Too Different Dreams / May 20, 2024 by Alexander Lyadov

Working with multiple co-founders has a critical moment. I ask them to describe the desired future of the company in 3-5 years. They eagerly dive in, revealing what they thought was "obvious to everyone."

Suddenly, it turns out they envision... very different companies.

Growth rate, geography, team, or scale can all differ. Not to mention plans to sell shares and levels of personal involvement. Sometimes, the company's value differs several times over.

The question is—can the partners make decisions today?

Different destinations affect literally everything:

Success indicators,
Strategic priorities,
Team composition,
Investor and creditor involvement,
Exit strategy, and so on.

Clearly, partners will often clash, increasingly frustrated by each other's "stubbornness" and "stupidity." Employees will also suffer, trying against all odds to reach the goals. But which goals?

It's obvious why partners need to regularly align interests. But what if there's only one owner? Sometimes the situation is similar.

The founder believes he (or she) has a clear vision for the business. Until he starts describing it in numbers and words. How much he doesn't know about himself!

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.

Don't Rush / May 19, 2024 by Alexander Lyadov

You don't need $500 Adizero Pro Evo 1 running shoes.

Forget about the kimono embroidered with golden dragons.

Avoid buying a luxury Peloton Bike for your home.

You haven't earned any of these yet. These are overkill.

Stick with the sport for six months, better yet, a year.

First, you save yourself the risk of wasting money. Beginners' ambitions make marketers rich.

Second, you'll find out if it's really for you. Often, you only understand your desires after enough time in the saddle.

Third, you'll learn to distinguish between good and evil. Every activity has nuances that affect your safety, speed, comfort, and so on. In a year, you'll make significant progress on the learning curve.

Your task is to train regularly and observe yourself.

Focus on the Process itself.

Let the optimal Form emerge from 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.

Creative Conflict / May 18, 2024 by Alexander Lyadov

Opposites clash everywhere we look:

Co-founders argue in court, destroying a great business.
Couples divorce, scarring themselves and their children.
People are exhausted by the constant inner struggle.

This conflict is so universal it seems normal.

What does it mean to be unlike you? At the very least, it's useless. Maybe even dangerous. Hence the denial, mockery, devaluation, and attempts to neutralize the perceived threat.

There is a temptation to frame the question like: either him (darkness) or me (light).

In local logic with a short horizon, it makes sense. If the goal is to stay exactly as you are now forever.

The hidden belief here is: “I am perfect.” In other words: “I am God: omnipresent, omniscient and omnipotent.”

Of course, this is pride. “The immoderate desire for superiority,” as Thomas Aquinas said.

Human history teaches that pride is doomed to epic failure. The reason lies in the unpredictability of the world at all levels, whether cell, market, or cosmos.

The real challenge is how to survive and thrive in an environment where chaos is inescapable. The answer lies at the intersection of different, especially polar, viewpoints.

Your surplus complements my deficit and vice versa. The more eclectic our thinking and worldview, the greater the chance of breakthrough solutions. But conflict becomes more likely too. How do we avoid it?

Opposites co-create when there is a developed culture:

Honest recognition of our strengths and especially our deficits.
Evaluation of real problems that are bigger than you and me.
Acknowledgment that the other's difference is a value.

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 Do We Miss Opportunities? / May 17, 2024 by Alexander Lyadov

Right place, right time.

The success formula is known to all. So why is its use so rare?

When opportunity arrives, it doesn’t look like itself.

Like in a fairy tale, where a princess turns out to be an old witch. The hero’s task is to break the spell. It's tough. Others tried and failed. What did they lack?

They were young, bold, and strong. Their swords were sharp, their horses fast. But lifting ancient magic requires something else.

They wanted to change the world but weren’t ready to change themselves.

In their eyes, the beauty of function was obscured by ugly form.

Not everyone can let go of old beliefs, even when they’re false. Such people will stumble over opportunities, fall hard, and trudge on, complaining about the world’s unfairness.

But some people see “right place, right time” as “here and now.” Their keen eyes spot opportunities everywhere. Neuroplasticity is their middle name.

I bet you can guess who I truly admire.

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.

Inner Measure / May 16, 2024 by Alexander Lyadov

Who decides if you're successful or not? If it's other people, you are not an entrepreneur.

