One person.

One laptop.

One idea.

No boss.

No office politics.

No permission.

But look under the hood.

Most solopreneurs are not really solo.

They have a designer.

A VA.

A copywriter.

A developer.

A bookkeeper.

A sales person.

A podcast editor.

A “small team behind the scenes.”

And that is fine.

But it is not solo.

It is a micro-business with a personal brand on top.

I think we are entering a new category.

Not solopreneurship.

Free Solo.

Like Alex Honnold climbing El Capitan.

No rope.

No safety net.

Just skill, preparation and full responsibility.

One person. AI leverage. No handoffs.

The Big Idea

Free Solo = Taste + AI Leverage + Full Ownership

The old model was:

Growth = People + Process + Capital

The new model is:

Freedom = Skill x Tools x Direction

AI changes the game because the bottleneck is no longer labour.

The bottleneck is taste.

Clarity.

Judgement.

The ability to decide what matters and ship.

Why This Matters Now

For years, business meant more.

More tools.

More specialists.

More layers.

More meetings.

More SaaS.

More people to manage the people.

Then AI attacked the middle.

The waiting.

The briefing.

The back-and-forth.

The “I’ll get someone to draft it.”

The “let’s find a freelancer.”

Now one focused person can create the first version of almost anything.

A landing page.

A product idea.

A course.

A pitch deck.

A prototype.

A sales page.

A customer support agent.

A tiny app.

This is not anti-team.

Good teams are magic.

But many people build teams too early because they are scared of the empty page.

Free Solo means you do the hard thinking yourself first.

The Free Solo tinyOS

1. Start with a one-person promise

Ask:

What can I ship without waiting for anyone?

Not the perfect version.

The first real version.

A PDF.

A workshop.

A guide.

A Substack series.

A tiny product.

If version one needs five people, it might be too heavy.

2. Use AI as your extended nervous system

Do not treat AI as a chatbot.

Use it to think.

Clarify the idea.

Stress-test assumptions.

Draft the offer.

Map the customer journey.

Build the prototype.

Turn messy notes into assets.

The goal is not just saving time.

The goal is removing drag.

3. Skill-stack before you outsource

Before you hire, ask:

Can I learn the 20% that gets me 80% of the result?

You do not need to be a designer.

But understand layout.

You do not need to be a developer.

But understand the basics.

You do not need to be a copywriter.

But learn how to write a headline that makes people stop.

Free Solo is not doing everything badly.

It is learning enough to move without permission.

4. Build agents before teams

Turn repeatable work into small machines.

Research agent.

Content agent.

Sales follow-up agent.

FAQ agent.

Workshop planning agent.

Competitor analysis agent.

Every repeatable task should become infrastructure.

Not because you are lazy.

Because your attention is sacred.

5. Keep the vision undiluted

No committee.

No compromise.

No “let’s make it more corporate.”

Just you and the work.

Your taste.

Your weirdness.

Your edge.

That is the moat.

Modern Proof

Look around.

One person can run a media company.

One person can launch a course.

One person can build a niche tool.

One person can publish, test, sell and learn faster than a team stuck in meetings.

The next wave of builders will look strange.

Small on the outside.

Massive leverage underneath.

No big office.

No headcount story.

Just output.

And output is the new credibility.

The Permission Slip

You do not need to hire people to feel like a founder.

You do not need a team before traction.

You do not need permission.

You can go Free Solo.

Not forever.

Not as a religion.

As a starting point.

A way to prove you can move.

AI does not remove the climb.

It removes the excuses.

So the real question is simple:

What do you actually want to build?

Final Call to Action

This week, do one Free Solo move.

Pick one thing you would normally outsource, delay or overthink.

Then do the first version yourself with AI.

Write the page.

Build the prototype.

Create the offer.

Map the system.

Ship the tiny thing.

Become the kind of person who can move without waiting.

Not solopreneur.

Not freelancer.

Not creator.

Free Solo Builder.

Reply and tell me what you are building without the rope.

Education is no longer the bottleneck. Execution is.

Stanford put its entire AI curriculum online.
Machine learning. Neural networks. Deep learning.
Lectures, assignments, instructions. Free.

Google did the same.
IBM. SAP. Open source communities.
YouTube. GitHub. Papers. Tools.

The excuse
“I don’t have access to world-class education”
officially died last year.

We are now living in the post-access era.

And that’s where things get awkward.

Because when everything is available, the only thing left is proof of work.

Not vibes.
Not bookmarks.
Not “I watched a video about it once.”

Actual work.

Sitting down when it’s uncomfortable.
Reading when it’s boring.
Building when it’s confusing.
Sticking with it when your brain wants to quit.

This is why most people are stuck.

They mistake consumption for progress.
They collect courses like Pokémon cards.
They confuse knowing about things with knowing
how to do things.

But learning doesn’t care about your intentions.
It only responds to effort.

This is the execution trap.

In the old world, institutions dragged you forward.
School schedules. Deadlines. Exams. Grades.

In the new world, nobody is coming.

No teacher will chase you.
No boss will force you to upskill.
No university will structure your week.

If you want to stay relevant, you become your own educator.

And if you can’t do it alone, do what actually works:

Find a learning partner.
A small circle.
A weekly cadence.
Someone who notices if you disappear.

Not motivation.
Accountability.

Think of it like fitness for the future.

The gym is free now.
The equipment is world-class.
The instructions are perfect.

But you still have to show up.

2026 is not the year of more information.
It’s the year of doing the hard things.

Learning deeply.
Building slowly.
Practising consistently.

The future already arrived.
Quietly. Last year.

Now it’s time to catch up.

Or accept that you chose not to.

No excuses.
No apologies.
Just execution.

Pick up the weight.
Do your reps.

There’s this trendy belief floating around right now that speed = quality.

Ship fast. Break things. Let the algorithm sort it out.

And sure, AI can generate 1,000 variations before your coffee cools, so clearly going slower must be a moral failing!

But here’s the truth no one wants to admit:

Speed is a byproduct, not a strategy.

I see this every day when my son practices piano.

He’ll stumble through a bar, go too fast, get frustrated.

And then he reminds himself of a quote his sports coach always said:

“Slow is smooth. Smooth is fast.”

He slows down, focuses, breathes…

and suddenly, boom - the complicated tremble pattern unlocks.

The slowness creates the speed.

This isn’t just piano.

It’s surfing.

It’s wine.

It’s aged cheese.

