Your Creative Journey / April 16, 2024 by Alexander Lyadov

Creative souls need nothing. With a touch, they turn Nothing into Something.

You can measure their power by how wide their range of raw materials is. One might stumble upon transforming negative feelings, another on unusual things, and yet another on frightening events.

If a person is open to new things and curious, each day brings a tiny but valuable gain. Just yesterday, fate threatened to break their familiar life, but tomorrow they'll smirk and say, "I am the tectonic shift."

Creating doesn't always mean composing or sculpting. It's the ability to turn a negative into a positive, and a positive into a negative at will.

Our body, mind, and spirit are initially dependent on... Oh, the list is long. All our lives, we fight for freedom, like a dolphin in a fisherman's net.

This path has no comparison. Everyone has a different starting point. The destination is unknown. You choose your own pace.

Do you agree that you have a creative path?

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.

What's the Value of Price? / April 15, 2024 by Alexander Lyadov

Price is one of the most underrated things in business.

Why? Many business folk see price as set in stone. Especially if they've been around the block. The weight of tradition forces them to set prices like their neighbors across the street.

In their minds, price is like a hunk of metal. Heavy, cumbersome, and a pain to work with. So, they rarely tinker with it. And that's a shame.

But a better metaphor for price is Venetian glass. In the hands of a master, molten glass can transform into either a splendid chandelier fit for a king or a delightful trinket for a child.

And all because when we say 'price,' we always mean 'value'. Value is never tied to raw materials or hours worked. It's those who are too lazy to learn and think that make that connection.

Value is subjective and personal. People are similar, but each values service X diferently. And it's even more pronounced when the service is unique. That's why the ability to see the value in someone else's perception is priceless.

If you can do that, your business will breathe anew. It'll be clear that even the sky isn't your limit.

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.

Why Seek Your Thing? / April 14, 2024 by Alexander Lyadov

The best antidepressant is doing something you love and/or find valuable. When my mind is absorbed in a client's problem, I completely forget all my fears, doubts, resentments, and pains.

What at other times ruins my life suddenly loses its power over me. At that moment, I'm invulnerable to the poisoned arrows of fate.

Like a diver, I'm surrounded by a foreign environment. But I calmly breathe in the oxygen of curiosity and meaning. And then the ocean offers new experiences, treasures of ancient ships, and the beauty of exotic fish.

I suspect deeply religious people are often in such a state. When peace reigns inside despite the tornado outside. I've met such people. You just want to prolong the moment when you are with them.

When I'm irritated or frightened, I become dangerous. Conversely, after a productive session with a client, I'm exhausted but radiate kindness and warmth. Work truly makes me better.

So, it's worth making an effort to find your Thing. And then dodging temptations to not lose 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.

Hidden beauty / April 13, 2024 by Alexander Lyadov

A truly valuable business doesn't always look perfect. It consumes too many resources to keep up appearances. But resources are always finite.

Such a business has tons of investment opportunities. They're not obvious at first glance. Even the founder only vaguely guesses when they'll pay off. But the effort is worth it. The outcome could be immense.

Scammers, swindlers, and adventurers—now that's a different story. Fancy office, chopper security, and impeccable suits. With nothing under the hood, they slap on a convincing papier-mâché Bentley shell.

In a healthy business, function always slightly precedes form. People are passionately engaged in real work. The business evolves dynamically. Once they hit a critical milestone, they'll upgrade the exterior.

It's just like life. If someone's appearance is flawless, they're either a professional model or a narcissist. For health, hygiene is crucial. Aesthetics are valuable too, but not at any cost.

It's useful to learn to see the hidden function behind the form. That way, you can avoid traps and temptations. And find the Cullinan Diamond in the mud.

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.

Careful With Terms / April 12, 2024 by Alexander Lyadov

The philosopher Thomas Kuhn gave me a valuable insight. A science thrives only when its community embraces one paradigm. Compare physics and psychology, for instance.

What this means, among other things, is folks don't need to argue over basic concepts' meanings. Scientists can laser-focus on the real meaty issues. No wasting energy.

Imagine a firefighting squad where one shouts "hose," another "pipe," and the third "trunk." With seconds ticking, from misunderstanding to tragedy is but a step.

Out West, a perilous trend's brewing—some forces blur or swap the meanings of accepted words. No wonder "Civil War" just hit US theaters.

It's the same biblical story. People were filled with pride and couldn't construct their grand tower. They stopped understanding each other because God made them speak in different tongues.

If you're the CEO, notice how managers in different departments call the same things. You know what to do to cut friction. A tiny change has a massive impact.

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.

