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Entrepreneurs are often advised to focus on networking to increase visibility and access to capital. However, listening to billionaire innovators like Chamath Palihapitiya, founder of Social Capital, or Naval Ravikant, co-founder of AngelList, reveals a different perspective, different priorities.

Founders who succeed clearly optimize all available resources, but ultimately, they focus on creating something of undeniable value. In essence, they act decisively on new ideas, concentrate on doing great work, and deliver technologies, products, and services that matter, that solve a problem, meet a need, or fulfill a desire.

Naval Ravikant dismantles a common myth: success comes from who you know. Networking, he argues, is merely a distraction when it’s “small talk” and “shaking hands” at conferences and meet-ups. Targeted, purposeful connections with people you respect, people you can learn from, or recruit are much more valuable. “Do something great and your network will instantly emerge!” “Focus on your product, your team, and your users,” and the right people will come to you.¹

Ravikant emphasizes that building a startup entails confronting “an infinite set of problems” not only as a fledgling enterprise but also over time. Scattered focus doesn’t lead to a sustainable business. Rather, a founder must take full responsibility for allocating attention and energy each day, for controlling inputs and outputs. “Attention,’ says Ravikant, “is the currency of life.”²

Ravikant has also noted the importance of recruiting “high agency people” who can be relied upon to get stuff done. Likewise, Nick Saban, college football’s most decorated coach, led with the mantra “Do Your Job,” and bluntly stated, “High achievers don’t like mediocre people…”³ In sports, tech, or any field, every member of the team must be capable of excellence. To quote high-achiever, billionaire Vinod Khosla, co-founder of Sun Microsystems:  “The team you build is the company you build.”⁴

In 2017, Social Capital founder Chamath Palihapitiya spoke at the Stanford School of Business, stating that a small, elite group holds disproportionate power over key assets, the flow of capital, and global decision-making. Palihapitiya followed up by saying, “First order of business is that I want to…be at that table.” How? Palihapitiya intends to prove that he can do what they do as well as they do it, and then do it better than they can. “They will let me stay [at the table] because I add value.”⁵ Like Ravikant, his view is that success relies upon doing the hard work, creating a product, service, or experience that people find useful, desirable, and potentially, world-changing.

1. x.com/StartupArchive_/status/1769395062729752957?lang=en
2. youtube.com/watch?v=TmAO9jBqJf4
3. youtube.com/watch?v=2ulRxlork5M
4. x.com/vkhosla/status/1445973802282745857
5. youtube.com/watch?v=8qjHwHsAUBM

Last year, I undertook to summit Mount Aconcagua, the highest peak in South America. It was an arduous climb, beset by harsh conditions that pushed me to my physical and mental limits and nearly beyond. A colleague later described the experience as “an ego death,” which ultimately awakened a profound sense of meaning and a deeper commitment to my values.

Now, I’m wondering whether the rapid growth of AI may be creating collective anxieties analogous to my “crisis” on the mountain, threatening one’s sense of agency and even one’s identity as a capable, cognizant human being. For founders and investors, AI represents exponential leverage.  But when intelligence becomes abundant, it also generates a significant degree of uncertainty about the future—and one’s place in it.

In a recent Fortune article, futurist Bernard Marr, the author of “Generative AI in Practice,” discussed the cluster of unknowns surrounding AI and noted our biggest fears:  Impact on Jobs, Environmental Harm, Surveillance, Weaponization, Intellectual Property Theft, Misinformation, and that AI will develop the power to maliciously harm us.¹

Perhaps our most immediate fear is that multitudes of workers will be supplanted by machines. The roles with repeatable workflow, such as call center, drive through, and trucking jobs, appear most exposed.  In white-collar roles, junior programmers, entry level finance and legal professionals, technical writers, and graphic designers are among those being replaced. In some cases, workers are training the systems that will replace them.  Anthropic CEO, Dario Amodei, has suggested “AI could eliminate about half of all entry-level jobs in white-collar industries within the next five years.² A structural shift founders and allocators cannot ignore.

Thus far, however, AI remains incapable of true creativity, critical thinking, or complex problem-solving; it lacks human-like empathy or compassion. Thus, this “crisis” may be an opportunity to reimagine our place in the world and to find purpose and meaning in productive ways that AI cannot yet replicate.

In a lengthy essay entitled Machines of Loving Grace, Dario Amodei wrote that he believes that “human purpose does not depend on being the best in the world at something, and humans can find purpose…through stories and projects that they love. We simply need to break the link between the generation of economic value and self-worth and meaning. But that is a transition society has to make, and there is always the risk we don’t handle it well.”³

For those building and backing companies, AI will demand a new strategy, a quieter ego and a clearer vision on what will make a company endure.

1. forbes.com/sites/bernardmarr/2025/08/18/7-terrifying-ai-risks-that-could-change-the-world/
2. theguardian.com/technology/ng-interactive/2026/feb/17/ai-startups-work-culture-san-francisco
3. darioamodei.com/essay/the-adolescence-of-technology

Recently, I learned that nearly 40 million Americans have type 2 diabetes, and many more are unaware they have it. Additionally, 1 in 3 people have pre-diabetes—a warning for future development of the disease.¹ With a concurrent rise in obesity, the prevalence of diabetes continues to increase.

Research studies show that most cases of type 2 diabetes can be prevented through lifestyle changes. But what if you already have the condition? Can it be reversed? The answer is “Yes.”²

Dr. Gerald Shulman, co-director of the Yale Diabetes Research Center, explains that insulin resistance is the driver of type 2 diabetes and “…if you reverse insulin resistance, you reverse type 2 diabetes.”³  Insulin resistance occurs when cells in muscles, fat, and the liver don’t respond effectively to insulin. The pancreas then works overtime to produce more insulin. Eventually, it can’t keep up, ultimately leading to high blood sugar and type 2 diabetes.

Reversing insulin resistance requires a commitment to regular exercise, a healthy diet, an optimal weight, and stress reduction. Shulman notes that by modifying our diet to prevent insulin resistance and diabetes, we “also prevent heart disease, fatty liver disease, obesity-associated cancers, and Alzheimer’s disease…that insulin resistance leads to.”⁴

The Keto diet, which eliminates sugar and carbohydrates, is one way to control weight and improve blood sugar levels. However, the diet has risks due to excessive animal fats and proteins, which can overload the liver and kidneys. The less-restrictive Paleo Diet is a better option, as it allows for non-starchy vegetables and nutrient-dense carbohydrates such as yams, sweet potatoes, and berries.