It’s anything that needs time to turn from “fine” into “worth remembering.”

You can’t microwave craftsmanship.

AI collapsed the cost of “good enough.”

Everyone can now make a passable design, a functional email, a half-decent social media post in seconds.

The floor has risen.

But what about the ceiling?

Still just as far away as it ever was.

And that ceiling is made of one thing:

Attention.

Not speed.

Not grind.

Not… force.

Just someone caring enough to go slow

when everyone else is sprinting.

Sometimes it means cooking a slow, handmade dinner instead of tapping the Uber delivery button.

Sometimes it means rewriting the message so it lands, not just arrives.

Sometimes it means thinking before deciding, listening before talking, or letting an idea breathe overnight.

These micro-decisions are where the difference is made -

between “good enough” and “holy shit, that’s lovely.”

So here’s what I remind myself:

· Slow your thinking → smooth your execution → speed will be your outcome

· Rush the experiments, not the craft itself

· Speed comes from clarity, not from chaos

· Care about the last 5% this is where the magic happens

The world will keep accelerating.

AI will keep making “fast” faster.

Everyone will keep trying to sprint.

But the people who pause -

who choose attention over adrenaline -

those are the ones who’ll actually get somewhere worth getting.

Slow is smooth. Smooth is fast.

P.S.: Christmas festive season is the annual reminder that the world can slow down… we just pretend it can’t for the rest of the year!

My inbox gets invaded by AI-generated Christmas slop.

Perfect grammar. Zero soul.

Sent to 400 people at once.

“Wishing you a joyful festive season in these unprecedented times.”

REALLY… who talks like this?

You know what it feels like?

Like getting a hug from a robot wearing your grandma’s perfume.

Look - I love AI.

But don’t outsource your humanity to it.

Not for this one. Not for Christmas.

Not for the one time of the year when people still pretend to care.

If you want to be festive, here’s a radical (I mean old-school) idea:

1. Get a postcard.

2. Take out a pen.

3. Use your actual hand.

4. Write something only you could write.

5. Go to the post office and mail it.

One sentence is enough.

Even terrible handwriting is charming.

Especially terrible handwriting.

Ask yourself:

How do you feel when you get a message that was clearly mass-generated by a bored intern or a bored algorithm?

Exactly.

We don’t need more AI-slop.

We need small, messy, human fingerprints on paper.

So this year:

#AI-FreeChristmas

#NoSlopDecember

• Write a card.

• Make it ugly.

• Make it honest.

• Make it yours.

Because the whole point of a Christmas message

is that a human cared enough to slow down.

Handwritten chaos > algorithmic perfection.

Merry Christmas!

Life is changing. Work is changing. You are changing and nobody asked you first.

One week you finally feel like you “get” AI

and the next week AI drops a new trick

that makes your last six months look like cave drawings.

This year moved fast. It felt like a sprint.

Next year will look at this year and say

“so cute.”

Everything is accelerating

not slowly

more like your life accidentally clicked the “skip intro” button

and now you are inside the matrix trying to catch up.

Jobs, habits, skills, careers

they’re all melting, reshaping and respawning as your favourite video game NPCs.

Some people will fight the change.

Some will freeze.

A few will ride it like they’ve been waiting for this their whole life.

My tinyOS for being human:

Stay curious because the rules change every Tuesday

Automate the boring stuff your brain deserves better

Think in systems not to-do lists list don’t scale but systems do

Treat your identity like a beta version always in update mode

Run experiments instead of making plans experiments compound and plans age

Choose momentum over perfection perfection is slow and slow is dead

The world is not slowing down for you.

And honestly

you don’t want it to.

“Alright, let’s play.”

Scrolling LinkedIn, trying to rewrite my headline.

“Generalist”?

No thanks. Too boring.

Sounds like I’m okay at a lot of things and great at none.

But then I dug deeper and found an old idea.

Centuries ago, they had a word for this:

The Renaissance Man.

Think da Vinci. Galileo. Franklin.

Painter, inventor, engineer, writer… all in one lifetime.

The Equation

Curiosity × Many Skills × Bias for Action = Renaissance Man

And that’s when it hit me: this isn’t just history.

This is where the world is heading.

Modern Polymaths

…just a fancier word for Renaissance Man:

Elon Musk: Best known as the founder of Tesla and SpaceX, but also a physics nerd, software builder, neural tinkerer, tunnel digger, energy pioneer, AI guy… and meme poster.

Bruce Dickinson: Best known as the lead singer of Iron Maiden, but also a commercial airline pilot, competitive fencer, author, radio presenter, and entrepreneur.

Why This Matters

We’ve been sold the myth of hyper-specialisation:

“Pick a lane. Stick to it. Become THE ___ person.”

But today, AI eats narrow work for breakfast.

What’s left? The messy stuff.

The dots no one else can connect.

The problems that need art + science + guts.

Specialist × Specialist = Incremental

Polymath × Curiosity = Breakthrough

The Call

This is your permission to be more than ONE thing.

Read widely. Try weird projects.

Ship half-baked ideas just to see what happens.

The world needs more people who think broadly + act boldly.

Be that person.

My LinkedIn Fix

After all that digging, I landed on a simple solution:

I added “Curious Mind” to my headline.

Because if you can’t find the perfect box, create your own 🔲.

Curiosity × Courage × Action = The Future.

+++

Happy weekend everyone and thanks for reading.

~ Felix

Everyone’s obsessed with “future-proof” skills.

World Economic Forum says it’s “analytical thinking,” “creativity,” “AI literacy,”—blah blah blah.

Go ahead, update your LinkedIn. Download another free PDF checklist. And have fun.

But here’s the skill you won’t see on any World Economic Forum (WEF) report:

Be easy to deal with.

That’s it.

No app, no certificate, no LinkedIn badge required.

Why is this the ultimate cheat code for success?

Because you can teach someone to code, write, sell or run agile sprint in Jira.

But you can’t teach “not being a pain in the ass.”

Who gets invited to cool projects?

Who gets second chances, more intros, the quiet heads-up when things change?

The person who’s just… nice to work with.

You don’t have to be a pushover.

You don’t have to say yes to everything.

But if you can show up on time, keep your word, don’t cause drama and make things easier - not harder - you’re already on the “hire again” shortlist.

My “Easy to Deal With” Equation:

Future-Proof = (Show Up × Reliable × No Drama) + Be Human

Not sexy. Not headline-grabbing.

