We live in uncertain times. The world order is shifting faster than we can process — The wars nearby. Right now a looming commodity crisis that I believe markets are underestimating. AI dismantling business models at an incredible pace. The entrepreneurs I’d bet on right now are not the ones with the highest growth targets….
It is All about Awareness and Contact.
I keep meeting entrepreneurs who can’t speak a calm sentence. Not because they have nothing to say — they have plenty to say. But because they’re constantly out of breath. Running between the next meeting and the last one. Reacting before they’ve finished processing. Present in the room, absent from themselves. I was one of…
Low Drag Living
Most entrepreneurs aren’t struggling because they’re not working hard enough. They’re struggling because they’re pedaling uphill while towing a trailer full of stuff they don’t need. In aviation, designers are obsessed with drag — everything that slows a plane down: weight, resistance, unnecessary complexity. The engineers who build the fastest aircraft aren’t the ones who…
Managing stress
Recently, I joined a discussion on stress with fellow entrepreneurs. And I remembered: I am an expert in stress. For years, everyone told me how much pressure I was under. Demanding investors, a family with young kids. But I felt happy. I told everyone that my business was my biggest hobby. I could create. I…
Founder mode
Paul Grahams recent piece on Airbnb’s Brian Chesky went viral. In short, Chesky hired poor managers and now follows more the Steve Jobs model of having a more direct impact. Founder mode vs Manager mode. This is so obvious that I wonder why it is new to people. We’ve all been there. If you hire people…
Building the perfect team
I was on a skiing holiday last week. While in the mountains, I helped a friend analyze an organization he wanted to buy. Two of my clients called me about hiring decisions. A new entrepreneur explained his needs for his organization. Let’s distill some points for building a perfect team. Building a team nearly always…
Are you ready for two-day hikes?
Nothing beats getting out in nature to get a new perspective. Two-day hikes are the key component of my coaching program for entrepreneurs – two days of intense one-on-one work, reframing your perspective, and accelerating growth. As of now, you can join us on just the hikes. No ongoing commitment and two days are easy…
Not enough
“Why am I trying to do something more than this?” This line on WhatsApp this morning sums up a struggle that most of us know too well. Things aren’t good enough as they are. Just one more business to be built. Just one more exit. A home with one more room. Satisfied people don’t change…
The fear that keeps you from being happy
All successful entrepreneurs are driven.We have our own compass. We operate at our own speed. We aim for Mars instead of the Moon. Many of us know exactly the inner driver, which keeps us pushing on. It comes in many guises:A lack of a sense of security.A need for recognition. A sense of obligation. Our inner driver is always…
My journey from founder to coach
For nearly a decade, I have been coaching a few other successful entrepreneurs consistently one on one. But in Summer 2022, the feedback I got for my coaching sessions changed. While earlier it was “super helpful”, now several people used the word “life-changing”. As the founder of Qype, I worked at the highest speed and…
