Feast or Famine? / February 16, 2024 by Alexander Lyadov

"I have too few opportunities," laments the entrepreneur.

"No. You just lack skills," life explains to him or her.

The founder doesn't give up: "You don't understand! The void surrounds me!" Life, patiently: "You're looking in the wrong direction."

Who's right? It's easy to check. Let another entrepreneur share what he sees in the same context — oasis or sand dune.

Moreover, have you noticed how your perception of the situation differs in moments of inspiration and gloom? Like sky and earth, right?

Every pro smiles, recalling their first steps: "Like a blind kitten, I didn't see options and created problems myself."

If your business or career is stuck, try:

Leveling your spirits, without melancholy or ecstasy.
Envision an ideal future where everything somehow falls into place.
Learning from the experiences of those who've been there, done that.
Calling in a specialist who uses not just one, but many lenses.
Flipping the situation: "Oh, emptiness? Then I'm free to do anything!"

Sincerely yours,

-Alexander

About me:
As a business therapist, I help tech founders quickly solve dilemmas at the intersection of business and personality, and boost company value as a result.

How can I help you?
If you've long been trying to understand what is limiting you and/or your business and how to finally give important changes a push, then The Catalyst Session is designed specifically for you. Book it here.

The Invisible Bridge / February 15, 2024 by Alexander Lyadov

In the movie "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade," there's an insight. Indiana yearns to help his wounded father but can't. A chasm separates him from the medicine.

From the Grail diary, he discovers the solution: a "leap of faith." But what absurdity is this? How? It's certain death!

In despair, Indiana steps into emptiness and... doesn't fall. The invisible bridge spans the abyss. Indiana finds the Holy Grail and saves his father. Indiana finds the Holy Grail and saves his father.

The film illustrates how strangely the world operates.

We can achieve a lot by following proven guidelines perfectly. To get what is priceless, we must first risk losing everything we have.

It's like fate sorts us based on our commitment. Passed the trial? Get the prize. Hesitated? Step aside.

It turns out, without a drop of chaos, the Game of Life would lose it's meaning. It would become completely predictable, and thus boring to death.

"Be a daredevil!" is a false conclusion. We must diligently prepare to avoid the traps that are within our control.

But having done all we can, humbly embrace the residual, indelible risk. It's the price for our free choice.

Sincerely yours,

-Alexander

About me:
As a business therapist, I help tech founders quickly solve dilemmas at the intersection of business and personality, and boost company value as a result.

Cook and Eat Trouble / February 14, 2024 by Alexander Lyadov

Kunga Cake is a dish crafted from tightly packed midges. This ingenious culinary creation hails from the folks around the Great African Lakes region—Tanzania, Malawi, and Mozambique.

Sometimes, the swarm of Chaoborus edulis midges is so dense that the lakes appear smoky from a distance. To catch 'em, just grease up a skillet with some butter and sweep it through the swarm.

But what about the taste?

Explorer David Livingstone once noted that these midges "tasted not unlike caviar". According to entomologist May Berenbaum, the locals devour Kunga Cake "with great enthusiasm."

Now, why on earth?

Well, turns out, Kunga Cake is a protein powerhouse. Adventurer Bear Grylls labels it "a great survival food." Essentially, it's a protein bar alternative, a go-to when a square meal isn't in sight.

While these midges don't bite, they do make life difficult for humans. During their breeding season, swarms can stretch up to 50 km. The Africans came up with a solution that illustrates the Theory of Inventive Problem Solving:

"Let the harmful factor start bringing benefits."

The next time fate upsets you with something you cannot change, think of Kunga Cake.

Sincerely yours,

-Alexander

About me:
As a business therapist, I help tech founders quickly solve dilemmas at the intersection of business and personality, and boost company value as a result.

Healing Paradox / February 13, 2024 by Alexander Lyadov

What's your best remedy for insomnia? First off, I try to read a book, as tired eyes favor sleep.

The alternative is to try as hard as I can to stay awake. For about five to ten minutes, I stare into the darkness, then for a moment, close my eyes, bam! and there I am, fast asleep.

That's how Viktor Frankl's paradoxical intention works.

The renowned psychotherapist developed this technique within the framework of logotherapy. The patient with the phobia was asked in a contradictory way to desire exactly what he feared most.