But the truth is, every job, every gig, every big success comes down to:

Would I want to deal with this person again?

So if you’re wondering what to practice, sure - learn the hot stuff: AI agents, quantum computing and the other fancy things.

But also dial up your “easy to deal with” habits and watch doors open that AI can’t even knock on.

Not on the WEF list, but ask any founder, manager or freelancer what they actually want:

They’ll tell you, “Give me someone who’s easy to deal with and I’ll figure out the rest.”

~Felix

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You don’t have time problems. You have energy problems.

Here’s something I wish I’d learned years ago:

Energy, not time, is the real driver of what you accomplish.

When your energy is high, work flows, ideas come and everything feels easier.

When your energy is low, even the smallest task feels too hard.

It’s not about working more hours. It’s about what’s fueling you.

What boosts your energy?

• Good sleep – Even one decent night changes everything.

• Nutrition – Eat well and you’ll feel it.

• Movement – Just a quick walk resets your whole mood.

• Looking forward to something – A catch-up with friends or a quick surf.

• Recovery – Pausing, unplugging, letting your brain breathe.

It’s not just the work itself. Everything around you matters.

So, introducing my highly scientific, totally unpatented formula for a better week:

the energy equation:

energy = (sleep + nutrition + movement + meaning + connection) – energy drainers

(Not exactly science, but works. At least for me)

So here’s what I’m doing:

For the next week, I’m keeping a Good Time Journal (inspired from the book Designing Your Life by Bill Burnett).

Every day:

• I write down what I did.

• I score my engagement for each on a scale from low to high.

• I score my energy boosts (the fires🔥) and my energy drainers (the leaks🕳️).

At the end of the week, I’ll look for patterns.

What’s lighting me up?

What keeps pulling me down?

Feel free to join in!

Sometimes you need to see it for yourself:

• Do more of what brings you energy.

• Cut back on what drains it.

Everything else gets easier.

I’m off to top up my energy. Maybe I’ll catch some waves, get lost in a good book or just grab a coffee and laugh with friends. Whatever works, right?

Do whatever lifts you up and see how much better the week can get.

Happy weekend.

-Felix

Lately, I’ve been off.

Not tired. Not burned out. Just… foggy.

I sit down, stare at the screen and 30 minutes later => I’ve done nothing useful!

My thinking spiral:

“Am I procrastinating?”

“Why am I not smashing this week?”

“Maybe I need a new app. Or a better AI tool.”

But here’s the thing - what if this isn’t failure?

What if this is the moment to slow down?

We live in a world that worships speed.

Move fast. Stack meetings. Fill the calendar.

Post on LinkedIn at 5am.

Always chasing the next big shiny thing.

You know what’s wild?

Most of that motion is fake progress.

It feels productive, but it’s just busywork wearing a mask.

Meanwhile, real progress?

It looks… slower.

Surfing reminds me of this.

You don’t make the wave come.

You paddle out. You wait. You read the ocean.

And when the wave finally arrives - you’re ready.

Same with raising kids.

Making a good wine.

Building something real.

You can’t rush it.

You can’t force it.

You just need to stay in position long enough for something great to happen.

Friends often ask:

“How did you end up in Raglan? With that amazing surf, awesome community and the family setup you have?”

Answer:

We’ve been stubbornly paddling in the same direction for 13 years.

Not a trick. Not a hack.

Just doing the small things, over and over - until they added up.

So yeah, I’ve been “procrastinating.”

But maybe that’s just my brain slowing down long enough to hear itself think.

Because here’s the truth:

Speed looks cool. But patience compounds.

TL;DR:

• Movement ≠ progress

• Slow is smooth. Smooth is fast.

• Real results come from showing up, not rushing

And with that, I’m off to catch ups with some friends.

Because connection > hustle. Always.

It feels like the most productive thing I’ll do all week.

Thanks and catch you later….

Final results? Dead last.

No excuses. Just a solid, humbling last place. And you know what? It was awesome.

I paddled out. Took some waves. Met new people. Got cheered on by strangers. And yeah - I lost. But I walked away stoked. Because when was the last time you did something purely to push yourself? To see what happens when you actually show up?

And that’s the thing. I wasn’t alone in this. That was last weekend’s lesson!

Fast forward to today.

My son and I went skateboarding (technically, surfskating) last night. He’s been watching me struggle with it for months (okay, fine - years). I’m stiff as hell in my 40s, awkward, trying to do nice looking turns.

But yesterday? Felt different.

I was in the flow. Linking turns. Feeling the muscle memory.

He noticed it and gave me a high five. #prouddadmoment

Then later, we sat down to watch the Nazaré Red Bull Big Wave Challenge (YouTube link).

Between bites of dinner (I know, not great - but some days, you just go with it), I asked him:

“If you could get any championship surfer’s jersey, which one would it be?”

He thought for a second.

“Kai Lenny,” he said. The GOAT of big waves. A wave-riding machine. The guy who makes the impossible look easy. Surfing, kiting, windsurfing, SUP. Just everything.

Then he paused. Looked at me.

“No… I think it’s Papa. Papa should be on the jersey.”

That hit deep.

Not because I’m anywhere close to Kai Lenny (I wish I lived in a universe where that scale even existed). But because he sees what I’m doing. He sees me showing up, paddling out, stacking small wins.

And maybe - just maybe - that’s more valuable than being the best.

Lesson learned?

Just do it. Sign up for new things. Say yes. Get out there.

And more importantly => Find your supporters. The ones who push you, cheer for you, and see your progress before you even do.

Turns out, some of the best ones might be right in front of you.

Go out there.

P.S. Have to stop now. Waves are looking good. Squeezing in a surf session before school pickup. 😉

Check here, if you haven’t read it => The Year of Becoming: Why 2025 Is About Leveling Up, Not Figuring It All Out

As you’ve seen, I’ve broken it down into six pillars. Over the course of the next weeks or months, I’ll share what’s working, what’s not, and what I’m learning along the way.

The first one I want to report back on is #1 getting physically and mentally sharp.

One part achieving this is to SURF MORE!

So, here’s the deal: I started surfing in my late late 20s - almost turning 30 ;-)

Grew up landlocked in Germany. No childhood grom days, no years of muscle memory. Just me trying to figure it out, wipeout after wipeout during the annual 2-week holiday surftrip to the Canary Islands (thanks Sigi and the Ineika team for hosting me all those years).