The market is generally efficient. All the obvious opportunities have already been taken. To create real value, you must act unconventionally, surprising everyone, including yourself.

Unusual solutions only fit when the founder is intimately connected to his environment. He relies on his sense of what must be done right now. The crowd’s opinion is useless here.

An entrepreneur's measure of success lies within.

Like a hermit monk, he knows when he has sinned, meaning he has strayed from his goal. Mistakes are valuable because they point toward the ideal.

Notice that an inner compass is not the Ego. In this sense, a founder, surfer, musician, and poet are alike. They recognize the presence of a higher power with which they seek to align.

To achieve this, you must be extremely attentive, precise in words and actions, and honest with yourself. Then, the giant wave won’t crash you but will lift you to heights you never dreamed 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.

Death Valley's Purpose / May 15, 2024 by Alexander Lyadov

Any startup goes through the "Valley of Death." It's when expenses and problems pile up, but revenues are still nowhere to be seen.

Usually, this period is full of worries, discomfort and extra efforts. Rarely does a founder have an investor with bottomless pockets, or simply sells their product with ease.

You just need to survive the "Valley of Death." Chances are slim, but they're there.

Essentially, it's a sieve of destiny. True entrepreneurs are separated from those who merely wish to appear as such.

The difference is that the former are willing to sacrifice almost everything for the sake of realizing a Wow-idea. While the latter are content to hold the title of 'founder and CEO' for a year or two.

In other words, for an entrepreneur, the supreme value is the Business. Everything else takes a back seat: ego, health, savings, relationships, comforts, habits, dogmas, and so on.

You understandable why a person emerges from the "Valley of Death" transformed.

Interestingly, this path is universal. If you've drastically changed professions, settled in a new country, or rediscovered your essence, a gloomy phase of despair and resignation is inevitable.

Remember, the purpose of this phase is to help you answer the question: "How much do I really want this new X?"

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.

When You Welcome Novelty? / May 14, 2024 by Alexander Lyadov

Will you play with friends if you know the outcome of the game? Maybe once, for the sake of pleasure: "I control everything." But not more. Predictability nullifies interest.

Real life always contains an element of surprise. We feel our pulse only when it quickens at the "A-ha!" moment.

If there's no hint of novelty, life turns into routine. Days and years pass, and we, like wasps, get stuck in the syrup. When there's too much automation, there's an impulse to catapult.

Turns out, we need uncertainty. We don't want to know for sure what the future holds for us.

There's just one "but." We're not against pleasant surprises and can even tolerate minor disappointments. But only if we avoid catastrophic failure.

The more protected we are, the more we welcome novelty.

There are at least two ways to ensure such protection. The most obvious one is to increase the level of knowledge, skills, and resources, so that resilience amortizes any harmful effects.

There's another type of protection. It's when you have nothing to lose. Either you've already lost everything, or you've mentally decided: "Arrivederci."

In this vein, voluntarily immersing oneself in comfort, idleness, and pleasure is self-destruction.

While self-restraint is the path to freedom, prosperity, and meaning.

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 to Secure a Strong Exit? / May 13, 2024 by Alexander Lyadov

The essence of business lies in the ability to create value.

With your involvement in the project, there's a "before-after" delta. It's one thing—thousands of dollars, another—billions. It's clear when you're flying off the shelves.

Soon, it becomes evident that being a value generator isn't enough.

You need to not only grow but also harvest the crop. Otherwise, you remain the author while the beneficiary is always someone else.

Sure, you can hone tough negotiation skills to avoid getting squeezed out during the final split. But usually, creators abhor the very paradigm of transactional relationships, zero-sum games, and so on.

Negotiations are ideal when unnecessary, while their function is self-attained. For this, you must be in the strongest position possible. You have it only once—BEFORE the project begins.

Remember—strong exits are crafted at the entrance.

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.

Activation Energy / May 12, 2024 by Alexander Lyadov

I don't know about you, but I can get into anything. Even if it's the dullest, scariest, or most unpleasant activity. Sounds like a superpower, huh?

No, because I haven't told you about the cost yet.