Context Matters / April 11, 2024 by Alexander Lyadov

In business, as in life, context is crucial.

Today, a certain method or software might be the ace up your sleeve. Tomorrow, it could be headed for the junkyard.

Or take a shovel, for instance. It's not disappearing anytime soon. But in one scenario, it's your lifeline; in another, it's excess baggage.

Things are patterns that people make into tools. Not my idea, but it's deep. I often ponder over it.

Calculator, tambourine, terrain map, Six Sigma, or Photoshop.

We often overvalue tangible things. At the same time, we tend to undervalue the implicit.

Sometimes, it costs us dearly. Like when we stubbornly cling to a familiar tool, even though the landscape has drastically changed. Either update its functionality or say goodbye to it.

Why does this happen? We ignore the context that birthed the tool. How to know? Use causes discomfort, friction, failure, or even injury.

So when your reliable tool suddenly fails, recall the conditions and purpose for which it was made.

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.

Believe In Them / April 10, 2024 by Alexander Lyadov

Recently, I came across a funny video. This chick was trying to grab a bite, but it kept missing. It'd get close to the caterpillar, open its beak wide, but bam! The caterpillar slipped away. The discouraged "hunter" repeated the trick.

It's a problem for little ones who have recently left their parental homes, nests, and burrows. They're spoiled with excessive care. The chicks are used to the idea that when hungry, all they need to do is chirp and open their mouths.

You can observe a similar situation in business too. Some leaders excessively coddle their subordinates. As a result, the latter don't develop skills like seeking, chasing, creating, etc.

There are many reasons for this. One boss doesn't trust employees to handle things. Another fears upsetting them. The third one doesn't have time to impart necessary knowledge to people. The fourth tends to attribute all merits to himself. The fifth one is eager to maintain control and power.

But you can't just stop the flow of life. There's a demand from employees, it's festering inside. Energy will seek a way out. What will happen? Self-destruction, departure to a competitor, or rebellion.

Interestingly, the CEO of the company will indeed do his best to improve business. He'll attract investments, implement efficiency-boosting methodologies, and conduct trainings.

Sure, the CEO will do his best to make things better. He'll try to get more investments, buy new software, and offer some training.

But what's really necessary is to help employees unleash their dormant potential. No investment needed, just a shift in mindset.

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.

Three Life Burns / April 9, 2024 by Alexander Lyadov

Looking back, I see that I usually got burned in three cases:

Was inattentive.
Trod on someone else’s path.
Was unprepared for the challenge.

I do not single out force majeure or other people’s evil intentions. They fit into one of the three categories above.

Number three - incompetence - it’s the simplest. After a tap on the nose, usually, it’s clear where the deficiency lies. Don’t be lazy, learn, train methodically, and one day you’ll become a master.

Another’s path - a tad trickier. Life’s full of temptations. Especially if you don’t know yourself well. No one teaches this comprehensively. You’ve got to gather knowledge bit by bit on your own.

Inattention is the primary issue. In fact, it even contributes to the other two.

First, you need to master your attention. If you’ve tried focusing breathing on the tip of your nose for an hour, you get it. The world is constantly stealing it and tearing it apart.

Yet this skill is nothing without clarity on where your attention should be directed. It’s the territory of meaning. You can’t rent it out. Meaning is always only yours.

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 Role Do You Choose? / April 8, 2024 by Alexander Lyadov

Nothing exhausts a person like inner struggle.

Competitor, envious, or villain from outside will breathe out sooner or later. Or switch to easier prey.

But the conflict within oneself won't calm down. How could it, if each side is convinced the other shouldn't exist? Here, like in "Highlander" movie, only one must remain. The struggle is the meaning.

The question is, what's your role?

You can be a victim. Suffer from lack of energy, sudden shifts to one extreme or another, and wonder: "Why is this happening to me? When will this end?".

If you're tired of endless suffering, you can become an observer. Accept the inevitability of what's happening. Settle into your chair, munch on popcorn, and watch this thrilling movie.

One day, your back will numb, and tears will well up in your eyes. The question will obscure the screen: "Why the heck am I sitting here?" You'll remember that beyond these walls, there's another world, with sunny and fresh air.

The main thing is, you feel an urge not to watch, but to make movies. The director understands the value of conflict. It weaves an interesting plot.

Also, the director knows that eventually the conflict must be resolved. Otherwise, existence stagnates.

But after a successful resolution, life rushes forward with doubled force!

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.

Beware the Beast / April 7, 2024 by Alexander Lyadov

Video of elephant ramming car full of tourists teaches lesson.

Any encounter with the wild is a dance on the edge.

Here are people basking in the harmony, tranquility, and beauty of the world. But in the next moment, they're knocked off their feet by the clawed and venomous chaos.