This disrupts the neurosis's plans and robs fear of its driving force. Frankl described a case where a young doctor suffered for ten years from an intense fear of sweating. After one (!) therapy session, he rid himself of the phobia forever.

The method works just like humor.

At their core is a person's ability to detach from themselves. You can't feel sorry or despise yourself while laughing at yourself.

This key to healing is applicable in various fields.

For example, business problems are solved faster when people stop focusing on themselves:

A negotiator studies the opponent's true interests.
Employee prioritizes company, not departmental goals,
The CEO seeks someone who can challenge him or her,
The founder decides to report to the board from now on.

True self-care is focusing on something or someone beyond yourself.

Sincerely yours,

-Alexander

About me:
As a business therapist, I help tech founders quickly solve dilemmas at the intersection of business and personality, and boost company value as a result.

COO: The Invisible Value / February 12, 2024 by Alexander Lyadov

I always figured the surgeon did the heavy lifting. Surgery transforms the body instantly and radically. Anesthesia, uncertainty, risk – no wonder the patient's emotions go off the charts.

But turns out, the rehab expert's role is just as crucial.

I got it when fixing up my Jiu-Jitsu-battered knee. Post-operation, for three months, thrice a week, I hit up group sessions. The rehab expert's goal was simple:

"The injured leg must become stronger than the healthy one."

He assigned me ten peculiar exercises. From a thousand squats and wall-sitting for 15 minutes to unicycle balancing and zapping muscles with electric current.

Thanks to the "surgeon + rehab" combo, I forgot all about my knee.

In business, all the attention usually swings to the CEO. Sure, they lay out the path, fire up the team, and steer the ship.

But it'd all crash and burn without the one de facto playing the COO role right by their side. Even if they go by another name, like CFO, Traffic Manager, or a personal assistant. Sometimes, it's a blend of a few folks.

Either way, the contribution of this COO slides under the radar.

People only catch on when the COO quits or falls sick. Suddenly, customers gripe, employees squabble, and margins plummet.

A savvy founder treasures the "CEO-COO" alliance. Just as a rehab expert saves a surgeon's rep, a COO rescues the efficiency of the CEO's decisions.

Sincerely yours,

-Alexander

About me:
As a business therapist, I help tech founders quickly solve dilemmas at the intersection of business and personality, and boost company value as a result.

What Type of Tool Are You? / February 11, 2024 by Alexander Lyadov

Sometimes it's handy to see yourself as a tool. Then there's a certain Function X someone made you for. If there's an emergency, you can be used for Function Y. But that's inefficient and shouldn't be the norm.

Function X dictates the exact form the tool should take. If any part of the tool breaks, rusts, or weakens, its efficiency drops. The function comes to the rescue. At any moment, it suggests a plan: what to clean, tighten, and fix.

Unfortunately, nobody tells us in the maternity ward why we're invited to this world. Throughout life, each of us seeks the answer: "Who am I? What's it all for?"

Partly, our preference helps: "Let me do this instead of that."

Any activity has its function, whether it's service, business, science, or sports. It provides a pull and a direction. For example, a wrestler, archer, and runner have different bodies and minds.

We choose the activity, and it carries us along. Remember how Baron Munchausen pulled himself and the horse out of the swamp by the pigtail?

The question of finding your Function X remains open.

Ideally, as the years go by, we get smarter. Trying many things, like in a child's game, we decide if it's "cold" or "warm." The main thing is not to get stuck anywhere. Let go and keep experimenting.

One day, there will be a match: Activity X + your Function X.

Alternative: you create a business of your own.

Sincerely yours,

-Alexander

About me:
As a business therapist, I help tech founders quickly solve dilemmas at the intersection of business and personality, and boost company value as a result.

Critique and the Invisible / February 10, 2024 by Alexander Lyadov

Smart people recognize their flaws. Hence, it's natural for them to feel dissatisfied with themselves or have self-doubt. When external voices join internal criticism, a chorus arises. It can drown out everything, even the desire to live and create.

Fighting criticism is futile. Like the force of gravity, it will always pull the object towards the ground. But there's a way out. As an object, you must disappear.

How? Direct 100% of your attention to a worthwhile external goal:

a creative pursuit,
an engaging sport,
a meaningful venture,
a mysterious phenomenon,
an intriguing conversationalist, etc.

