My Next Chapter: A New Focus on Publicly Traded Alts

An experiment in building a "pathless path," starting with a five-week deep dive.

The below is a letter that I wrote to myself as part of getting started with Act Two, a five-week program focused on launching a new creative project.

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Letter to Self

Bryan,

The reason you're here, in Act Two, is to consciously move toward a different future. The goal isn't just a new project; it's a new relationship with work and life. It's the pursuit of the "pathless path."

Your Why: What is Beyond the Horizon?

What you're aiming for is a feeling: freedom, autonomy, agency. It’s a life not dictated by a 9-to-5 schedule or a capped salary someone else determines. It's about building something where the effort you put in is directly tied to the value you create and the flexibility you earn. That's the horizon. For the next five weeks, every action is a step in that direction.

Your What: The Five-Week Experiment

You've been circling several ideas—the podcast, the e-commerce project, short-form video. They're all valid vehicles. But right now, hesitation is the enemy of momentum. For this five-week sprint, we have to pick one and commit.

The choice is the Private Equity Newsletter.

Why? Because you have a head start. It builds on your existing knowledge and subscriber bases, leverages your interest in writing, and doesn't depend on scheduling guests or managing inventory. It’s the most direct route to creating something that signals expertise. This isn't a life sentence; it's a focused experiment. We're committing to this vehicle for five weeks. That's it.

Your plan is to run a "pilot season" on this Substack for these five weeks, focusing on sharp, data-driven insights rather than comprehensive buy/sell calls. You envision publishing one focused, high-leverage piece per week. This feels achievable within the 5-7 hours you're committing and aligns with the "tiny experiment" ethos. Possible topics include shifting AUM mix over time, compensation (FRE vs incentive), the opportunity in retail, etc.

Your How: Overcoming the Obstacles

Let's be honest about what's tripped you up before: life gets busy. A new job, travel, and a dozen other things can crowd out the deep work. The commitment becomes inconsistent, and things don't get published.

This time is different because of the structure and accountability of this program. The work has to get done and, more importantly, it has to get published. That means carving out the time on nights and weekends and treating this project with the seriousness it deserves.

Your Horizon: A Measurable Moment

In five weeks, how will we know this mattered? It won't be about massive follower counts. Success will be clear and specific:

• Publish four focused posts on the publicly-traded PE/alts space (KKR, CG, BAM, APO, BX, etc.).

• Earn one subscriber who is a "quality" connection. Someone who works for, invests in, or deeply understands the private equity world. One reader like that is proof that the signal is cutting through the noise.

That's the goal. It's tangible and it's meaningful. It’s the first step on the path.

Let’s get to work.

Open Questions

Here are a few things I am thinking about:

• What topics sound the most interesting?

• Would written interviews with PE professionals add value?

• What are the best existing resources to learn more about the publicly traded asset managers? Who are the most knowledgeable people out there?