Adam Willems

New York

Writer and Reporter at Freelance

reporting around Seattle 📚 books/reviews/sports @TheStranger 📝 other work @WIRED @thebafflermag @theappeal @RNS @_reallifemag

Articles

Bill Gates, Paul Allen, and the Executives Who Built Microsoft

3 days ago | seattlemet.com | Adam Willems

Amble through the quiet suburban streets of Redmond and it might not quite feel you are in a place that has shaped the entire region—and globe—in its image. After all, many Microsoft leaders are equally nondescript, tending to blend in with the programmers and engineers who make up the tech giant’s ranks.
Fintechs Flouting Recession Vibes | Fintech Nexus

6 days ago | fintechnexus.com | Adam Willems

Even the most cursory survey of fintech-focused news headlines paints a concerning picture. Deals are down, public markets (plus global trade) possess the same teeter-tottering volatility as a ride at Six Flags, and major IPOs-to-be have been indefinitely rain-checked.
Here Are Some of Microsoft’s Most Memorably Forgettable Products

1 week ago | seattlemet.com | Adam Willems

A half century of product releases and, well, there’s bound to be some half-baked gizmos and doodads. From a hygge-inspired mnemonic-forward computer portal to an MP3 player released five years too late, not every invention coming out of Redmond has offered a worthwhile return on investment. Bob had it all. With an interface resembling a cozy home interior, Bob was intended to provide a more accessible portal through which users could access a range of computer programs.
Our People Brings 2020's BLM Energy Back to the Opera House

2 weeks ago | thestranger.com | Adam Willems

Grammy Award-winning tenor Freddie Ballentine and (equally accolade-laden) Indian-American pianist Kunal Lahiry premiered their recital Our People, a celebration of LGBTQ and Black artists and histories, at Washington, D.C.â€™s Kennedy Center in December 2021. Itâ€™s a production that Ballentine, who is Black, says was a response to the Black Lives Matter movement following the death of George Floyd.
With USAID in shambles, fintechs look to lend lifelines

2 weeks ago | fintechnexus.com | Adam Willems

It all came to a grinding halt three months ago.
Home Invasion: What Happens if Fannie and Freddie Go Private

1 month ago | fintechnexus.com | Adam Willems

Since his swearing in on March 14 as the fifth Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), construction mogul William J. Pulte has executed major policy and personnel changes.
DOGE Insurance Redux: Risk-pricing like it’s 1780?

1 month ago | fintechnexus.com | Adam Willems

The pseudo-governmental Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) led by Senior Adviser to President Donald Trump, Tesla and SpaceX CEO, and X Chairman and CTO Elon Musk has targeted, in “move-fast-break-things” fashion, an alphabet soup of government agencies — from USAID to the USDA. The alleged fiscal benefits are part of an ongoing debate that is likely to play out for years to come.
A Future for the El Rey and the Fight to Keep Seattle Livable

1 month ago | thestranger.com | Adam Willems

There are almost as many ways to describe the El Rey as there are years under its (metaphorical) belt. One can outline its year of establishment (1910), construction material (brick), number of stories (4), square footage (30,000), and crossroads (between Lenora and Blanchard Streets along 2nd Avenue in Belltown).
Payroll Is a Nightmare. Can Embedded Finance Fix It?

1 month ago | fintechnexus.com | Adam Willems

Being a first mover hinges on timing. Introducing a new product or service before everyone else, leveraging that head start to entrench yourself in the market before others follow suit, requires being first, sure — but timing can also be a double-edged sword. There’s such a thing as being too first, too fast: launching a product before demand for it exists at all, like AT&T’s “Picturephone,” a 1970s predecessor to current video-calling systems.
Klarna Now, A Deluge Later?

1 month ago | fintechnexus.com | Adam Willems

What the long-awaited IPO means for late-stage fintech Though its Form F-1 filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) came at an unusual time, Klarna’s IPO intentions have been far from secret. The Sweden-based Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) giant, founded in 2005, has crawled in fits and starts toward a place in public markets.