Newsletter: Investing Beyond the Dashboard

This is the web edition of the October 25 to 31, 2026 Mike's Blog newsletter. Subscribe to get the next issue.

This week, watching Miles bargain in Chinese for ESP32 boards in Shenzhen's Huaqiangbei market got me choked up. We were surrounded by electronics, but what I saw was a different kind of investment: time with my son, curiosity, and confidence.

After an intense trip through Hong Kong, Shenzhen, and Guangzhou, I'm back in Chiang Mai and heading straight into the final Cross Border Summit preparations.

Read the full weekly update.

What I am up to now

• Learning with Miles. Electronics markets, time with the maker community, and a second-hand 3D printer. A video blog from the trip is in progress.
• Connecting on the road. We hosted our Shenzhen cross-border dinner, and I joined Tomer's Top Dog mastermind in Hong Kong.
• Preparing for Cross Border Summit. November 3 to 5 in Chiang Mai is nearly here. The pre-summit dinner is November 2, with the venue still being confirmed. Summit details.

Messages from friends saying the Summit is a highlight of their year mean a lot during this final push.

What are you investing in this season that will not show up on a dashboard?

Mike