Once the "machine" is running, it's easy to forget who built it.
It can be anything: a concept, a business, a system, a mechanism.
Every process is tuned. Every error is catalogued. Each area has its specialist. Breakdowns have repair algorithms. The executive has both a daily plan and a five-year plan.
The current state of affairs feels real, reliable, fundamental. As if it always was, is, and always will be.
Faded memories of the early days get a chuckle:
“When I arrived, this place was a mess,” says the CEO. “Everything was held together with duct tape and enthusiasm. We had to change almost everything.”
But let that same CEO build something from scratch. Something where the grimy little "machine," creaking and smoking, somehow manages to move on its own.
Easier said than done.
Only 20–25% of new corporate ventures become viable and scalable [1, 2]. Even buying successful, growing companies doesn't help — 60 to 90% of major M&A deals fail to deliver the results CEOs promised their boards [3, 4].
Creating something new and improving something that already exists aren't different skills — they're fundamentally different ways of perceiving the world and oneself. Compare a spacewalk to a bungee jump.
Ironically, most founders appreciate the value a professional manager brings. But few managers appreciate the entrepreneurial contribution. The chaos of the early stage is mistaken for naivety and simplicity.
A good way to humble your ego is to spend a little time creating something yourself. Paint a dream that deeply moved you. Sculpt from clay a symbol of what torments or inspires you. Write a short story, a melody, or an essay.
The hierarchy becomes obvious:
The Creator comes first. The creation comes second.
Sincerely yours,
-Alexander
References
McKinsey & Company. Derisking corporate business launches: Five steps to overcome the most common pitfalls (2020).
McKinsey & Company. Why business building is the new priority for growth (2020).
Harvard Business Review. The New M&A Playbook (2011).
Harvard Business Review. A Better Approach to Mergers and Acquisitions (2024).
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