Why I Am Starting Garden of NEEV
A Front-Row Seat to My Thoughts, Learnings, and Discoveries
I’ve always been fascinated by stories.
The ones we tell ourselves, the ones we tell others, and the ones we choose to believe. Stories have an undeniable power—they inspire us, drive change, and help us make sense of the world. But over time, I realized something: stories can also mislead us.
For every narrative that lights a fire in our hearts, there’s evidence—hard data, quiet patterns, uncomfortable truths—that often gets overshadowed.
This tension between Narrative and Evidence isn’t just an intellectual curiosity for me—it’s been a recurring theme in my life.
The Origins of NEEV
In the early days of my entrepreneurial journey, I leaned heavily on stories. I’d hear about a bold founder who scaled a business overnight, an investor who made a 100x return, or a company culture that solved every problem with a quirky hack. These stories became guiding lights—until I hit roadblocks they never mentioned.
That’s when I realized: narratives are loud, but evidence is often quiet.
Behind every big success story are countless iterations, missed opportunities, and hard data points. The more I paid attention to the evidence behind the stories, the better my decisions became.
And yet, I couldn’t shake my love for a good story.
So I started to ask myself: What happens when you combine the power of a great narrative with the clarity of solid evidence?
That’s how the idea of NEEV—Narrative vs. Evidence—was born.
It’s become a mental model I carry with me in everything I do: investing, building teams, deciding where to focus my time, even how I approach personal relationships.
And now, I want to share that journey with you.
Why Garden of NEEV?
A garden isn’t built overnight. It’s cultivated—one seed, one idea, one thoughtful addition at a time.
This newsletter isn’t just a broadcast of my thoughts—it’s a garden where ideas will grow, evolve, and sometimes even fail. A place where I’ll bring stories I’ve come across, frameworks I’ve tested, and reflections from my own life.
It’s my attempt to:
Explore Big Ideas Deeply: Go beyond surface-level advice and dig into the ‘why’ behind things.
Bridge Narrative with Evidence: Find patterns, challenge assumptions, and see what holds up when the dust settles.
Share Openly: Lessons from my wins, failures, and everything in between.
But most importantly, it’s a space where I hope to learn alongside you.
What You Can Expect
Now and then, I’ll share:
Stories with Substance: Lessons from entrepreneurship, investing, and life
Tools and Frameworks: Mental models, books, and resources I find useful
Deep Dives: Explore a popular belief or idea through the lens of NEEV
It’ll be raw, honest, and hopefully, deeply useful.
Why Now?
Over the past few years, I’ve been lucky to have conversations with some incredible people—founders, thinkers, investors, and everyday folks navigating life with curiosity.
But I’ve also felt the limits of one-on-one conversations. There’s only so much I can share in passing chats, quick meetings, or hurried emails.
This newsletter is my way of slowing down, reflecting, and sharing thoughtfully.
It’s also a way of holding myself accountable—forcing myself to not just think but to articulate the ideas I believe in.
The Invitation
If you’re someone who’s drawn to thoughtful exploration, who enjoys uncovering hidden insights, and who believes in balancing bold stories with clear-eyed evidence, I think you’ll enjoy Garden of NEEV.
This isn’t a lecture—it’s an ongoing conversation. A space for curiosity, for challenge, and hopefully, for growth.
So, welcome to the Garden of NEEV.
Let’s build something meaningful, one idea at a time.
Sampad Swain