# Nicholas Tickle — Site Documentation > Machine-readable overview of [nicholastickle.com](https://nicholastickle.com) for AI agents, LLMs, and automated tooling. > Generated dynamically from site data. Last updated: 2026-05-11 --- --- ## About Engineer in London. Co-founder and CEO of [Anchorbase.xyz](https://anchorbase.xyz) where we are building a centralised technical library for designers in the AEC industry. The company was co-founded during a residency at the Ambitious Impact startup accelerator in London. Over the years, I have managed hundreds of engineers on multi-billion pound infrastructure projects. I have designed and built bridges, buildings, and web applications, with a passion for complex problem-solving and cross-pollinating ideas across industries. I am on a mission to build companies that are fully queryable, agent-native, and designed to unlock maximum human creativity whilst tackling the world's hardest problems. I am inspired by human progress and believe that this is the most exciting era in human history. I am here to serve humanity. Join me. --- ## About this site This site was created and managed by my Claude Code Agent 'Mr Tickle'. He makes regular updates, triages your messages, checks online for the latest coding standards, edits all of my content, provides suggestions, and acts as my brain for this website. We are also building a wiki — to be hosted on this site — covering startup and engineering knowledge I've found valuable along the way. The site currently showcases the projects I am working on, each with its own lessons learned. It also includes my essays and a reading list covering all the notable books I have read, with personal commentary on each. Send me a message or leave some feedback in the contact form below. I read everything and it helps me to improve the site and my work. --- ## Navigation - [Home](https://nicholastickle.com/) - [Projects](https://nicholastickle.com/projects) - [Essays](https://nicholastickle.com/essays) - [Recommended](https://nicholastickle.com/recommended) - [Reading List](https://nicholastickle.com/reading-list) - [llms.txt](https://nicholastickle.com/llms.txt) --- ## Contact & Social - [Send a message](/#feedback) - [X / Twitter – @TickleNicholas](https://x.com/TickleNicholas) - [YouTube – @NicholasTickle](https://www.youtube.com/@NicholasTickle) - [GitHub – nicholastickle](https://github.com/nicholastickle) - [Spotify – The_Engineer – Futurescapes playlist](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6pUOgzgxzhgoaBpfUhCoPj) - [LinkedIn – nicholastickle](https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicholastickle/) --- ## Projects ### Anchorbase.xyz (2026–present) **Tags:** Web App, AEC Industry, Startup, Accelerator, React, TypeScript, Supabase, RAG, Grok, LangChain, LlamaIndex **URL:** https://nicholastickle.com/projects/anchorbase-xyz Web app to help Engineers and designers in the AEC industry navigate their codes and standards [Anchorbase.xyz](https://anchorbase.xyz/) – We built Anchorbase to help Engineers and designers in the AEC industry navigate their codes and standards using a “chat to your documents” agent. The agent produces direct citation links that take you to the source document and highlights the position of the reference material. The app combines a couple of RAG techniques that allow the agent to select tools and decide how to answer the user queries. The app also has a built-in PDF viewer to allow for easy viewing of the citation references. The agent can access the web to check for the latest design codes and standards and is capable of checking cross-references to see if you are missing documents that you should be using in your design. The app is being piloted by a couple of consultants and a basic version is free to try out on the Anchorbase.xyz website. The idea was developed by myself and my cofounder during a residency at the Ambitious Impact Startup accelerator in London. --- ### Project Machine (2025–2025) **Tags:** Web Dev, Next.js, TypeScript, Supabase, OpenAI, Startup, Project Management **URL:** https://nicholastickle.com/projects/project-machine Project management web app aimed at recording how long tasks take and storing them as lessons learned for future projects Placeholder text — full write-up coming soon. Project Machine was a project management web app aimed at recording how long tasks take and storing those durations as lessons learned for future projects. The core idea was to close the feedback loop that most project teams never bother with: knowing, from real historical data, how long things actually take rather than relying on gut-feel estimates. The app was built with Next.js and TypeScript on the frontend, Supabase as the backend database and auth layer, and OpenAI to surface intelligent suggestions when planning new projects based on lessons stored from previous ones. Users could create projects, break them into tasks, log time against each task, and then have the AI summarise patterns and flag recurring bottlenecks across their project history. More detail on the build process, product decisions, and lessons learned will be added here once the write-up is complete. --- ### High Speed Rail 2 (HS2) (2022–2025) **Tags:** Bridges, HS2, Design Management, Construction, Project Management **URL:** https://nicholastickle.com/projects/high-speed-rail-2 Design management of the viaduct structures for the sublot 4 section of the HS2 railway development in the UK There is truly a lot to say about this project. So much so that I am writing an essay to cover it all. Until the essay is complete. Check out the below video to see what the project was about. I was the design manager for Saltley Viaduct, Duddeston Mill Road Underbridge, and the Curzon 3 Viaduct. [Building to Birmingham: 🚆 HS2's Curzon approaches progress update 🏗️](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vqrUq7H0bEU&list=FLNcikbv3rJGscIQYYfSmsTg) --- ### Immigration To The UK (2021–2021) **Tags:** Immigration, London **URL:** https://nicholastickle.com/projects/immigration-to-the-uk Documented my immigration experience, with insights that may be useful to others. Not really a project, but required an immense amount of planning. July 2021 I decided to immigrate to the UK. Had always wanted to leave South Africa. The eventual catalyst was the [South African riots in Johannesburg and Durban](https://youtu.be/Mrw-CbjpGfQ?si=3BFoiPkbc_MDgLgl). By December 2021 I was in London starting a new job. Some of the problems to solve included: selling a household worth of goods (100+ items sold on Facebook marketplace); selling my car; finding a job in London, although fairly straightforward given my work experience; getting a visa for my partner at the time; finding a place to live in London with not having been there as an adult, or not knowing anyone in the city; tax immigration; cancelling bills, subscriptions, and bank accounts (not everything could be done online in South Africa); dealing with covid hotels; transferring money internationally. It was surprisingly challenging to find a decent place to live in London. Here are some lessons learned: - It is useful to have somebody in the country that you know. Not necessarily someone in the same city but someone who is familiar with the nuances. - Prior to undertaking the move, I had a conversation with an immigration expert. It was a small fee to pay but really gave some good insight. - Tax immigration from South Africa was not so straight forward. Again I sought advice from various companies and found a company to complete it on my behalf. Before settling on a company I had a free consultation session with a tax lawyer. After which they gave a very pricey quote. I did not choose to go with them but ideally you should get multiple quotes and search online for social media groups where these lessons learned are discussed. - In general, you should pay people to do tasks for you as much as possible as the to-do list is large for this kind of project. - Planning the move out on Miro in flow diagram form was a big help. Visualizing when tasks should be undertaken allows you to focus on which task should be done now and what can be done later on. - Having electronic versions of all important documents helps tremendously. There are many sign up forms and submittals of evidence that you will experience. Having easy access to everything on a neat storage system on the cloud is therefore ideal. - Scour bank account statements, old emails, and apps on your phone and put together an almighty list of subscriptions, accounts, and contracts to cancel. Then start tackling them one by one. - Having little to no loose ends is ideal as dealing with developing country governments remotely is challenging. - Upon arrival you should be ruthless at figuring everything out, ask many questions, make mistakes, and learn quickly. You won't feel like an imposter for very long. --- ### Everbox (2021–2021) **Tags:** Startup, Mobile App, Environment **URL:** https://nicholastickle.com/projects/everbox Developed a deposit return scheme using reusable containers for the restaurant takeaway industry. This was an idea to begin to rid the world of single use plastics. Starting with a deposit return scheme for fast food takeaway containers. “Everbox”, as in the container will be used repeatedly. Each container would have a QR code and/or RFID tag to aid in check-out and receiving back of your deposit once the container is returned to a collection bin. Once returned, the user would receive their money back and the containers would be cleaned and sent back to the restaurant. This system is not new. We see it mainly in B2B (business-to-business) transactions. For example: beer kegs, gas cylinders, crates for agricultural, pallets, etc. Items that have secondhand value tend to get used repeatedly, including containers made of durable plastics. Where did the inspiration for this come from? Having completed multiple beach clean-ups, it was clear of the impacts that “single use anything” has on the environment. Plastic is now all over the planet. Worse in developing countries, slightly better in developed countries. Because of the cheapness of plastic packaging, there is no incentive for people to return or recycle it. Society's current approach is a plea to our morality. A friend and I therefore decided that this is a problem worth working on. We decided to start with restaurants and thought that having an app for restaurants to scan containers and check out containers to customers would be a good idea. Customers then having the same app to scan and return items. The restaurants will charge a “deposit” to the customers, of which we would pay back to the customer when we collect the containers. We would then charge a fee for washing and returning the containers to the restaurant. This idea was largely taken from what some businesses were doing in other parts of the world. Here are some examples of companies that I followed: [Loop](https://exploreloop.com/en/), [ZeroCo](https://www.startupdaily.net/topic/business/square-peg-backed-cleaning-products-startup-zero-co-is-shutting-down/), [Fill](https://www.fillrefill.co), [ClubZero](https://www.clubzero.co). I have included some thoughts about these companies below. We set off doing research on recycling, containers, QR codes, RFID tags, washing standards, and mass dish washing machines. We put together a survey for restaurants and walked around Cape Town City talking to restaurant owners to get a feel for what they thought of the idea. We did a similar survey with people walking in the streets and along the Cape Town coastline. The thoughts were mixed. This was just after the mask wearing mandate of Covid had ended and many restaurants were making a struggling comeback. Some of the feedback revealed that restaurants were worried about the additional effort and potential additional cost (again considering single use plastic is dirt cheap). They also had concerns about bespoke packaging for their brand and the ability to change it as and when is needed. Most of the everyday people we spoke to seemed keen on the idea but worried about convenience and where the collections bins would be. Having already adapted to sorting waste in their homes, they now would have to return containers or schedule a pick up! It was around this time (June 2021) when the [mass riots in South Africa](https://youtu.be/Mrw-CbjpGfQ?si=PkBEJ0TvyQ-k93Kg) broke out, which provided the catalyst for my immigration. Subsequently I did not pursue the idea further, seeking to pick it up again in the UK. I imagined London was fully embracing the “reuse” idea with many companies trying it out, and many “bring your own container” shops were seemingly all over the city. How wrong I was. This perception turned out to be false. Whilst traversing the city I failed to randomly stumble upon such a business. Observing what most UK high streets look like after a Friday or Saturday night out made me realize that most people are not driven enough to go out of their way to solve this problem. I have not pursued this any further believing now that the only way forward is for the invention of a packaging material that is “super” recyclable, durable, cheap, and mandated to be used for all packaging types. If such a material could be easily broken down and used in the home to mould new items through 3D printing etc. that would be interesting. Ultimately the way forward would be to work with existing systems. Humans will not sacrifice convenience. Problem solving should make life easier for people. Since abandoning the idea, most of the businesses I aspired towards have shut. Here are some commentary on some of these companies: [ZeroCo](https://www.startupdaily.net/topic/business/square-peg-backed-cleaning-products-startup-zero-co-is-shutting-down/) – ZeroCo has now shut. They made durable detergent containers that could be refilled. The refill pouches were posted to your doorstep with a prepaid return envelope so that you could return the pouches to them for reuse. [Loop](https://exploreloop.com/en/) – Loop attempted to partner with large manufacturing companies such as Nestle and Unilever to create more durable packing for a selection of products. Thereby adopting a deposit return scheme. They completed a trial run of this offering with select Tesco stores dotted around the midlands in the UK. You can find out more about this trial [here](https://www.tescoplc.com/media/759307/tesco-reuse-report.pdf). Their lessons learned were similar to the conclusions I drew. Their findings were “50% of their customers reported that their main motivation to buy reusable products was because they wanted to do their bit for the planet”. However Tesco found that the general public does not fully appreciate the differences and benefits of reuse when compared to recycling. This is now a couple of years ago and as of writing I have not seen a similar attempt at this since. [Fill](https://www.fillrefill.co) – Fill Refill is not a deposit return scheme, but offers laundry detergents, soaps etc. in reusable glass bottles. They are still going. [ClubZero](https://www.clubzero.co) – This company started off with a coffee cup return scheme in Universities in London. This was the idea that I intended to try and emulate. They have tried various ideas over the years and seem to have settled on providing reusable systems for events and large corporates who have canteens. Both of which are great ideas. However the restaurant space hasn't taken off as they planned. Here are some further lessons learned: - It's very awkward going up to random people on the street. But most people are willing to talk. It does help if you look like a formal business and have a tangible product for people to try; - Most people don't want to sacrifice on convenience if they don't have to. There is a good portion of the population who doesn't care about the environment. All they care about is whether or not their own problems are being solved; - Most plastic types are not readily recycled and the recycling business is messy; - Single use plastic is dirt cheap; - When problem solving you should look to work with existing systems. Human progress iterates on old systems and seldom invents new processes completely from scratch. Educating the consumer and getting them to relinquish convenience to suit your service is always going to be hard to achieve mass market adoption, unless a government mandates this; - Food hygiene standards are crucial in the hospitality industry; - When judging a startup's credibility you should look at who's funding them. Crowdfunding alone may indicate an inability to get funding from people who know what they're doing. --- ### Everfarm (2020–2020) **Tags:** Startup, Vertical Farm, Hydroponics, Electrical **URL:** https://nicholastickle.com/projects/everfarm Built a compact at-home vertical farm for fresh leafy greens and vegetables I spent a great deal of time during Covid-19 watching Netflix documentaries about the environment, animal agricultural practices, vegan diets, fantastic fungi etc. I also spent time attempting to keep plants and leafy greens alive that were growing on the balcony. There was a genuine attempt at “sustainability” in my household. This included sorting and recycling, worm farms to break down food waste, adopting a vegan diet, and an attempt at growing produce. I had discovered the world of vertical farming and had an idea of turning the outside plant and vegetable pots into a small household vertical farm that was self-sustaining. This gave birth to the idea of “Everfarm”. I started by purchasing a book on vertical farming. Focusing specifically on [hydroponics](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydroponics) which is the growing of plants without soil (Hydroponics – A practical guide for the soilless grower – J Benton Jones Jr. – see [reading list](/reading-list)). The book went into detail regarding the various methods of indoor farming and growing plants in soilless mediums. I drew inspiration from a couple of companies (see [Aerofarms](https://www.aerofarms.com/), [Plenty](https://www.plenty.ag/), [SquareRoots](https://www.squarerootsgrow.com/)). The first attempt at an indoor farm was mediocre. Deep water raft method was used with bell pepper seedlings. Nutrients and aeration were added to the water. The seedlings took but died shortly after an initial growth spurt. This was not ideal and no attempt was made at measurement of the surrounding conditions. I took the next step to build a simple automated greenhouse. First focusing on keeping the existing herbs and veg alive without going down the hydroponics route. This setup consisted of: water tank, water pump, tubing, water sprays, a timer for the pump with a battery, solar panel, and a solar charge controller. The solar panel was used so as not to have to worry about power supply outside the house. The pictures below show some simple designs, work in progress parts, and the finished product (admittedly I forgot to take a decent photo of the finished product). The solar panel, solar charge controller, battery, and pump needed some research and calculations to ensure I had the right size components and wiring requirements. The designed setup worked and it did a great job of keeping the plants watered each day. After keeping track of the plants for a couple of months all seemed to work well. However it was a lot of upkeep. Constantly refilling the water tank, pruning the plants, dealing with an aphid outbreak, nasty looking worms eating away at the roots. There was also the issue that as the plants started to grow, the pot depth was limiting the size of growth for certain fruits. Sun exposure on the balcony made the greenhouse really hot on certain days and I had no way of regulating the temperature. I started to look for what the next version of this setup would look like. At this time I was following various companies to see what else people were doing to enable indoor farming at the home. Here are some of them ([Click and Grow](https://www.clickandgrow.com/), [Farm Shelf](https://farmshelf.com/), [OGarden](https://ogardensmart.com/)). There was a variety of products out there, varying widely in price and focusing mainly on leafy greens. What was clear however was that none of these ideas would be capable of outcompeting getting foodstuffs from the grocery store. These ideas seemed more as hobbies and less as a practical means for sustaining your household. Keeping plants alive is hard, and it was at this point that I realised that I didn't enjoy working on this idea. I therefore decided to not take it any further. Here are some lessons learned: - Most of the materials and equipment I needed for the setup was challenging to find. There was no local supply chain. They were all produced in China and shipped to South Africa; - There were no plug and play solar panel battery setups that were affordable and fit for purpose. I therefore had to determine the parts I needed and source them individually; - Keeping plants alive is very challenging without experience. You need to be mindful of temperature, sunlight/artificial light, humidity, plant diseases, bugs, when to harvest etc. some plants are more durable than others; - Some fruit bearing plants completely die after the fruit is produced; - Many of the plant types are seasonal and thus going fully indoor and fully replicating the ideal environment is the only way to produce a year round crop. --- ### Health And Fitness (2012–present) **Tags:** Strength Training, Marathon, Road Cycling, Swimming **URL:** https://nicholastickle.com/projects/health-and-fitness A collection of endurance events completed Since my schooling days, I have consistently undertaken physical challenges. There have been numerous events. Some notable events include: 100km cycle races; 2km open water swims; Marathon run; sub 20min 5km run. Generally I avoid partaking in the same event twice. There's much to learn when undertaking a new physical challenge. Developing training