So I knew if I wanted to improve surfing, I had to get fitter and stronger and of course surf more ;-)

Okay - here we go:

✔ Found a small crew of guys my age doing weekly circuit training (thanks boys for welcoming me in your crew)

✔ Signed up for the local boardriders club

That last one? Not as simple as it sounds.

When I told the boys I was joining the boardriders, the first reaction was:

“Mate, those guys rip. Boardriders is for the good ones.”

Maybe. But it’s also a sports club, right? Or, do I have it wrong? Shouldn’t it be for everyone who wants to improve?

Screw the perception that you need to be good enough to start.

So I signed up. And tomorrow morning? First comp day.

No idea how it’ll go. Don’t care. Just showing up. I’ll report back. Stay tuned.

That’s the lesson. Do it your way. Ignore the noise. If you wait until you’re “ready,” you’ll never start.

Just paddle out!
Felix

I have no idea what I’m doing with my life.

Okay, that’s a bit dramatic—but you get the point.

For the last few years, I’ve been jumping between projects, businesses, ideas. Some worked, some flopped, and a few I’m still figuring out.

But if you asked me, Felix, what’s THE thing you want to pursue for the next 10 years?

…I wouldn’t have a clear answer.

And maybe you feel the same.

So instead of forcing a decision, I thought—why not make myself the project this year?

Not in a fluffy, “self-care” way. But in a real, measurable way.

If I don’t know the exact direction yet, I want to make sure that who I become in 2025 is someone who’s ready for whatever direction reveals itself.

That’s why I’m putting this down on paper—not just as a reminder for myself, but in case you’re in the same boat.

Here’s my 2025 Pursuit Myself Plan.

The 2025 Playbook: Becoming First, Figuring It Out Later

This year, I’m not chasing some external milestone. I’m chasing becoming the healthiest, happiest, most confident, and most capable version of myself.

Because I believe that when you upgrade yourself, the right opportunities, people, and ideas start showing up.

So here’s what I’m focusing on:

1️⃣ Get Physically & Mentally Sharp

I’ve spent too much time at a desk, in front of a laptop. Time to change that. Surf more, move more, eat real food, and actually respect my energy levels.

Not because it’s a “good habit.” But because my best ideas come when I feel alive.

2️⃣ Reduce the Noise

Social media, endless articles, pointless scrolling—it’s like stuffing my brain with junk food. Less consumption, more creation. More writing, more sharing, more actually thinking instead of reacting.

3️⃣ Double Down on High-Leverage Skills

What is the fastest way to unlock new opportunities? I’’ try to get really good at things that matter. Writing, storytelling, sales, presenting—these are the skills that open doors.

2025 is about stacking skills that compound.

4️⃣ Pursue Excellence, Even in the Small Stuff

I’ve been guilty of half-assing things when they didn’t feel “big enough.” But the truth is, excellence compounds. If I’m writing, I’ll write well. If I’m teaching, I’ll make it engaging. If I’m building, I’ll go all in.

Because great things don’t come from average effort.

5️⃣ Make Space to Think

Too often, I’ve been in “do mode” without stepping back to see if I’m even going in the right direction. So this year, I’ll schedule thinking time—walks, journaling, or just staring at the ocean until ideas make sense.

6️⃣ Have Fun Along the Way

What’s the point of all this if I don’t enjoy it? 2025 isn’t about grinding endlessly—it’s about collecting experiences that make life worth it.

The Plan: Share the Journey

I’m not writing this as someone who’s figured it all out.

I’m writing it because this is what I’m trying in 2025.

And if you’re in the same spot—unsure of your next big pursuit—maybe this approach helps you too.

So here’s the deal: I’ll keep sharing how it goes. What works, what doesn’t, what I’m learning along the way.

Because I have a feeling 2025 is going to be amazing.

Not because I have all the answers—but because I’m finally asking the right question:

👉 Who do I need to become first, so that the right path reveals itself?

Let’s find out. Life is beautiful.

P.S.: Yeah, this New Year’s resolution is late—I was busy enjoying summer school holidays with family. But timing doesn’t matter, doing does.

Everywhere you look, it's "Powered by AI" this and "AI-generated" that. It's like AI is the new smashed avocado on toast—everyone's into it, and if you're not, you're missing out. But here's the kicker: as AI becomes as common as Wi-Fi at a coffee shop, something interesting is happening. People are starting to crave the human touch again.

Enter Generative Human Intelligence (Gen-HI) web browser! Never heard about it? Ok - you got me! I just made it up, but stick with me. It's the idea that in a world flooded with AI-generated everything, stuff made by actual humans becomes the new premium #AIfree. Think about that for a second.

The AI Tsunami We're Surfing On

Artificial Intelligence has been like this massive wave that's been building up for years. And now, it's crashing down on us in full force. Businesses are riding this wave hard, using AI to write articles, design logos, for customer support even compose jingles.

In the latest 2024 McKinsey Global Survey on AI, 65 percent of respondents report that their organisations are regularly using genAI, nearly double the percentage from their previous survey just ten months ago. That's wild.

But here's the thing: when everyone is using the same tool, where's the edge? If all your competitors are using AI to push out content, how do you stand out? It's like showing up to a surf competition and realising everyone bought the same mass-produced board from a Faceless mass-produced Surfboard Company. Sure, they float, but where's the style? Where's the personality?

The Rise of genHI

So here's where genHI comes in. Imagine putting a label on your product that says, "Made by a real human being." Suddenly, you've got something unique. In an ocean of AI-generated replicas, you've got the handcrafted surfboard shaped by a local legend who knows the waves like the back of his hand.

There's actually some science to back this up. A study published in the Journal of Marketing found that products labeled as "handmade" significantly increase consumer willingness to pay (Fuchs, Schreier, & Van Osselaer, 2015). It's not just hipster jargon; it's psychology. People crave authenticity.

Surfboards, Shapers, and the Art of Being Human

Let me find the link to surfing here - bear with me for a moment. In the surfing world, there's a big difference between a board pumped out by a machine and one shaped by a seasoned shaper. The custom board isn't just equipment; it's a piece of art tailored to your style, your local break, your personality.

When you buy from a local shaper, you're not just getting a board; you're supporting a craftsperson—a real human with stories, experience, and passion. You're becoming part of a community. Contrast that with buying some generic surfboard from a faceless overseas factory. Sure, it might be cheaper, but where's the soul?

This aligns with the broader movement towards genHI. Just as surfers value the authenticity and personalised touch of a custom board, consumers increasingly seek out products and content that reflect human creativity, personality and effort.