The American Diabetes Association supports the “diabetes plate’ as a way to manage blood glucose with a healthy balance of low-glycemic vegetables, lean protein, and fiber-rich carbs. Fill ½ of your plate with vegetables like broccoli, green beans, and asparagus; fill ¼  with lean protein; fill the other ¼ with carbs like starchy vegetables and fruits.⁵

From my reading, I find the plant-based “alkaline diet’ also offers an excellent way to control blood sugar and potentially reverse diabetes. Foods considered alkaline include leafy greens, legumes, nuts, seeds, and grains like quinoa. Acidic foods include meat, cheese, eggs, sugars, and alcohol. Natural fats like olive oil are neutral. The preferred ratio is 70% alkaline foods; 30% acidic foods. The focus on veggies and plant-based proteins offers a nutrient-rich plan for healthy eating in a food environment that is frequently toxic. I plan to find out more.

1. cdc.gov/diabetes/communication-resources/diabetes-statistics.html
2. x.com/redpilldispensr?s=43
3. medicine.yale.edu/news-article/can-type-2-diabetes-be-reversed
4. Ibid
5. diabetesfoodhub.org/blog/what-diabetes-plate

A recent post on X reads “Your brain literally gets stronger when you do something you don’t want to do.” One might ask, “What exactly is meant by stronger?” Is the brain like a muscle?

Neuroscientist and podcaster Andrew Huberman, who speaks in the post video, clarifies by highlighting a brain hub he calls the “seat of willpower,” the anterior midcingulate cortex (aMCC). This central part of the brain receives a myriad of signals from other brain regions and serves numerous cognitive functions, which include our tenacity in the face of challenges.¹

On “Ask Huberman Lab,” Huberman states that the aMCC can be trained by performing difficult tasks in order to build resilience and persistence. Every time one chooses to do something one doesn’t want to do—such as extra reps at the gym—the aMCC is activated, and the neural circuits involved with tenacity and willpower are strengthened.² The point being, to fuel motivation and personal achievement.

Much of the accessible information supporting this argument derives from Huberman’s own research on the aMCC and neuroplasticity. However, an analogous article published by The Neuroscience School references a review paper by Lisa Feldman Barrett PhD, a neuroscientist and Distinguished Professor of Psychology at Northeastern University. “The research shows that the aMCC is linked to…grit and determination, and with deciding to keep going even when things get tough. Essentially, it’s involved in weighing the effort required against the potential reward and pushing through challenges.”³

Barrett adds that to strengthen the aMCC, one should set personal challenges, opting for activities or goals that take one out of one’s comfort zone:  tackling a new language, learning to play the piano, or training for a marathon, with the aim of building endurance and speed. “Like working out a muscle, these challenges can help increase the aMCC’s capacity, enhancing our overall willpower in any domain.”⁴

A more detailed study published by researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, and Northeastern University (including Dr. Barrett) notes that tenacity contributes to better academic performance, career achievements, and health outcomes. “Tenacity is a powerful predictor of health and achievement…with emerging evidence indicating that greater aMCC structure and function are linked to tenacious behavior in many domains of life and health.”⁵

1. ai.hubermanlab.com/s/Scu_c0ag
2. Ibid
3. neuroscienceschool.com/2024/02/01/how-to-train-the-brain-for-greater-willpower/
4. Ibid
5. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7381101/

Selling a business is a significant life decision requiring proactive exit planning. Timing is key, and hasty decisions driven by burnout, health issues, or an unforeseen crisis (like a pandemic) undermine your ability to pinpoint the right moment and to sell from a position of strength.

The steps below can help you formulate a solid pre-emptive plan, manage the transaction, and realize your ultimate goal.

• Clarify Your Rationale. Examine your reason for selling—it’s one of the first questions a buyer will ask. Potential buyers will want to know why they should be interested in your business.¹
• Assess the Value. Obtain a professional valuation, one that’s based on an accurate assessment of market conditions, revenue, and growth potential. Sellers often overestimate the value of their own property or business.
• Clean Financial Records. Ensure your accounting documents are up-to-date and accurate. You might consider an audit by a CPA to enhance credibility and smooth the buyers’ due diligence process. Being transparent about assets, liabilities, contracts, taxes, etc., builds trust and reduces the chance of disputes.
• Strengthen Business Operations. Few buyers are looking to clean up chaos. Equip your management team for leadership, incentivize key staff to stay on post-sale, and structure systems to enable the business to run without you. You’ll also want to document operational processes, workflows, and SOP to streamline the transition to a new owner.
• Engage the Experts. Work with financial advisors, tax advisors, attorneys, and business consultants or brokers who are experienced in facilitating successful sales. A Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA®) can also guide you smoothly through the exit process.
• Identify Prospects. Types of buyers can include private equity firms, competitors seeking to enhance market presence, entrepreneurs looking for a new venture, and next-generation family members. Know your targets’ motivation, reputation, financial capacity, and track record with past acquisitions.
• Plan for After the Sale. The emotional fallout of selling can be surprising. It’s wise to plan for your post-sale life, whether pursuing a passion project or looking forward to a quiet retirement. You’ll want to consider your emotional readiness and what you expect to achieve by the sale.  Business is personal.

1. investopedia.com/articles/pf/08/sell-small-business.asp

Every day, we use products enhanced by fragrance:  soaps and shampoos, creams and cosmetics, laundry detergents, and an array of household cleaning agents. Such products are required to list their ingredients, but I’ve been surprised to learn that the term “fragrance” can cover a multitude of potentially harmful substances. We have no idea which specific chemicals we may use to spray, scrub, or smooth our skin.

Fine fragrance products are very opaque. Fragrance companies carefully protect their formulas, a mix of natural and synthetic substances that create the unique floral, woody, or spicy “nose.” But chemicals, such as “…phthalates, parabens, musk, and aldehydes, used for scent longevity or preservation, [sic] can disrupt hormones (endocrine disruptors), cause allergies, trigger asthma, or have reproductive/carcinogenic effects.”¹

According to Breast Cancer Prevention Partners (BCPP), a science-based policy and advocacy group, the “84 billion-dollar personal care products industry is one of the least regulated in the United States.”² The lack of regulation leaves people exposed to toxic chemicals through our frequent use of perfumes and personal care products. Equally, there is a lack of transparency. The catch-all term “fragrance” on a product label may mask carcinogens and other toxic chemicals linked to adverse health effects.