plans, procurement of equipment, and putting in the dedication to get the job done. Much can be learned from going beyond your limits. Physical pain arrives each time you go further or faster. But once you complete it, you have a mindset of perseverance. You will never know what your limits are unless you try. In moments when I'm enduring physical pain I often think of the closing lines of Doom 1, Episode 1 – Knee deep in the dead: “It stinks like rotten meat, but looks like the lost Deimos base. Looks like you're stuck on the shores of hell. The only way out is through”. --- ### Bridge Design (2017–2021) **Tags:** Bridge Engineer, Bridge Design, Highways, Project Manager, Tenders **URL:** https://nicholastickle.com/projects/bridge-design Designed, inspected, and constructed highway bridges During this period I set about designing bridges. Specifically highway bridges. It felt as if I was starting from zero again. Initially I was given a small part of an [integral abutment](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Integral_bridge) bridge to design, and within a month I was given the whole bridge. I knew as I was starting out that this type of structure had been used in many places around the world and therefore I looked for existing drawings to reference. The existing drawings gave the vision. I then decided to read all the design codes I could find and read an integral bridge design book. Taking notes along the way of everything I may need to do. Questioning every word and detail on the drawings as everything has a purpose. Just a quick aside… This deep dive is something I do when starting from zero, casting the net wide or spreading yourself thinly. Then slowly reeling in until you have a clear vision for what to do. Discarding the knowledge that doesn't seem useful. It's overwhelming at first, because of how deep the rabbit hole is for almost every industry, and how do you know what is relevant and what isn't? In time you'll slowly start to understand, and applying a first principles mindset allows you to figure out what you should keep and what you should discard. It helps to surround yourself with people who are good at the topic you're trying to learn. That uncomfortable feeling of not knowing what you are doing is necessary. It means you are growing, and if that feeling eludes you, it means you are stagnating. Within the first year I had completed the design of the single span integral abutment highway bridge. Including working with some draftsman to create 2D construction drawings. What's interesting about this kind of engineering is that you rely heavily on the experience of past builds. There's no way to cheaply test the designs and quickly iterate through failures. Structural collapses have big consequences and may cause harm to others. It's for this reason that innovation within this space is very slow. But once the structures are built there's a joy in observing all the parts you spent countless hours fixating on, marveling in this beast that you have birthed. Standing under a bridge I designed, and watching vehicles traverse, gives me a deep sense of connection to the universe. Here is the physical proof that the science that humans have discovered actually works and how incredible we are as a species. Over this period I completed the detailed design of 3 highway bridges (the longest being 150m), 1 major culvert, a [gabion](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gabion) retaining wall, some rehabilitation projects, inspection of hundreds of culverts. It was also within this period where I first started to get involved in project management and project finances. Here are the lessons learned from the period: - Engineers use Microsoft Excel for everything. Planning and design calculations; - Engineers are generally bad at keeping calculations neatly stored and communicated for future use or iteration. This problem is heightened when engineers leave the company half way through a design and you essentially have to start from scratch with the designs; - Design projects take a long time, and even longer to build, which means it takes time to have big lessons learned. As I've said somewhere else on this website that there is much to be learned about trying to actually build the thing you have designed; - Lump sum based projects make teams work harder compared to time-and-cost based projects. Too many time-and-cost based projects will create a lazy culture within the business; - When humans give deadline dates or task durations, they typically take up the entire time suggested. Meaning that in most cases you can decrease their time estimates and the job will still get done. This is what is referred to as “Parkinson's law”; - The most productive people, who take action when there is uncertainty, are always the busiest. The “go-to” people; - Engineering consultancies are people-based businesses. Their assets are their people. When the people leave, they take with them the know how and expertise and the company's service offering changes; - You will have sleepless nights when you're under time pressure to make decisions about challenging calculations. Especially knowing that the collapse of a structure can result in the loss of life. As such, civil engineers are risk averse; - Innovation in the civil engineering sector is slow; - Building your business around one major client is risky; - Project managers with engineering backgrounds are preferred over project managers without; - You can imagine dear reader that construction drawings were once hand drawn. Vast rooms of people drawing out plans. That was superseded by drawing software such as AutoCad. Today, drawings are created from 3D models and converted into 2D for drawing production. The creation of drawings involves an engineer and a drafter pair. However, I've observed that availability of talented draftspersons is scarce and that a frustrating part of an engineer's day is the constant backwards and forwards between you and the drafter. It's more ideal if an engineer uses sophisticated software available to do both the design and drawing creation; - The checking of reinforcing bending schedules is frustrating. Therefore, you should prioritize 3D rebar modelling and automated schedule creation; - It's useful having a catalogue of complete sets of drawings for completed structures that is easily accessible to your team. You would think that this is standard for these companies but I can assure you it is not. The same goes for standardized details that can be used from project to project; - Enforcing set folder structures within project folders is crucial. Large infrastructure projects take a long time and people come and go regularly. Therefore there will be huge time savings if your team can easily locate project data; - Standardized naming of files and version control is important; - Design codes are generally maintained and controlled by a few companies. Making design codes hidden behind paywalls. This is similar to scientific journals. This makes it difficult to find information you're looking for if your company doesn't keep their subscriptions up to date; - When inheriting “almost complete” design work from someone else, don't just assume they did a good job. Relook at their work from scratch; - Before trying to do the structural design of a bridge, it's a good idea to have the entire structure thought through. What I mean by this is that the finer details usually mess you up at the end. Thinking about everything that the bridge should have in its finished state helps guide spatial arrangement and keeps you mindful of the details you need to design; - A good engineer thinks about all parts of a structure that is needed, even if it's not within their design discipline; - Engineers should put emphasis on making their calculation outputs understandable to aid in checking and error correction. Don't just assume that because you understand what you're looking at, others will as well. The same goes with spreadsheets, if you need a tutorial to understand your UI, it's a shit UI; - Much can be learned with travelling to site to see where the structures will be built to understand constraints; - Double or triple checking horizontal and vertical clearances is important. In fact you should keep evidence of this check. Ideally checked by the designer of the structure and not a draftsperson; - Be openly curious about every aspect of the structure. Even if you're not designing everything. Observe other structures in society. --- ### Automated Culvert Design (2018–2018) **Tags:** Excel VBA, Revit, Parametric, Culvert **URL:** https://nicholastickle.com/projects/culvert Automated concrete box culvert design using Excel VBA and Revit During my bridge design period, the CEO of the company I worked for provided a vision for pushing the company into what he called “digital transformation”. Placing the focus on generative design and automation. This was about the time when parametric modelling started to become prevalent (find out more about parametric modelling [here](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parametric_design)). The company I worked for had developed, in the 1980s, a design manual which simplified the design of standard reinforced concrete box culverts. The user would simply peruse the manual and end up with a fully designed culvert (see below pictures of culverts). With that manual came standard drawings covering all geometric scenarios. Since the development of the standard drawings in the 1980s, the only enhancement of the manual was the development of [AutoCad](https://www.autodesk.com/uk/products/autocad/overview) drawings to supplement the standard paper drawings. A colleague of mine had an idea to take the AutoCad standard drawings to the next level. The idea was to make a 3D parametric model of a culvert using an AutoDesk piece of software called [Revit](https://www.autodesk.com/uk/products/revit/overview). This would be accompanied by 2D parametric drawings. The models and drawings were to be accompanied by an excel input sheet that would provide all the necessary inputs to automatically update the 3D and 2D details. By simply using the excel spreadsheet, the Engineer could have a full design and set of drawings within a couple of hours. This would then reduce design and drafting time from about 3 weeks to 3 hours. The idea seemed enticing to management and we were thus given time and budget to develop this tool. So why Excel? Well, the only method familiar to us to automatically update parametric details in Revit was using Excel together with a Revit plugin called Dynamo. It made sense to use Excel with most civil engineers using it for calculations and planning. If I'd known better at the time, I would have pushed to have a native desktop app be developed. My task within this project was to create the excel program. It required a user interface which I decided to build with Excel VBA (see below screenshots of the program). To understand all of the required user input and