What’s the point?
You're engaged in several projects. You're also trying to develop mutually fulfilling relationships, take care of yourself, and contribute to a future you want to live in.
The world around you feels fast, overwhelming, and increasingly flat. Nuance is a liability. Echo chambers seem unavoidable. Someone’s constantly trying to sell you something, tell you what to think, or show you why the world is on fire.
And you smell the bullshit.
You find yourself asking a bigger, more pressing question: What’s the point? Amidst all this bullshit, how do you focus your attention on the people, ideas, and pursuits that create meaningful value and cultivate a life of depth?
If you are an independent thinker on this journey, I invite you to join the conversation.
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Why write WTP?
My exploration started with a personal obsession: how to make the most of my time.
That obsession became a profession. I’ve worked as a strategist with businesses and nonprofits for more than a decade, and staying focused on truly valuable pursuits proved to be a genuine challenge for most teams. I wanted to know why.
That question led me down a rabbit hole. Why do we struggle with this? How did we get here? How do different approaches work? If we take a different approach, what do we gain? What do we lose? If we’re all here to deliver value, what is value? What does that mean for us not only in business, but as individuals?
WTP is the result of that inquiry. It's an uncluttered space to develop my thinking around the value economy and share that journey with fellow independent thinkers. No fluff. No bullshit.
WTP is a value-driven intellectual project centered on the question, “What’s the point?”
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What can I expect?
This newsletter is a space dedicated to the slow, essential work of building understanding. What I offer isn't a hack or a map with a pre-drawn route. It is a framework for thinking — a collection of ideas and questions to help you hone your thinking, discern what’s valuable, and build the freedom to focus your attention on what makes the most of your time.
As a subscriber, you can expect a monthly rhythm of posts designed for different modes of thinking:
One Long-Form Essay: A deep dive into a larger idea at the intersection of strategy, economics, and philosophy.
Shorter, Practical Posts: Focused pieces that apply these larger ideas to the practical challenges of life and business.
Three Things Worth Reading (3TWR): A curated collection of things I've read that are worth your attention.
My commitment is to respect your time and intelligence with rigorously thoughtful clarity and context. In light of this commitment, my publishing schedule stays flexible. If I don't have something that lives up to this standard, I don’t publish until I do.
What Others Think
“I thought your false values post was terrific. But your [sic] discussion with Gurwinder pushed me over the edge. This, I thought, is a Substack I need to support.”
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“I'm picky about which newsletters I subscribe to. They must give me a new perspective. They must awe me — from creatively turning a phrase, to sharing something fun and different, to helping me see the world through a unique lens. Katie's newsletter hits the mark for me. Her writing is brilliant while remaining consumable. She takes an everyday topic and shifts it into an intellectual exploration that only the deeply curious can do. I look forward to seeing the wheels of Katie's mind manifest right before my eyes each week in my inbox.”
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“WTP often makes me think more deeply about topics I had already considered. Katie has a strong point of view and presents a compelling case, but she doesn't stop there. She provides historical and cultural context to the topic at hand, providing me with the information I need to reexamine the topic and reach my own conclusions. It's a rare gift.”
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Support WTP
WTP is a 100% reader-supported publication. It remains independent, ad-free, and intellectually honest thanks to the support of its paying members. If you’re a paid subscriber, thank you.
If you believe this kind of deep, nuanced, quiet work is valuable, please consider becoming a supporting member. Your support doesn't just get you access to members-only posts and the full WTP archive; it makes the entire proving ground possible.
If you’re looking for another way to help, share a post with a friend. There’s no better way for people to discover WTP than packaged in your recommendation tied with the bow of your enthusiasm.
And if you need access to something that’s paywalled, email me at katie@askwtp.com.
About Me
My name is Katie Burkhart. I own and run Point:Value where I work with membership and subscription-based organizations to stay valuable so they keep their members and grow sustainable revenue. I’ve been told that not only do I ask good questions, but I also answer the question you asked, the question you meant to ask, and the question you didn’t know to ask.
I speak worldwide as a keynote speaker, session facilitator, and podcast guest, appearing on shows like On Brand with Nick Westergaard and The Business of Intuition with Dean Newlund. I’m also an Entrepreneur contributor, and my work has been published in The Startup, UX Collective, and Social Media Examiner.
I’m a city dweller who walks everywhere I need to go. I’ve been a board member, an advisor, a scenic designer, a props master, and a swimmer. I read a lot and want to read more.
Connect Further
LinkedIn | Notes | katie@askwtp.com