The Environmental Working Group (EWG), a team of scientists, physicians, and experts in environmental health, echoes the BCPP’s findings about the hidden presence of potentially toxic fragrance chemicals. EWG found that two phthalates in particular—dibutyl phthalate and diethylhexyl phthalate—often appear on a label as “fragrance but do not have to be disclosed as individual chemicals.”³

Phthalates and parabens are linked to numerous health concerns. “[These]…endocrine disruptors are known to affect how women’s bodies use estrogen and thus have been linked to breast cancer. Research has also shown that endocrine disruptors can harm the immune system – an effect that makes us more susceptible to disease and viruses.”⁴ 

EWG research shows that the U.S. lags behind the EU, Canada, and many other countries that have enacted strict rules on cosmetics, skin care, and other personal care products, banning chemicals such as phthalates, parabens, PFAS, and petroleum distillates. “Some of these nations have restricted or completely banned more than 1,600 chemicals from cosmetic products,” while the “U.S. Food and Drug Administration has banned or restricted only nine chemicals for safety reasons.”⁵

Awareness is the first step in protecting one’s health. I think I’ll be reading the fine print on product labels more closely.

1. alitura.com/blogs/beauty-benefits/the-top-10-toxic-chemicals-in-perfumes-and-cologne
2. bcpp.org/our-work/personal-care-products
3. ewg.org/the-toxic-twelve-chemicals-and-contaminants-in-cosmetics
4. ewg.org/the-toxic-twelve-chemicals-and-contaminants-in-cosmetics
5. ewg.org/the-toxic-twelve-chemicals-and-contaminants-in-cosmetics

Recently, my interest was piqued by a British study suggesting that habitual daytime napping is associated with larger total brain volume, a fundamental indicator of brain health. All of us lose brain cells as we get older, and brain volume begins to shrink in our 30s and 40s, with the rate increasing after age 60. Our brain’s physical changes will also alter our cognitive abilities.¹

Should we take a 15- or 20-minute nap after lunch? The midday “riposo” of Mediterranean countries provides an escape from the afternoon heat and a chance for a restorative nap. There are several examples of highly accomplished people who frequently took naps. Winston Churchill was an avid napper who extolled the benefits of “blessed oblivion.” General Douglas MacArthur took a nap every afternoon, as did John F. Kennedy, and top-ranked tennis pro Novak Djokovic makes short naps part of his sleep, meditation, and training regimen.

The British researchers at University College London analyzed data from the UK Biobank and “found that individuals predisposed to napping had a larger brain volume equivalent to being 2.6 to 6.5 years “younger” than non-nappers.”²  Based on self-reported daytime napping, 57% of the cohort reported that they never or rarely took a daytime nap, 38% said they sometimes took a nap, and 5% stated that they usually had a nap during the day.

Researchers used a methodology known as Mendelian randomization (based on the analysis of genetic markers) and found an association. However, the study does not prove definitively that napping causes larger brain volume (italics mine). In addition, all participants were of white British ancestry; results may differ in other populations.

“Our findings suggest a modest causal association between habitual daytime napping and larger total brain volume. Future studies could focus on the associations between napping and other cognitive or brain outcomes.”³ Researchers did not find a correlation between napping and hippocampal volume (which plays a significant role in learning and memory) or between daytime naps and improved cognitive function (e.g., reaction time and visual memory). Still, they observed a genetic predisposition for daytime napping correlated with a larger total brain volume associated with a lower risk of damage from disease and conditions like dementia.⁴

For many, daytime napping is inhibited by a job that requires them to be awake and alert, unless one can find a quiet corner or a “nap pod” suitable for dozing or refreshing meditation. Doing so may boost your performance and possibly prevent “shrinking.”

1. publichealth.columbia.edu/news/changes-occur-aging-brain-what-happens-when-we-get-older
2. sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S235272182300089X
3. Ibid
4. neurologyadvisor.com/news/regular-daytime-napping-brain-volume-cognitive-function/

Business owners might want to monetize their life’s work for several reasons, even when a business performs well and market conditions are favorable. As an owner, you may be ready for new challenges or want to diversify your business assets. You may recognize that new technology and customer behaviors are reshaping your industry. You may also want to fund a significant lifestyle change.

The most common reasons for selling a business tend to fall into a handful of categories: Personal, Financial, and Market Conditions. Personal factors include burnout from prolonged stress, or the desire to unlock capital to allow you to retire and travel widely or pursue a personal passion. Financial reasons include the emergence of new business, job, or investment opportunities that offer substantial advantages. Conversely, selling may reduce risk if you anticipate potential liabilities.

A third scenario includes factors external to you and your business, such as market changes driven by socio-economic volatility or advances like AI, which are likely to disrupt your industry and pose risks. On a more positive note, you might receive an offer you “can’t refuse,” or want to maximize profit by selling while your industry is doing well. After all, you can apply your well-honed skill set to another endeavor with promise.

In our global economy, market dynamics frequently shift—sometimes dramatically—making it a compelling reason to sell. Owners may find that a declining economic cycle or other forces are impacting their business in ways that can benefit from fresh leadership or an infusion of capital from buyers who will invest in growth.

If you’ve considered selling, it’s wise to do so when your company’s value is at its peak, your personal goals align with selling, and the business does not rely wholly on you. Be sure you’ve adequately prepared with no unresolved liabilities. And be aware of emotional attachment—a frequent reason owners don’t exit, and businesses are never sold.  Finally, you’ll want to engage trusted advisors who can offer strategies to help you enjoy the greatest financial benefit.

Offering the taste of sweetness with zero calories, sugar-free drinks seem like a “healthy” way to enjoy a 12-ounce soda or 20-ounce venti latte without adding pounds. But “No Sugar” drinks are not a “no risk” choice.

Research shows that the effects of saccharin, aspartame, and sucralose on the body and brain are highly complex, with correlations found between non-nutritive sweeteners (NNS) and metabolic syndrome, fatty liver disease, and diabetes, as well as stroke and dementia.

Per Harvard Medical School’s “Staying Healthy” blog, frequent consumption of NNS may cause people to find “less intensely sweet foods, such as fruit, less appealing and unsweet foods, such as vegetables, downright unpalatable.”¹ We may then avoid fresh, filling, and nutritious foods.