automate the design, I needed to convert the entire design manual into code. All of it done in VBA. We decided to integrate an existing spreadsheet that automated bill of quantities (BOQs). We also programmed the automatic creation of bar bending schedules. This was needed as we did not have 3D parametric details for reinforcing. It was also decided to produce automated calculation sheets to help engineers check the outputs. After some months we achieved our goal of creating this tool and it did indeed significantly reduce labour costs. This was the first piece of useful software that I helped create. The irony of it all was that the company lost some key clients and the major box culvert work all but dried up, leaving us simply with only using the tool to cost tenders and reduce labour costs within these tenders. Therefore user feedback and iterating through versions didn't happen. I left the company not knowing what happened to the tool and haven't kept up with the industry so can't tell if it left an impact anywhere. Overall the tool worked. Drawings were created in a couple of hours. We solved the problem and had an effective prototype. We simply lacked the support and know how to make use of it. Here are some lessons learned: - Adequate version control was not maintained; - Half the team didn't understand programming so the tool was a hybrid between Excel spreadsheet formulas and VBA. We should have looked for more developers to join the team; - No thought was put into making the tool accessible to the wider industry but rather only to benefit our team. i.e. sell it as a SAAS product or plugin to Revit; - Auto populating cells in Excel using VBA was very slow; - The company and the management had zero knowledge on software creation and monetization. Civil engineering consultancies are people businesses, not software businesses; - Error handling was a nightmare with how complicated the tool was set up; - Getting the tool into users hands as quickly as possible is vital for rapid iteration. With having only our team as the users of the tool there was no unbiased feedback loop; - Too much emphasis on many features instead of one killer feature; - The design codes and standards used were South Africa centric. Especially with hydraulic modelling; --- ### Alice Lane Phase 3 (2016–2017) **Tags:** Construction, Site Engineer, Buildings **URL:** https://nicholastickle.com/projects/alice-lane Served as a Site Engineer for a contractor on a large commercial development With the completion of University, I had to work back a bursary with a construction company called WBHO. This was still in South Africa. The project was an 18 story commercial and retail development with 7 basement parking levels. You can find out more about the project [here](https://www.wbho.co.za/portfolio/alice-lane-precinct/). I arrived when the construction had reached the 7th floor and still had part of the 7 story below ground basement to build. My job title was Site Engineer and I was in charge of all structural elements. Concrete, rebar, structural steel etc. I inherited the role from a senior engineer who had left the company, leaving behind a complete set of instructions on what to do. I plunged into the deep end and tried to emulate the role like-for-like. I worked 12-hour days, half day on Saturday, and Sundays once a month. There were countless late night concrete pours and an endless amount of problems to be solved. Upon completion of the structure, I was charged with leading the subcontractors to complete the ground floor podium works which consisted of paving, landscaping, water features, signage, lighting, an array of shop fit outs, sculptures etc. At the time it felt as though much responsibility was placed on me and I wasn't sure what my limits were and whether or not I reached them. Here are some lessons learned from the period: - The finishing works for commercial buildings are harder than the structure to complete, so it's worth pushing the structural elements to completion fast to open up the finishing works; - Subcontractors give you their best resources when there is plenty of work to go around. Then remove them and give you the runt at the final 1/3; - You have to fight with subcontractors to get them back to site to tie up loose ends; - Most humans struggle with putting a plan together and adapting as the work matures; - Your best employees become the go to for everything… well at least those that are willing to take decisions against challenging problems; - If there is an area of work which can be started you should be asking yourself, “why haven't I started?”; - My boss on the site was a slave driver. He completed the job on schedule but the culture was toxic and all the staff wanted to leave. If you have agency, having someone boss you around makes you resentful and unmotivated. A quick aside. I am intrigued by the dichotomy that exists when thinking about “fear factor” as a leader. To get the best out of my team, do I push more to the “slave driver” end of the spectrum? Or do I become the nicest boss in the world? I often refer to a game mechanic from the computer castle simulator Stronghold Crusader. If you want to geek out I suggest you [watch this](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ObBU_wJBufk). The happy medium you need to find is the culture that makes your workers the most inspired. Bringing out the best in everyone. Have a look at my [reading list](/reading-list) notes on Sun Tzu's The Art of War for another point on this topic. Now… back to the lessons learned. - Having a strong relationship between architect, contractor, consultant, and client results in shit getting done. Sever that and everything becomes a contractual mess; - Rework on finishes is inevitable, especially with many subcontractors working around each other; - There are many ways to solve the same problem. If unsure on which one to pick, select an option and learn. Action produces results. Better to choose the option that will hurt more in the short-term but will produce a more favorable outcome in the long run. Humans tend to avoid short-term pain; - Understanding the work of all disciplines allows you to guide the team in the right direction, even leading “experts” down the right path; - You should never give the impression that you're trying to go 1up on a subcontractor or partner to benefit your company financially. Making everyone feel like they are a part of the mission is important; - Working with government entities is slow and painful; - Having a boss who arrives at work first and is last to leave makes you work harder; - Pumping concrete to high elevations is messy and challenging; - Young engineers in the design office are afraid when their “perfect” drawings are not adhered to on site. There's a great deal to be learned about your designs when you try to build them; - Allowing subconsultants or subcontractors to charge by the hour makes them work slower; - Scope creep on megaprojects needs constant attention; - How do you know that you have enough employees? When your employees start to complain that they're drowning; - Some subcontractors will go above and beyond for you, hold them tight. --- ### Civil Engineering Degree (2012–2015) **Tags:** Engineering, Degree, Civil **URL:** https://nicholastickle.com/projects/civil-engineering-degree Earned a Civil Engineering degree at the University of Pretoria, South Africa If I was to apply hindsight to this period I would've put more emphasis on the startup world and/or working on a frontier. I would have made less of an effort towards getting higher grades. I didn't know any better at the time and there were no external influences that could have introduced the mindset I have today. If you visit my "reading list" on this site, you'll observe that I read few books in my earlier years. So that's hindsight and we play the cards we've been dealt. From a young age I was intrigued by mega projects and decided to learn how to build skyscrapers and bridges. Despite wanting to be an engineer, my most enjoyable subject in school was IT and programming. It's interesting to observe how little I remember from all the university studying. It just goes to show that university is not real learning. But rather an exercise to get good grades. "Parrot learning" if you will. Retention of knowledge happens through genuine intellectual curiosity and learning through failure. We almost always remember the hard problems we had to endure and the lessons that came from them. The good grades were not in vain. I had a bursary from my high school and my university gave discounts on fees if distinctions were achieved. I also received a bursary from a company to fund my final year of study in exchange for 1 year employment with said company. With all this funding and support from my family, I left university debt free. During this period, I learned how to put in countless late nights to get the job done. Something I'm still willing to do as and when is needed. --- ### Rowing Coxswain for One Year (2010–2011) **Tags:** Rowing, Cox, Boat Race **URL:** https://nicholastickle.com/projects/rowing An attempt in my final year of schooling to become the school's first team rowing cox Most schools in South Africa typically award students for academics, sports, and cultural exercises. I participated in numerous sports in school but never reached a first or "A" team. My high school is famous for sport with alumni such as Gary Player, Bryan Habana, Graham Smith, Malcolm Marx, and Quinton de Cock. Near the end of my schooling I had achievements in academics and culture and only lacked sport. An opportunity presented itself to try out for the coxing role for the school's 1st 8 rowing team. Up until this point I knew nothing about rowing but thought "how hard can it be". The competition was few and it seemed as straightforward as steering a boat and shouting orders. I therefore decided to attend a week-long rowing camp to try it out. The coaches put me in a lesser team as I fumbled trying to find my way. I was starting from zero and looked to consistently ask for advice, getting feedback, and improving where I can. After a couple of weeks I got the nod from the head coach. I made it into the first team. Still I continued to learn and the first couple of races we put out an average performance. No wins. Mid-season a more challenging 5.5km boat race arrived and this was the first opportunity for me to make an impact given that it wasn't a straight course. I'm sure you can imagine, dear reader, that rowing along a winding river requires a perfect line to be followed to row the shortest distance and avoid turbulent waters. The course was a river that lead into the sea and I spent time observing high and low tide timings at various parts of the course. At low tide certain parts of the course were impassable. Some of these observations became an advantage later on. During the heats our team rowed the 2nd fastest time and we made it into the final. We were the underdogs. The final was