Native PapersBusiness is competitive philosophy
This line from Scott Stevenson’s blog lodges in your brain because it’s undoubtedly true, but not obvious to most.
Hi, I’m Jihad.
I’m in the business of writing. I believe that the world is more malleable than ever. Great businesses are how we shape the world. Great narratives are how we shape businesses. More founders should be thinking more about how to write better and more often.
I’ve spent the last 5+ years in media-adjacent roles: co-founding a creator growth agency (acq.), working on commmunity financial infrastructure, funding online public goods, and building an onchain media company.
Today, I’m building Native, a narrative studio for frontier founders. We aim to be long-term sparring partners, often beginning with co-writing a market-defining pillar essay and bringing clarity to product, sales, and fundrasing.
2025 writing
I grew up in Ohio. I graduated from Northwestern University. I’m currently based in Chicago. This site is a home for all of my writing, rambling, collections, and interests.
Identity Formation
Media Monetization
Personal Agency
Philosophy of Business
Technology & Spirituality
Tokenized Communities
Weekly
Three new essays this week. Calling them the Native Papers, foundational texts for Native’s brand.
Bookshelf
Latest posts
Essays, notes, letters, and ramblings.
The Muslim Technologist
Preface: Alif and Communities of Practice A couple of years ago, I told a bunch of my friends that I was going to organize a “Muslim tech conference.
The Only Way to Save Yourself Is to Live a Full Life
You shouldn’t talk about people.
Startup Slop
I’m calling the top on startup slop.
Believe in Something
In the last two essays in this series, we established that agency is the critical resource of our age, and that networks—not just tools—shape how we exercise that agency.
Native to Our Built Environments
“What is fundamental to a convivial society is not the total absence of manipulative institutions and addictive goods and services, but the balance between those tools which create the specific demands they are specialized to satisfy and those complementary, enabling tools which foster self-realization.
The Age of Agency
The most dangerous idea in the world is that action alone breeds good outcomes.