So much time and so little to do

Wait a minute. Strike that. Reverse it. Thank you. [The Hustle]( Tues, May 30 The Willy Wonka of cheese With a net worth just shy of $3B, James Leprino sits at #232 on the 2016 [Forbes 400]( list of wealthiest Americans, nestled in between hedge fund investors and software innovators. But you won’t find pictures on Google of his super yachts, ridiculous blimps, or typical high-profile bravado. In fact, there’s only one actual picture of Leprino publicly available. It’s from 1978 and it sits conveniently at the top of this email. (Hint: He’s the middle guy, not the one with the funky hat) Meet one of the world’s most private monopolists Denver-based Leprino Foods supplies mozzarella for Pizza Hut, Domino’s, Papa John’s, and Little Caesars, dominating as much as 85% of the pizza cheese market with [$3B in annual revenue](. In 1958, after closing his father’s boutique grocery store, James (who owns 100% of Leprino) noticed the rising popularity of pizza joints and decided to go headfirst into mozzarella delivery. He then rode the popularity of Pizza Hut to scale, gained manufacturing patents, and earned a 7% net margin for his business -- essentially creating a dairy-filled moat between him and smaller competitors. Right place, right time, right approach The genius is having an intense focus on efficiency and seeing Leprino Foods as more of “[a biotech company]( wrapped inside a food business.” For example, developing a preservative mist that adds flavor and cuts down the aging process from 14 days to 4 hours (all patented). Or repurposing their waste to become the largest lactose exporter. Each innovation from Leprino drives scale and lowers prices, phrases national pizza chains are bullish on, considering cheese [accounts for 40%]( of a pizza’s cost. But the most important thing is quality Every one of Leprino Foods’ 4k+ employees carry a card with the company’s 4 core principles: quality, service, price, ethics. The company has never had a recall, treats each customer like they’re the only customer, and maintains a laser focus on doing one thing better than anyone else in a fractured market. All in all it’s a recipe for success. That, plus being more private than Dick Tracy at a yellow trench coat convention. [That made more sense in my head...]( Smashmouth was right... Only shooting stars break the mold and we could all use a little change. Last Friday, LinkedIn founder, Reid Hoffman, [announced]( he’s leading a new $30m round for the petition website, Change.org. The company has raised a grand [total of $72m]( from social justice heavy-hitters like Bill Gates, Sam Altman, Ev Williams, Ashton Kutcher, and Richard Branson. Not to mention Change.org’s users have created more than 1m petitions resulting in over 21k policy changes, from Congress passing the Sexual Assault Survivor’s Bill of Rights, to Bank of America dropping their $5/month maintenance fee. But all that glitters isn’t gold Despite appearances, Change.org is a [for-profit corporation]( that made $20m last year charging for promoted petitions, crowdfunding campaigns, and a $9/month membership fee for exclusive events. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, but it does feel a little sneaky to make money off of politically-charged enthusiasm. Then again… Bill Gates seems to know what he’s doing when it comes to fixing the world and it doesn’t take an all star to see the growing need for organized, digital democracy. Or, according to Nancy Lublin, one of their new board members and the founder of Crisis Text Line, “The world is kind of in the sh*tter and Change.org could be the world’s greatest plunger.” [Cool.]( GIFs hit the big 3-0 Yes, you read that right. The file format behind Homer [disappearing into a bush]( and Harry Potter [eating a taco]( is celebrating a birthday. And while we’ve come to take them for granted in our daily communication, turns out these little loops are [older than the web itself](. Fireline GIF break. It all started in ‘87 Michael Jackson gave us “Bad,” Arnold fought Predator, and a programmer named Steve [created the medium]( that would launch a thousand memes: the Graphic Interchange Format. See, back in the infant stages of connected computers, every tech company had their own proprietary way of doing things. That meant images that worked on Apple’s machines wouldn’t work on an IBM, and vice versa. That’s why Compuserve (the largest internet provider at the time) tasked Steve with developing a super simple image format that worked on any computer, over any connection. And this was 2 years before Sir Tim Berners Lee even announced his new