A chemical reaction won't kick off until molecules overcome the energy barrier. To get the system into a transition state, you need activation energy. It's measured in joules per mole.

For some tasks, I have to invest an insane amount of those joules. For instance:

Dealing with a psycho or a bore.
A problem that's either too basic or too convoluted.
Memorizing gibberish or conjuring a Wow-idea on the spot.

In those moments, it's like staring into the abyss. I know there's a chance to leap over it, but it takes a complete surrender to the challenge.

What's the way out? Always ask yourself: "What's it all for?".

It's not about the cost at all. You can give up a lot. But is the sacrifice justified? Or is it just another attempt to tie legs to a drawn snake?

Nobody finds your meaning in anything but 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.

Pro In Chaos / May 11, 2024 by Alexander Lyadov

What to do when you fall off board while big wave surfing? When you can neither see the bottom nor the sky? When you are a grain of sand being played with by massive waves?

Gather yourself and wait patiently for the ocean to release its grip. That's what a seasoned surfer once told me.

The problem is that you never know when the ocean will show mercy. But the supply of oxygen in your lungs is guaranteed to vanish before your eyes. In that sense, both pros and rookies risk suffocation and drowning. So, what sets them apart?

The pro's got a strategy. He stretches his oxygen reserves. He endures the reef's blows. He knows what he is waiting for.

Amidst the chaos, he spots order and purpose. His coordinates haven't shifted. Sky and land remain present yet unseen.

He must grit his teeth and hold on a little longer.

As soon as the ocean loosens its grip and a glimmer of the surface appears, he bolts for the exit without delay.

That's why the pro stays cool. He's got stuff to do. He gives it his all, ditches stupid risks, leaving the rest to fate.

A strategy doesn't guarantee success, but it seriously ups the odds. Why? Because the pro knows the ocean inside out, and he knows himself just as well.

No illusions mean no surprises for the pro. The ocean's both a cold-blooded killer and a nurturing farther. And pro himself is both a helpless grain of sand and the one-who-is-at-one-with-the-mighty-ocean.

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 Key to True Partnership / May 10, 2024 by Alexander Lyadov

True partnership is accepting the other's difference.

It's naive to change someone's personality and way of being. When you meet a river, you either use its power or bypass it. Only the USSR could afford to turn rivers. And where is it now?

Want to know why there are so few successful partnerships?

Before accepting the other's difference, you must first accept your own.

It means considering the thought that everything that irritates, saddens, and drives you crazy about yourself has some hidden meaning.

It's definitely not a defect. Not evil. Not an extra detail. You are made with good intentions and a wise plan. By whom? When? How exactly?

You have a whole life to find answers.

Exhaustive self-knowledge is not a prerequisite for partnership. But readiness to explore yourself—yes.

Moreover, therein lies the secret of a stable partnership's prosperity.

Focusing on the unknown guarantees that any daunting phenomenon will reveal its positive side 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.

The Founder's Faith / May 9, 2024 by Alexander Lyadov

In the beginning, there's nothing. Just the Founder.

He's not self-obsessed like the others. He's open to the world but keeps his inner connection intact.

In other words, a founder is "and-and," not "either-or."

The fisherman fades away. All that remains is the float, sensitive to the slightest signals. In the market chaos, the founder tries to spot the new trend in time.

He hooks the Big Idea.

But its magnitude is clear only to him. For a long time, everyone around will consider him a fool, an adventurer, or a dreamer.

Nothing explicit yet. You can't present or touch It. Sometimes the founder even has to invent a new language so the most astute would exclaim, "Ah, that's how? That's intriguing."

Imagine the trust one must have in the world and in oneself? Surroundings, experts, and even his senses scream that value is zero. But the founder "unfoundedly" believes the value is colossal.

Before a string of zeros, he inserts a one, which changes everything.

Nothingness turns into Something.

Essentially, it's an Act of Faith. That is, an auto-da-fé-a public burning at the stake of heretics during the XIII-XVIII centuries.

Do you understand why there are so few founders in any society?

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.

