How to Do Everything Better

Hey, it's Bret. Over the past couple of months, I've become an expert on a freakishly wide array of things, such as how to pitch a VC and how to sway a negotiation with the Russians (just in case I'm asked). That's because I edited the magazine's first-in-quite-some-time How-To Issue, which features 50+ pieces of advice from really smart people.  This was a seriously fun project. I learned how to land a rover on Mars (NASA, I'm ready!), engineer a quant strategy, and direct a Fast & Furious movie—and picked up dozens of other tidbits working with the reporters who interviewed our experts and offered expert analysis themselves. So now I know that if I quit my job and start an Etsy store that makes stickers for paper planners, I could be pulling in $2.5 million in revenue a year. And if I'm trying to get a colleague to see something my way, I need to "de-risk" my initial ask. And if I'm going to karaoke, I best not forget the Prince. The key to a great how-to piece is to keep that old journalism adage at hand: Show, don't tell. I learned that no matter how to-the-point it might be to give people Step 1, then Step 2, etc., the real impact comes from storytelling and learning by example. And though I'm sure you're overawed by how good I am at everything here, don't worry, I've still got some work to do. That perfect cheeseburger's not going to grill itself. —Bret Begun Photographer: Beth Sacca for Bloomberg Businessweek Photographer: Beth Sacca for Bloomberg Businessweek   Paid Post How is your organization approaching the return to the workplace? Are you part of the 89% that will make a physical return in 2021? See what executives had to say about timing, health and safety measures, business travel policies, new normal work models, and more. Download the survey results. Deloitte What We're Reading The Businessweek How-To Issue: 50+ Lessons From Really Smart People World-Dominating Superstar Firms Get Bigger, Techier, and More Chinese The Most Powerful Woman in Gaming Wants to Make EA Loved Again The Global Economy Is Suddenly Running Low on Everything AT&T + Discovery = Drama! Follow Us Get the newsletter   Before it's here, it's on the Bloomberg Terminal. Find out more about how the Terminal delivers information and analysis that financial professionals can't find anywhere else. Learn more.   You received this message because you are subscribed to Bloomberg's Sunday Strategist newsletter. Unsubscribe | Bloomberg.com | Contact Us Bloomberg L.P. 731 Lexington, New York, NY, 10022