The 2020 post references a study of 6,000 American adults (the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis) that found that daily consumption of diet drinks was associated with a 36% greater risk for metabolic syndrome and 67% increased risk for type 2 diabetes—diseases they were meant to prevent.²

Biological mechanisms to explain the association between diet sodas and metabolic syndrome and diabetes focus on an increased consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages/foods, or disruption of the ability to estimate caloric intake.³ However, NNS can also disrupt the balance of the gut microbiome, which, through multiple mechanisms, may contribute to fatty liver disease.⁴

What is known about NNS and brain health? A post on “Cognitive Vitality” published by Alzheimer’s Discovery notes that the impact on the brain appears to stem from effects on the gut microbiome.⁵ Bacteria in the gut can break down an NNS, and “breakdown products, called metabolites, can potentially impact brain function.” The composition of breakdown products “…depends on the chemical nature of the sweetener as well as the particular species of bacteria present in a given person. As a result, the effects are highly individualized.”⁶

Furthermore, a research article in “Stroke,” found that higher recent and higher cumulative intake of artificially sweetened soft drinks are associated with an increased risk of ischemic stroke, all-cause dementia, and AD dementia.5 A study published by the American Academy of Neurology found that people who consumed the highest amounts of NNS had a faster decline in thinking and memory skills.⁷

For my part, I’ll take the World Health Organization’s advice, which recommends whole foods with natural sugars (like fruit) or water as better alternatives for weight control.

1. health.harvard.edu/blog/artificial-sweeteners-sugar-free-but-at-what-cost-201207165030
2. diabetesjournals.org/care/article/32/4/688/29040/Diet-Soda-Intake-and-Risk-of-Incident-Metabolic
3. Ibid
4. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7257251
5. alzdiscovery.org/cognitive-vitality/blog/are-artificial-sweeteners-bad-for-the-brain
6. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5405737/
7. aan.com/PressRoom/Home/PressRelease/5281

The rapid adoption of NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) rights has changed the landscape of college sports, blurring the line between amateur and professional athletics. While no single piece of legislation granted student-athletes NIL rights, the NCAA’s 2021 interim policy, along with new state laws, does allow athletes to profit from their personal brand without jeopardizing eligibility.¹ Today, many students receive financial compensation through endorsements, appearances, and social media.

Ruling the basketball court at the University of Iowa, Caitlin Clark secured more than $3M in endorsement deals for companies like Nike and Gatorade. Clark also appeared in commercials for State Farm and was featured in Buick’s “See Her Greatness” campaign. The estimated value of those partnerships is well above her 2025 WNBA base salary of $78,066.²

Arch Manning, the Texas Longhorns quarterback, holds the highest NIL valuation in college football—approximately $6.8 to $7.1 million. Grandson of legendary quarterback Archie Manning, and nephew of Peyton and Eli Manning, Arch has a multi-year contract with Red Bull, plus deals with Warby Parker, Vuori, and Raising Cane’s. Manning has partnerships with Panini America playing cards and EA Sports video games.³

Critics of NIL have taken issue with lavish payments from alumni and booster-funded collectives, pointing out that prominent schools can recruit top talent because they have the dollars to entice star athletes. Others note that financial hierarchies within teams can lead to tension among players. At the same time, the pressure to manage a personal brand can stress athletes with already demanding schedules.

NIL’s clear upside is the chance for college athletes to gain financial literacy. Students involved in NIL ventures must make significant financial decisions and learn about the complexities of managing personal finances. Recently, the total earnings of college athletes from NIL surpassed $1.6 billion. And, of course, big money comes with big tax bills. Arch Manning’s $6.8 million NIL valuation aligns with federal income taxes of $2,474,186.^4. The realities of princely contracts and partnerships may come as a shock.

1. espn.com/college-sports/story/_/id/31086019/everything-need-know-ncaa-nil-debate
2. businessinsider.com/caitlin-clark-valuable-womens-college-basketball-player-2024-3
3. nytimes.com/athletic/6649100/2025/09/23/arch-manning-texas-nil-money/
4. forbes.com/sites/nathangoldman/2025/08/14/breaking-down-the-top-20-college-football-stars-2025-nil-tax-bills/

Alkaline water and the alkaline diet have surged in popularity among health-conscious consumers. Celebrities and athletes helped to kickstart the trend, and per data from Beverage Marketing Corporation, the alkaline water market today has a market value in the billions.¹

Advocates for the alkaline diet maintain that a predominantly alkaline-forming diet boosts energy, promotes weight loss, reduces inflammation, supports bone health, and may reduce the risk of cancer. Ideally, one should aim for 60% alkaline foods (with a pH of 8 or higher) and 40% considered acidic (a pH below 7).²

Fruits, legumes, non-starchy vegetables, nuts, seeds, tofu, and grains like quinoa are considered alkaline.

• Strong alkaline: grapes, tea, seaweed
• Medium alkaline: berries, tomatoes, spinach, and egg white
• Weak alkaline: apples, onions, tofu, leafy greens

Acidic foods include meat, cheese, eggs, most grains, sugary foods, and alcohol

• Strong acidic: egg (yolk), cheese, persimmon
• Medium acidic: pork, beef, chicken, fish, and wheat
• Weak acidic: Rice, peanuts, cow’s milk, beer

Foods considered neutral include fats such as olive oil and avocados, as well as root vegetables like potatoes and yams.

Reading up on the science behind the diet, I found that, in general, the foods we eat don’t alter our blood’s pH or directly impact the pH of cells. The body regulates blood pH on its own.³ However, the alkaline diet plan does emphasize fresh, nutrient-rich foods and excludes sugars and processed foods lacking nutritional value.

The pH of urine does fluctuate based on food intake, with a diet high in meats and dairy leading to acidic urine with a low pH. Alkaline foods like leafy greens and fruits raise urine pH.  Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), which is commonly caused by obesity and high blood sugar, affects up to 30% of American adults.4 In one study, NAFLD was associated with low urine pH, and NAFLD prevalence increased as urine pH decreased.5

The significant value of an alkaline diet stems from its focus on plant foods and exclusion of “carcinogenic” items such as processed meats, saturated fat, sugars, and alcohol. Low-glycemic alkaline foods, like non-starchy veggies, also reduce the risk of obesity-related metabolic syndromes like high blood sugar, which, over time, lead to conditions like type-2 diabetes and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) as mentioned above.

My coach, Zoe Nance, and I started discussing diet and the link to osteoporosis, which inspired me to do a bit of informal research. I found that the association between “dietary acid load” and bone health remains mixed. One NIH review of relevant studies did not confirm that diets high in acidity lead to osteoporosis and skeletal fragility.⁶ However, an article published in Kidney International suggests that high dietary acid load can cause our bodies to draw calcium from bones to neutralize excess acidity. The study concludes that the “…protective function of bone to maintain systemic pH,…,comes at the expense of mineral stores.”7 Calcium, a mineral essential for bone density, is found in kale, spinach, almonds, oranges, quinoa, and soy, foods promoted by an alkaline diet.

