sales is a really interesting breeding ground for the first wave of vertical agents:
- success metrics are well-defined (did we get an email response? did we book a meeting? did we move a deal down the funnel?)
- enterprise sales is about getting a reasonably well-defined process working at scale. sales reps have to deeply understand enablement materials (what problems does my employer solve? what other companies have those problems?), qualify prospects relentlessly, and talk to lots of potential buyers.
- it's knowledge work (writing emails, preparing documents, communicating with counterparts over video call, etc.) that is mostly about aggregating information at scale. the really good sellers take rigorous notes and ask thoughtful questions.
Assuming they have the right information in context (hard work but not complex), LLMs are quite good at this work. And we think we're taking a pretty unique position in that we're not trying to replace top-of-funnel email drafting (this is somewhat trivial & also not that useful), we're making it significantly easier for sellers to find & utilize the information that enables them to do their jobs effectively.
I summited Mt Whitney last fall, a trail that 1) is notoriously hard to get a permit for and 2) requires all waste to be packed out via Wag Bags.
I was surprised to see a dozen or so wag bags tossed to the side of the trail over the course of my trip. You’d think that visitors would either poop on the ground with no regard for others or pack out their waste, not take all the effort to bring the bag but leave the remnants. It really left a sour taste in my mouth (and smell in my nostrils).
I'm not a dog person but I think that one is totally explainable: if you're walking your dog in the neighborhood and it just did its business on the side walk, sharp eyes will be watching you to make sure you pick up after Milo or Daisy.
But who likes to walk around with a bag of fresh dog goodies in their hand? So it seems to be only natural that once out of sight enough, mommy is just gonna drop that gift bag at the nearest occasion.
Probably correct. I was coming out of my house and saw a lady about 7-8 houses away. Her dog was just finishing up and then she looked around. When she saw me, she dipped into her pocket for a bag. It was absolutely hilarious. She probably dropped it somewhere on the way home.
My approach is to make sure to buy good quality waste bags, double bag it (or even triple bag it) and then either carry it in my pocket or in a side pocket of a pack and then dispose sensibly when you have an opportunity.
I have enough of dog walkers leaving bags of shit everywhere, and with our national parks overwhelmed and understaffed, I just carry a stuff sack hooked on my belt to throw it and other garbage into.
The laziness and disregard demonstrated by this society is sickening, and the senselessness is astounding. Why bag it and then just throw it right on the ground? That’s almost worse. This is rhetorical, of course, they think there is an army of park janitors waiting eagerly, despite the clearly obvious fact that these bags are just sitting there for days or weeks as well as the, I dunno, numerous large signs saying to pick it up and carry it to the trash cans. It really makes it harder to relax and enjoy myself.
The portal side of Whitney is a sad sight. I ended a week-long trip there years ago, and the difference between the backcountry side by Guitar Lake and the portal side in terms of human impact and trash was somewhat horrifying. And it's not like Guitar Lake is unpopular - the line of headlamps climbing the path up before the sun comes up attests to that.
i didn't look into different tires. my hypothesis is that most of my flats can be attributed to all the weight being on the back tire.
favorite part was jumping into extended conversations with strangers. from a scenery perspective, coming down into Lake Tahoe from Eldorado was just absolutely stunning. same when I went past Bryce Canyon.
Route wise, did you deviate at all from the suggested route? Never felt the call of a fork in the road? I find value in small roads (less traffic) where feasible. Basically riding with wildlife rather than cars.
Rhythm wise, super surprised you did the whole thing without stopping! I used to do a half day (pre-dawn to late morning) then chillax at a place and explore. This gave time to recover, take in the area, balance cycling with walking, and time to maybe wash some clothes which means carrying less. Rest days can be best days. That's totally nuts you did the whole thing without stopping!
I'd be sketchy on those Utah areas too - no shade! Probably would have camped out at the lookout there, etc. Of course, not feasible if you're running out of water.
I'm getting old now (43) but have to mention one thing I never properly appreciated in my earlier travels and regret missing was the biology. iNaturalist is friggin' awesome. It has never been easier to get in to biology, and it adds a deeply fascinating dimension to travel. Looking at those instant pot meals, foraging would be one application!
Re. Diet, I was veg when I did most of my cycle trips too. Used to acquire bags of raw husked peanuts as easy protein. On later trips (Romania) deeply appreciated eating a steak!
I was trying my best to finish quickly, initially in hopes of making the NYC Marathon. The "best" way to do the trip is probably to take everything in and have a few zero days, potentially bake in some time for wandering. I think part of me was worried that if I stopped, I wouldn't have the gumption to start up again.
Sounds like you had a great experience riding too! Did you go across the U.S.?
I think I'll pause the bike tour travel for the foreseeable future. I think I like running better :)
Gotcha. I've done bits of Australia, France, Laos, Romania, Taiwan, Thailand and Yunnan. Definitely Yunnan has been the highlight, although all had memorable sections. I think since you crossed the US already, New Zealand or Tasmania could be good future destinations for you to consider. They have manageable distances, spectacular nature, few large vehicles and friendly locals.
You may consider starting with what you consider to be a reasonable price and doubling the price for every subsequent customer until they start to churn during pricing discussions. This is particularly useful if you’re doing B2B sales, less so if you’re putting the price on a landing page.
