it’s building the creative muscle to use what’s already in your toolbox.

Someone asked for my take on AI. It’s useful in the right context. If you swing at everything with a hammer, you’ll strike (or break) something. You’ll convince people you’re in the hammer business. But to be good at hammers, you need to know when to use one & when to reach for a screwdriver.

Entrepreneurs, especially in tech, love systems and innovative tools like AI.
I say that with affection because I am one, and I use them.
But I’ve seen too many fall in love with the tool instead of the outcome.
Product over process.
Trends over trust.
Doing over discerning.

I’ve been a full-time entrepreneur for 20+ yrs, building self-funded, grant-funded, & venture-backed companies, all with unique constraints.
There’s no universal blueprint for success. Frameworks rely on default conditions. Meeting them doesn’t guarantee results.Neither does chasing the latest tool.

The Secret to Being More Innovative (or" will AI fix it?): A Thread.

You don’t need another blueprint, tool, or expert.
You need more practice using what’s already in your toolbox.

You would think they’d issue Real IDs automatically at renewal or for all new licenses, but that would’ve made too much sense.

Tried to get a Real ID several times over the years & kept hitting roadblocks. When I renewed last year, I didn’t get one because the only person who handled it was OOO 🤷🏽‍♀️

100 unarmed men won’t stay focused long enough to beat a gorilla. Things will probably fall apart once they witness the first few get effortlessly ripped to shreds. That’s assuming they can even agree on who’s going first. They’d probably turn on each other before they ever touch the gorilla

I’ve served as President of the VCU Computer Science Industry Advisory Board for many years. As a proud CS alum, I always enjoy previewing the senior capstone projects. These students continue to raise the bar every year!

Congrats to the Class of 2025! 🎓 #RamPride

To bypass the Cloud use something like Syncthing.