In sum, an alkaline diet encourages the consumption of fresh, plant-based foods, which have been shown to help allay chronic disease when prioritized over the long term. It stands to reason that, when nutritious foods are the basis of your daily diet, you can realize significant health benefits.

1. theguardian.com/global/2018/oct/29/alkaline-water-cure-bs-science-beyonce-tom-brady
2. cancer.gov/publications/dictionaries/cancer-terms/def/alkaline-diet
3. health.clevelandclinic.org/alkaline-diet
4. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6207809/ https://allieddigestivehealth.com/causes-of-fatty-liver-disease/#:~:text=Types%20of%20Fatty%20Liver%20Disease,liver%20damage%20if%20not%20addressed
5. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9120865/
6. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9133222/

Compared with women, men resist seeking medical care, delay or skip preventative screenings, and tend to ignore injury or pain.  They are less likely to be vaccinated for COVID-19 or the flu.  I’ve wondered why this is so, and the subject came up recently during a conversation with a client. Subsequently, I’ve read about this phenomenon in the press.  Most often, his behavior is attributed to cultural and social definitions of masculinity that have led men to view health complaints and medical care as a sign of weakness.

An article published by the American Heart Association cites “misguided masculinity” as the primary cause of men’s reluctance to visit a doctor.  Mary Himmelstein, an associate professor in the department of psychological sciences at Kent State University, says that seeking help “means someone’s going to take my ‘man card’ away from me.”¹  She also notes that many men distrust the medical system sometimes due to negative personal experiences (e.g., previous medical errors or poor provider-patient interactions).

The Health Policy Partnership, a London-based consultancy, addresses the issue as a combination of masculine stereotypes and a lack of health literacy.  An article entitled “It’ll get better on its own,” cites a 2022 survey conducted by the Cleveland Clinic, which revealed that 55% of men say they avoid medical attention because they are “too busy,” afraid of being seen as “weak,” and believe “ailments will heal by themselves.”²  Doctor visits are a low-priority inconvenience.

At the same time, there is a lack of health literacy. “Knowledge of disease warning signs, awareness of symptoms, and the importance of early medical intervention”³ is consistently lower in men than women.  Gender interacts with other factors, such as ethnicity and socioeconomic status, which impact proactive prevention, diagnosis, and treatment.

A New York Times article cites the same survey and data.⁴  The Times’ “Well” newsletter quotes Dr. Joseph Alukal, urologist and director of Men’s Health at New York-Presbyterian/Columbia.  “Some men shy away from seeing doctors because they fear receiving bad news.”⁵  They may also fear invasive examinations, feel embarrassed about sexual performance or bladder issues, and hope to evade a prescription for lifestyle changes.  Unfortunately, male health concerns like erectile dysfunction are often harbingers of problems like heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes.  Dr. Petar Bajic, a urologist at the Cleveland Clinic, uses a car analogy: “If [men are] good about doing regular maintenance on their car, they should be good about doing regular maintenance on their body,” he said. (Instead of an oil change, prioritize a cholesterol check.)⁶

What should men do beyond getting prompt treatment for an acute illness or injury?  In “Speaking of Health,” a Mayo Clinic publication for the public, it is suggested that men over 50 have a yearly physical exam, and those younger than 50, a physical exam every three to five years, even if feeling healthy.  The article notes that men should also discuss mental and emotional health with their healthcare team.

The following list of recommended screenings is taken from “Speaking of Health” and edited for length.  Go to the link provided below for a more complete description.:⁷

• Abdominal aortic aneurysm ultrasound screening
• Colon cancer screening at age 45; traditionally, a colonoscopy
• Diabetes test for men older than 45 or who have a body mass index above 25
• High blood pressure test, every two years
• High cholesterol blood test every 5 years
• Lung cancer low-dose CT scan for adults 50-80 who smoke 20 packs per year or more.
• Prostate cancer check starting at age 50

By the way, Steve Jobs originally went to see a doctor for kidney stones.  His urologist urged him to have an abdominal CT scan, which revealed a shadow on his pancreas.  The diagnosis was a less aggressive form of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor (pNET).  Jobs resisted surgery, relying on diet and alternative forms of treatment, but nine months later, a scan showed the cancer had grown and spread.  He finally consented to surgery and other treatment.  Jobs died of pancreatic cancer in 2011.

Avoidance and non-compliance are leading to changes in health care today.  Per an article in the Wall Street Journal, hospitals are beginning to create centers, often led by their urology departments, to provide male-focused care in a more welcoming environment.⁸  A visit to the urologist is often first, but the physician can identify other potential issues and refer patients to an appropriate specialist. Medical centers are also designing setups to make it easy to make appointments in one place, rather than in multiple locations to see specialists.  “At Cleveland Clinic’s Center for Men’s Health, patients can schedule appointments with multiple providers, such as a cardiologist, endocrinologist, dietitian and urologist, all at the same visit.”⁹

Men’s health centers also aim to get men to avoid risky practices—such as relying on websites that offer erectile dysfunction drugs without evaluation by a doctor, and unnecessary testosterone treatments.  At the same time, video consultations with legitimate practitioners can remove the need to see a doctor face-to-face, alleviating the “too busy” rationale and motivating men to seek help sooner.  And according to the American Academy of Family Physicians, a spouse or partner significantly influences whether or not a man goes to a doctor.  “To overcome men’s reluctance and remove the stigma of seeking care, health-care organizations have launched social-media campaigns and outreach efforts targeting both men and women.”¹⁰  Family matters.

1. https://www.heart.org/en/news/2021/06/15/misguided-masculinity-keeps-many-men-from-visiting-the-doctor
2. https://www.healthpolicypartnership.com/itll-get-better-on-its-own-men-and-their-resistance-to-seeing-a-doctor/
3. Ibid
4. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/03/well/live/men-doctor-visits.html
5. Ibid
6. Ibid
7. https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/mens-health-checkups-and-screenings-are-key
8. https://www.wsj.com/articles/why-men-wont-go-to-the-doctor-and-how-to-change-that-11556590080
9. Ibid
10. Ibid

“Make Your Bed” is the title of a speech and a book by four-star Admiral William H. McRaven. Based on Navy SEAL training, the speech was given at the University of Texas at Austin for the 2014 commencement. McRaven’s words have stayed with me as I’ve dealt with the challenges of leading and growing my company.

