Groove Theory
Groove Theory is an anthology - stories from DJs, directors, game designers, restaurant founders, and anyone else who's found their groove.
That place where structure creates freedom, presence connects with audiences, and ideas become experiences people actually feel.
Every edition names a tension you already sense but haven't articulated yet.
The Five Elements
Each edition focuses on one of five elements - patterns I noticed across hundreds of sessions with founders, leaders, and creative teams. Together, they form a vocabulary for creative work that resonates.
Structure - Shape the idea
How do I give my ideas form without losing their soul?
Move from fog to form without losing your voice. Turn scattered thinking into something usable and repeatable - the difference between rambling for 20 minutes and making your point in 2.
Featured: The Beautiful Map Nobody Wanted - Why a perfect strategy for reimagining NYC transport failed, and what it teaches about giving ideas form.
Howard Gray
Rhythm - Find the flow
How do I pace my work and navigate creative tension?
The pacing and timing that keeps audiences engaged from start to finish. When you find your flow, you know when to push and when to pause.
Featured: The One Person Orchestra - How Tash Sultana builds entire concerts alone.
Howard GrayModality - Choose the vessel
What format best serves this idea?
Turn expertise into repeatable formats that work across platforms. Sometimes an idea wants to be a workshop. Sometimes a keynote. Sometimes a conversation. Choosing the right format is how you make work resonate.
Featured: The Little Green Arrow - How Citymapper succeeded as a guide but failed when it tried to become an operator.
Howard GrayPresence - Bring yourself into it
How do I show up authentically and read the room?
Presence isn't about performing — it's about showing up authentically and engaging with what's actually happening in the room.
Featured: Nothing Business - Marina Abramovic's most remarkable installation came about from... nothing
Howard Gray
Signal - Clarify what matters
How do I distill my message so it sticks and spreads?
The core idea people remember and repeat. In a world of infinite content, clear signal is how you cut through the noise.
Featured: When your song becomes someone else's - what Trent Reznor learned when he gave away his most personal work
Howard GrayWho It's For
Groove Theory is for people who already know what to do - they need vocabulary, not instruction.
It's for strategic advisors refining how their ideas connect. Cultural builders shaping instinct and vibe into communicable form. Rising voices finding confidence on bigger platforms. Teachers making their rooms feel different.
You sense a tension but haven't named it yet. Groove Theory is here to help give you the words.
The Backroom
Groove Theory isn't trying to be the biggest newsletter in your inbox. It's the backroom - its own crowd, its own energy, its own regulars who come specifically for this. Some people never go to the main room at all.
I started it because I kept finding these stories and noticing patterns nobody was talking about. The newsletter became a way to collect them.
In the room are around 1,800 subscribers with a 45-50% open rate, every two weeks on Sundays.
Recent Editions
[Show 3-4 most recent editions here]