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Sandstorm. One of the worst, with air pollution skyrocketing. It felt like a bad way to start the weekend.
And ceasefire rumors, the dollar collapsing, flight prices doubling.
It seems we are stuck in this endless loop of struggles here.
And against all odds, we are doing okay, we are pushing.
We are hoping for peace, for sanity, for better days.
We are working hard, building, scaling, raising capital.
This spirit of resilience, in my opinion, is unmatched.
I do not know if it can be taught.
But this week is my two cents on winning against all odds.
THOUGHTS
Two weeks ago, a friend from Dubai called. He wanted to chat about the situation.
More than that, he shared that he is struggling.
With over 25 years of experience, building and selling big businesses and now working as a consultant, nothing prepared him for war.
The brain fog, the uncertainty, the worry, the lack of energy and motivation.
And he said, “You guys are used to it, and I know it’s not the same, as they are targeting your homes, but we are struggling.”
He went on to compare which of us might be having a harder time.
I explained it’s subjective, and sadly, we are used to these things.
What struck me is that we have both been to all those boardroom events, meetings, global conferences. We took the same courses about resilience.
“No matter what you throw at us, we keep going. We will find a way. We will not break.”
But you cannot teach that in a boardroom.
Resilience is about going through it, putting yourself out there, or simply being exposed to it.
As business owners, leaders, and managers, we got used to having an easier life.
War, AI, oil prices. The world is moving faster than ever.
Uncertainty is the only certainty we might face in the coming years, and resilience is about learning to live with it.
Whatever we thought was true is no longer guaranteed.
Believe in yourself, your ability. Build to last, and hope the storm passes over your head.
But for most, it’s coming.
If you want to win against all odds, you must welcome the storm.
Leaders are born in action, not by taking pictures of a slide deck in a conference room.
As a leader, you are the bottleneck. Empower and scale, or get out of the way.
Building in Public
Keeping healthy by the computer
Over 75 hours sitting at my desk this week.
Eight startups, three full pitches created. Total amount being raised: $147 million.
That’s impact.
My girlfriend told me I’m one of the only people she knows who gets excited when overworked.
One company had just eight days to prepare, and with a very long and messy pitch, we set out to rewrite it, going from 12 minutes to just under four.
During one of the calls, she thanked me for the hard work and said the version was still a bit long, but it would do.
Twelve hours later, on our follow-up call, the version was 15% shorter, tighter, and punchier.
She said: “I’m so happy you are here, and part of the team.”
Another startup, three seasoned partners, going into a market against beasts.
Through my pitch process, we discovered a blue ocean, a new business model, and a whole new champion to sell to.
A reminder, I do not change the idea, the tech, or the amount being raised. I change the story we tell.
And the story takes the brand in completely different directions.
Next week, I will focus on two things:
My cue card app. I have to say, I have been stuck on big decisions like how complex it should be. Is it part of a bigger plan or a standalone? Should I build it with SEO in mind, and what will the marketing look like?
My decision is to move fast and break things. I want to launch it and focus on marketing.
This might sound crazy, but I need to focus on resting. I feel the stress here has impacted my well-being, and it’s time to slow down.
Planning a day at the spa, to chill, read a book, and not focus on work.
Just For Fun
Gif by CaptainBNB_bsc on Giphy
Every week, I collect things I enjoy online. This is my curated top three: playlists to work with, trailers, videos, or just fun stuff.
🎧 Music
This Storyletter was created while listening to this 2-hour mashup, bringing Daft Punk and Justice together
👉 🎧 Listen
🤖 AI is coming for you
This 1957 movie predicted the AI job crisis
👉 🤖 Watch
✈️ Landing on a moving train
This crazy Red Bull team does it again
👉 ✈️ View
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