Why genHI Matters More Than Ever Today & Tomorrow

As AI is being able to do more tasks, the human element becomes scarce—and therefore, more valuable. It's basic economics: scarcity drives value. In the near future, a "Made with genHI" label (maybe I should get it trademarked) could be the difference between your product getting noticed or tossed into the digital feeds.

Plus, let's be real: humans have something AI doesn't—emotions, ethics, cultural nuances. AI can analyse data till the spring tide comes around next year, but it doesn't know what the feeling it’s like to catch your first wave, being stoked or to pull an all-nighter working on your passion project.

A 2019 survey by PwC found that 82% of U.S. consumers want more human interaction in the future, particularly in services. That tells you something - the desire might be even higher nowadays.

Blending AI and Human Genius

Okay okay, I'm not saying we should toss AI into the ocean. Far from it. AI is an amazing tool, like a turbocharger for your creativity. The trick is to use it without losing yourself in it. It's about balance.

Companies that figure out how to blend AI efficiency with human creativity are going to be the ones that ride this wave all the way to the shore. Research from MIT suggests that organisations combining human expertise with AI capabilities outperform those that use either in isolation.

So, What's next?

If you're a maker, entrepreneur, humAIn or just someone who wants to make a dent in the universe (or boil the ocean 🌊), consider this your call to action. Highlight the human touch in what you do. Tell your story. Share your process. Slap that "Made with genHI" label on your work or #AIfree and wear it like a badge of honour.

Consumers, start seeking out and supporting human-made goods. Not just because it's trendy, but because it's meaningful. You're not just buying a product; you're investing in people.

Riding the AI Next Wave

Let’s embrace Generative Human Intelligence #genHI. Let's make stuff that matters, stuff with soul. Because at the end of the day, it's the human connections, the stories, the handcrafted touches that make life interesting.

So grab your (hand-shaped) surfboard, and let's ride this next wave together. Who's in?

Thanks for reading.

Felix

Remember when surfing was about going to the beach not knowing what to expect, the feeling of excitement in your body, wondering what the waves would be like? That pure stoke of not knowing? Now, it feels like we’re losing that magic. We check our smartwatches and webcams first, and just like that, the adventure fades.

Alright, here we go.

I’ve been thinking about how surfing has changed lately. Do you remember how it used to feel? We’d wake up early, pack our boards, and head to the beach, not knowing what we’d find (if you were lucky enough to live close to the ocean or had those precious two weeks surf holiday a year at a campground in France). The excitement came from that uncertainty. The waves could be big or small, perfect or messy - you never knew, and that was the best part.

But now, I’m starting to feel like something’s missing. Technology is creeping into everything, even surfing, and I’m not sure it’s a good thing.

The Evolution (or Devolution?) of Surfing

Surfing used to be about adventure. About you and the ocean. No distractions, just you, some friends, your board, and the waves (and maybe some wax). But now, it feels like that our offline connection is getting weaker. And the digital signals are getting stronger. We have Surfline now. What started as a simple tool to help us predict swells has become this big data system. It turns surfing into numbers and charts, and suddenly, it feels more like math than a fun adventure. The newest features are crowd predictions to help you avoid crowds and wave distribution to check how many waves have been unridden.

Then there’s Dawn Patrol, the app that tracks everything. From how many waves you catch, how long you ride, how fast you go, to even how many calories you burn. It’s like surfing isn’t about the experience anymore; it’s about collecting data. A.K.A. “You only surfed if you capture it on Dawn Patrol / Strava”. Every session becomes just another bunch of numbers instead of having a good time.

And now, AI is stepping in. Companies like Flowstate and Wavegarden/Check My Surf are using AI to track surfers in wave-pools and provide real-time data and surf coaching feedback.

For more check YouTube.

Even Microsoft is tapping into the next big break with Team US trying to improve performance and reducing risk with AI (YouTube).

Sure, the technology is cool, but aren’t we losing something? If AI tells us when and where to surf, are we really surfing, or are we just following what the machine and the GenAI language models are telling us to do?

Data Overload

The more we focus on data, the less we connect with us, the people around us and the ocean. We’ve become so obsessed with wave height, crowd numbers, and session stats that we forget why we surf. A similar trend has been observed with sleep tracking, where people feel they’ve had a good night’s sleep only if the data says so (Check for more detail about data-driven health anxiety => Link).

Surfing isn’t supposed to be controlled; it’s about embracing the chaos. You paddle out, not knowing what the ocean will give you. Sometimes you get amazing waves, sometimes not. That’s the magic.

When I learned to surf, my first coach taught me something I still think about today. He said, “For every foot of wave height, you have to watch the ocean for five minutes.” Which means, if it’s 3 feet, you watch for 15 minutes. If it’s 10 feet, you watch for 50. It wasn’t about analysing data; it was about understanding the ocean. You sit there, you watch, you feel, and you learn. Where is the Lineup, Take Off point, Close-Out Section, Rips, Channels. That’s how you would understand the spot. Now, we’re replacing that with apps and forecasts, star ratings, and it’s just not the same anymore - I feel!

The Soul of Surfing

Let’s agree, Surfing isn’t just a sport. It’s something different. It’s about feeling connected to nature, being grounded, about travelling, exploring new waves and cultures. But when we let AI and data control our surfing, we are losing that connection. Instead of reading the ocean, we’re staring at screens, trying to make our surf sessions as efficient as possible, like we’re optimising a business task. We might even have AI assistant scheduling a calendar placeholder when the crowds are low, and the star rating of our favourite spot is 'fair to good'.

But here’s the crazy part: in trying to make surfing perfect, we’re making it less perfect. The best sessions aren’t the ones where everything goes as planned. They’re the ones where you’re surprised by something unexpected, where you paddle out with no expectations and come back with a smile because it was somehow special. But when technology does the thinking for us, those moments might become rare.

I hear you - this isn’t just about surfing. It’s happening in all parts of life. We’re letting data and numbers take over, and we’re losing something important - our connection, our intuition, our soul.

Conclusion

So, my friends, next time we go surfing (or do something else), let’s try something different. Let’s unplug. No checking Surfline, no Dawn Patrol, no Surfline AI predictions. Let’s just go to the beach, paddle out, and see what happens. Let’s remember what it feels like to be in the moment!

Because in the end, surfing isn’t about catching a wave and having a good time. It’s about the experience. And that’s something you can’t plan or predict. It’s something that will happen when you’re out there, away from everything else.

