Exploring Ideas: A Blog on Technology, Startups, Food, and More
Welcome to my blog where I share thoughts and insights on technology, startups, and life in Atlanta. Browse through the articles below or explore by topic.
The Glicko Rating System: When Confidence Matters
April 29, 2025
In our previous post, we explored the Elo rating system - the grandfather of competitive rankings. While Elo is elegant in its simplicity, it has some limitations. One of the biggest is that it treats all ratings as equally reliable, whether they’re based on thousands of games or just a handful. Enter the Glicko rating system, which addresses this limitation by tracking not just a player’s rating,...
Handling Deprecation: Gracefully Retiring Features
April 28, 2025
Breaking changes are like going to the dentist - nobody likes them, but sometimes they’re necessary for long-term health. Whether you’re improving your API design, addressing security concerns, or removing features that are causing more trouble than they’re worth, you’ll eventually need to deprecate some part of your library. But here’s the thing: while breaking changes are sometimes necessary, br...
Think Like a CEO: The Family Office Mindset Anyone Can Adopt
April 27, 2025
The most valuable thing to learn from family offices isn’t about complex investment strategies or tax loopholes. It’s about mindset. Ultra-wealthy families approach their finances with the same strategic thinking they bring to their businesses. They don’t just react to financial events; they proactively manage their wealth with clear goals and strategies. The good news? This mindset shift costs ab...
Honey Sriracha Brussels Sprouts
April 26, 2025
These Brussels sprouts transform from bitter to irresistible when cooked in rendered bacon fat until crispy, then finished with a sweet-spicy glaze. The combination of caramelized edges, smoky bacon, and the honey-sriracha finish creates a side dish that’s both sophisticated and addictive. The Recipe This recipe serves 4 as a side dish. Ingredients 4 ounces lardons or thick-cut bacon, diced 1 poun...
Channel Sales vs Affiliate Marketing: What Are You Really Selling?
April 25, 2025
Previously I wrote about how business is fundamentally simple: make something, sell it for more than it costs. Today, let’s use that concept in action to better understand it. We will use it to clear up something that often gets muddled: the difference between channel sales and affiliate marketing. Both of these models help other companies sell their products, but they’re fundamentally different b...
McCabe Complexity: The Python Metric You Should Care About
April 24, 2025
Ever looked at a function and thought “this is too complex” but couldn’t quite explain why? Let me introduce you to McCabe complexity - a metric that puts a number on that gut feeling. What is McCabe Complexity? McCabe complexity (or cyclomatic complexity) measures the number of linearly independent paths through your code. In simpler terms, it counts the number of decisions your code can make. Ea...
Simple Dijon Vinaigrette: The Only Dressing You Need
April 23, 2025
A good vinaigrette is the foundation of countless meals, and this simple Dijon version has the perfect balance of acidity, richness, and flavor. Made directly in a jar with a tight-fitting lid, this dressing requires no special equipment, minimal cleanup, and comes together in under two minutes. The basic formula can be endlessly customized with different oils, vinegars, and add-ins to suit whatev...
The Virtual Family Office: Bringing Wealth Management Down to Earth
April 22, 2025
In our previous post, we explored what traditional family offices are and the valuable functions they serve for ultra-wealthy families. But what if you don’t have $100 million? Can you still benefit from the family office approach? Enter the virtual family office (VFO): a scaled-down, flexible version of the traditional family office that brings sophisticated wealth management principles within re...
The Only Business Mental Model You Need: Make Something, Sell It
April 21, 2025
I’ve spent years building data science teams and products, and one thing keeps surprising me: we all tend to overcomplicate business. We get caught up in frameworks, KPIs, OKRs, and the latest management philosophies. But strip away all the complexity, and business is remarkably simple: make something people want, then sell it for more than it costs to make. That’s it. That’s the tweet. I’m fully ...
Python Logging Best Practices for Library Developers
April 20, 2025
As someone who’s developed a few Python libraries (category-encoders, elote, etc.), I’ve learned that good logging can make the difference between a library that’s a joy to use and one that makes you want to pull your hair out. Let’s dive into what I’ve learned about logging best practices for Python library developers. The Golden Rules of Library Logging Before we get into the nitty-gritty detail...
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