The more meaning activity X holds for you, the more important what you give to it, not what you don't have.

At that moment, your efficiency reaches its peak, even though you seem not to exist.

Paradox.

Sincerely yours,

-Alexander

About me:
As a business therapist, I help tech founders quickly solve dilemmas at the intersection of business and personality, and boost company value as a result.

Your Hidden Ace / February 9, 2024 by Alexander Lyadov

People frequently squander their precious resources.

Blame it on the "sports" mindset.

After all, in sports, opponents' chances are equalized through:

referees,
age restrictions,
weight categories,
standardization of equipment,
a ban on doping, and so on.

Why? Fans crave drama, willpower clashes, and supreme skill.

Example: MMA enthusiasts admire those epic battles where two fighters turn each other's faces into mush. On the flip side, critics slammed Canadian fighter GSP for his "too boring," read effective, victories in the spirit of "came, saw, conquered."

School, university, and the 9-to-5 grind reinforce the sports mentality. Society rewards players for the best performance within the established rules of the game.

The problem is that sports are a convention. As a tool for skill development, it's valuable, but nothing more. In the real world, no force actively levels the playing field between you and your vis-à-vis.

In reality, the victor is the one armed with the leverage, the ace, the edge. It's about creating an asymmetric advantage, turning a powerful aggressor into a helpless child. For instance:

the element of surprise,
unprecedented technologies,
a knowingly accumulated reserve of strength,
creative use of the surrounding environment,
disrupting the adversary's internal harmony and cohesion,
outpacing the opponent in decision-making speed, and so on.

Your leverage enables you to achieve a massive impact with minimal resources: energy, money, and time.

Sincerely yours,

-Alexander

About me:
As a business therapist, I help tech founders quickly solve dilemmas at the intersection of business and personality, and boost company value as a result.

Negotiations with Fate / February 8, 2024 by Alexander Lyadov

Life's a series of negotiations. It feels like you're tackling hurdles or haggling with different folks. But truth is, there's one main opponent - fate.

As a seasoned negotiator, fate positions itself strongly. It plays dirty by targeting your weak spots. Faced with unbearable consequences, you might wave the white flag.

One round ends, another starts. Your score is noted, whether you're up or down. Power shifts back and forth.

It's the Matthew Effect at play: "For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away."

It's not unfair, but losing all the time isn't smart. Your opponent, fate, is relentless and crafty. How do you come out on top?

Your basic aim is to neutralize fate's leverage against you. The less you depend on comfort and pleasure, the harder it is for fate to bully you.

Best case scenario? Turn fate's weapon into your own. Oddly enough, welcome the challenges fate throws at you.

But how? Find personal meaning in them.

Sure, it's tough. But even gradual progress towards the ideal makes you invulnerable, confident, and strong.

Sincerely yours,

-Alexander

About me:
As a business therapist, I help tech founders quickly solve dilemmas at the intersection of business and personality, and boost company value as a result.

Hunting in Chaos / February 7, 2024 by Alexander Lyadov

I wanna write an article, but words don't come to me for an hour.

Before, there was fear: "What if there are no ideas?" Now, I'm cool.

I am learning to appreciate the graceful side of uncertainty.

For example, it's not that you fear a shortage of ideas. Rather, you're overwhelmed by their abundance. So, the real question is "What to choose?" not "Where to find?"

Furthermore, hanging out in the unknown now gives me joy.

Like a wild creature, I roam through the dense forest. My path is chaotic, but I know exactly when I catch a scent. The hunt itself is a reward. Looking is just as exciting as finding.

Turns out, chaos has become a buddy in one part of my life. It's not just in my head; my whole body feels it every day. And that opens up a chance to color other parts of life with this wild experience.

This way of looking at things pumps me up. Reality faces us, not turns away, if we handle it right.

Sincerely yours,

-Alexander

About me:
As a business therapist, I help tech founders quickly solve dilemmas at the intersection of business and personality, and boost company value as a result.

Implicit Truth / February 6, 2024 by Alexander Lyadov

Once upon a time, I danced to the tune of partners and clients. It usually ended badly for all of us.

For instance, a client would articulate how he envisioned solving his problem. In his perception, the diagnosis was clear, and all that remained was to choose the best response to the question: "How?"