Stoke AI might be the future, but let’s not forget what made us love surfing in the first place. The soul of surfing is too valuable to be lost at sea.

See you out there.

⚡ Felix

#ShareTheStoke

References

1. Surfline and Surf Reports: https://www.surfline.com/

2. Surf Metrics: https://www.surfer.com/news/surfline-artificial-intelligence-premium-plus

3. AI in Surfing (Flowstate and Wavegarden): https://www.surfertoday.com/surfing/flowstate-ai-technology-tracks-surfers-in-wave-pools, https://wavegarden.com/checkmysurf/

4. How AI is Transforming Surfing: https://unlocked.microsoft.com/usa-surf/

This is my personal journal where I share surf-inspired startup wisdom from my journey as a founder and surfer. Let’s get into it!

P.S.: In case you have not subscribed yet - here you go 👇

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Alright, let's get real. Surfers live for those precious seconds in the tube, getting barreled and then spit out. It’s a fleeting moment, just a couple of seconds, but the dedication to get there is a lifetime goal (at least for me as I picked up surfing in my late twenties). And when you finally hit that speed and the lip of the wave is coming over your head, you might ring the traditional Bells Beach bell as the winner of your personal Rip Curl Bells Beach Pro Contest. Similar to Mick Fanning below defeating 11x time World Champion Kelly Slater in 2012.

Now Founders, listen up. The journey is strikingly similar when it comes to raising VC funding. Your ultimate goal and exit strategy? An IPO. Picture yourself on the balcony of the NYSE, ringing that opening bell. Those few seconds of broadcast glory? They represent years, sometimes decades, of relentless dedication.

But here’s the kicker: those seconds are short-lived. So why are we so driven to chase them?

Embrace the Journey

Here’s the truth. Surfers endure wipeouts, endless paddling, and harsh conditions just to catch that perfect wave. It’s not just about those few seconds in the tube; it’s about the entire journey to get there. The dedication, the failures, the small wins – they all add up to that moment of pure stoke.

The IPO Moment

For founders, an IPO isn’t just a financial milestone. It’s the execution of a vision, countless sleepless nights, pivots, setbacks, and breakthroughs. But don’t get it twisted – ringing that bell is just a few seconds. The real value is in the learnings, the growth, and the journey that got you there.

The Bottom Line

We chase those seconds because they represent the pinnacle of our efforts. But here’s the thing – it’s the journey that makes those seconds meaningful. Without the journey, those seconds wouldn’t mean a thing, so find something that you love.

The only way to do great work is to love what you do. – Steve Jobs

Get barrelled and ring YOUR personal Bells Beach Bell 🔔 whatever you want to achieve!

#StayStoked 🤘

Greatest Of All Time - The GOAT Kelly Slater

When we talk about the legends of any sport or field, we often emphasize their initial conditions – their raw talent, early wins, or unique insights. The story of Kelly Slater, the titan of surfing with 11 World Championship Titles, is not different. However, while his natural talent is undeniable, what truly defines Slater's dominance is less about his initial setup when positioning in the line-up and more about his continuous trimming of your surfboard and adjustment in every situation.

Watching Slater master a wave isn't just about witnessing his excellence but observing a master class in adjustments. Every wave is different (even perfect waves in a wave pool), and even within a single ride, the water’s behavior can change. Slater doesn’t just rely on his initial stance or the initial read of a wave. Instead, he’s in a continuous dance of adjustment with the ocean, responding to the odds of the wave by shifting his weight, foot positioning, tweaking his board's angle, or altering his path.

Check below video at the 30+ seconds mark & see the back foot adjustment in a wave pool where the waves are handmade and perfect 💥

What does it mean outside the surf world?

In our lives, and especially in startups, we often become stuck with the idea of a "perfect start" or the “perfect setup”. Entrepreneurs (including myself), for instance, can sometimes get so obsessed in launching with the perfect product or the ideal team that they forget the real game begins after the launch. Much like Slater's relationship with the ocean, founders must be prepared not just for their company's maiden voyage, but for the endless series of adjustments that lie ahead. Starting with alignment is crucial, but as market dynamics shift and challenges emerge, your ability to recalibrate becomes your most valuable asset.

It's tempting, especially in our era of rapid highlights and success stories, to believe that if we nail the setup, the rest will follow. Yet, the world’s complexities seldom permit such a linear path (check out Instagrams initial story which was a location-based HTML5 app call "Burbn"). Our global operations model, governmental constitutions, and even software iterations reflect this. They evolve, adapt, and are revised as the environment around them changes.

If there's one thing we can take from Slater and other successful founders, it's that while a solid foundation is vital, the real skill lies in the ability to continually self-assess and adjust. In the vast ocean of life and business, it isn't just about catching the wave! It's about adjusting, refining, and dancing with the ever-changing rhythm of the waves coming towards you.

In summary: START TODAY - ADJUST DAILY - GET PERFECT LATER 🌊🏄‍♂️

Thanks for reading and consider to adjust your newsletter subscriptions by singing up below! #ShareTheStoke!

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(Ad-)Venture awaits

Venturing to remote islands, like the Aleutians or the archipelago of Indonesia, we're drawn by the spirit of adventure and the allure of the unknown. These are not just surfing expeditions; they’re journeys into the unknown. 🗺️

In the world of startups, the sentiment mirrors this adventure. Just as surfers go on the next remote surf trip or wait for that perfect wave, we, as entrepreneurs, chase experiences that challenge, excite, and transform us. But how do we measure those challenges, the excitement what is transforming us as part of our Startup Journey?

The One Metric That Matters

Ok. Lets start at the beginning. Traditional business talks a lot about ROI - Return on Investment. Think of ROI as the tangible reward we get after catching a wave - the adrenaline, the applause, the sheer joy of riding it perfectly. It's a measure of how well our effort (or investment 💰💰💰) paid off, mostly in financial terms.

However, as someone deeply influenced by the spirit of surfing and adventure, I'd like to introduce you to another concept - Return on Experience (ROE). Imagine you didn't catch the wave perfectly, or perhaps you missed it entirely. In the world of ROI, this is seen as a loss. But did you learn something from it? Did it teach you patience, improve your timing, or you may simply add that experience to the stories you tell at a campfire? That's ROE. It's not about immediate gains or losses; it's about what the experience added to your journey.