a head-to-head race similar to the Oxford/Cambridge boat race. Off the line on the finals we were already behind. However we got stuck in and chipped away at the lead. Then came the opportunity to use what I had observed to force the opposition to row further and wider around most corners. We won the race. The first time for our school [(click on this link to see the race highlights)](https://youtu.be/kpJDw_wScBo?si=NJpUfp28_DadwyRn). Now I cannot gloat further as after that event we didn't win another race. In fact, a mistake on my part caused us to row over a rocky outcrop which caused severe damage to an expensive boat. So much so that we had to use another club's boat to compete in the South African Championships. At the championships, heavy winds made the start line challenging and with stormy weather approaching, the start call was done in haste with our team not ready. This flustered our start and we never recovered. Finishing 5th. I think. The season was a mixed bag of results but one I will remember for having thrown my effort behind something I believed in. Further lessons were learned about having a strong bond within a team and having the courage to believe that anything can be achieved within reason. I learned about what it means, as a leader, to remove blockers for your team so that they can focus on what they're good at. It also showed how important it is to put in extra time and late nights/early mornings if you wish to compete and succeed where others cannot. --- ### 'Allo 'Allo! Theatre Play (2011–2011) **Tags:** Theatre, Play, Acting **URL:** https://nicholastickle.com/projects/allo-allo Wrote and lead acted in a high school theatre production based on the UK television series 'Allo 'Allo! A memorable time in high school where I wrote, directed, and acted in a school play. There is a valuable lesson here that I wish to relay to the reader. Within my final year of high school I decided to partake in acting which I had never done before. The school hosted an inter-house play competition each year. The house I belonged to had seasoned actors with a play already figured out. Wanting to make use of some of my own ideas, I joined a schoolmate who was head of a different house who didn't have a play. I had been watching the UK TV series 'Allo 'Allo! and convinced my friend to base our play on the TV series [(here is a snippet of Season 1 of the TV series 'Allo 'Allo!)](https://youtu.be/zgU30WqqQFA?si=WfpTkRpWM3tbIpNU). During the school holidays I spent 2 weeks watching 'Allo 'Allo! on DVD and writing out a script (internet wasn't readily accessible at this point in time). I made simple sketches of the stage layout and determined what props we would need. Upon returning to school, my friend and I began doing auditions within our boarding house. The premise was simple, speak English in a French or German accent. Most of the people (including myself) we selected to act had never done so before, and we were up against teams of people who had experience. Because our team had many first timers, there was an ever present energy about trying to achieve something big. I had the team gather for practice every day for an hour. We did this for a couple of months. Slowly adding in more people, organizing props, coming up with clever lighting sequences, and using any comedic material we could think of. At some point it was decided that I would take on the lead role. Eventually the night came to perform. We had late joiners to the team such as stage hands, teachers doing make up, any good idea was okayed. We even had parents bringing in real food that would be eaten as part of the play. We performed in front of teachers, parents, and school pupils. There was endless laughter from the audience which required a pause from the cast to allow the laughter to fade. I can only therefore assume we were entertaining. After that first performance the judges had sent us to the finals. At the finals we were declared the winner. Weeks later I was awarded best actor for the year, having only ever done it once. Now, dear reader, an assumption could be made that the school had really bad actors. Or, consider this, if you've ever found yourself working amongst a high energy, highly motivated team, you'll know that anything can be achieved. Rapidly iterating through ideas, discarding what doesn't work, learning from mistakes. But most importantly, having the naivety of a bunch of first timers didn't make us stick to conventional wisdom. We had a vision and just pushed in that direction until we ultimately succeeded. I put a great deal of personal time into this play, but ultimately it was the great team I had that made us achieve this small success. I will forever have the words "I trust the food was to your satisfaction colonel" stuck in my head… said in a French accent. --- ### Drumming (2005–present) **Tags:** Drums, Music, Pipe Band **URL:** https://nicholastickle.com/projects/drumming Learned to play a full drum kit. Performed for crowds. Played the snare drum for a school pipe band One of my earliest all-in projects. Growing up, I enjoyed the 70s rock music that my father listened to. Wanting to learn how to drum, my parents decided to buy me a starter drum kit. Early on, it was clear that I needed lessons and so every week for many years I had a tutor named Neil Fox. Neil sadly passed away during the Covid-19 pandemic. He was a very kind person and was one of the first influences in my life, encouraging practice to improve. During my high school years I attended boarding school and could no longer practice kit drumming. I looked for an opportunity to continue learning the skill and the only option was to join the School’s pipe band and play the snare drum. A completely different skill set. From there I started to play in competitions competing in both band and solo events. At one point being the South African champion for solo snare drumming at a school level. I was useless in the beginning. But the endeavour taught me that repetition and continuous practice is what is needed to improve and then eventually to succeed. Boy did it suck messing up in front of hundreds of people. I did not enjoy being judged in competitions. It was more enjoyable performing for a crowd and using their reactions to determine the quality of the piece. At one point I performed as part of a mass pipes and drums for a military Tattoo in front of thousands of people. Although I no longer own a drum set, I can still play the drums to most songs. --- ## Essays ### Fear Factor in the Workplace **Subtitle:** The Strict vs. The Kind **Category:** People Management **Date:** September 2025 **Read time:** 10 min Effective leaders balance strictness and kindness. Like Stronghold Crusader's Fear Factor: too much pressure kills morale; excessive niceness kills output. The optimal mix drives high performance and loyalty. [Read on Substack](https://nicholastickle.substack.com/p/fear-factor-in-the-work-place?r=ah3nm&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&triedRedirect=true) --- ## Reading List *39 books total, sorted newest to oldest.* ### A Brief History of Time — Stephen Hawking **Rating:** ★★★★☆ (4/5) **Genre:** Science **Year:** Book completed in 2026 **Link:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Brief_History_of_Time This book had been on my reading list for some time, and it was only when I spotted it in a charity store that I decided to read it. I did not like the idea of such a book being ownerless, so I deemed it more worthy of a place on my own shelf. At the beginning of the book, Stephen mentions that he decided not to include any equations, as it would lessen the readership. Although I believe that, even without equations, the book is too challenging for most. Stephen details the history of science and takes us to the frontiers, spending time on his own work as well. From this I now understand how black holes are able to lose mass over time and that information is conserved. I would have liked to have seen the equation he helped formulate on this subject (the Bekenstein–Hawking entropy formula) within the book, as it is prominently displayed on his tomb in the Scientists’ Corner of Westminster Abbey, London. Below are some other parts of the book that stuck with me. What an amazing human being. Given his circumstances. If it were not for human progress, we would not have known the mind of Stephen Hawking. - Galileo believed more firmly in the Sun-centred (heliocentric) system after he observed the moons of Jupiter orbiting the planet. - A four-dimensional dominant universe (as opposed to one with more or fewer dominant dimensions) is the only kind capable of creating the complexity we observe and experience. - The anthropic principle: we see the universe the way it is because if it were different, we would not be there to observe it. - The uncertainty principle, which forms the basis for quantum mechanics. --- ### The Art of AI Context Engineering — Orion Bit **Rating:** ★★★☆☆ (3/5) **Genre:** Computer Science **Year:** Book completed in 2025 **Link:** https://www.amazon.co.uk/Art-AI-Context-Engineering/dp/B0FGQQMJBY?source=ps-sl-shoppingads-lpcontext&ref_=fplfs&psc=1&smid=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE Context Engineering is the art of designing, building, and managing the information ecosystem that an AI large language model uses to perform tasks. It encompasses all activities relating to creating the “full context” sent to a large language model. I read this book as part of the Project Machine idea having realised that legacy LLMs and agents were subpar with their inference relating to engineering project planning. The book is short but gives a nice summary of everything to consider. --- ### Zero to One — Peter Thiel **Rating:** ★★★★★ (5/5) **Genre:** Business **Year:** Book completed in 2025 **Link:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zero_to_One Peter Thiel’s life makes you wonder how it could be that a human can achieve so much in one life span. For anyone looking to start their own business, this is one of the books you should read, and in my view, it’s a book that should be read many times over. As the book’s subtitle suggests, some sections are not startup related, including discussions of the power law and the benefits of monopolies. There are too many startup pointers to summarise in this review, so here are a few that have stuck with me: Ask yourself, ‘What’s an important truth that very few people agree with you on?’; try to avoid competition like the plague; you’re either on the bus or off the bus; your business is unlikely to survive if you focus on trivial differentiating factors; proprietary technology should be 10x better than the closest substitute; a company does better the less it pays its CEO; customers will not come just because you build it; since your time is your most valuable asset, it’s odd to spend it working with people who don’t envision any long term future with you; you can attract employees that you need if you