Evan Patterson

COOL!

A massive dust storm was racing toward Chicago and the rest of northern Illinois, putting motorists and people with respiratory illnesses at risk, weather officials warned Friday evening.

Busting up big corporations.  Tackling Wall Street’s greed. Getting big money out of politics.  Strengthening unions and fighting for higher wages. Medicare for all, paid family leave, universal childcare... This is the progressive populist agenda we need in America.

Chicago is on to something.

no words necessary

India has launched strikes in several parts of Pakistan and Pakistan-controlled territory, in a dramatic escalation of tensions between the two nuclear-armed rivals.

When the President of the United States says he doesn’t know if he should uphold the Constitution, it should be a searing red line for every American. If you let him ignore ANY aspect of the Constitution you embolden him to ignore more of it, including the parts that secure YOUR freedoms & rights.

This is the ideal male body. You may not like it, but this is what peak performance looks like.

Tesla sales in Germany and Britain fell to their lowest point in more than two years in April, cementing a wider trend of Europeans shunning the U.S. automaker.

A commenter on the MeidasTouch YouTube channel has a suggestion

#ProudBlue THIS is what leadership looks like. Once again, @jbpritzker.bsky.social steps up to protect his constituents in IL from 47’s administration’s overreach & invasion of privacy. chicago.suntimes.com/politics/202...

We can’t just be against Trump. It’s time for a bold, progressive populism | Robert Reich

Your daily reminder that it is our judicial system that decides if someone is a criminal, not the criminal President or his minions in the executive branch.

NEW: Tulsi Gabbard, now the US director of national intelligence, used the same easily cracked password for different online accounts including a personal Gmail account and Dropbox over a period of years, leaked records reviewed by WIRED reveal.

"I do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States."

Breaking news: The U.S. economy shrank in the first three months of 2025, contracting by an annualized rate of 0.3 percent, a stark reversal after nearly three years of solid growth, as tariff-related uncertainty upended spending patterns and raised fears of an impending recession.

Illinois continues to treat the most out-of-state patients seeking abortions compared to every other state in the country, a new report on national abortion trends found.

RFK Jr.’s lies about autism are disgraceful — and I won't share them to spread misinformation. He consistently undermines public health and reinforces dangerous myths. In Illinois, we stand with those with autism, and I’ll keep fighting for inclusion, science, and the truth.

SaaS marketers: If your demo is a PowerPoint, it’s not a demo. It’s a lecture. Show, don’t tell.

Hot take: The best communities aren’t built in Slack. They’re built in the conversations people want to have. The platform is just the container.

A good hook makes people curious. A great hook makes people feel like they need to know the answer.

“This meeting could have been an email.” Correction: This email could have been a Loom.

Social selling hack: Comment more than you post. People buy from people they see—and the easiest way to be seen? Show up in the conversations they’re already having.

The best partnerships? Win for you ✅ Win for them ✅ Win for the audience ✅ If it doesn’t hit all three, it’s just a glorified favor.

If a founder tells me their product is “for everyone,” I know their marketing is for no one. Be specific. Niche down. Win faster.

Personal branding isn't “just post a lot.” It's: ⭐ Actually having a point of view ⭐ Being memorable in how you show up ⭐ Showing up for people, not just in front of them

People follow you for your expertise. They stay for your personality. Make your content fun, unique, and you.

The #1 sign your content is boring? Nobody’s disagreeing with you. If you never ruffle feathers, you’re probably not saying anything new.

Writing online? The first 2 lines make or break your post. Bold take? Good. Relatable story? Even better. “Let me tell you a story…” Delete it.

If you want to be a keynote speaker, you better have: ✅ A POV people care about ✅ Stories, not just stats ✅ Energy that makes the room lean in Everything else? Teachable.

“We need to build a community." Cool. Why should people want to join? What do they gain? What makes it different? Community isn’t a strategy. It’s a value exchange.

Marketers: If your content isn't getting engagement, ask yourself: Would I stop scrolling for this? Does it make my audience feel something? Is it clear why this matters to them? If not, rewrite.

If your LinkedIn post starts with “Let’s flip the script…” congrats, you’ve written the same post as 500 other people today. Say it differently. Flip that script instead.

Social selling isn’t about pitching in the DMs. It’s about showing up so consistently that by the time someone does need your solution, you’re the first person they think of.

Most “best practices” in marketing are just good marketing for someone else. Test. Experiment. Break the rules. Because what works for them might be holding you back.

Who agrees with AOC....

SaaS founders, your biggest mistake? Thinking "build it and they will come" applies to marketing. Nope. You gotta make noise, get messy, and actually talk to your customers.

If you’re good at what you do, stop pricing for permission and start pricing for profit. The right clients won’t hesitate.

Undercharging doesn’t just hurt you—it attracts the worst clients. Price for the people who actually value you.

Freelancers & consultants: The clients who demand the most always pay the least. Learn to say no.

Want sponsors to pay more? Don’t sell a “package.” Sell a strategy. Better positioning = bigger deals.

A bad sales pitch = a bad first date. Talks only about themselves No effort to build rapport Rushes to the "next step" Sell like a human.

Every SaaS company wants more brand exposure but forgets: 🔹 Clear CTA 🔹 Landing page 🔹 Tracking conversions No wonder awareness isn’t leading to sales.

If someone pushes back on price, ask: "Are you worried about cost, or about getting results?" Most of the time, it’s the second one.

If they ask for more than they’re paying for, the answer is no.