That's why many folks won't set foot in the savanna. They find comfort in the city, believing there are no wild beasts there. What a naive thought!

Take a closer look: the beast isn't in the savanna or the zoo, it resides within people. Only, it doesn't roar like a lion. It lurks in the darkness, akin to a deep-sea predator.

But given the chance, it strikes immediately. Few examples:

A group of cops can't subdue a man in a frenzy.
In a fight, one passes out, the other bashes their head on asphalt.
A raging crowd burns "heretics" at the social media stake, etc.

There's someone inside you too. A barracuda, a wasp, or a wild dingo. It's useful to study your beast's habits. So you don't later fall into shock: "I didn't do this! It's like someone possessed me!"

Your beast will be with you everywhere, always. You can't fully domesticate it. But if you're vigilant, life can be quite safe. And even interesting, as you what the beast is capable of.

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.

Why is Impermanence Good? / April 6, 2024 by Alexander Lyadov

In human experience, there's nothing infinite. Sooner or later, everything calms down, exhausts, and fades away.

For many, including myself, this fact is disheartening. What we cherish today, we'll eventually have to let go of.

Possession is fleeting. At best, we're companions with someone or custodians of values for a while. Memories remain, but even they increasingly resemble dreams.

Yet the finiteness of everything is good news too.

Negative trends, events, and emotions don't fuel an eternal engine. Yes, a forest fire may turn land into desert. But it won't stop plants, animals, and insects. Life in the wilderness will revive again.

What's confusing is that worry, resentment, or pain don't vanish smoothly. Rather, it's a slowly fading sine wave. Along it, we soar up, then plummet down. It seems endless, but it's not.

Many psychotherapy and meditation methods are similar. They either help endure the fading of such a sine wave calmly or hasten to reach its end.

When you're struggling again, recall this picture. Whatever poisons your life will fade too. Fortunately, nothing is eternal.

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.

Step Towards the Exit / April 5, 2024 by Alexander Lyadov

In the Theory of Constraints, the foundation lies in five guiding steps.

First, you need to identify the system's constraint. Otherwise, you'll be searching for keys not where you lost them, but where it's bright.

The second step is to exploit the constraint. If your business lacks customers, it'd be a crime to waste leads. They'd better have the status of corporate relics.

Step number three: align the entire system's work with the constraint. In a crisis, a CEO makes decisions swiftly, meaning individually. But his resources are finite. All managers have to adjust to him, always be available, and certainly not slow down.

Attention! Three steps have been taken, and much work has been done. But we haven't heard the most common requests: increasing the marketing budget, hiring a personal assistant, buying CRM, and so on.

Usually, companies do the opposite. Managers rush to throw money or people at what seems to be a problem to them. But reality tolerates such nonsense only for a while.

One day all resources are exhausted. Deposits crack open. Banks deny loans. Investors freeze. Shareholders' pockets empty.

The corporate body will face a binary choice: accept the bitter medicine of truth or perish from the sweet poison of illusions.

Before, we didn't want to look for where (and if) the bottleneck was in the bottle. But at the point of desperation, everything is obvious. The main constraint is us.

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.

Deciphering Chaos / April 4, 2024 by Alexander Lyadov

Jose Saramago, the Nobel Prize-winning Portuguese writer, once said, "Chaos is order yet undeciphered." Inspiring thought, right?

What seems like a frightening mess to a newcomer feeds and uplifts a professional.

A bright illustration of this is insight. A second before, you're confused, lost, or even desperate. Then bam! Everything falls into place. Instead of mess, there's a pattern. There's a signal instead of noise.

But to decipher the order, you must go through a situation countless times. The first time, everything seems complex and important. By the hundredth time, you conclude, "The main thing is X. Forget the rest."

That's how you build expertise in a particular domain. Either life dips you repeatedly into an experience, or you consciously seek it out time and time again.

Beyond domain expertise, there's meta-level expertise. It's when you recognize a common pattern in very distant fields. To others, your conclusions seem like pure magic.

And if you can extract order from chaos, then turn it into something valuable, you're either an artist or an entrepreneur. Either way, you're a creative person. Congrats!

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.

Seek Hungry Samurai / April 3, 2024 by Alexander Lyadov

In Kurosawa's epic 'Seven Samurai,' lies a valuable insight.

Bandits pledge to snatch all the peasants' harvest when it's ripe. The whole village is in despair. Suddenly, the elder recalls a time when the village survived because hired samurai protected it.

The peasants object: "That was a wealthy village. But besides barley, we got nothing. Samurai are proud folks. Will they take grain instead of cash?"