What does “make your bed” have to do with entrepreneurship and leadership? McRaven’s theory is that the task sets you up to approach the day intentionally—to attend to the little things that build discipline and structure, leading to a thoughtful, rewarding life. Making the bed ”…showed my attention to detail, and at the end of the day…a reminder that I had done something well, something to be proud of….”¹ The words align with my commitment to cultivate excellence as a way of life.

A well-made bed is not the whole story. McRaven emphasizes the importance of people “to help you paddle,” along with determination, grit, and courage. In McRaven’s words, “don’t be afraid of the Circus,” referring to the punishing drills required for SEAL trainees who fail to complete physical and mental rigors designed to test one’s mettle. In other words, don’t be afraid of failure. Embrace it as an opportunity to learn. Don’t quit.

Steve Jobs concurs. “You’ve got to act. And you’ve got to be willing to fail…to crash and burn. If you’re afraid of failing, you won’t get very far.”² Famously fired from Apple in 1985, Jobs never lost his nerve or gave up on his vision. He didn’t quit.

Further, an article in the Harvard Business Review, “Lessons from U.S. Army Special Ops on Becoming a Leader,” reports that businesses facing global uncertainty and technological disruption have adopted lessons from Army failure-based training. The curriculum comprises real-world situations designed to “coach the brain to learn from failure” and develop leaders who “excel in high-pressure situations.”³

In the world of sports, Novak Djokovic, winner of 24 Grand Slams, has spoken about the mental strength that sets champions apart.  “It is not a gift. It…comes with work.”⁴  He disputes the mindset that there is no room for failure or doubt. “You’re only human.” The difference for those who make it to the top is to acknowledge the misstep and quickly reset and recover.

These examples illustrate that leaders in our volatile times need mental agility and strength, the ability to learn from difficulty and take an unconventional approach, as Jobs did upon his return to Apple. Reframing “little things” as integrity and discipline and “failure” as a way to learn offers a chance to move forward, to do better, and ultimately succeed. Thus, I try to attend to the small stuff and welcome the hard stuff. My goal is excellence.     

1. youtube.com/watch?v=yaQZFhrW0fU
2. youtube.com/watch?v=zkTf0LmDqKI&t=61s
3. hbr.org/2025/08/lessons-from-u-s-army-special-ops-on-becoming-a-leader
4. youtube.com/shorts/JwduzC-SSbk

Are you moving to a new house and plan to turn your former residence into a rental? Do you have a beach cottage to rent periodically for extra cash? Have you invested in residential properties to rent long-term? In each scenario, you’ll need more than simple homeowners’ insurance.

Of course, you need a homeowner’s policy for the house you live in, but for any residential property that you rent out for a long period of time, you need landlord insurance. A landlord policy protects you and your property in case of tenant-related damages, certain disasters, and tenant liability claims. Coverage is generally intended for one to four units, such as a condominium and single- or multi-family homes, that you rent to others.¹

The cost of landlord insurance depends on where your property is located, the type and size of the property, the volume of rental activity, and the deductible and coverage you choose. Generally, the cost is about 25% more than a standard homeowner’s policy.²

Some homeowner policies may cover a brief one-time rental, or you may need an endorsement or rider added to your policy to provide the protection you need (e.g., short-term home-sharing endorsement coverage).³ If you plan to rent your property frequently for short periods (e.g., Airbnb), some insurers consider this a business and require a commercial policy. To be properly covered, you will need an appropriate policy, along with a business license or short-term rental permit to comply with local regulations.  Check with your insurer and local government for exact requirements.

Another point to bear in mind: if you plan to acquire a mortgage to purchase rental property, lenders require proof of appropriate insurance before issuing a loan. For more complete and unbiased information, check with the State Departments of Insurance, the Insurance Information Institute (iii.org), and the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC).

1. travelers.com/resources/home/landlords/landlord-insurance-for-rental-properties
2.  iii.org/article/coverage-for-renting-out-your-home
3. travelers.com/resources/home/landlords/landlord-insurance-for-rental-properties

Work sometimes works against good health, and the C-suite is not immune. The pressures placed on CEOs and other high-status executives often create chronic stress and fatigue. Demanding schedules leave little time or motivation to prioritize well-being. And while the 3-martini lunch has faded into history, frequent long-haul travel, business dinners, and 24/7 demands can lead to a cluster of factors (high blood pressure, Type 2 diabetes, and obesity) closely linked to fatty liver disease.

In fact, the incidence of fatty liver disease, known as Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Fatty Liver Disease (MAFLD), has “soared” over the past three decades and affects 30% of American adults. Analysis of data from a National Health and Nutrition survey conducted by the NCHS and CDC revealed that fatty liver disease rose from 16% in 1988 to 37% in 2018, an increase of 131%.¹

Unfortunately, MAFLD is a silent disease, with vague symptoms like fatigue or discomfort in the upper right side of the abdomen. Elevated liver enzymes (ALT and AST) detected in a blood test are often the first sign of a liver condition. Test results may prompt further assessment via ultrasound, CT scan, MRI, or a liver biopsy to determine if damage has progressed to inflammation, fibrosis, cirrhosis, or even cancer.

Are there risk factors? Both a lack of regular exercise and a diet high in sugars and fats increase the likelihood of becoming overweight, a key risk factor for fatty liver disease. Desk-bound executives often sit for extended periods, which is strongly linked to metabolic risk.^2. Individuals in any sedentary job, such as IT employees, are at risk for MAFLD even if they play tennis on the weekend.

Fortunately, fatty liver can be reversed. Dr. Ira M. Jacobson, director of Hepatology at NYU Langone, emphasizes, “In people who are sedentary, simply starting to exercise reduces the amount of fat in the liver….” He adds, “Trimming body weight by as little as 3% can decrease the degree of fat deposition in the liver, a 5% to 7% loss can reduce inflammation, and a 10% drop can actually start to reverse scarring.”³ Diet plans that help include the traditional Mediterranean diet, which is based on whole foods in their natural state.

While this post is not intended as medical advice, CEOs who maintain good health are shown to be more effective leaders. Well-being affects decision-making, resilience, stamina, and the culture of their organization.⁴ As the founder of 7Summit Advisors, good health is a priority.

