Dialectic 8: Steph Ango - Tools for Amplifying Our Light
In this enlightening conversation, Steph Ango, CEO of Obsidian, shares his multifaceted journey as a designer and entrepreneur. He emphasizes how creative constraints can enhance innovation and the delicate balance between freedom and discipline in the creative process. Steph discusses the importance of thoughtful tool design, privacy in a tech-dominated world, and the significance of personal agency. He also explores the transformative power of genuine passion and curiosity, urging listeners to cultivate resilience and engage deeply with their creative pursuits.
02:48:55
Obsidian's Linking Feature
- Obsidian's linking feature enables networked thought and exploration, surpassing pen and paper.
- This core feature, combined with its plugin architecture, makes it a powerful thinking tool.
Feeling "In Good Hands"
- "In good hands" describes the feeling of trust and care in design.
- This feeling arises from attention to detail and genuine passion from the creator.
Multi-Sensory Inspiration
- Steph Ango finds inspiration in multi-sensory experiences like Justice concerts and Olafur Eliasson exhibits.
- He aims to create cohesive experiences across different mediums.
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Intro
00:00 • 2min
Creativity Through Constraints
02:09 • 20min
Refining Creative Focus
22:09 • 6min
Philosophy of Software Development
28:30 • 25min
The Power of Tools in Human Creativity
53:10 • 11min
Designing with Care and Passion
01:04:29 • 15min
Exploring Culinary Delights and Personal Designs
01:19:24 • 2min
Sensory Synergy: Merging Experiences
01:21:22 • 14min
Navigating Data Storage and Personal Privacy in a Digital World
01:35:36 • 4min
Empowering Users in a Tech-Dominated World
01:39:09 • 15min
Cultivating Personal Agency and Curiosity
01:54:30 • 25min
The Value of Caloric Energy in an Automated World
02:19:55 • 6min
Earth as a Sentient Superorganism
02:25:36 • 14min
The Pursuit of Continuous Growth and Innovation
02:39:30 • 3min
Love and Personal Growth: A Modern Reflection
02:42:10 • 7min
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Steph Ango aka Kepano (Website, X) is a designer, writer, entrepreneur,and toolmaker, best known as the CEO of Obsidian, a powerful and flexible writing and thinking tool.
Steph's education is in biology and industrial design, but he is true multi-hyphenate creative, working across mediums including software, hardware, supply chain and packaging, words, wood, furniture, ink, color schemes, open-source systems, video, podcasts, and more. Above all, he makes tools—deeply opinionated ones—designed to reduce friction for himself and others in the act of creating.
Steph joined Obsidian after initially contributing as a fan and enthusiast and impressing its co-founders, Shida Li and Erica Xu. Under his leadership, Obsidian has grown into one of the most beloved and powerful independent software tools in the world, with millions of users. As a daily user myself, I rely on Obsidian for my research and thinking for this podcast. Before Obsidian, Steph founded Lumi and Inkodye, the former of which was acquired by Narvar.
Beyond design, Steph is one of my favorite writers. His concise, sub-500-word essays have shaped my thinking on design, software, learning, agency, constraints, and creativity. While we couldn’t cover all of his ideas in this conversation, we explored many of them in what became my longest conversation to date—one that is packed with wisdom. I believe these ideas will challenge you in unexpected ways and push you to be more creative, agentic, and optimistic.
Timestamps:
- (1:56): Constraints and style
- (11:51): Aggressively planting creative seeds but being patient for them to grow
- (17:42): Stadium of past and future selves
- (22:34): Asking what can be removed and making incremental progress
- (28:47): Building a product and company (Obsidian) with the "constraint" of ideology and principles
- (38:52): Using Obsidian makes Steph better at building Obsidian
- (44:09): What makes for good design and seeing the world as something designed (by nature or man)
- (53:11): What makes a good tool?
- (56:20): Thinking tools and Obsidian
- (1:04:32): "In good hands" and caring more than anyone else
- (1:21:38): Engaging all five senses
- (1:24:46): Creating cohesion or your own cinematic universe
- (1:30:43): How to time travel
- (1:33:08): Designing for digital durability or permanence & "File over app"
- (1:56:46): Investment and "selfishness" in extending your light
- (2:05:54): Choosing problems to work on
- (2:09:10): "Nibble and your appetite will grow"
- (2:12:31): Compounding
- (2:19:55): "Caloric energy is precious"
- (2:26:21): "Earth is becoming sentient"
- (2:39:31): Busy being born and sharing along the way
- (2:42:11): Love and freedom
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