The elder replies: "Besides food, we got nothing. Find hungry samurai. 'Cause even a bear leaves the woods for hunger."

The difference in their thinking is glaring. Peasants habitually slump into the victim role. The cruel world has banded against them.

Even when a prototype solution is handed to them, they can't grab it. Their minds are shackled with false beliefs: "We're too poor. We got nothing valuable."

But if you dig deeper, you'll see - their self-absorption is getting in the way. They drown in self-pity, unable to see the world outside themselves.

Otherwise, they'd momentarily forget themselves and show genuine interest in the samurai. It'd become clear—they're humans too. In different circumstances. Who also need to eat to live.

The same mistake founders make when they overly focus on their company, its products, technologies, team, and so forth. They mistakenly try to solve the problem of their system from within.

The problem starts resolving itself when the founders and their team shift their focus from themselves to the customers. Or rather, to their problems. New doors swing open before them.

It turns out there's a special category of customers to whom you have something to offer. Your unique alliance will ensure a collective win.

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 Pit Stop / April 2, 2024 by Alexander Lyadov

After our bout, a stranger "blue belt" immediately asked me, "What do I need to improve? Where are my weak spots?"

Such questions come from maybe one person in a hundred. Obviously, this guy is going to progress exponentially.

I replied, "You're doing great, but one aspect is lacking. Either you charge ahead like a rhino or slack off like a jellyfish. By the seventh minute of the fight, you're done. Fuel tank's empty."

"You need to learn to rest during the bout," I explained, "Got into a good position? Don't rush to attack. Take a pause for five to ten seconds. It's like turbo-charging your phone."

In business and life, achieving success is hard. But it's equally hard to maintain it. The ideal is to methodically record achievements like the gears in a winch. One step forward, not a step back.

In my practice, I encounter entrepreneurs with a tilt. They gush with cool ideas, launch profitable projects and partnerships. Then they lose it all. It repeats until they burn out.

They suffer from exhaustion in two ways. A myriad of important activities tear their attention apart daily. No time to catch their breath.

But with time, they're also forced to admit the futility of their sacrifices. It's business for the sake of business. Vanity of vanities. For what?

The problem is the unhealthy behavior pattern has been entrenched for years. As soon as they let their guard down, they derail.

So, usually, it's necessary to act systematically:

Recognize the root cause and consequences of the status quo.
Set clear priorities, what's crucial and what's not.
Schedule a ritual akin to "my pit-stop" in your calendar.
Have someone who won't let you lie about progress.

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.

Expanding Space and Time / April 1, 2024 by Alexander Lyadov

Often, the problem is not the problem, but the ticking clock.

It's tough to brainstorm when the countdown is blaring in your ear: 'Three! Two! One! Game over.'

Your inner world shrinks to the size of a dot. How can a new idea squeeze in there? There's no space left. Not even for you.

But surrendering is foolish. You haven't exhausted all means yet.

Your main task is to carve out a tiny space for yourself.

Imagine in jiu-jitsu your opponent pins you to the ground. What to do? Slip your knee or elbow between your bodies. Now you can brief. Then, use that lever to break free.

Meditation, humor, and therapy work similarly. Negative emotions try to engulf you. Instead, you label them and shift to the observer's position. Voilà! Space emerges between you and them.

Space and time are intimately linked. By expanding space, you gain time to choose your reaction. And with a time buffer, your freedom expands. You can tackle almost anything.

The longer the planning horizon, the easier it is to reach your goal. That's why the best entrepreneurs have a clear vision of their business decades ahead.

Predicting market and societal shifts is impossible. But the more time you have, the easier it is to turn anything to your advantage: bad events, obstacles, or trends.

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.

Evolution of Value and Price / March 31, 2024 by Alexander Lyadov

29 years ago, I embarked on my advertising career. Agencies' income stemmed from commissions on media budgets. Nobody purchased our creative and intellectual output; we gave it away for free. My client Ferrero would say, "Just adapt our Italian ad, and that's it."

Oddly enough, clients' desire to save money helped. I discovered the "Cost-plus" method, where agencies reveal the team's salaries, overhead costs, and profit to the client. This approach helped us win a crucial pitch during the 1998 crisis.

We applied this method to all clients. Now, each specialist had a price, hence value. The agency gained stability. Sadly, international clients still saw us merely as executors. Our creative potential hardly interested them.

In 2001, I became CEO and launched a series of experiments. We shifted our focus to local clients. Ironically, their potential didn't interest any major agencies. Except us. That's how the country learned about brands like Fozzi, Selpo, Morshynska, Roshen, Myagkov, and others.