Experience Compounding

In "Die With Zero" by Bill Perkins, there's a powerful emphasis on the value of accumulating experiences over material / “financial” wealth. Much like compound interest where initial gains generate even further returns, every experience in the entrepreneurial journey enriches subsequent ones. Every challenge faced or risk taken doesn't stand alone but amplifies future decisions and insights. This compounding of experiences make you wiser and a more resilient founder (and human). Those lessons learnt can be as invaluable as the destination's rewards.

Like every wave in the ocean, each startup journey is different. There might be moments of calm and moments of chaos. Sometimes you'll be tossed around, other times you'll ride the tide with grace. But in each of these moments, there's immense ROE to be gained. These experiences, these stories, they shape us, guide us, and often lead us to our next big (ad-)venture.

Pillars of success

So let's check some experiences you might encounter as a startup founder:

Skill acquisition: Launching a venture demands versatility in skills spanning marketing, sales, finance, and more. As you grapple and master these domains, you don't just enhance your professional prowess; you enrich your life with newfound capabilities and confidence.

Networking with visionaries: The startup ecosystem is bustling with pioneers, innovators, and enthusiasts. You'll forge bonds with fellow entrepreneurs, investors, mentors, and more, each providing unique perspectives and lessons.

Cultivating resilience: Entrepreneurship is not for the fearful. Amidst hurdles and hiccups, if you persist, you develop a resilience that transcends business. It's about cherishing the journey, irrespective of its rigours.

Making an Impact: Perhaps the most gratifying facet of entrepreneurship is the potential to make a tangible difference. Be it through innovation or service, your startup could touch lives, offering an unparalleled sense of purpose.

True, the startup sphere isn’t always sun-kissed beaches and perfect waves. There will be storms and rocky shores. But each experience, success or otherwise, is a lesson which will compound.

“A smooth sea never made a skilled sailor.”

― Franklin D. Roosevelt (sorry couldn’t find a better surf related quote )

So, as you wax your surfboard or set sail in the vast ocean of entrepreneurship, look beyond just ROI. Value the ROE. The experiences gleaned might outweigh any financial gain. So, embark, evolve, and enjoy the odyssey!

Thanks for joining this wave of thought. Don’t forget to Subscribe and #ShareTheStoke!

Wipeouts Are Surfers Best Friends

Imagine you're standing on the beach, your surfboard in your hand, staring at the ocean and ready to surf. You know that your journey ahead won't be a smooth ride and that you'll encounter more wipeouts than perfect waves. But as a surfer, you also know that each wipeout, each failure, is a lesson pushing you closer to that perfect wave. This perspective of embracing failures and reframing them as integral steps towards success is a practice in mental accounting, a concept brilliantly elaborated by Rolf Dobelli in his book "The Art of the Good Life".

Mental accounting isn't just about crunching numbers; it's about how we perceive our gains and losses. So when I step into the startup world or get on that surfboard, I don't blindly hope for uninterrupted success. Instead, I prepare myself for the reality of the journey, understanding that there will be failures, even multiple ones, and that's perfectly okay.

I expect to wipe out, not once, not twice, but perhaps ten times, even more. This expectation doesn't stem from pessimism but rather from a realistic understanding of the process. When I get hit by the whitewater of the waves the first time, or the fifth time, I'm not discouraged because I accounted for these failures from the very beginning or as Ryan Holiday would say it in one of his books “The Obstacle Is the Way”. They are not unexpected setbacks, but planned stepping stones that I know will lead me to my goals.

The Crucial Mind(re)set

This mental framing is crucial. It helps me (and hopefully you too) accept failures without damaging my morale or deterring my commitment. Rather than perceiving each failure as a loss, I see it as an essential part of my growth, a lesson that teaches me something new about my technique, my strategy, my business model.

Imagine the power of this mind(re)set. If we prepare ourselves mentally for failure, we are no longer disheartened when we face it. Instead, we take it in stride, learn from it, and use it to fuel our future attempts. And when success does come, it's even sweeter, as we understand the journey, the failures, and the hard work it took to get there.

You Are In Good Company

A fantastic example of someone who faced multiple failures before achieving success is Thomas Edison. Known as one of the greatest inventors in history, Edison is famously quoted as saying:

"I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work."

This statement came after years of numerous unsuccessful attempts to invent a commercially viable electric light bulb

As an entrepreneur, this mental accounting is the difference between giving up after a few attempts and persisting until you find the right formula for success. The process of starting a business is similar to learning to surf. You must be willing to fall, to fail, but always to get back up and try again, knowing that each failure is a step towards success.

The Final Strokes

So whether you're a novice surfer preparing to catch your first wave or a founder about to launch your startup, remember to adjust your mental accounts. Embrace the inevitability of failures. Don't just expect them, but plan for them. When failures no longer catch you by surprise, they lose their power to demotivate you. Instead, they become lessons, valuable feedback, pushing you towards your goal. And when you finally ride that perfect wave or see your startup succeed, you'll appreciate the journey, the wipeouts, the failures that led you to that moment of triumph.

Thanks for tuning in, and don't forget to Subscribe and #ShareTheStoke!

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What is a Free Surfer?

Surfing is not just a sport, it's a lifestyle. And at the heart of that lifestyle is the free surfer - an individualist who embodies the true spirit of surfing. Free surfers reject the traditional rules and constraints of the surfing world, sponsors, competitions, and instead carve their own path through the waves of the world. They're like mavericks riding the ocean, unbound by contracts or teams, and free to express themselves in their own unique style. In many ways, the free surfer is a blueprint for the future of modern business. Just like the free surfer, a 'company of one' values independence, creativity, and simplicity over growth and scaling.

In this blog post, I’ll explore the concept of the free surfer and how their philosophy is influencing the world of entrepreneurship. Whether you're a surfer looking to live life on your own terms, or an entrepreneur seeking a new approach to making business, the free surfer might just inspire you to carve your own path and make a difference in the world.

And what can we learn?

Conventional wisdom tells us that companies should always strive to be bigger and constantly grow. What if it was possible to run a profitable company that doesn't scale, and is only run by yourself?

After reading Paul Jarvis' book ‘Company of one' it loomed me.  He outlines a manual that flips the current ideas of running a business on its head and challenges the status quo. He advovcates that people should build their work lives around their personal lives and not the other way around, and that bigger is not necessarily better.

