Hamish McKenzie

Bruh, listen up about Hamish McKenzie, this guy’s a straight-up legend in the digital media and tech world. He’s that rare mix of hardcore journalist, tech insider, and startup founder all rolled into one. Like, dude’s been everywhere, done everything, and crushed it every step of the way.

So, Hamish hails from Alexandra, New Zealand, which is kinda remote but it’s where he got his start. He studied at the University of Western Ontario and Otago, so he’s got that solid academic background, but what really sets him apart is his hustle. He jumped into journalism early, working for big names like PandoDaily, The Independent, and Time Out Hong Kong. The dude’s been covering startups, tech trends, and digital culture like a beast, always digging deep, never afraid to call bullshit.

Then, he jumped into some big leagues, working as a lead writer at Tesla. Yeah, THAT Tesla. Worked closely with Elon Musk, got the inside scoop on what makes Musk tick, what’s really happening behind the scenes. That’s where he really got his crash course in Silicon Valley’s culture of innovation and chaos. Not to mention, he authored *Insane Mode*, a legit in-depth analysis into Tesla and Musk’s electric revolution. That book? It’s not just fluff, it’s a critical look at how Tesla’s shaking up the world, and you can tell he’s genuinely motivated by a desire to understand and explain big tech shifts.

But Hamish isn’t just a journalist. He co-founded Substack and became its COO, which is a huge deal. That platform? It’s basically giving writers the power to monetize their stuff directly, no bullshit middlemen. Substack’s changed the game for independent journalism and content creators, and Hamish’s role in that shows he’s all about empowering creators and pushing the media industry forward. He did all this after going through Y Combinator in W18, so he’s tight with the startup scene, understands what it takes to build something from scratch, and knows how to scale it.

He’s also dipped into digital media strategy as an advisor for Kik Interactive and has a background working across different media formats and markets, from Hong Kong to North America. That global perspective? It’s key. Hamish’s whole story screams passion for innovation, a knack for seeing the bigger picture, and a drive to shake up how media, tech, and society interact.

All in all, this guy’s been right at the heart of the digital revolution, from covering it as a journalist, to working inside it at Tesla, to helping shape the future of independent publishing with Substack. His process isn’t just about making cool stuff; it’s about understanding the why behind tech’s biggest shifts and actually doing something about it. That’s what makes him so important. No Cap.