project, the World Wide Web. One small step for the web, one giant leap for web-kind As the internet rose, so rose the GIF -- from the “dancing baby” to this [dancing lady](. And it doesn’t feel like it’s going anywhere anytime soon. Just look at Giphy, the 4-year-old search engine who [delivers]( 4m+ GIFs to 150m+ users every single day thanks to 150m in funding. [I believe it’s a soft “J”]( Blimps n’ dronez Keep an eye on the horizon, the techies are taking flight… Sergey’s Big Blimpin’ The Google co-founder that isn’t Larry Page is building the largest aircraft in the world, at nearly 656 ft in length, for both private and humanitarian. So, it’s probably like a super sleek, luxurious, stealth jet, right? Nahhh... it’s a [big ol’ blimp](. Apparently Brin has a thing for zeppelins and even enlisted a former NASA programs director to help make his dream a reality. And, considering the original plan was to power it with hydrogen (think: Hindenburg or Led Zeppelin 1) instead of the FAA-approved helium, maybe it’s good he’s getting a second opinion. It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s a… Snap drone? Word on the street is the ghost camera company [acquired drone startup]( Ctrl Me Robotics, the grown up nerdy version of Tickle Me Elmo, to do… um… something. The deal is supposedly less than $1m and, while not very big, it is reminiscent of [their acquisition]( of the struggling “Google Glass alternative,” Vergence Labs, which eventually led to the creation of Spectacles. [Let the speculation begin]( a few good reads “They basically reset my brain” ([The Players’ Tribune]( Former professional football player, Jermichael Finley, gives a first-person account of dealing with depression and the mental stress of starting a new life as a retired 27-year-old. How to Sleep ([The Atlantic]( The history and science of sleep. If you’re a human who lives on planet Earth and is sometimes not awake, this one’s for you. Warning: may cause an immediate need for a nap. A guide to the “Personal Kanban” ([Quartz]( If you’re trying to prioritize more than 3 tasks at once, you’re slowing yourself down. The Personal Kanban is a system for mapping out projects to help you visualize your work, and make sure you’re not taking on too much at once. The teenage bot makers that run streetwear ([WIRED]( Since its inception in the 90s, Supreme has cashed in on the elusiveness of their iconic brand. But their intentionally limited supplies and cumbersome-by-design website presented a business opportunity to cater to obsessive sneakerheads -- netting this duo as much as $20,000/hour. The doctor helping execs live their best life for $40k/year ([Quartz]( Human growth hormone, fasting, nootropics. When it comes to getting a cognitive edge, Silicon Valley’s top minds are willing to do just about “hack” their body to peak productivity. This doctor wants to help them do it, safely. This edition of The Hustle was brought to you by “Would you like to pair some cheese with that?” Of course you want cheese with your wine. It’s amazing and hits a craving so guttural we’re pretty sure our ancestors were dairy farmers. It’s just that sometimes choosing cheese can be overwhelming. There are the creamy ones, the ones covered in wax, and some we’re not sure if they’re moldy, or a delicacy.... While we know what cheeses taste yummy, we don’t always know what they’re called. Then we’re stuck describing to a waiter that cheese that’s “a little smelly, and soft but not super soft… ummm yellow?”. Step up your cheese knowledge, with The Tasting Board Using a [7-question quiz]( designed by two MIT grads, The Tasting Board’s algorithm searches over 900 cheeses to choose the one that’s right for you. Oh sorry, did we say one? We meant four. Matched to your taste profile for only $64/month (and [50% off for Hustlers)](. So whether you like hard cheese, or “soft but not super soft” cheese, you’re guaranteed to get something delicious. Plus, [The Tasting Board]( sends extra stuff with your order, like a cheese knife with your first shipment, and [surprise pairings]( every month (think honey, chocolate, etc.). Sound good? [Sign up to save 50%]( and stop getting stumped by fancy menus. [SUBSCRIBE]( [JOBS]( [ADVERTISE]( [EVENTS]( Lindsey Quinn WRITER Kamran Rosen WRITER Joaquin Freezer STAFF KITCHEN DESIGNER John "Snozzberries" Havel BACKSEAT EDITOR You opted in by signing up, attending an event, or through divine intervention. [771 CLEMENTINA STREET, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94103, UNITED STATES]( • [415.506.7210](tel:+1-415-506-7210) Never wanna hear from us again? Break our hearts and [unsubscribe](