Inside me, protest would rise, but I suppressed it. After all, the client's arguments were clear, tangible, and logical. And my doubts were just a vague sense of "Something's wrong here."

The mistake cost me dearly. But I had to make it many times before the following thought finally dawned on me:

Not everything obvious is true. The real may not yet have a form.

Later, in the works of philosopher Eugene Gendlin, I found an explanation for why this is so. The implicit process of life gives birth to all tangible forms—from rough ideas to sophisticated paradigms.

As the boy in the movie "Amélie" said, "The fool looks at a finger that points at the sky." Alas, we too easily forget that any symbol is merely a pointer to phenomenon X.

So, I started focusing not on the clients' words but on what they are truly suffering from and trying to describe. In 99 cases out of 100, reality is completely different from what they imagined.

But usually, I don't have a clear understanding either. Fortunately, it's not needed. The only thing required is my intention and the client's to unearth the truth at any cost.

That's how my job simplified. The key is to choose partners and clients who have matured enough to question their familiar arguments and cherished beliefs.

Sincerely yours,

-Alexander

About me:
As a business therapist, I help tech founders quickly solve dilemmas at the intersection of business and personality, and boost company value as a result.

Fractal of Life / February 5, 2024 by Alexander Lyadov

Fractal – it's a set possessing the property of self-similarity.

The whole has the same shape as one or more of its parts.

In nature, fractal properties can be found in:

clouds,
seashells,
lightning,
snowflakes,
tree canopies,
mountain ranges,
circulatory systems,
Romanesco broccoli heads, and so on.

But it seems that our problems are also part of this set.

In our naivety, we stumble into numerous traps and predicaments.

With experience comes the knowledge of the types of riddles, obstacles, and pitfalls.

Eventually, it dawns on us that the same pattern repeats everywhere.

For instance, someone reveling in the victim role will find an oppressor, and then a savior, anywhere: at work, in the elevator, or at the gym.

You might think that's the end of it, but no.

Exploring an individual's meta-problems reveals their similarity to the problems of a group, society, and humanity as a whole.

Such fractality is disheartening as it immediately brings forth a sense of doom and fatalism, a la Groundhog Day.

But shift the perception a tad, and the sign changes from "-" to "+":

By solving your problems, you get the key to all the locks that exist.

Sincerely yours,

-Alexander

About me:
As a business therapist, I help tech founders quickly solve dilemmas at the intersection of business and personality, and boost company value as a result.

Intuition's Caution / February 4, 2024 by Alexander Lyadov

You're finalizing a deal, and there's one crucial moment left.

In a dispute, there's a chance to turn it against you.

"Don't you trust me?" persuades your client or investor.

Perplexed, you ponder: "Of course, I trust you, but..."

With that "but," wise intuition tries to protect you.

The difficulty is: Intuition points to something implicit.

Formally, everything is in order:

You know this person quite well.
You've done business with him before.
He's never let you down.

Let me translate what intuition is trying to tell you: "Without a doubt, personally, I trust you 100%. But, in reality, I'm making a deal with your company, not with you. We don't know who will be in your position in 3-5 years. With all due respect, anything can happen to you:

Someone else may take your place.
Owners, values, and strategies may change.
You might burn out, get sick, or even die."

A reasonable person would agree, putting themselves in your shoes.

But what if your vis-a-vis eliminates the chance of such scenarios?

This means your intuition is even more right.

Sincerely yours,

-Alexander

About me:
As a business therapist, I help tech founders quickly solve dilemmas at the intersection of business and personality, and boost company value as a result.

Analyzing Life / February 3, 2024 by Alexander Lyadov

The beauty of the mind lies in its ability to dissect anything.

Analysis originates from the ancient Greek word ἀνάλυσις, signifying division, dissection, and breakdown. The mind's function is to understand, explain, memorize, and predict phenomena to control them.

Indeed, the secrets of the material world unfold through this process. We learn which elementary particles form its foundation and the cause-and-effect relationships between them.

However, the mind stumbles and painfully falls each time it attempts to analyze humans in particular and life in general.

The problem is that analysis is not arbitrary; it always rests on a certain paradigm explaining the surrounding world. Metaphorically, it's like relatively solid ground, an island wrested from the chaos ocean.

But no matter how great the island is, wherever you look, water surrounds it. At any moment, our knowledge is limited, while ignorance is not. The world is certainly knowable, but never fully so.

