Can I do art and business?

Hey y’all, I’ve been working on a secret project all week. I’d tell you what it is, but… secret, ya know? I will say this: it’s a physical project, and it’s related to this tweet: . I’m preparing for the upcoming launch of Database School as a learning platform for all things database, and this is part of it. You’ll see down below that I’m trying to do something proven, but with a slight twist. I don’t know if it’s a good idea or a bad idea, but it has me energized for the first time in a while, so we’re gonna go with it. Next week I’m giving the keynote at the Commit Your Code conference! It’s a local conference here in Dallas where all proceeds go to charity. You can watch it for free online! --- ### Thoughts from the week Kind of a bizarre thought, but here we go. Working on this project has made me wonder about the spectrum of art and business. Obviously I have to run a business, I have to make money. But I also want to create things that are beautiful. And can I do both? Can I do both in the same vessel? I think so! I’ve had a lot of cognitive dissonance from not labeling this thought earlier. I end up doing a lot of things that don’t seem perfectly optimal from a business perspective, but make me feel happy. Things that make me feel proud of my work. Like building out a whole [false studio in an apartment](https://x.com/aarondfrancis/status/1841131719547658593). Obviously there are easier ways to accomplish the end goal. But I’m proud of this one! I enjoyed doing it! I like the result! It’s somewhat unnecessary, and that’s what makes it even more valuable. I think I like being extra. I’m not quite sure what the logical conclusion of this idea is, but I’m gonna keep thinking about it. I hope you do too. --- 🎬 **YouTube** **The database for all your AI needs** Marcel Kornacker, the creator of Apache Impala and co-creator of Apache Parquet, joins me to talk about his latest project: Pixeltable, a multimodal AI database that combines structured and unstructured data with rich, Python-native workflows. From ingestion to vector search, transcription to snapshots, Pixel Table eliminates painful data plumbing for modern AI teams. [Watch](https://youtu.be/7nsfzb2bVpQ) or [listen](https://databaseschool.com/episodes/the-database-for-all-your-ai-needs) to this latest Database School episode! --- ### Things I found this week *Just a heads up that each Twitter/X screenshot has a link to the original post if you want to go follow the account.* [](https://x.com/eliweisss/status/1965809947062763708) I’m glad to see someone say this! I feel like kindness often gets confused or lumped in with naivete. You can be kind and be ruthless! Kindness is not weakness, it’s not being simple minded, it’s not being a door mat. I’ve written more about this here: [You can’t trust a nice guy.](https://aaronfrancis.com/2025/you-cant-trust-a-nice-guy-dd6dbd28) --- [](https://x.com/isabelunraveled/status/1965990213131329601) Larry Ellison is now the richest man in the world again! Thanks to some weird round-trip investment in Open AI. Regardless, I think he’s mostly right here. But the hard thing is… he’s also completely wrong in some cases? You can 100% get rich by doing the same thing as someone else. You can start a company that’s been proven to work. A services firm, a landscaping company, another AI wrapper, whatever. You totally can. That’s the hard part about advice! The opposite advice is true too, in some cases. I’m trying to thread the needle of doing something proven (an educational platform) and something completely different (more on that later.) We’ll see if it works out! --- [](https://x.com/Dunetsk/status/1964801987607974190) I’ve become enamored with this old school style of design. Manuals, technical drawings, etc. It has such a focus on utility! The account tagged in the tweet, US Graphics, does a lot of that style of design. It’s such a breath of fresh air. --- [](https://x.com/NostalgiaFolder/status/1964113818172395646) Same story as above! An old school scantron test form. I’m trying to pull these greens and this style into the new Database School design, which is coming in the next month or so! --- [](https://x.com/HumanityChad/status/1964047827946131695) “Dad who works 3 jobs” 😭 Sometimes I forget how hard other people have it. This is a good reminder. This is a good dad. I’ve been surprised, in my own life, about how much having kids changed my ambitions. Now almost all of my ambition is in providing for them. --- [](https://x.com/Kulambq/status/1964712798929535486) Another dad video. I’ve never seen this show, but the clip still hits. In this clip and the one above it, it’s clear to me how much kids of all ages always need their dads. And what a noble duty being a dad is. If you haven’t watched the [Steve Martin documentary](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt21629194), you really need to. Steve Martin is now 80 years old, and he’s still talking about his dad. His relationship with him. The good memories, the pains. He’s 80. 80 years old and still thinking about Dad. That puts it all in perspective, huh? Nobody outgrows the need for dad. --- [](https://x.com/rosalindmar19/status/1965109298058723609) Two people sent me this one! It’s nice to be known. Ruthless pursuit of efficiency for the sake of efficiency is usually a waste. Take the long way home. Let your kid stop and look at rocks on the walk. Where are you rushing off to? --- If you’ve been enjoying the newsletter and think a friend may enjoy reading it each week too, please forward it to them! They can sign up to receive it weekly here: . That’s it for this week! I enjoy reading all of your replies, so if you see something interesting or just have a thought you want to share, please hit reply and let me know. Talk soon, Aaron {{ ENV.unsubscribe\_personal | default: visitor.unsubscribe\_url | hyperlink: "Click here to unsubscribe." }}