Mastery's Path / May 8, 2024 by Alexander Lyadov

In the iconic 1973 movie "Enter the Dragon," there's an intriguing dialogue between the teacher and Bruce Lee:

Teacher: I see your Talents go beyond the mere physical level. Your skills are now at the point of spiritual insight I have several questions. What is the highest technique you hope to achieve?
Lee: To have no technique.
Teacher: Very good. What are your thoughts when facing an opponent?
Lee: There is no oppoenet.
Teacher: And why is that?
Lee: Because the word I does not exist.
Teacher: So, continue.
Lee: A good fight should be like a small play but played seriously. A good martial artist does not become tense but ready. Not thinking yet, not dreaming. Ready for whatever may come. When the opponent expands I contract. When he contracts, I expand. And when there is an opportunity I do not hit. It (fist) hits all by itself.

We tread the same path in our endeavors. Initially, we master many unfamiliar techniques, learn strategy and tactics, and distinguish grains from chaff.

Over time, as the samurai Musashi expressed it, all these swords-tools become extensions of our hands. Achieving our desired goal becomes as easy as smiling.

But to the same extent that our mastery grows, our "I" must dissolve. As long as we cling to the Ego, we cannot merge with being. So the reality of what's happening remains closed.

Only at the beginner level can external factors like the absence of a teacher or the complexity of the subject limit progress. But if you've managed to climb high, the only limitation is you.

This is a universal problem of all entrepreneurs. As they grow their businesses, they keep bumping into themselves. The more they want to unlock the hidden potential of their business, the less likely they are to delude themselves.

No matter how big your problem, as always, you'll find the solution yourself. Sometimes, all you need is a gentle push. One touch, and the ripe fruit falls into your hands.

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 Truth / May 7, 2024 by Alexander Lyadov

In working with clients, it can be scary to tell them the truth. It's a risk. If a person has lived in illusions for a long time, your words can burn.

It's a conflict between what the cliens need and what they want. If the goal is genuinely to help, their need takes priority. This is where your professionalism shines in risky moments.

But I've noticed when people willingly accept the truth about themselves. In your eyes, they should read warmth, interest, and, dare I say it, love.

Twice they took blood from my vein. The first nurse was in a rush , so she wasn't present. The injection was painful, even though she followed the checklist. The second one worked with a person, not just a patient. It even lifted my mood.

Loving someone else requires honesty with yourself. Otherwise, you'll find yourself either forcing their rescue, watching from a distance, or scolding them for their mistakes.

During your work, you should disappear but be actively present. Then the client will feel like they're the center of a mini-universe. In ordinary life, such an experience is rare. Changes happen on their 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.

Founder's Test / May 6, 2024 by Alexander Lyadov

A company is the mirror reflection of its founder's personality. At least until there's a real board, and the owner is essentially the CEO.

What today's business represents is built upon the virtues of the founder, despite his or her flaws. All the responsibility and power lie in the founder's hands. Over the years, he can change absolutely everything in the business.

So when the company hits another glass ceiling, it's not about competitors, the government, or the market. It means the founder has stumbled upon another constraint within himself.

That's fate testing how much of an entrepreneur you are. If you cling too tightly to old beliefs, the business will stagnate. If there's any growth, it'll always be less than others'.

But perhaps the thought of your business's potential going untapped is unbearable. You feel like the world's best jeweler, summoned by the queen to cut a 3000-carat diamond.

If your future business means something to you, you'd willingly sacrifice yourself. Or more precisely, that part of your ego hindering a quantum leap. As a result, you'll change. Your personality grows alongside the business.

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.

Less Is More / May 5, 2024 by Alexander Lyadov

Listen to the marvelous tale of an engineer's child. In their game, they built a Lego bridge, but it needed fixing. While the father searched for an extra piece, the son removed the spare one.

The astonished engineer replicated the experiment with colleagues. No one fixed the bridge as elegantly as the child did. He concluded, "People seem programmed to add, add, add."

What do people in business usually say when problems escalate?

"We're severely understaffed in accounting."
"The only way out is to hire an expensive foreigner."
"In our industry, the only way to grow is through M&A."
"If we don't raise a new round of investment, we're done."
"What can I do when competitors have twice the budget?"
"Delay the project by a quarter, and we'll finish construction."

If business therapy needed a slogan, I'd pick: "Less Is More." All I do is help founders see the essence by freeing themselves from nonsense, illusions, and lies.

