Building a business that aligns with my nature
The year I gained clarity2024 was the year I finally gained clarity on the kind of business I want to build, how I need to build it, the businesses I won’t pursue, and why expert advice is often overrated.
For most of my entrepreneurial journey, I viewed business in a non-compounding manner and often approached it in ways that diverged from what I truly wanted. While this approach may work for others, it never worked for me. I had a 100% failure rate whenever I followed conventional, widely accepted business wisdom. Honestly, I wish the traditional path worked for me—it’s clear, structured, and successful for many. However, it simply doesn’t align with who I am. What has always worked for me is zagging when others zig.
Zagging is undoubtedly a difficult path to success, but the marginal returns are often astronomical. Here’s the kicker: zagging doesn’t always guarantee immediate success. That path is filled with failures, too. However, eventual success is inevitable when patience and timing are factored in.
I made a definitive decision to pursue business in the tech industry and build tech companies in 2019, inspired by the book Capitalism Without Capital. Aside from my own book, The Creator Community Business Playbook, Capitalism Without Capital is another book I highly recommend to any high-performance individual. However, I didn’t start taking action until late 2020. The journey to getting started was filled with ups and downs, but I’ll save that story for another time.
Between 2022 and 2023, I experimented with different business models to discover where my strengths truly lay. This exploration didn’t just help me identify the types of businesses I should build—it also revealed the kinds of businesses I should never pursue. The lessons were hard, costing me both personal and investor capital. Some of these businesses looked great on paper but were disastrous in execution, while others suffered from poor timing. These experiences shaped my business and investment philosophy, which revolves around three core principles:
1. Industry Focus: Creativity and Healthcare
I only build businesses in two industries: the creative industry and the healthcare industry. These fields have been part of my life since childhood—I grew up around them, studied them, and enjoy building within them, even when challenges arise. If you examine everything I’ve done over the past few years, you’ll see traces of creativity and healthcare in each venture.
2. Preference for Intangible Businesses
I avoid businesses that require significant physical infrastructure. Instead, I favor intangible, scalable businesses—hence my strong inclination toward tech.
3. Automation Over Human Labor
I steer clear of businesses that rely heavily on human labor rather than automation or technology. People are often unreliable; machines rarely fail. People lie; data doesn’t. I focus on building businesses that require minimal human involvement, allowing me to hire only the absolute best talent when necessary.
Additional Business Principles:
- Alignment With My Nature: As an introvert, I avoid business models or roles that force me into an extroverted spotlight.
- Avoidance of Heavily Regulated Industries: Bureaucracy stifles innovation, so I stay away from industries bogged down by excessive regulation.
- Value Over Time: I prefer business models that exchange value for money rather than time for money.
- Selective Advice Consumption: I ignore advice from those who are dissimilar to me, particularly extroverts. I only take business advice from introverts, as I find their perspectives more relatable.
- Rejection of Mainstream Business Trends: I disregard general startup advice, business hype, and so-called “business porn.” Following the herd is a surefire way to mediocrity.
These guiding principles led me to write my books and build the businesses I currently run. You can check them out below:
The Purpose of This Write-up
I’m not here to convince anyone to build businesses the way I do. My point is simple: building a business that aligns with your nature is far more sustainable than building one that doesn’t.
Many people start businesses to gain celebrity status and become well-known. I build successful businesses to maintain a reclusive status—to be less known than my ventures. I want the spotlight on my businesses, not on me. While others zig, I will continue zagging.
The book I am reading currently
https://www.amazon.com/7-Powers-Foundations-Business-Strategy/dp/0998116319