The Profitable Art of Face-Planting

In this episode of Exploring Prosperity, I sit down with Evan Ratner, the brilliant mind behind "Rat Links" on Substack, to explore his counterintuitive thesis on "Failure Inc." We unpack how spectacular failure has evolved from a stepping stone to success into its own lucrative business model - where Nick Leeson emerges from prison with book deals, MoviePass's mathematically impossible model briefly drives stocks up 1400%, and LinkedIn posts about getting fired generate 327% more engagement than promotion announcements. Beyond failure economics, Evan shares practical insights on entrepreneurship in the AI age, explaining how just thirty minutes daily can transform side projects into viable businesses. We also dive into current market volatility, exploring how zero-day options and tariff uncertainties are reshaping the investment landscape. Whether you're an entrepreneur, investor, or simply fascinated by economic paradoxes, this conversation offers a fresh perspective on success, failure, and the bizarre economic incentives that connect them. Thank you to our sponsors: Truflation: Learn about what prices are actually doing by going to https://truflation.com/marketplace/us-inflation-rate Foundation: Protect your Bitcoin using the latest off-line technology with easy-to-use Passport. Their next product, Passport Prime will protect all passwords off-line with even-better technology. https://foundation.xyz/ River Financial: If not cold storage for your Bitcoin, I’d highly recommend River for buying and holding- River is engineered to protect your Bitcoin over the long run. Use this link for discounts: https://river.com/signup?r=T7GGAF7G Timestamps: 00:00 The Economics of Failure: A New Business Model 02:09 Transforming Failure into Success 04:53 The Value of Spectacular Failures 09:01 Learning from Corporate Failures 11:57 The Attention Economy and Failure 14:53 The Impact of Social Media on Perceptions of Failure 22:28 The Impact of Fraud on Artistry 23:05 AI: The New Frontier for Entrepreneurs 26:21 The Evolution of Human Planning and Productivity 28:19 Turning Hobbies into Profitable Ventures 30:47 The Importance of Iteration and Acceptance of Failure 33:09 Building a Library of Content for Future Success 35:24 Monetizing Failures and Market Opportunities 37:12 Navigating the Current Market Landscape for Investors 43:25 Uncertainty in the Market and Global Economic Shifts 49:32 AI's Role in Job Displacement and New Opportunities This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit robertdewey3.substack.com/subscribe