Around us and within us are many fears and temptations. They tug at our attention and throw off our aim.

The main thing in business is to keep focused on the main thing.

That's why decluttering isn't a one-time thing. It needs to happen regularly, at least once a quarter.

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.

Indicators of Progress / May 4, 2024 by Alexander Lyadov

Howard Sochurek, The LIFE Picture Collection, 1957

Imagine an F-1 pilot who couldn't care less about winning the Grand Prix. He doesn't give a hoot about race outcomes, perfecting those turns, or how quick pit stops are.

Yet, he goes on and on about his passion for racing. He's amazed by the cars' power, the crowd's roar, and the team vibe.

Sounds odd, right? You can't be the best racer worldwide without knowing what you're doing right and wrong. Kids racing in the backyard don't need this, but in Monaco, it's pros going head-to-head.

Sometimes, though, I meet founders who can't say how much their company's worth. They admit they've never even thought about it.

Some of them have to search through files just to find out how much profit the company made in a year. So, numbers aren't their decision-making tool.

There were even times when founders passionately explained why money isn't their top priority. They care more about making customers, employees, or society happy.

"In business... money... isn't a priority... for you," I echoed.

Are you surprised these companies weren't market leaders, lacked stability, and had a host of chronic problems?

The road is rough for tourists who don't appreciate a compass.

Surely, business isn't just about profit, just like hockey isn't just about scoring goals. Jiu-jitsu isn't only about winning fights or snagging gold at the European Championship.

Feedback is vital for growth of anything. Through indicators, reality shows the value your business creates.

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.

Self-Selection of CEO / May 3, 2024 by Alexander Lyadov

Picture this: You're the founder of a company, and it's time to hire a CEO. How do you pick the right one? Look at how they handle bonuses.

For instance, a candidate fights hard for a fixed salary but easily agrees to a variable one without fuss.

That's a red flag. Their discount rate is colossal. In other words, he sees the company's future as too bleak.

Why? Maybe he thinks your idea is too risky and he can't figure out how to make it work. Or he might not fully understand your business yet but wouldn't mind learning on your dime for a year or two.

By hiring him, you'd essentially be building two very different businesses. Get ready for clashes, conflicts, and an inevitable split.

To test your suspicions offer him a trade-off. Ask: "If we cut your salary by another $50K, what extra bonus would make up for it?"

If he says "$100K," that's one thing. But if it's "$1M," that's a whole different story. This question quickly reveals his pH-nature, like litmus test.

This is even more important when choosing a co-founder.

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 Forgotten Purpose / May 2, 2024 by Alexander Lyadov

Why is the German Shepherd breed degenerating?

The dog's working qualities became unimportant to breeders. Now, looks are priority #1.

Sadly, people put the horse before the cart. They forgot what made the German Shepherd famous and turned it into the standard for security dogs.

Similarly, businesses degenerate when people forget why they came together. For example, when a CEO wants to look progressive and implements one trendy management fad after another.

Or when infantile employees endlessly assert their rights and expect care, viewing the company as a mother's breast.

Or when owners refuse to share power with top managers. Losing control is scarier to them than business stagnation and collapse.

What happens in all these cases?

The local triumphs over the global. Form replaces function. Seeming is more important than being.

Is it different for your business? I hope so.

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.

Beyond IQ / May 1, 2024 by Alexander Lyadov

Al Pacino and Keanu Reeves, "The Devil's Advocate", 1997

Many factors influence success in business and life. It's long been known that consciousness and intellect stand out.

Unfortunately, mishandling any gift can turn it into a curse.

Consciousness means responsibility, orderliness, and organization. Admirable qualities. But if there's an excess in a person or group, we get burnout, intolerance, and despotism.

Developed intellect can achieve what most people can't. The problem is that this privilege is not enough. They easily fall into pride, thinking themselves smarter than the market, nature, fate, meaning God.

Ancient mythology hints at the destiny of the overly confident leaders. First, they suddenly lose their luck in their endeavors (peripeteia), then the gods' punishment catches up with them (nemesis).

Hence, there's something even more valuable than IQ and consciousness. It's elusive as the wind, so you won't catch it in data or put it under a microscope.

It's knowing thyself.

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.