Why Capable Founders Struggle More Than They Should
I met Sara in Istanbul. Sara is a couture fashion designer based in Belgium, with more than fifteen years in business. Her work is shown at major events (film festivals, fashion shows, tradeshows…) and she sells and collaborates internationally. From the outside, this looks like success. She runs a serious atelier. She is visionary and […]
Why Strong Economics Is Not The Enemy of Impact
I work a lot with mission-driven engineers on the financial side of their entrepreneurial projects. Once they have identified their innovation and have an idea of how to bring it to market, I help them translate their project into financial terms and build the economic backbone of their business. One thing always strikes me: money […]
Why “I need more information” Is Often a Survival Response
“Why don’t we go to this tradeshow?” Or this trunkshow. Or this sponsorship opportunity. Or this pop-up store. Or this event. Or… You get the picture. These are the sorts of questions that your teams, or yourself, have probably asked many times and it keeps coming back. They are real opportunities: more visibility, potential sales, […]
Why Avoided Decisions Are Still Decisions
There is a pattern I see again and again with business founders. When they talk about their business, whether they are fashion designers, scientists or artists, they speak with passion about their products: how they are designed, made, and how they will be like in the future. That obsession on perfecting the product is real […]