Creating the Book That Didn't Exist
Sometimes the most meaningful permissionless projects come from listening carefully to small pain points that others mention. This is the story of how I spotted an opportunity to solve a problem that wasn't explicitly asked for, but was clearly valuable.
The Offhand Comment That Sparked an Idea
After having David Senra (host of the popular Founders podcast) as a guest on our podcast in Miami, I paid close attention to our conversation. During our chat, David mentioned a book about Don Valentine, the founder of Sequoia Capital, that he had read and found incredibly valuable despite hating the format it came in.
As he described it, the book was an unpublished 70-page PDF that contained pictures of book pages—essentially photographs of text rather than a proper digital or physical book. David expressed that while the content was excellent, the reading experience was frustrating.
Spotting the Opportunity
Most people would have just nodded and moved on with the conversation. Instead, I saw a perfect permissionless project opportunity. David had inadvertently revealed:
- Content he found valuable
- A format problem that diminished his experience
- A relatively simple solution I could provide
Taking Action Without Being Asked
After the podcast, I took those photos of the book pages, used OCR (Optical Character Recognition) technology and AI to extract the text properly, and then typeset it into a professional-looking book format. I used a print-on-demand service called Blurb to create a physical copy of the book.
The entire process took about two hours spread across a flight home and some follow-up work. The cost was minimal—about $9 for printing plus shipping.
The Thoughtful Delivery Plan
Rather than simply mailing the book to David or handing it to him directly, I thought carefully about creating a memorable moment. I recalled David mentioning his favorite bookstore in Florida during our conversation.
I called the bookstore owner, explained the situation, and arranged for the book to be kept behind the counter. The next time David visits, the owner will surprise him with this custom-made book as a thank you for appearing on our podcast.
The Value of Expecting Nothing
What makes this project particularly interesting is that I don't have a specific ask for David. I'm not seeking a job, investment, or favor. The project came from a genuine desire to solve a problem and create a moment of unexpected delight.
As I often say about permissionless projects, "You either win, or you learn, or you have a really good story—or all three." In this case, I've already won by creating something meaningful, and I've got a great story regardless of what happens next.
The potential long-term benefit? When someone goes above and beyond to solve a problem you didn't even explicitly ask them to solve, it creates a memorable impression and a sense of reciprocity. That relationship might lead to opportunities in the future, but even if it doesn't, the project was worthwhile in its own right.
The Lesson: Listen for Unspoken Needs
This project demonstrates the power of listening carefully for problems that aren't being directly presented as requests for help. By paying attention to offhand comments and frustrations, you can identify opportunities to create value that the person might not even realize is possible.
These kinds of thoughtful, unexpected solutions often make a far bigger impression than responding to direct requests, precisely because they show initiative, empathy, and attention to detail that go beyond the ordinary.