1. nbcnews.com/health/health-news/nonalcoholic-fatty-liver-disease-rates-are-soaring-know-rcna89623
2. my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/22437-non-alcoholic-fatty-liver-disease
3. nyulangone.org/news/five-things-you-should-know-about-nonalcoholic-fatty-liver-disease
4. forbes.com/sites/julianhayesii/2025/07/16/why-ceo-health-is-the-leadership-kpi-that-drives-everything-else

Billionaire Howard Hughes died in 1976 with a vast estate, yet he never made a will. Upon his death, a myriad of spouses, children, and other claimants appeared, resulting in multiple legal disputes costing millions of dollars. Courts rejected 40 spurious wills, and eventually a judge declared Hughes had died intestate. Assets were to be divided among 22 distant cousins. Still, litigation carried on until 2010.

Hughes’ story is not unique. Pablo Picasso died leaving an estate worth millions of dollars plus thousands of works of art, but no will. Distributing his assets took six years of contentious negotiation between Picasso’s wives, mistresses, and children. Likewise, Martin Luther King left no will. Lengthy battles over his legacy ensued, with King’s Bible and Nobel Peace Prize disputed by his heirs for decades. Princess Diana left a will, but also a “letter of wishes.” Because the letter was not an official codicil, family executors could override Diana’s wishes for personal belongings, which she had designated for Princes William and Harry.¹

Of course, you don’t need to be a princess or a billionaire to want to leave a legacy for your heirs. Regardless of the value of your assets, your family (and other beneficiaries) will benefit if you plan ahead, establishing a framework to preserve your wealth in accordance with your values and wishes. Thoughtful estate planning can reduce estate and inheritance taxes and the stress and expense of conflicts and confusion among heirs.

According to Forbes, more than 60% of people in the U.S. do not have a will because they don’t think it’s urgent, prefer not to contemplate mortality or incapacity, or underestimate the value of their assets.² Without a will or a trust, you are considered intestate, and state laws determine how your assets are distributed, prioritizing close relatives. In the context of intestate succession, you don’t choose your beneficiaries or decide who will manage your affairs. You can’t take advantage of tax strategies. Essentially, you give up control of your legacy.

While complexity varies by the amount and type of assets, creating an estate plan is a process that requires a professional team (e.g., estate attorney, financial professional, etc.) to ensure you have the proper documents and strategies in place to address incapacity and to pass along assets in a way that reflects the values that have given your life meaning.

1. trustandwill.com/learn/royal-estate-planning-princess-dianas-final-will/
2. forbes.com/sites/kellyphillipserb/2016/04/27/17-famous-people-who-died-without-a-will/

When George Lucas made his Star Wars pitch in the 1970s, three major studios turned him down. Universal passed, and the executives at United Artists saw little potential in a sci-fi film that would require costly special effects. Plus, Star Wars didn’t align with UA’s Oscar-winning films like One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest and Midnight Cowboy. Although Lucas had had a profitable hit with American Graffiti, UA declined to gamble on a saga of good vs. evil set in a faraway galaxy.

20th Century Fox decided to take a chance. Studio president Alan Ladd, Jr. liked American Graffiti and was willing to bet on Lucas’s talent and his vision of a “space opera.”¹ As we know, Star Wars was a massive hit for Fox and Lucas, who forfeited upfront director’s fees for merchandising and sequel rights, ultimately making Lucas a billionaire.²

Meanwhile, United Artists (after passing on Star Wars) greenlit Heaven’s Gate, an epic western UA saw as a reliable prestige project, given director Michael Cimino’s critically acclaimed The Deer Hunter. Unfortunately, production costs spiraled out of control, and the film drew scathing reviews upon release, earning a mere $3.5 million against its $44 million cost.³

In the same decade, 20^th Century Fox, which had stewarded Star Wars, rejected Steven Spielberg’s idea for a film called Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Columbia Pictures picked up Spielberg’s story, which became the studio’s most successful film of the decade.

What can we learn from cautionary tales of hits and misses? Common wisdom holds that predicting whether a film will turn a profit is extremely hard.⁵ Making a movie is a collaborative art, involving many hands to bring the narrative to life. A lot can happen during production to impact costs. There may be legal issues. Audience tastes may be shifting. Studio executives must be adept at evaluating potential and assessing risk, traits that can serve any investment decision, whether backing a real estate project, a promising start-up, or an IPO.

Unlike filmmaking, most business decisions don’t create headlines. If decisions backfire, we won’t receive public credit or blame as Cimino and Lucas did. Our level of financial risk may be somewhat less than that of Fox or United Artists. Still, risk exists to some degree in every enterprise, particularly in a hyperconnected world likely to experience accelerated change and geopolitical volatility.

Business leaders in every industry must consider and prepare for risk, including the potential of “novel risks” that are “difficult to quantify in terms of likelihood or impact.”⁶ COVID spread farther and faster than anyone could foresee. AI may do the same. While we can’t anticipate all eventualities, Star Wars and Heaven’s Gate remind us to avoid complacency and a reliance on familiar tactics or “proven solutions.” We need to study markets closely and remain alert, nimble, and adaptable.

1. hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/alan-ladd-jr-greenlighting-star-wars
2. hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/george-lucas-star-wars-288513/
3. goldenglobes.com/articles/forgotten-hollywood-making-heavens-gate-1980
4. nytimes.com/1981/01/06/movies/heavens-gate-accents-studios-woes.html
5. washingtonpost.com/news/arts-and-entertainment/wp/2016/05/16/its-hard-to-predict-a-movies-profitability-but-you-learn-some-lessons-along-the-way
6. hbr.org/2020/11/the-risks-you-cant-foresee

Posting a $5 billion loss in 1992, IBM seemed to be crumbling. The tech giant had become a collection of insular departments or “fiefdoms” that competed with one another rather than collaborating to serve its customers. In April 1993, Louis V. Gerstner, who had held senior positions at American Express and RJR Nabisco, took over as CEO with a mandate to turn the company around. He succeeded.

What did Gerstner do? Among his major decisions, Gerstner chose to keep IBM together despite plans underway to break it into separate entities. The problem, as Gerstner saw it, was a rigid corporate culture that he described as “inbred and ingrown,” focused on internal politics and out of touch with a changing technological landscape.¹ “I came to see at my time at IBM, that culture isn’t just one aspect of the game, it is the game.”²

Gerstner’s insight is shared by prominent figures like Steve Kerr, Head Coach for the Golden State Warriors. Kerr speaks to the advice he received from Pete Carroll, who’d learned to build culture from coach Bill Walsh. “If you come in here with genuine, real values and then you make them come alive, that’s when the culture starts to form.”³  Andreesen Horowitz,^, founder of a16z, agrees. The author of “What You Do Is Who You Are” argues that culture reflects how people behave, “particularly…when you’re not looking.”⁴  Corporate culture takes shape around daily behavior, decisions, and habits.