A 'company of one' isn't necessarily about starting a small business by yourself, as the title might quickly imply. A company of one in simple terms is a business that questions traditional growth and attitudes toward work, viewing growth as a barrier to creating a better business - if a small business was given an opportunity to grow, most would accept it with no hesitation, but a company of one may decline it. This leads us to a key differentiator, where companies of one would rather stay small compared to traditional companies that like to grow.

Companies of ONE share four typical traits:

• Resilience - Resilient people are down-to-earth and are quick to adapt because they have a sense of purpose.

• Autonomy and control - As a company of one, you are in control and are able to make the deadlines which can give you more autonomy and control over your own life.

• Simplicity - by its very definition, companies of one demand simplicity over the complexity that larger companies may carry.

• Speed - with simplicity comes greater speed by dealing with less of the 'corporate mass' that can sometimes get in the way.

Why they are the future?

Jarvis explains that "everyone should be a company of one", and certainly makes a compelling case for being better instead of bigger. Jarvis argues that companies of one are "blueprint(s) for growing a lean and agile business that can survive every type of economic climate, and ultimately leads to a richer and more meaningful life".

By keeping your company of one small and simple, you are able to add more value while being able to have autonomy over what you work on, when you work on it, and how you work, making work revolve around your life and not the other way round. Not being driven by sales and growth also means that you can also spend more time focussing on your customers and refining your product, which ironically will help your business grow. Or go for a surf ;-)

Interested? Let's start with some key lessons from blueprint:

• A company of one is a business that questions growth. We've talked briefly about this, but this means that it encourages working at sustainable paces that don't compromise on personal life goals, ultimately keeping you happy. Growing a business can mean more complexity that takes up more individual time - this can be particularly true for freelancers where income can often be proportional to time spent. There are a number of methods to create value without necessarily 'growing' in investment and effort, but instead building and improving on what you can deliver - one way of doing this is to productise your services for example.

• Evolve a company of one - start small. Like any other business, Companies of One can fail, and you don't want to bet your primary source of income on it till you're confident. Going big on investments early on may be a good idea to kickstart your business, but maybe a big risk to take. The rise of the gig economy enables you to start small and earn small profits quickly.

• Be practical in pursuing your passions - not every passion can lead to a sustainable income source. While most of us encourage "following your passions", not every passion can turn into a successful income source. As an example, becoming a professional painter may be a difficult path to take given the difficulty in commercialising the service, but becoming a graphic designer may be a compromise.

The rise of the gig economy that has exploded over the COVID-19 pandemic is proof that companies of one can be sustainable and is growing in popularity - according to Upwork's 2022 Freelance Forward research, just over a third (39%) of the U.S. workforce are freelancing, with two-thirds of freelancers citing 'Career Ownership' as the biggest motivator for them.

Let’s get to an end…

In conclusion, the rise of the free surfer mindset or better the 'company of one' represents a new way of thinking about work and business. Just like the free surfer, a 'company of one' values independence, creativity, and simplicity over growth and scaling. By keeping things small and simple, you can focus on what really matters - adding value to your customers, refining your product, and creating a richer, more meaningful life for yourself.

This philosophy is at the heart of my micro startup studio, Stokeventures.co. As a surfer and entrepreneur, I understand the importance of carving my own path and creating a business that reflects my vision and values (…and yes - Stokeventures is closed when the surf is good). That's why I'm here, sharing my thoughts and try to inspire others to create lean, agile businesses that can thrive in any economic climate.

Whether you're a surfer looking to ride your own wave, or an entrepreneur looking to build a business on your own terms, the free surfer mindset combined with the 'company of one' approach offers a powerful blueprint for success.

Thanks for tuning in, and don't forget to #ShareTheStoke!

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The aftermath of the pandemic and the negative side effects of aggressive quantitative easing have led to global market conditions that some are already referring to as a recession. It’s an unfortunate reality that many startups and innovators are not prepared to weather these conditions, having already stretched resources in attempting to grow and scale as quickly as possible.

Let us introduce the camel. Camels are known to be incredibly efficient, particularly with water use. Their efficiency with resources has allowed them to thrive in an incredibly tough and dry environment. Startup camels offer an alternate playbook to the unicorn-factory playbook popularised by Silicon Valley startups. We’ve taken some lessons from camels to share.

Resilience and survival over rapid growth.

Camels don’t focus on the conventional wisdom that survival depends on rapid growth, prioritising speed over efficiency. They take a much more balanced approach to growth, using their resources more conservatively and prioritising survival during turbulent times. Camels also build resiliency through risk-managed decisions where a wrong decision doesn’t put the business at stake.

The ‘Death Valley’ curve is a popular venture capitalist concept describing the period in the life of a startup where cash burn is heightened in the critical period when the product is being commercialised, and losses can be steep. Camels try to flatten the curve by not aggressively burning through cash, managing costs and investing only in the opportunities that generate the most value for their business strategy.

Don’t starve in the pursuit of growth.

Silicon valley startups have traditionally been measured by the growth of their customer base. In the pursuit of building a larger customer base aggressively, some startups have become obsessed with offering subsidised or free products to build their customer base, then focus on retention later.

Camels don’t subsidise or give freebies at the cost of their cash flow - they charge for the value of the product and understand that price is not a barrier to adoption. Camels build their customer bases by innovating a solution worth paying for and charging an appropriate amount. While this may mean they don’t build an aggressive customer base early on, their focus on quality and charging an appropriate amount often meant higher retention rates because customers were paying purely because they believed in the quality of the product. 

Raise money only when it matters most.

Venture capital is a popular tool for startups that pumps cash to be invested for growth in exchange for chunks of ownership in the company. Investors also take a more active role in the company to advise and monitor growth before investing more funds, which also adds to the startup’s growth potential. In 2021 alone, $330 billion was raised for American venture capitalist-backed companies. Camels that focus on sustainable growth don’t need to be constantly raising funds, are highly selective when they do, and more on their own terms.

Will camels only survive at the cost of losing their chance at unicorn-dom?

While camels are incredibly good at survival, this doesn’t mean they can’t thrive. Being effective in an incredibly bootstrapped environment also has significant benefits when the business does scale. A startup that is able to retain the same resource efficiency when it scales can sometimes have a steep growth trajectory as they maximise the use of their resource in the opportunities that can help them grow the fastest. 

Camel founders understand that building a successful company can be a long game. By prioritising balanced growth through conservative cash burn, selective investment, and building for long-term resilience, camels can survive and thrive in any market condition. With the global market set for some tough challenges ahead, there is much we can learn from camels who have turned adversity into an advantage.