This fact is easily forgotten when spending days in the laboratory with a chromatograph or microscope. The problem with intelligence is that it falls in love with its creations and tries to reduce the richness of life only to them.

However, life doesn't fit into a ready-made form, which astonishes or even enrages the mind. And sometimes, a catastrophe occurs. The island is hit by a tsunami, shattering the paradigm that the mind has painstakingly built.

By castrating pride, reality indicates the true place of the mind. Despite all its merits, it cannot be the chief. There must always be someone else above it. When the hierarchy is restored, many positive things emerge:

Curiosity and confidence replace fear and anxiety.
Intelligence serves correctly, bringing benefit rather than harm.
Appreciation extends not only to what exists but also to what can be.

Sincerely yours,

-Alexander

About me:
As a business therapist, I help tech founders quickly solve dilemmas at the intersection of business and personality, and boost company value as a result.

Entrepreneurial Trait / February 2, 2024 by Alexander Lyadov

In childhood, we'd venture into the woods for mushrooms. Apparently, someone older was a connoisseur, as no one had ever been poisoned.

Today, if I filled a basket with mushrooms, I wouldn't dare eat them. Even butter caps, chanterelles, or porcini would be suspect to me. The forest generously opens its treasures, yet I pass by with a growling stomach.

The same phenomenon unfolds in every aspect of life. A specialist peacefully swims among sharks, while others fear to dip their toes. Tourists stare at random tracks, while a bushman reads the book of the savannah with interest.

Understanding and appreciating such expertise is universal. People find it harder to grasp the specifics of entrepreneurship. They often think that such a person is an expert in a specific industry.

So, they are shocked when an entrepreneur sells a candy factory, then builds a modern medical center, followed by a successful SaaS project management business.

The entrepreneur's strength isn't solely in comprehensive industry knowledge, despite studying how its 'engine' operates. It's not just about business management skills, like a professional CEO.

Founders have the gift of spotting mind-boggling opportunities where none seem to exist. Boldly diving their hands into poisonous slime and nauseating mud, they extract uncut diamonds into the light.

Like sculptors or poets, entrepreneurs see the implicit, holding such colossal value that they can't help but devote all their energy and time to it.

But if you sense the creative impulse even occasionally, the entrepreneurial superpower should be clear to you.

Sincerely yours,

-Alexander

About me:
As a business therapist, I help tech founders quickly solve dilemmas at the intersection of business and personality, and boost company value as a result.

Disorder Detector / February 1, 2024 by Alexander Lyadov

What happens if you ignore chaos for a while?

It subtly and seamlessly integrates into your familiar context.

To the point where parting with it becomes a challenge.

Any changes feel like disrupting the dear status quo.

Voila! The disorder becomes the new order. We can observe this phenomenon at all levels — from a country to a flat.

Disrupted families and organizations are quite similar. To an outsider, it seems like stepping into a madhouse. People behave oddly but pretend it's normal.

This distortion of reality applies to everyone. What's glaringly obvious to an onlooker, we simply don't see. And when they point out the anomaly, we may even resist at first.

Thus, every "system" needs a tool to detect and fix the inevitable glitch in time. For an individual, it's friends, confession, or therapy. For a company — an audit, advisor, or board.

In other words, the "system" must acknowledge its vulnerability and the need for an external perspective. Individuals, organizations, and nations evolve and excel only by overcoming pride, complacency, and isolationism.

Sincerely yours,

-Alexander

About me:
As a business therapist, I help tech founders quickly solve dilemmas at the intersection of business and personality, and boost company value as a result.

Who Is the Wizard? / January 31, 2024 by Alexander Lyadov

Billion-dollar industries are built on one illusion.

It's the founder's dream that someone will build his business for him.

No one will literally tell you these words, of course.

But deep down, the founder secretly believes such a wizard exists.

Alas, many people exploit this insight for selfish purposes:

A business trainer promises to turn average sellers into superstars.
A consultant vows to create a turnkey lead generation system.
HR guarantees swift recruiting and a conflict-free team.
A CEO candidate pledges the owner freedom from operations.
A business school enlightens that a board is the solution to all problems.
An investment banker insists that PE funds will be queuing up.

The founder is tempted, burned, and calms down for a while.

