In Conversation with Michael Dell

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Salutations, Olio aficionados! 👋

Midweek greetings to all, as we unveil the 195th chapter of Weekly Olio—a delightful concoction of laughter, insight, and a sprinkle of mystery. Within these pages, you'll discover a handpicked selection of fascinating finds from the vast realms of the internet.

Keep your eyes peeled for this week’s Publisher’s Parmesan, arriving this Sunday!

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The Quote󠀢 💭

The Tweet 🐦

This week is Nobel Prize Announcement week. The Economics prize was shared by three economists for modelling our how sustained growth happens and what is the role of creative destruction in the process. The thread breaks down their key insights in an easy to read way.

The Infographic 💹

With OpenAI announcing never heard before investment plans, now is a good time to consider if we are really stepping into a bubble? This infographic is a gentle reminder of the bubbles in the recent past. As they say, history does not repeat, it rhymes.

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The Short Read 📝

The Mystery of the $2,000 Ikea Shopping Bag - by Harvard Business Review

The article examines why luxury brands increasingly mimic everyday, low-cost items—like Balenciaga’s $2,000 tote that echoes Ikea’s €1 (or $1) blue shopping bag. It argues that in a world where traditional luxury goods are more accessible, status signalling has shifted: it’s no longer enough to own something rare or expensive. Instead, luxury now often involves the juxtaposition of ordinary and extraordinary. By elevating a mundane object, brands provoke surprise, exclusivity, and conversation—reinforcing their cachet.

The authors show how this “low-to-high” translation taps into consumer desires to display taste, irony, and social distinction. They link this phenomenon to other trends—such as high-end fashion using “distressed” designs or restaurants using mass-market ingredients—to illustrate that the logic of luxury is evolving. In short: prestige increasingly arises from creative reframing, not just price or rarity. Read more…

The Long Read 📜

In Conversation with Micheal Dell - by Timeless

This conversation profiles Michael Dell - his evolution over four decades and extracts lessons from his journey. It highlights how Dell navigated the industry’s shifts—from PCs to servers, storage, cloud, and now AI—by embracing adaptability rather than rigid planning. Dell discusses the importance of constraints (e.g. limited capital) in fostering creativity, and the discipline in aligning talent, culture, and leadership with long-term goals.

He reflects on taking Dell private in 2013 to escape quarterly pressures and rebuild with a long-term focus. He also addresses risk taking, parenting, and philanthropy—the values that anchor him outside business. Dell argues that leadership must evolve: a founder should aim to gradually make the business less dependent on himself. He closes by emphasizing humility, legacy, and the ongoing role of curiosity, agility, and resilience in staying relevant. Definitely read the full interview for interesting insights. Read more…

Wyoming is on the Verge of Becoming A Lithium Powerhouse

America needs 5X more lithium by 2035, but no new mines have opened since 1967. Meanwhile, current extraction methods are slow, waste insane amounts of water, and emit loads of carbon.

So Vero3 devised a way to cleanly produce lithium, generate clean water and permanently store carbon in the process – all from the same 14,000-acre Wyoming site.

This first-of-its-kind project is already validated by $25M in historical funding and projects $183M in annual profit.

This unique project offers exposure to three different markets, each covering a critical need for America. And shares are now open to the public ahead of commercial trials and a targeted 2028 Nasdaq IPO.

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That’s all for this week. If you enjoyed this edition, we’d really appreciate if you shared it with a friend, family member or colleague.

We’ll be back in your inbox 2 PM IST next Wednesday. Till then, have a productive week!

Peeyush and Mohit

Disclaimer: The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in the text belong solely to the author, and not necessarily to the author's employer, organization, committee or other group or individual.