Essays

Adam Drake Adam Drake

The Game Stops Here

There was a time when kids (and uninformed parents) would head into a video game store like GameStop and ask for recommendations, tips, and industry news from the dialed-in employees. But with the rise of Twitch and the proliferation of video game reviews online, the need for in-store gaming experts is vastly outdated.

Read More
Adam Drake Adam Drake

Using the Principles of Sabermetrics in Private Equity

Private Equity requires looking at atypical data to assess the viability of business operations. This same empirical analysis of businesses has been adopted by hedge fund managers and VC firms but has yet to see wide-scale use in private equity.

Read More
Adam Drake Adam Drake

Excel at Acceleration

We often look at Moore’s Law – that being the number of transistors on a microchip is doubled while the cost of microchips is halved every two years – as an exponential measurement for the speed of technology. But the real beauty lies in how the acceleration of things like computational power, sensors, and networks affects industries, society, and people.

Read More
Adam Drake Adam Drake

Doing Good Gone Bad

How to quantify - and reward - virtuous behavior; to celebrate those who go out of their way to improve the lives of others.

Read More
private equity Adam Drake private equity Adam Drake

Digital Transformation: Looking Inward

The private equity world is - rightly - concerned about creating value for their companies, but they often neglect to transform and modernize their own business. However, we are at an inflection point - one where an abundance of technology can reshape the private equity landscape by providing incredible advances that streamline operations with intelligence, insight, and informed analytics. And those firms that don't seek out these technologies will soon see their ability to efficiently and effectively manage their funds wither on the vine.

Read More
retail, shopping, coffee, shopper marketing Adam Drake retail, shopping, coffee, shopper marketing Adam Drake

Coffee to the People

Amidst a global pandemic and social distancing because of it, my morning Starbucks visitations like just about every other aspect of life, have changed greatly. With vaccines far off, and winter coming, I started looking at other options. And with my digital transformation hat on, I found something intriguing (and, admittedly, satisfying): the rise of the bespoke coffee truck.

Read More
Adam Drake Adam Drake

The Landing Zone

We are shifting away from a “car-as-possession” society to a “car-as-service” society. And with this transformation comes radical adjustments to the automotive industry as a whole. Soon, gas stations will be obsolete, car rental companies will fall into antiquity, and parking garages will become empty skeletons of concrete.

Read More