To build a coherent culture at IBM, Gerstner began rewarding teamwork and tied compensation to performance and getting things done at all levels. IBM’s lumbering bureaucracy and internal conflicts had to give way to a flatter hierarchy and personal accountability. As Gerstner writes in Who Says Elephants Can’t Dance? “Well, my kind of executives dig into the details, work the problems day-to-day, and lead by example, not title. They take personal ownership of and responsibility for the end result. They see themselves as drivers rather than as a box high on the organization chart.”⁵

Gerstner describes a complex, often painful, turnaround process. Over 100,000 people were laid off thanks in part to a lifetime employment practice that allowed employees to grow lax, including managers who passively “presided” over the action. Moving forward required “changing the culture…the mindset and instincts of hundreds of thousands of people who had grown up in an undeniably successful company…. The challenge was making that workforce live, compete, and win in the real world. It was like taking a lion raised for all of its life in captivity and suddenly teaching it to survive in the jungle.”⁶

By changing its culture, its living values, IBM overcame lethargy and learned to “dance” in the emerging tech marketplace. What foundational values in your company culture need to be shed?

1. forbes.com/2002/11/11/cx_ld_1112gerstner
2. Gerstner, Louis V., “Who says Elephants Can’t Dance?” Harper Business, November 12, 2003
3. coachajkings/status/1952126832762871876
4. mikemcg0/status/1693609935639089655
5. Gerstner, Louis V., “Who says Elephants Can’t Dance?”
6. Gerstner, Louis V., “Who says Elephants Can’t Dance?”

As a parent of young children, college soon appears on the horizon as a major investment. How do we calculate the ROI? After all, the cost of four years at a school like Stanford University is estimated to be over $350,000. Will a degree pay off? Given AI’s potential disruption of the job market, is higher education still a valuable asset?

Per the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, a college graduate today can expect a median 12.5% return on their investment, with high tuition costs offset by the supply of financial aid, scholarships, and grants.¹ Of course, the market value of a credential varies with the major; historically, math, engineering, finance, and computer science have had a high ROI.

However, as AI advances, particularly generative AI, the nature of work will be transformed. “A McKinsey report projects that by 2030, 30% of current U.S. jobs could be automated with 60% significantly altered by AI tools. Goldman Sachs predicts that up to 50% of jobs will be fully automated by 2045, driven by generative AI and robotics.”² Black Rock CEO, Larry Fink, notes that AI’s impact is already visible and predicts a “restructuring” of white-collar work by 2035.”³ Even graphic design and copywriting are vulnerable, with PEW Research Center reporting that, “30% of media jobs could be automated by 2035.”⁴

Nonetheless, higher education retains its worth by aiding the development of critical thinking, problem-solving, and collaboration—“meta skills” that transcend specific jobs, but are critical for every entrepreneur, business leader, or professional. As one example, in the field of medicine, AI and robotics have become adept at skills once considered uniquely human, yet insight, empathy, and emotional intelligence prove to be just as important as digital fluency to effective patient care.

While in college, students can find value not only in the sciences and tech-related subjects, but also in humanities courses that offer a nuanced understanding of the world’s complexities—vital for AI implementation that benefits human purpose and potential. Equally important, college offers a chance to hone the “mission critical” skills of relationship-building, communication and co-creating. In the words of SageX founder Heide Abelli, “Those who never learned how to play well with others in the kindergarten sandbox have some significant ground to make up, while those who excel in this arena will reap increasing benefits.”⁵

1. www.cnbc.com/2025/04/18/median-return-on-investment-for-a-college-degree.html
2. www.forbes.com/sites/jackkelly/2025/04/25/the-jobs-that-will-fall-first-as-ai-takes-over-the-workplace/
3. Ibid
4. Ibid
5. fastcompany.com/90975351/the-5-soft-skills-needed-to-succeed-in-an-ai-dominated-workplace

What will it take to transform your business? Passion? Perseverance? A really big idea?

Wildly successful Kevin O’Leary (you know him from “Shark Tank”) started by founding Softkey, acquired major competitors, and sold the software to Mattel. He now has investments in 30 private venture companies, as well as his own venture capital investment company.¹ O’Leary has a theory about success.

Meeting frequently with Steve Jobs, who was interested in educational software supplied by O’Leary’s company, one thing stood out about Jobs—an ability to shut out the “noise.”  According to O’Leary (see link to video below), Jobs had a relentless focus on “signal” and the mental toughness to refuse to be distracted. O’Leary defines “signal” as the 3-5 things you need to get done in the next 18 hours that are critical to your mission.  Anything that prevents accomplishing those things is “noise.”

O’Leary asserts that Jobs operated at a ratio of 80 signal/20 noise. He notes that signal is not about an overarching vision or long-term strategy; it’s not about the plans you’ve made for a year out. Signal denotes the mission-critical tasks that need done now. Noise is any potential impediment–problems with your family, public opinion, superfluous opportunities, or even one’s own doubts or fears. O’Leary believes that the wildly successful business “geniuses,” operate at close to 100% signal.

To what does the late Jobs attribute his extraordinary accomplishments? Words and concepts like passion, clarity, and the courage to take risks, are woven throughout his public statements. “If you don’t love something, you’re not going to go the extra mile, work the extra weekend, challenge the status quo as much.”²

Jobs also spoke to the importance of what O’Leary calls “signal.” “People think focus means saying yes to the thing you’ve got to focus on. But that’s not what it means at all. It means saying no to the hundred other good ideas that there are. You have to pick carefully. I’m actually as proud of the things we haven’t done as the things I have done. Innovation is saying no to 1,000 things.”³

As is well known, Jobs was ousted from Apple in 1985, returning in 1997 to a company on the verge of bankruptcy. His leadership and intense focus transformed Apple into one of the most iconic and valuable in the world.

What’s your signal to noise ratio?

1. https://fortune.com/2025/07/08/kevin-oleary-shark-tank-how-became-millionaire/
2. https://www.threads.com/@marketflowstrat/post/C8AIRGxiGZm
3. https://edition.cnn.com/2012/10/04/tech/innovation/steve-jobs-quotes/index.html