Crashing villas for my birthday and the rise of “noctourism”
Also: doorknobs that could tell stories
In today’s issue: a rebrand backlash, popup ads for the win, and all the ways subscribers are using GPT
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Notes from a messy desk
I spent my birthday last weekend in Marrakech, crashing an 11-room villa called Jnane Rumi that my dear friend Paris had rented for her and her family (Kelly Wearstler stayed there recently, which tells you most of what you need to know). It was one of those “why not” decisions — Morocco’s only 3.5 hours from London, I’d never been, and when the universe invites you to ring in a birthday in a palatial villa eating some of the best food in the world, you say yes.
Everything in Marrakech is drowning in provenance. Pigments slap you in the face. The blend of Berber, Moorish, French, and Andalusian references turn the city into one big sensory feast. The scent of tagine plants itself inside your nostrils, the stinky motorcycles in the Medina are somehow charming, and even the most derelict doorknob looks like it could tell a story worth hearing.
It wasn’t a milestone birthday, but it was a meaningful one. I ate incredible food, sat by a pool for what felt like the first time in forever, and celebrated with people I love. I’m not always great at naming my goals, but lately I’ve been thinking about what I want the next decade to look like. Which of the things I’m doing and people I’m giving my time to will scale with me, and which reflect another, outdated version of my life? Moving to London might just be the right time for a rolodex cleanse.
Some highlights: eating lunch on my birthday with locals next to the Ourika River, dancing barefoot at sunset at Farasha Farmhouse, and a long, candlelit dinner at the unforgettable and menuless Dar Yacout.
But I pushed myself a bit too far *inserts joke about breaking a Camel’s back*. On Tuesday, I took a 6:50am flight from Marrakech with layovers in Paris and D.C., finally landing in Denver (my simpler itinerary got canceled). I then spoke onstage to 2,000 people and flew back to London less than 24 hours after checking into my hotel. To be clear, this is not jetsetting, it’s just dumb. Back on my jam with nasal spray and tissues – wish me luck.
Wheels up,
Sophia
🫖 Tea with GPT — This Week’s Uses
This week I used GPT to…
Draft a script for sending some weird chicken bites back — polite but direct, “this isn’t what I was expecting” vibes.
Review an exciting agreement — flagging language around life rights and editorial control before (potentially) signing away some scary shit.
Prep for a fireside chat — clarifying key points and anticipating questions while tailoring my talk specifically for the audience.
Figure out which passport control line to use at Heathrow — specifically for Global Talent Visa holders (electronic passport gates work!).
Compare airport lounges in real time — at Stansted, Dulles, and Denver, based on my airline status and premium card access. Yes, I was at all 3 and more in the past week.
Calculate United’s MileagePlus Premier Status Match requirements — how much I’d need to fly to maintain Premier status when matching from Delta.
Break down business travel deductions — to see what expenses from a recent trip could be justified under a blended work/personal itinerary.
Write a car listing for my Defender — by uploading the original sticker, typing in the initial price, and having GPT research prices for similar models in the area.
Estimate move-out charges for my LA apartment — it’s finally been rented! GPT helped me do the math on my deposit refund, the pro-rated refund for my already paid April rent, cleaning, and repairs.
🍵 Reader tea! Ya’ll blew up the chat last week with your own use cases for ChatGPT. Readers are using chatbots to…
Vera uses it to brainstorm subject lines for her fashion newsletter
Chalk Riot, a DC mural company, said they had a client send them a visual she created on ChatGPT to get across her vision for a commission
Harriet gets their horoscope and human design readings by plugging in their birth date, time, and location
Meg is learning French and holding herself accountable with a set weekly practice schedule
Gladys mocked up a garden design based on pictures of their backyard
Brittany told ChatGPT what’s in the fridge to get personalized recipes
Collabs on my radar
Kendrick Lamar’s the new face of Chanel eyewear, and it’s not just a cool collab — it’s a smart one. The éliou x Crown Affair necklace and scrunchie are so so cute. Madhappy dropped their latest collab with Hysterical Glamour. It’s very, stealing kisses at the beach with sand in your shorts. Fun. Great Jones partnered with Disney and Pixar on a Ratatouille cookware collection… look at Remy on the cast-iron Dutch oven. ROA partnered with designer Colin Meredith on hybrid hiking sneakers. Chic. Campbell & Kramer, a sustainable clothing brand founded by UCLA roommates, created a collection for Urban Outfitters using deadstock fabrics. Flirty. Jacquemus dropped a boat shoe with Timberland. The adidas x Edison Chen CLOT collection was revealed during Shanghai Fashion Week last year… and now you can shop it. The Ella Mae collab with Tyler McGillivary, which is inspired by fossils, is very cool. Look at this ammonite dress, and this rainbow fossil one. I’m ready for an ancient spring. Nike and Hyperice are dropping a recovery boot next month. Creators are stoked about this Saie Beauty x Rocky’s Matcha press mailer.
