📚 Stay Curious #236

MMT Story, Braindump on Viral Loops, Hydra Problem, Two Headed Horse, Queen of Darts and much more

Nov 10, 2025

Hello,

It’s been a week since I started at the new place, and what a week it’s been! Everything feels new: the people, the ways of working, the problems to solve, even the commute and wardrobe. It’ll take a while before I can say I’ve truly settled in.

My reading rhythm took a bit of a hit this week (and so did I, when I had to hire a temporary driver to get to work every day; but that’s a story for another time). There’s a backlog of great reads waiting for me, and I just need to find my groove again to catch up and bring all that goodness to you.

For now, here’s a short intro note I wrote for my new team. Nothing fancy, just a few tidbits to help them know me better and spark some conversations. See if something here catches your eye. Always glad to put faces to the names I write to every week.

Here’s what we are covering in Stay Curious #236

I’ve enjoyed each one of these, and I hope you will too. Let’s get started…

✈️ The MMT Story

In The 25-Year Grind Behind India’s Travel Revolution, Karthik Reddy (of Blume Ventures) chats with Deep Kalra and Rajesh Magow, the co-founders of MakeMyTrip, unpacking the habits and decisions that shaped one of India’s earliest internet success stories.

Across 90 minutes, it felt like a genuine, no-pretence conversation between three people who’ve each shaped India’s startup journey in their own way. What struck me most, though, wasn’t about the travel industry or even the iconic brand they built; it was how they built it.

Deep and Rajesh spoke with warmth and gratitude about the people who shaped their path. From mentors and partners to team members, they credited everyone who taught them, trusted them, or stood by them. There was a rare honesty in the way they acknowledged others, reminding me how much learning and trust fuel lasting success. Simply brilliant.

I came across this episode through Rohit Kaul’s feed. He’s one of the sharpest curators and commentators I’ve discovered lately. When he recommends something, I don’t scroll past, I click & pay attention.

💯 Braindump On Viral Loops

In BRAINDUMP ON VIRAL LOOPS, Andrew Chen unloads everything he’s learned from building viral loops during the Web 2.0 era and how those ideas have evolved in the mobile age and beyond.

This post feels like the perfect starter guide for anyone new to the field — something that instantly gets you excited about the craft. It’s simple, jargon-free, packed with clear takeaways, and touches on a wide range of ideas without ever feeling heavy.

While clearing out my inbox backlog, I stumbled upon a few gems from Gapingvoid. I’ve always loved their storytelling style: visual, example-driven, and packed with memorable takeaways.

Here are two pieces I picked out for you:

⚠️ The Hydra Problem

Complexity begets complexity. Who knew the AWS outage could teach you a lesson in how to manage risk in an ever changing environment!

Complexity begets complexity, and complexity kills.
The antidote is courage.
The courage to admit that we can’t remove all risk by adding rules.
To admit that we can’t prevent every problem by adding more processes.
To realize that we can’t outsource good judgement to the bureaucracy machine.
The courage to admit that the game is risky. And tricky…
And yet, play anyway.

💔 The Two Headed Horse

Trust, Connection and a sense of Identity. Why did #SwiftiesAgainstAI happen? Fans who lived to worship the brilliance and charm of Taylor Swift, why did they turn rogue this time? What do they value?

We’re selfish creatures. We want proof that we could do something like that too, or at least, that humanity is actually capable of that level of greatness. Take that flesh and blood possibility away and replace it with an algorithm, and you’re left with no beauty, but something far more empty and banal.
We don’t value things because they’re valuable. They’re valuable because we value them.

🧳 Buy Back Your Time

The Japan or Die newsletter has popped up in my inbox several times, but I never really paid attention. This week, though, a post covering Tokyo Syndrome • Chindogu • Buy Back Your Time caught my eye; and I’m glad it did. The vibe is completely my kind. I’ve subscribed now, and who knows, maybe this will finally inspire me to turn that Japan travel dream into reality.

Here’s a short snippet from the section on “Buy Back Your Time.” I’m definitely guilty of optimizing for the wrong things here. It’s time to start fixing that.

Time is limited, especially when you’re traveling. There are always more things to do than time to do them in. Decisions, decisions.
I’m not opposed to “wasting” time while traveling. I think some of the best time you can possibly have in another country, in life itself even, is when you don’t even have a plan or when you stray from your plan to enjoy the moment. Lingering at a cafe, watching the sun set, chatting with locals, purposely getting lost just to see what you’ll discover, etc.
I would go as far as to say most of my travel strategy, most of what I optimize for, is to have time to spend in places that have the best vibes.

🎯 Queen of Darts

What exactly makes something a sport? How is a sport different from a game? Is competition the defining line between the two?

These were some of the questions I wrestled with during a project in my last role. I found a few academic takes on it, but none that really led to clear answers or action.

Along the way, I discovered many “activities” that turned into full-fledged cultures — complete with communities, heroes, events, and rituals. From marble runs to stone skipping to darts, each has built a world of its own around the spirit of play and competition.

It’s fascinating to see how our deep human need to connect and compete keeps shaping such unique and joyful behaviors.

In Queen of Darts, Victory Journal takes us to the world of high-pressure Dutch Open darts competition and introduces two champions of this arena. There is so much about it that will take you to your favorite sport, and yet you will wonder how it is even a thing?

Before matches, she goes through a concentration practice, sometimes ducking into a bathroom to do so. And by the time she’s on the oche, “I concentrate on the board and the crowd is a landscape,” she says. “Like a picture.” She says she loves “the really big crowded places.”
That mental aspect may be the one thing least understood by outsiders. This game can wreck you. In the afternoon, there is heartbreak in the boys division: post-loss, a small lad with slicked-back hair stomps past me, tears in his eyes, muttering. He slams his darts down, with his dad mutely following behind to pick them up. And I just can’t help but think this could be it for this kid, forever. Suzuki’s own little boy, she told me, played until he got the “yips” and she shut him down. Suzuki’s poise is key, and it’s no easy feat.

Fascinating!

✨ Everything else

Goncharov. The story of how a fake movie became internet canon — proof that the internet never fails to surprise. Another gem from the folks at Mad Over Marketing. I love how they keep finding these quirky stories and serving them up in such a fun, effortless way.
The Slippers that Slam Dunked on Loopholes. A wild story about the clever things people do to dodge taxes and IP restrictions. And it’s not limited to one country or industry; it’s a universal hustle. Another brilliant piece from Now I Know.
88 artists ‘Look Up’ at the same time to create brilliant portraits of one sky. We’re all connected, even if we see, speak and experience different things.
In ‘Nesting’ and ‘Wrapped,’ artist Natalie Ciccoricco weaves together reflections on nature and grief through stunning collage work. Honestly, what drew me first were the textures, colors, and intricate arrangements. Each piece feels alive. Definitely something I’d love to frame and keep in my room.