"And darling, our disease is the same one as the trees / Unaware that they’ve been living in a forest.”
Now Playing: “This Life” – Vampire Weekend
Press play while you read.
Hi friends,
Welcome to the first edition of This Life.
After a few years of writing under Mike’s Newsletter, I’m evolving my published writing to reflect a shift in my work and thinking.
To me, investing in this life is two-fold:
It’s about investing time and capital into companies improving everyday life — in health, wellness, relationships, transportation, physical space, personal finance, and more.
And it’s about investing in yourself — your mindset, your habits, your time, your relationships.
This lens is guiding the latest work I’m doing. More on that soon. But it’s also personal. I’ll share a few things I’ve read or learned, a company I’m excited about, and a practice to try on for yourself.
Same format. New direction leaning into healthcare, human systems, and what makes life better day-to-day.
What I Read / Listened To / Watched This Week
🤖 Reid Hoffman shared a story about a Reddit user who used ChatGPT to solve a jaw issue they’d struggled with for five years — something multiple doctors had missed. The replies are full of similar stories. AI isn’t just about productivity; it’s already reshaping how we access care, advocate for ourselves, and improve daily life.
🧬 How AI is Accelerating Drug Discovery. This explainer from MIT Tech Review dives into how large models are being used to find treatments faster, especially for rare diseases. A glimpse into where biotech is headed.
💉 A16Z’s podcast on the science and supply of GLP-1s. A deep dive into how these weight-loss drugs are transforming healthcare, from patient care models to supply chain challenges.
What I Learned This Week
I think we’re entering an era where the most meaningful innovation won’t just make life more efficient — it’ll make it more human.
From a Reddit user diagnosing a chronic condition with ChatGPT, to AI accelerating rare disease research, to companies like Earth reimagining how we care for the dead, people are quietly reclaiming agency in parts of life that once felt outsourced, broken, or just daunting to navigate
IMO, this isn’t just tech disruption. It’s a shift in how we relate to systems that were built for a different time. The most interesting companies to me right now aren’t just building better tools, they’re giving people agency where they previously felt on the sidelines.
Company I’m Watching: Earth
Earth is a death care startup offering carbon-neutral funerals through human composting. Founded by two experienced operators from the traditional funeral industry, Earth is reimagining end-of-life care with a sustainable, full-service approach.
The company’s core product uses a proprietary “vessel” to accelerate the earth’s natural decomposition process using carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, and water — no fire, no emissions. In 30–45 days, the process transforms a body into one cubic yard of nutrient-rich soil that can be kept, used for planting, or contributed to forest restoration.
Customers can prepay like an insurance policy or pay at time of death. Pricing is below the cost of a traditional funeral, and the experience is fully managed online or at one of Earth’s facilities including licensed funeral services, transport, paperwork, and soil return.
On a quick personal note: anyone who’s had to make funeral arrangements, especially as a young person, can attest that the experience is less than desirable. Earth changes that.
While details on traction are limited, Earth is a Series A company with strong growth and a clear path in a massive, emotionally resonant market. What sets them apart is full-stack execution, handling every detail with dignity, transparency, and care in an industry long overdue for change.
Try This On
If your life were a startup, would you invest in it today?
Not the theoretical version five years out, but this week. The way you’re spending your time, energy, and money. Would you double down?
One practice I’ve learned this past year is auditing my calendar and spending and then marking each entry with a simple red, yellow, or green.
Green = aligned with what I say I care about
Yellow = neutral or unclear
Red = draining or off-mission
It’s a fast gut check and a surprisingly honest mirror.
Try it: take the last two weeks of calendar events and expenses, and tag them red/yellow/green. Notice the patterns. What are you really investing in?
Thanks for reading. I aim to publish this weekly-ish — consistent enough to feel like a rhythm, with room for real life.
Until next time,
Mike