It turned out that the only thing these clients cared about was our ability to skyrocket their sales by launching a vibrant brand. And we excelled at it. Realizing this, I proposed a new pricing method to the most ambitious clients.

"Payment by results" resonated with them. Being entrepreneurs, they were willing to share success. In a short time, local clients became our biggest earners. But beyond the rewards, the work brought us joy, creative fulfillment, market recognition, and most importantly, meaning.

Since then, I've learned even more about various pricing models. This subject fascinates me. If you tangibly solve client problems, sticking to old pricing means leaving value on the table.

Reflecting on this evolution, I draw these conclusions:

The market defines you, but it evolves. Change with it.
There are always those who direly need your contribution.
When you create colossal value together, it's easy to share.
No one will make you rich; you must offer a lucrative deal.
It's only possible if you highly value your craft.

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.

Learning From Nature / March 30, 2024 by Alexander Lyadov

In the video, a praying mantis eats a wasp. Meanwhile, another wasp cuts this mantis in half. Ants scurry around.

This video isn't as fascinating as the comments beneath it.

"Imagine being so distracted trying to destroy something you don’t realize your being destroyed...". That's what happens when an entrepreneur ruins his (or her) business, caught up in chasing after a co-founder in public spaces and courts.

"These ants are gonna be the real winners in the end." Suppose a company is torn apart by internal conflicts for a long time. The ultimate beneficiary won't be its owner. Numerous big and small competitors won't leave even bones behind.

One: "Why didn't you help? Instead of filming" Another: "Help whom? The hornet or the mantis?" Humans simply can't view nature without their morality. They deeply pity the rabbit in the fox's jaws. They thirst to intervene... and doom hungry fox cubs to death. Who are you? Almighty God?

Pride is the main obstacle in business. A leader clings to beliefs and forms dear to him, even when the market signals: "I'm more complex. I'm evolving. I'm not what you thought I was."

What's a CEO to do? Act. But beware the temptation of dogma. Recognize the inevitable side effect of your intervention. Most importantly, have a clear answer to the question: "For what?"

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.

Is There a Meaning to Pain? / March 29, 2024 by Alexander Lyadov

Many have been convinced that everything in this world is relative. The grand narratives of the past have fragmented into micro-stories on TikTok. People have lost their bearings. Postmodernist Derrida declared, "There is nothing outside the text."

The only thing no one will deny is pain. Regardless of age, gender, race, personality type, education, or political beliefs, pain is real for absolutely everyone. In Buddhism, there's a broader concept—"dukkha." It translates to "suffering" or "restless dissatisfaction." Even pleasure is painful because it differs from expectations, fleeting, and painfully desired to repeat.

Ignoring one's suffering is only possible for a while. Even after years, a person eventually explodes: "Enough! I can't bear this anymore! I'll do something, anything."

Pain is the most reliable catalyst for change.

What would happen if a person is artificially deprived of suffering? For instance, distracting him, pumping him with painkillers, or rendering him numb. It may seem like an act of love and sympathy. But the person becomes a zombie, an automaton, a puppet. He's not living.

No current flows when there is no potential difference between the cathode and the anode.

A person must mature on his own to change his life for the better. During this process, he (or she) will suffer until reaching a breaking point. But afterward, growth will be exponential.

Do you believe the conditions for change differ for an organization?

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.

Small Predator Won't Pass / March 28, 2024 by Alexander Lyadov

When you think about self-protection, what comes to mind?

Maybe steel doors, alarms, weapons, and bodyguards. Your imagination paints a picture of sinister crime scenes, then tries to protect you from it.

Statistically, however, a different scenario is more likely. Figuratively speaking, you're more likely to encounter a hyena or a spider than a lion or a leopard.

Realistically, there aren't many dangerous predators, and they're choosy about their prey. I hope you're not cruising in an emerald Bentley, showering clubs with cash. If so, in terms of ROI, you're not an appealing target for a villain.

It's the small predators that are the real concern. They're everywhere. Their human counterparts? Con artists, thieves, thugs, charlatans, lunatics, and so on.

They won't take your life, but they can mess up your health, empty your bank account, or ruin your mood for a week. What's frustrating is not just the damage they cause, but their frequency and sudden onset.

Luckily, there's a simple solution. You need a tiny barrier. Not even a wall, ditch, or fence. A small predator can overcome it but won't bother. There are plenty of careless people around after all.

The barrier is direct eye contact, squared shoulders, and a confident stride in the city. Dummy security cameras in public places. A janitor in the lobby. A barking dog in your flat.

A symbolic barrier costs pennies. But in the long run, it saves you a lot. By the way, does your company have such a 'barrier'? And what is that?

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.