can explain why the vision is compelling; the most valuable businesses of the coming decades will be built by entrepreneurs who seek to empower people rather than trying to make them obsolete. The last point listed above feels pertinent with today’s AI race. To make the statement today seems contrarian with all the [AI Doomerism](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5KmopXwjXik) and [luddites](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luddite) floating around. This book was published in 2014 which is 8 years before the release of ChatGPT which makes me wonder if the statement will be “Lindy Proof”… or at least I seek to make it so. --- ### The Prince — Niccolò Machiavelli **Rating:** ★★★★★ (5/5) **Genre:** Philosophy **Year:** Book completed in 2025 **Link:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Prince This book found its way onto my reading list after watching an Instagram reel proclaiming it to be one of the most dangerous to read. I was further intrigued when I read some historical accounts suggesting that Russian dictator Joseph Stalin may have kept and annotated his own copy of The Prince. And so I read it… and I can safely say that this is not a dangerous book. It's a 16th century treatise written by an Italian diplomat named Niccolò Machiavelli. See the People Profiles documentary – [Machiavelli – The Prince of Political Philosophy](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JaUhrGPs9Gc). The book is an instruction guide for new Princes and by “The Prince” he means anyone who has taken control of a territory by means of inheritance, conquest, civil war etc and seeks to remain in control indefinitely. He makes the distinction in the book that this is a guide for principalities and not republics. The book was written in a time when inheritance and territorial gain was common place which makes it limited as a literal guide for the modern developed world, although it's damn useful for all those dictators out there! When reading books like this, I often approach it from a business perspective as there is much to be learned on the nature of human beings. Below are some of the most memorable points made in the book. When reading them, imagine their use in a business sense. - When taking over a principality, you want to keep customs and way of life for the population as close to the same as possible. Drastic wholesale changes are risky unless you bring your own colony of people to inhabit the new territory. Although, if you do need to make big changes or inflict injury, it should be done all at once in the beginning. Do not prolong any hardship. - If the territory is of a different culture or language to yours, you should probably go and live there to make your position more secure. - Any Princes who are not educated or prepared in the art of warfare are doomed to fail. Complacency in times of peace is a prince killer. - He who would keep a city accustomed to freedom will hold it more easily by the means of its own citizens than in any other way. - People do not readily believe in new things until they have had a long experience of them. - He who believes that new benefits will cause great personages to forget old injuries is deceived. - The chief foundations of all states are good laws and good arms. - Using mercenaries and auxiliary troops must be avoided completely. No principality is secure without having its own forces. - People are so simple, and so subject to present necessities, that he who seeks to deceive will always find someone who will allow himself to be deceived. - Princes should leave the affairs of reproach to the management of others, and keep those of grace in their own hands. --- ### The Mom Test — Rob Fitzpatrick **Rating:** ★★★★★ (5/5) **Genre:** Business **Year:** Book completed in 2025 **Link:** https://www.momtestbook.com/ The title of this book is misleading. It has nothing to do with parenthood. Here is the subtitle: “How to talk to customers and learn if your business is a good idea when everyone is lying to you”. The book was recommended to me by a number of people whilst I was networking on Y Combinator’s co-founder matching tool. I read the book shortly after doing my own customer validation surveys on my own startup idea. It was the perfect timing because the surveys were not producing useful data. The book is for someone doing early customer validation and sales. I would recommend it. But note, as of writing this review, I have only just started putting the book into practice so judge my skin in the game accordingly. Will have to come back to this review once I have my own lessons learned. --- ### Meditations — Marcus Aurelius **Rating:** ★★★☆☆ (3/5) **Genre:** Philosophy **Year:** Book completed in 2025 **Link:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meditations Meditations is a collection of journal entries written by Marcus Aurelius himself, the Roman Emperor who ruled from 161 – 180 CE. If you have watched the movie Gladiator, he is the old man who dies at the beginning of the movie (although be mindful of the many [historical inaccuracies](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TAEOXcG_C5g) in the movie). See the People Profiles documentary – [Marcus Aurelius – Meditations of an Emperor Documentary](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2JGFQynUqBk). I added this book to my reading list as I imagined it would give insight into how Marcus went about ruling a vast empire. Marcus wrote the journal entries without any intention of publishing them. His writings were more philosophical and went into detail about the principles he wished to uphold in regulating his conduct. Not much was said about the running of an Empire. His writings repeated almost every chapter about the shortness of life, and how he would not be remembered by the world once he was gone. Little did he know the irony of his actions and thoughts. Many of Marcus’ principles matched with some of my own, including to be ethical even when no one is looking, to avoid status signalling, and to trade a lavish lifestyle for a more basic one in time of need. I read the Penguin Classics version of this book. More than half of the book contained notes and comments from historians who attempt to give context. I completely ignored the additional notes as I wished only to read the words of Marcus and decide my own interpretation of them. The translation into English is verbose which makes this one a slow read. (The [Penguin Classics](https://www.amazon.co.uk/Meditations-Penguin-Classics-Marcus-Aurelius/dp/0140449337) version I purchased) --- ### Skin in the Game: Hidden Asymmetries in Daily Life — Nassim Nicholas Taleb **Rating:** ★★★★★ (5/5) **Genre:** non-fiction **Year:** Book completed in 2025 **Link:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skin_in_the_Game_(book) This book took more than a year to complete. Nassim's style of writing is complex, taking multiple attempts to understand many of the points. Here is Nassim's own description of Skin in The Game, “having a shared risk when taking a major decision—is necessary for fairness, commercial efficiency, and risk management, as well as being necessary to understand the world“. Countless times I had to put the book down and reflect on what was said. The reflection is required to observe the points in everyday life. I plan to return to the book for further observation once I have gained new insights into the world. I felt emotional reading the conclusion. Not because of how long it took to complete, but rather the joy of realising how amazing humans are. Here is a man who has written a book knowing full well of his own skin in the game and attempting something that is Lindy Proof. There are too many points to cover in this short summary. Below are a few of the most memorable. [(Nassim's website)](https://www.fooledbyrandomness.com/) - Skin in the game is not letting others pay the price of your mistakes, you need to pay some price for it; - When someone gives you financial advice, let them show you their own investments; - Bureaucracy is a construction by which a person is separated from the consequences of their actions; - Avoid taking advice from someone who gives advice for a living, unless there is a penalty for their advice; - Things designed by people without skin in the game tend to grow in complication; - Regulators have an incentive to make rules as complex as possible so their expertise can later be hired to enact the regulation. And of course regulations, once in, stay in, and even when they are proven absurd, politicians are afraid of repealing them, under pressure from those benefiting from them. Given that regulations are additive, we soon end up tangled in complicated rules that choke enterprise; - Entrepreneurs are heroes in our society. They fail for the rest of us; - Minority Rule: an asymmetry by which the behaviour of the total is dictated by the preferences of a minority; - Lindy Effect: when a technology, idea, corporation, or anything nonperishable has an increase in life expectancy with every additional day of survival; - The way to make society more equal is by forcing (through skin in the game) the rich to be subjected to the risk of exiting from the 1 percent; - If your private life conflicts with your intellectual opinion, it cancels your intellectual ideas; - Skin in the game means that you do not pay attention to what people say, only to what they do, and to how much of their necks they are putting on the line; - And finally you are nothing without skin in the game. --- ### The War of the Worlds — H.G. Wells **Rating:** ★★★★☆ (4/5) **Genre:** Classics **Year:** Book completed in 2025 **Link:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_War_of_the_Worlds A fascinating read. Written in a time when there was a blossoming interest in Mars (1898). Astronomers at the time claimed to have observed "canals" on the surface of Mars, further prompting speculation that Mars was inhabited by a "civilization of mad men". Carl Sagan's Cosmos spends a bit of time on this subject [(See episode 05 – Blues for a red planet)](https://archive.org/details/CosmosAPersonalVoyage/1980+Cosmos+(A+Personal+Voyage)+-+Ep+05+Blues+for+a+Red+Planet.mp4). The book is set in London. It's amazing to get a perspective into a different time of which us "modern humans" may look to as being primitive. But these humans were just like us. As of writing this, I live in London, making the story more interesting imagining the areas that the protagonist is moving through. The author does well with his descriptions of the Martians, remaining vague about the technology and leaving it to the reader to imagine. I disagree with some of the ideas of the Martians and their ultimate downfall. Travelling millions of miles in a spacecraft and crash landing! Stupid Aliens. But that's the benefit of hindsight. Humans had not achieved flight by the time this book was written. My man HG dreamt this up over 100 years ago. --- ### I Who Have Never Known Men — Jacqueline Harpman **Rating:** ★★★★☆ (4/5) **Genre:** Fiction **Year:** Book completed 2024 **Link:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Who_Have_Never_Known_Men A fiction novel about a group of women stuck in a cage. One being a young girl who has been there her entire life. They eventually escape but appear to be on a different planet. Leaves more questions than answers. But keeps you on edge throughout. This baffled my science brain for most of the book and ultimately I disliked the ending. I rendered it too fictitious to want to spend time trying to figure it out. The protagonist grew old really quickly. I don't like it when movies and novels do this. Makes life seem short. Yes, I'm looking at you Interstellar! --- ### The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin — Benjamin Franklin **Rating:** ★★★★★ (5/5) **Genre:** Biography **Year:** Book completed – 2024 **Link:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Autobiography_of_Benjamin_Franklin Written by Benjamin Franklin himself. There are big gaps in time period due to the American war of Independence. Always great to read books from a bygone era. Recognizing that humans across the ages are still the same. Wearing different clothes, having different technologies and culture. This is yet another example of an exceptional human who grew up consuming any book he could find. I admire the discipline he imposed upon himself from an early age and his attempts at avoiding alcohol or sticking to a vegetable diet. "Principles for regulating my future conduct" is another interesting idea he created and developed methods for holding himself accountable. His "JUNTO" idea is something I wish to recreate. Benjamin also makes a good point about taking advantage of using the innovations of others instead of trying to learn and create everything from scratch. "Standing on the shoulders of giants" as Isaac Newton put it. Without the efforts of Benjamin Franklin, America would have been a different place. I do wonder how many of the founding-father-principles can be attributed to Benjamin. Check out this documentary about Benjamin – [Benjamin Franklin: Founding Father of a Nation Documentary, The People Profiles](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lj-M205pCps). --- ### 1984 — George Orwell **Rating:** ★★★★★ (5/5) **Genre:** Fiction **Year:** Book completed – 2024 **Link:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nineteen_Eighty-Four I read this book whilst watching a documentary on the life of George Orwell [(George Orwell: A Warning to Mankind Documentary, The People Profiles)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yy-yWNvcSfA). Talk about skin in the game with socialism. George was an advocate of socialism. Even joining the Spanish Civil War to fight for the left leaning side. The book appears to warn the reader against the pitfalls of socialism and totalitarianism. However, it is still disputed amongst historians whether George turned against socialism after witnessing its effects at the end of WWII. I am of the view that George was in the camp of "true socialism has never been tried". I would argue that true socialism has been tried and has failed at every attempt. It was not socialism that ended the poverty or poor working conditions of the Industrial Revolution but rather a compromise between capitalism and socialism. If you believe in socialism, by all means, test it out. Build a business based on its principles, but good luck to you… I believe the book does show what happens if true socialism is tried. A large government, who has total control, is necessary to make everyone equal. Somebody has to be in power and therefore all it takes is one corruptible leader to end the entire endeavor in totalitarianism. The book has a couple of twists and keeps the reader hoping for a positive outcome which never comes. The end being inevitable. Everyone should read this book. --- ### The Psychedelic Explorer's Guide — James Fadiman **Rating:** ★★★☆☆ (3/5) **Genre:** Science **Year:** Partially read – 2024 **Link:** https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9721527-the-psychedelic-explorer-s-guide I have read only part of this book. I am interested in the research behind using psilocybin assisted therapy to eradicate anxiety and depression. I recommend watching the [Fantastic Fungi documentary](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8258074/) that originally aired on Netflix. The research is showing great results. Societies should begin the process of legalizing psychedelics for therapy. These drugs should no longer be banned. Interesting how many past and present famous people have used psychedelics. We need to build generations of inspired humans, and this is a way to do it. --- ### Project Management for the Unofficial Project Manager — Kory Kogon, Suzette Blakemore, James Wood **Rating:** ★★★☆☆ (3/5) **Genre:** Business **Year:** Book completed – 2024 **Link:** https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/123006308-project-management-for-the-unofficial-project-manager Some useful tips on ensuring accountability in your teams. I agree on the idea of "agile" project management which I liken to lean startups and rapid iteration. At some point I'd like to read the Project Management Institute's PMBOK book and compare it to this one. Project management can be done by anyone who has agency. So "official" vs "unofficial" doesn't matter. --- ### Starry Messenger — Neil deGrasse Tyson **Rating:** ★★★★☆ (4/5) **Genre:** Science **Year:** Book completed – 2023 **Link:** https://neildegrassetyson.com/books/2022-09-starry-messenger/ Neil gives some interesting perspectives in this book. Here are a few: humans are a spectrum in terms of looks and love; eye witness testimony is the lowest form of evidence in a science lab, yet it's the most common in a court of law; objective truths are true even if you don't believe in them; for almost 100 years, the most racist political party was the democrats; be wary of confirmation bias; knowing the baseline risk for a particular disease is paramount; humans like to categorize everything. --- ### 5 Love Languages — Gary Chapman **Rating:** ★★★★☆ (4/5) **Genre:** Self-help **Year:** Book completed – 2023 **Link:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Five_Love_Languages For those wondering, my love language is quality time. Not quite sure what to do with compliments or words of affirmation. --- ### The Art of War — Sun Tzu **Rating:** ★★★★★ (5/5) **Genre:** Classics **Year:** Book completed – 2023 **Link:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Art_of_War I've heard people say this book is appropriate for business in the modern era. As per the title, the book focuses on tactics in war. Written approximately 5th century BCE. The book provides insights on the topic of people management. The most memorable one being that you should first gain rapport with people before trying to "discipline". If you discipline before people get to know or respect you, they won't take you seriously. Conversely, not having any discipline at all should be avoided. The main takeaway from this book is war is won through deception. I recommend watching [Sun Tzu – The Art of War Documentary, by the People Profiles](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qOaUUHlcX1k). --- ### The Old Man and the Sea — Ernest Hemingway **Rating:** ★★★★★ (5/5) **Genre:** Classics **Year:** Book completed – 2023 **Link:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Old_Man_and_the_Sea A story of perseverance against all odds. Beautiful descriptive writing. --- ### Six Easy Pieces — Richard P. Feynman **Rating:** ★★★☆☆ (3/5) **Genre:** Science **Year:** Book completed – 2022 **Link:** https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5553.Six_Easy_Pieces Nice introduction into physics. Far better to start here than to go straight into university textbooks. Ideally we want to develop a curiosity for discovery and learning before trying to study a subject. I like Richard's analogies for trying to represent the scale of the large and the very small. --- ### The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy — Douglas Adams **Rating:** ★★★★★ (5/5) **Genre:** Fiction **Year:** Book completed – 2022 **Link:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hitchhiker%27s_Guide_to_the_Galaxy Watched the movie prior to reading the book. Only read this book because of Elon Musk. He hasn't mentioned it yet, but wondering if he thinks of X.AI's Grok LLM as the computer mentioned in the book which is built by the pan galactic race of hyper-intelligent beings. In an attempt to answer the ultimate question of life, the universe, and everything… 42. --- ### The Lessons of History — Will and Ariel Durant **Rating:** ★★★★★ (5/5) **Genre:** History **Year:** Book completed – 2022 **Link:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Lessons_of_History Recommend this to everyone. Some memorable take aways: socialism has failed every time it has been tried; free market capitalism is the only true way to uplift an entire society; human progress demands the freest possible pursuit of knowledge; religion helps retain order; current world order is a balance between freedom and equality. Complete freedom results in slavery, and outright equality results in dictatorships. --- ### Hydroponics – A Practical Guide for the Soilless Grower — J. Benton Jones Jr. **Rating:** ★★☆☆☆ (2/5) **Genre:** Science **Year:** Book completed – 2021 **Link:** https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/978629.Hydroponics Read this book as I was investigating an idea of starting a vertical farming business that focused on growing vegetables in your own home. It is a textbook so a challenging read. Really interesting on how you can grow plants in various inert mediums. However, the experience taught me how challenging it actually is to try to get the average person to grow produce at home (and indoors). Having tried to build a simple automated indoor setup myself. There's too many variables to consider to expect the average person to engage in indoor farming. And automating everything becomes far too expensive. Should be viewed rather as a hobby. I guess until home robotics arrives. --- ### Starting Your Own Business in South Africa — Barrie Teblanch, Pamela Moeng, Guy Macleod **Rating:** ★★☆☆☆ (2/5) **Genre:** Business **Year:** Book completed – 2020 As the title suggests. It's good to read books like this only to align yourself with any laws/regulations that you may need to adhere to when starting a company. This book is now irrelevant to me as I do not wish to open a business in South Africa. But I did at the time of reading it. --- ### Making Money Through Buy-to-Let in South Africa — Francois Janse van Rensburg **Rating:** ★★★☆☆ (3/5) **Genre:** Business **Year:** Book completed – 2019 **Link:** https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35290868-making-money-through-buy-to-let-in-south-africa