Herbert Lui

Blog on creativity, marketing, and the human condition.

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  • Vinyl isn’t just about the sound

    In 2025, people bought over 45 million vinyl records, spending over $1 billion in the process. What’s more surprising: a stat from 2022 suggests that 50% of vinyl buyers in the US don’t own a record player.  To a vinyl collector, this is absurd, and perhaps even heresy. What would a person do with a…

    Herbert Lui

    May 9, 2026
    Contentions, Creativity, Creator Confidential, Promotion
  • Let the small stuff slide

    There’s a book with a great title, Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff. It has been recommended to me by family and good friends on separate occasions. The hard part is applying the title: actually not sweating the small stuff. It means letting the bit of discomfort roll off you, when it, unchecked, would drive you…

    Herbert Lui

    May 8, 2026
    Expectations, Turning Stories
  • Why I’m prolific, and why you should be too

    In 2013, I came upon an idea that quantity was a reliable way to find quality. It was one of the most useful lessons I have learned, and I’ve aimed to be prolific. It’s why I write every day, and I choose to spend much of my time making as much new work as possible.…

    Herbert Lui

    May 7, 2026
    Creativity, Creator Confidential
  • A house with its own website

    The other day, I saw a house for sale with the usual realtor’s name, company, and usual other info, and then a dedicated URL for its address. For example, 123SohoAvenue.com. First of all, this was new to me, which piqued my curiosity. I also liked that it suggested the house deserved its own website, which…

    Herbert Lui

    May 6, 2026
    Creator Confidential, Promotion
  • Obviously AI, totally acceptable

    Some people have a policy about AI slop: “If you didn’t write it, I don’t want to read it.” I generally agree, though that kind of work existed before AI anyway.  My policy is more like this: If you didn’t put yourself into it, I don’t want to read it. I know a few friends…

    Herbert Lui

    May 5, 2026
    Creativity, Creator Confidential
  • A restaurant’s evolution

    Several years ago, if you had lunch or dinner at Kingyo Izakaya, you would likely sit at a table on its main floor. Perhaps your seat would be in part of its big booth, or at the communal dining table with a tank containing the restaurant’s namesake, goldfish, in the middle. You might find yourself…

    Herbert Lui

    May 4, 2026
    Creativity, Creator Confidential, Expectations
  • Maladaptive frugality, at Hacker News

    Maladaptive frugality hit the front page of Hacker News. The ensuing discussion resonated with me a lot, and these two comments were the most relatable: Amarant wrote, “Whenever I have something a little extra in my fridge, most often Italian prosciutto, I refrain from eating it, instead saving it for a “special occasion” even though…

    Herbert Lui

    May 3, 2026
    Expectations, Turning Stories
  • Just another name on another list

    In the pilot of Hacks, after celebrating her 2,500th show, the protagonist Deborah Vance is a seasoned comedian who is kicked out from her years-long Vegas residency.  Spoiler alert: At the end of season four, after she achieves her dream of being the first woman to host late night TV, she must decide to either…

    Herbert Lui

    May 2, 2026
    Creativity, Creator Confidential, Turning Stories
  • Be mindful of renting capabilities

    “For a while, he even makes you believe that his power has become yours. Irresistible power… that makes every desire’s fufilment seem inevitable.” When I heard this line from Rings of Power, it reminded me of this: Sometimes, business partners want to make you rely on them in order to gain leverage on you—as if…

    Herbert Lui

    May 1, 2026
    Creativity, Creator Confidential, Expectations
  • Adventure starts when everything goes wrong

    “The word adventure has gotten overused. For me, when everything goes wrong—that’s when adventure starts,” Yvon Chouinard says. It drew to mind my first trips. At some point, you may feel like your back is against the wall, and they’re closing in. Everything is falling apart. That’s a sure sign your next adventure is about…

    Herbert Lui

    April 30, 2026
    Around the World, Creativity, Expectations, Turning Stories
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