Collab report: Last week, subscribers were most into the Disney x Coperni collection, the Loop x Coachella earplugs, and the OnlyFans x Elena Velez corset tee.
Shop my favorite brand collabs.
Links to make you smarter and more interesting
For the rich, beige is the new power move. In places like St. Moritz, ski suits and sable capes blend into the snow, and luxury brands are leaning into shades of oatmeal, camel, and ecru. Even Pantone’s 2025 Color of the Year is “mocha mousse,” a clear signal that “quiet luxury” is the new flex.
Boy Smells’ rebrand highlights the delicate balance between evolving and alienating your core audience. The "Boy Smells 2.0" backlash hit hard – fans called it watered down, with some even accusing the brand of betraying its queer roots. Sales are up, but so is the backlash. Fun fact: founder Matthew Herman was Nasty Gal’s senior dress designer back in 2016! A few learnings:
Loyalty is fragile: Mess with your core values and risk losing your original supporters. Brand evolution should respect where you came from.
Gen Z doesn’t want to be targeted: Buzzwords like “clean girl” fall flat. Authenticity over trends, always.
Don’t forget your first fans: You’re here because of them. Keep them in the conversation or they’ll leave.
Rebrands take time: But if the numbers don’t follow in 1-3 months, reevaluate your strategy.
Phoebe Gates, the daughter of Bill and Melinda Gates, co-founded a shopping tool backed by Kris Jenner and Sara Blakely. The 22-year-old teamed up with her former Stanford roommate to create Phia, an e-commerce platform that searches 40,000 sites in seconds.
Cocokind hosted a Tariffs 101 Zoom call. It’s a master class in creative transparency. The skincare brand brought in logistics and packaging experts to walk their community through the tariff impact, and give advice on alternative packaging sourcing. Let customers in on the hustle, it might give them a reason to respect the price jump.
Master the art of onboarding new subscribers. Startup advisor and investor Jamie McDermott analyzed over 100 SaaS onboarding emails so you don’t have to. He says to send the first email within 3 minutes of signup, keep subject lines under 7 words, and use bullet points for action steps. Among other useful, data-driven tips.
A new AI matchmaking app, Sitch, just raised $2 million in pre-seed investment. The dating app’s chatbot was trained on hundreds of actual intros co-founder and part-time matchmaker Nandini Mullaji has made.
Gen X is the quiet powerhouse of luxury retail. Almost half (45%) of them are buying high-end, and they're not just making purchases, they're making statements. Here's how to capture their attention:
Engage them on Instagram: 48% of Gen X buys directly through social media.
Earn loyalty by standing for something: This generation sticks with brands that reflect their values. Authenticity is key.
Make the brick-and-mortar vibe worth leaving home for: They love a good shopping experience. Gen X values face-to-face interactions over clicking 'buy now.'
Skip the influencers: Traditional ads (like billboards) win over social media fluff. They’re skeptical of anything too polished.
Advertise where they listen – on podcasts: Gen X listens to podcasts more than any other generation. Make their ears your new advertising channel.
Noctourism is projected to be hot in 2025. In Booking.com’s travel survey from last year, they found that two-thirds of people were hunting down “darky sky destinations,” 72% wanted to starbathe, and 59% are looking for rare cosmic events.
Minority-owned businesses are getting cut off. The MBDA – an agency that helped them land $3.2B in contracts and create 23k+ jobs under Biden – is being gutted. Last week, funding was yanked from dozens of its business centers, slamming the door on access to capital, mentorship, and corporate matchmaking.
Linktree’s new features are all about making creators more money. The link in bio tool partnered with Kajabi (which I use for Business Class!) so that creators can build and sell courses directly on Linktree. Users can now also sell digital guides and books, build a shoppable storefront, and earn on affiliate links.
Pop-up ads actually work: Researchers found that they had 11.4% better recall when people were juggling multiple screens. So, pop up where your audience is already tuned in: TikTok, YouTube, Instagram Stories, gaming apps, Spotify playlists, or even during live Twitch streams. Make noise in the moments they’re already plugged in. Distractions aren’t the problem, they’re the opportunity.
Link report: Last week, subscribers were most into the trending photobooth Gen Z loves and the death of bland branding
More from my rich universe of endeavors
I may include affiliate links, which means I receive commission on purchases made from some of the links. But I’ll only show you stuff I really like.
Happy birthday! And love all the chat gpt uses!
Happy birthday, Sophia! Many many more blessings to come🌷🌷🌷