As the title of the book suggests. I had a goal of buying a property to rent out. Didn't work out as I decided to leave South Africa for the UK after Covid. Also realized I am far more interested in owning businesses than owning property. Although I will return to the idea of property ownership one day. --- ### How to Build a Billion Dollar App — George Berkowski **Rating:** ★★★★☆ (4/5) **Genre:** Business **Year:** Partially completed – 2019 **Link:** https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23658963-how-to-build-a-billion-dollar-app More focused on the business part of starting and growing a tech company rather than the actual software development. Focuses on the various challenges you will face at the various growth stages. Many nice tips and tricks. Not so sure how timeless the advice will be from this book given where we are with AI. I only partially completed the book as it felt futile reading beyond a certain point, given I was not at that stage with my own App idea. --- ### The Founder's Dilemmas — Noam T. Wasserman **Rating:** ★★★★☆ (4/5) **Genre:** Business **Year:** Partially completed – 2019 **Link:** https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13234710-the-founder-s-dilemmas Have come back to this book multiple times. Given the data collected to create this book it's definitely one to read for those that want to be a founder. Although I haven't read a similar book so I can't comment on the quality of advice given. --- ### Who Moved My Cheese? — Dr Spencer Johnson **Rating:** ★★★★★ (5/5) **Genre:** Self-help **Year:** Book completed – 2018 **Link:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Who_Moved_My_Cheese%3F An allegorical story of mice in a maze searching for cheese. I once worked for a company who had >80% revenue from a single client. That client disappeared over night making the company scramble to decide what to do next, similar to how the mice in the maze had their cheese removed. Beware of complacency and getting too comfortable. --- ### Losing My Virginity — Richard Branson **Rating:** ★★★★☆ (4/5) **Genre:** Biography **Year:** Book completed – 2018 **Link:** https://www.virgin.com/branson-family/books/richard-branson/losing-my-virginity What a life this man has lived. Truly inspirational. I really like his "screw it, let's do it" mindset. Try ideas fast. If they don't stick, move on quickly. Which is very freeing. He also recommends that the leader of a business should look at the books, at least quarterly, to spot anything that doesn't make sense for the business. This is an individual that truly does want the best for humanity. --- ### Investing for Dummies — Eric Tyson **Rating:** ★★★★☆ (4/5) **Genre:** Business **Year:** Book completed – 2017 **Link:** https://www.dummies.com/book/business-careers-money/personal-finance/investing/general-investing/investing-for-dummies-9th-edition-282306/ Took a while to get through this book. Touches on shares, bonds, ETFs, minerals etc. Touches on other asset classes such as owning a business and buying a home or buy-to-let. Mainly for the salaried worker with a strong emphasis on investing through a 401k. Main takeaway is diversification, and investing in the S&P 500 through an ETF. --- ### Astrophysics for People in a Hurry — Neil deGrasse Tyson **Rating:** ★★★★★ (5/5) **Genre:** Science **Year:** Book completed – 2017 **Link:** https://neildegrassetyson.com/books/2017-05-astrophysics-for-people-in-a-hurry/ "Seeking a conduit to the cosmos". I admire Neil for his ability to explain complex topics. Easy to understand introduction to Astrophysics and the Cosmos. --- ### Elon Musk — Ashlee Vance **Rating:** ★★★★☆ (4/5) **Genre:** Biography **Year:** Book completed – 2017 **Link:** https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25541028-elon-musk I believe that Elon Musk is one of the greatest humans to have lived. The scale of what he has achieved for humanity is unmatched. My view is that he is doing this for us. For humanity. Love him or hate him, he's an exceptional human being. I love his first principles approach. Have always thought that I share similar qualities to him, but have not started to become the kind of person that can operate at his level. I don't intend on becoming Elon Musk. I intend on being Nicholas Tickle. --- ### Rich Dad Poor Dad — Robert T. Kiyosaki **Rating:** ★★☆☆☆ (2/5) **Genre:** Self-help **Year:** Book completed - 2017 **Link:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rich_Dad_Poor_Dad This book was a turning point in my life. Which is somewhat ironic cause I don't recommend it. I guess it was the right time and place. After having achieved the goal I set for myself of becoming a Civil Engineer, I realized very quickly that you don't gain wealth from renting out your time to a large corporate. I'm talking about real “freedom of time and place” wealth. So someone recommended this book and for the first time I was exposed to the possibility of a different life. Robert seemingly made his wealth by selling advice about wealth creation. I encourage the reader to be skeptical about this conflict. There is an effort to up sell at the end of the book which didn't add much credibility. --- ### Animal Farm — George Orwell **Rating:** ★★★★★ (5/5) **Genre:** Fiction **Year:** Book completed - 2011 **Link:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animal_Farm "All animals are equal, but some are more equal than others". Although George wrote this book as an allegory for the Russian Revolution, when studying history you notice a similar process throughout human history. The revolution leaves the lower class the same or worse off than they were previously. Interesting how after some time the animals can no longer remember if life was better or worse when comparing the old to the new. When thinking of this book, I am reminded of [Pink Floyd – Animals](https://open.spotify.com/album/3b4E89rxzZQ9zkhgKpj8N4) album. --- ### How to Win Friends and Influence People — Dale Carnegie **Rating:** ★★★★☆ (4/5) **Genre:** Self-help **Year:** Book completed - 2011 **Link:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/How_to_Win_Friends_and_Influence_People Many people follow these principles without knowing it. They are typical traits of people who excel at relationship building and leading. Many principles to talk about. Remembering someone's name and previous topics you conversed on is the principle I remember most. --- ### Othello — William Shakespeare **Rating:** ★★★★☆ (4/5) **Genre:** Classics **Year:** Book completed - 2011 **Link:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Othello "Look to her Moor, if thou hast eyes to see. She has deceived her father, and may thee". The tragedy of Othello is an exploration of jealousy, manipulation, and the consequences of mistrust. Shakespeare portrays the complexities of human emotions and the impact of deceit. The play serves as a reminder of the dangers of allowing jealousy and insecurity to cloud our judgment, ultimately leading to tragic outcomes. --- ### Angels and Demons — Dan Brown **Rating:** ★★★★☆ (4/5) **Genre:** Fiction **Year:** Book completed - 2010 **Link:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angels_%26_Demons Another great book by Dan. Puzzles, clues, and history regarding the Illuminati. Shows the role that religion played in slowing scientific progress in Europe. "We're on the path to illumination". In Italy, Galileo's belief in the Copernican theory resulted in an inquisition by the church which forced him to recant. In the Netherlands, Christiaan Huygens was celebrated for having the same belief. The enlightenment happened in the Netherlands. Not in Italy. --- ### The Lost Symbol — Dan Brown **Rating:** ★★★☆☆ (3/5) **Genre:** Fiction **Year:** Book completed - 2010 **Link:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Lost_Symbol More puzzles and clues. This time the story takes us to Washington DC and introduces us to the Free Masons. Not too many memorable ideas from this one. Perhaps what I remember most is the disappointing ending. The "ancient mysteries" landed up being a bible. --- ### Hamlet — William Shakespeare **Rating:** ★★★★☆ (4/5) **Genre:** Classics **Year:** Book completed - 2010 **Link:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamlet "Something is rotten in the state of Denmark". Shakespeare just loves the use of prophetic irony. --- ### The Da Vinci Code — Dan Brown **Rating:** ★★★★☆ (4/5) **Genre:** Fiction **Year:** Book completed - 2009 **Link:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Da_Vinci_Code I love Dan Brown's use of puzzles and clues that takes the reader on a journey. I have visited a few of the places in the book. I find the topic of Jesus interesting. Most of the written history we have of his life was written many years after he was alive. The church could've done a better job at integrating Mary Magdalene into their version of history. --- ### Julius Caesar — William Shakespeare **Rating:** ★★★★☆ (4/5) **Genre:** Classics **Year:** Book completed - 2009 **Link:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julius_Caesar_(play) "Beware the ides of March!" Just seem to remember all the popular quotes from Shakespeare's plays. --- ## Recommendations ### Fall of Civilizations Documentaries about the collapse of civilizations throughout history. Created by Paul Cooper. [Link](https://www.youtube.com/@FallofCivilizations) --- ### Human Progress An organization dedicated to providing evidence of human progress and showing that this is the best time to be alive. [Link](https://www.humanprogress.org) --- ### The People Profiles Long form documentaries on the lives of the most famous and infamous people in history. With a strong emphasis on evidence available and an attempt at impartiality. [Link](https://www.youtube.com/@PeopleProfiles) --- ### The Royal Institution Full length talks from the world's leading scientists. [Link](https://www.youtube.com/TheRoyalInstitution) --- ### Brett Hall Do Not Destroy The Means Of Error Correction. [Link](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8x8-OYE5CRQ) --- ### Nina Jablonski The Evolution and Meanings of Human Skin Color. [Link](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sc4OFcT5m1Y) --- ### David Goggins Joe Rogan Experience #1080. [Link](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5tSTk1083VY) --- ### Naval Ravikant How to get rich without getting lucky. [Link](https://open.spotify.com/episode/1DW2fkyEkgZaEP40Mj6H9m) --- ### Carl Sagan Cosmos: A Personal Voyage (Internet Archive). [Link](https://archive.org/details/CosmosAPersonalVoyage) --- ### Neil deGrasse Tyson We are made of stardust. [Link](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJuVfVMJsc4) --- ### The Waking Up App By Sam Harris. [Link](https://www.wakingup.com/) --- ### The All In Podcast Chamath Palihapitiya, Jason Calacanis, David Sacks & David Friedberg cover all things economic, tech, and political. [Link](https://www.youtube.com/@allin)