But the dream persists; a new storyteller will knock on the door.

The key is to accept reality as it is.

If the magician exists, it's not someone external; it's you.

The founder's role is to work miracles, extracting Something from Nothing.

Yes, it's sometimes long and hard, but in the end, you achieve your goal.

Inside you, the Spirit of Creation is bubbling; always bet on it.

Sincerely yours,

-Alexander

About me:
As a business therapist, I help tech founders quickly solve dilemmas at the intersection of business and personality, and boost company value as a result.

The Art of Patient Questions / January 30, 2024 by Alexander Lyadov

At the initial session, I urge the entrepreneur: "Try to formulate your request."

For about twenty minutes, he (or she) shares the story, nuances, and details.

Finally, he looks at me with a questioning gaze, like, "So, what shall I do now?"

Sure, I've got a bunch of ideas itching to be spilled.

But I hold back and ask again, "So, what's the request, exactly?"

The entrepreneur is puzzled. He ponders deeply. Initially, he thought the problem was clear, but now he's not so sure.

Struggling with words, he articulates for the first time what truly bothers him. By asking clarifying questions, I help him better realize why he's here now and what for.

At the end of the session, the entrepreneur warmly thanks me. But why? We haven't even tackled finding a solution yet.

He feels relief and an energy boost for a reason. The precise description of the problem reduced uncertainty. Therefore, his anxiety decreased. Now it's clear where to focus efforts.

"Don't rush to answer an unasked question," my therapist said.

Be patient and reality will unfold before you on its own.

Sincerely yours,

-Alexander

About me:
As a business therapist, I help tech founders quickly solve dilemmas at the intersection of business and personality, and boost company value as a result.

The Gift and Curse of Non-being / January 29, 2024 by Alexander Lyadov

Are you anxious when facing surgery under general anesthesia?

It’s understandable since there’s no 100% guarantee you’ll wake up.

Yet, the same thing happens every night.

One moment you’re awake; the next, you’re vanishing into non-being.

We embrace the nightly ‘anesthesia’ because we’ve grown accustomed to it. Besides, dreams entertain us.

Dreams are an in-between state where the paralyzed consciousness passively observes whatever someone decides to show us.

Even in nightmares, there’s some pulsation, life, and drama.

Non-existence scares us more because there is nothing, has been nothing, and will be nothing there.

The paradox is that in peak experiences, our 'self' also disappears completely:

extraordinary efforts in science, business, sports, or service,
mystical experiences,
recognizing beauty,
unity with nature,
enlightenment,
childbirth,
creativity,
love etc.

So, how does a peak experience differ from a dream or anesthesia?

We merge with something much more valuable than ourselves.
Our ego vanishes, yet we become more aware of who we are.
What we are taking part in feels like true life.

Sincerely yours,

-Alexander

About me:
As a business therapist, I help tech founders quickly solve dilemmas at the intersection of business and personality, and boost company value as a result.

The Vitality of Paradox / January 28, 2024 by Alexander Lyadov

The most challenging problems have paradoxical solutions. Otherwise, someone would have long found the key to the lock.

A paradoxical solution contradicts everything known:

common opinions,
scientific positions,
common sense.

“Παράδοξος” (ancient greek) means “unexpected, strange,” from “παρα” (against) and “δόξα” (assumption). The last word is crucial.

We forget that our worldview is a set of assumptions. Some are explicit, but most have the nature of axioms. We unknowingly absorbed them with the milk of the culture in which we grew up.

One day, reality and our model of it clash. Have you ever traveled with a GPS navigator in a foreign country? If so, you might recall the bewilderment when the program once demanded that you drive straight into an abyss.

It turns out the solution may be right under our nose, but we don't see it because, in our universe, it simply cannot exist by default.

Most often, you need to adjust a couple of hidden assumptions. The veil falls immediately, and the number of your options instantly expands.

But sometimes an individual, organization, or nation denies reality for too long, clinging to a set of false ideologies. Here healing comes through a hard-earned choice: illusions or life.

This explains the exultation when a shift finally happens. The paradoxical solution opens the door to the energy to live and create. Conflict disappears. Now you and reality are in sync.

Sincerely yours,

-Alexander

About me:
As a business therapist, I help tech founders quickly solve dilemmas at the intersection of business and personality, and boost company value as a result.