The Punk PM #31

Hey there, punk!

You know that feeling when the world’s yelling “Post more!”, “Build your brand!”, “Stay visible!”?

I’ve been tuning it out lately.

Not because I’ve run out of things to say, but because sometimes the best way to get clarity is to go quiet for a bit.

This week’s newsletter isn’t about productivity hacks or calendar tweaks. It’s about rhythm. Rest. And remembering that you don’t need to be always on to make something meaningful.

Let’s get into it.

Quote of the Week 🙊

Insight 🦉

Consistency is important. But so is knowing when to pause.

This week, Beehiiv pinged me with a gentle nudge: “Hey, you haven’t posted in a while.” It was a decent win-back email. But the silence wasn’t an oversight, it was intentional.

I didn’t take August off because I ran out of ideas. I took it off because I didn’t want writing to turn into homework.

This newsletter has never been about building a brand or chasing reach. It’s an old habit from my music journalism days. Scratching the itch when it needs scratching. And when there’s no itch? I’d rather step away than force it.

August was quiet by design. Time away with the family. Getting into a routine with our new dog. Personal time. Offline life.

And funnily enough, the ideas didn’t dry up, they sharpened. The break gave them space to breathe. Like a rest before a chorus, the silence made the return feel fresh.

So here’s the rhythm I’m working with now:

• A post most Fridays (not necessarily every Friday).

• August and December? Off-limits by default. Recharge time.

• No fillers. If I’ve got nothing worth saying, I’ll wait till I do.

• Reason over routine. Cadence, not calendar.

If you’re creating things too, whether it’s code, copy, or campaigns, you might find this rhythm helpful. Define your quiet seasons. Make room for boredom. Let life feed the work instead of crowding it out.

The best stuff rarely comes when you’re sprinting to hit publish. It comes when you’ve had space to think, and something worth saying.

Action 🚀

This week, protect the pause.

Block out an hour with no meetings, no messages, no deliverables. Just space to think, reflect, or do nothing at all.

You don’t need to earn rest. And you don’t need a reason to be offline.

On purpose is reason enough.

Inspiration 💡

I Started Talking to My Computer Instead of Typing. It Changed How I Think – Katie Parrot explores how voice dictation tools like Monologue and ChatGPT unlocked a more natural, frictionless creative flow. The shift from typing to talking didn’t just speed things up—it changed how she structured ideas, made space for spontaneity, and redefined what productivity looks like. Read more

Inside the Collapse of Builder.ai: Was It Even an AI Company? – Varsha Bansal unpacks the downfall of Builder.ai, a startup that raised hundreds of millions on the promise of AI-generated apps—then quietly outsourced the work to human devs. A cautionary tale about hype cycles, “AI-washing,” and what happens when the story outpaces the substance. Read more

Build vs Buy in the Age of AI – Marty Cagan weighs in on a classic dilemma through a modern lens. As AI makes it easier to spin up tools, the real challenge isn’t building software—it’s knowing what to build in the first place. Smart insight on blending custom workflows with powerful off-the-shelf components. Read more

Signing Off ✍️

If this resonates with you, hit reply and let me know what product or team rule you’re ready to break this week. And if you think a friend or colleague would enjoy The Punk PM, feel free to share it with them!

Play it your way,

Toby