Letter of Inspiration

The summer has shown itself once again in all its glory. Besides abundant joy, it also brought complaints: just as summer vacations are drawing to a close, the hustle and bustle here in Zurich is beginning to pick up speed and intensity again. Meanwhile, the warm weather has a paralyzing effect and makes us lethargic. Thinking becomes more difficult and the call of Lake Zurich for a cooling dip becomes louder. On one hand, we are tired because of the heat, and on the other hand, we are afraid of the insecurity of a second wave—a combination that probably would have been called "dangerous" in a history book. If the forecasts are right, we in the business world are heading for something that would be optimistically described as a major change, and in ordinary speech as a crisis. So how do we change history and float out of the vortex of paralyzing fatigue and fear of the future?

What has announced itself the last decades, is in no small measure the consequence of unlimited availability, which has led to excessive consumption, much like a child left in a candy store unattended. In the post-war period this was legitimate: people enjoyed access to that which harsh circumstances had denied them. Enjoyment and wastefulness both contribute to economic growth. But do we still appreciate this luxury today, and are we indeed entitled to it?

Read my published article on the topic: "Luxury as a Discontinued Model"

We have grown up surrounded by luxury goods, and it has become infinitely accessible through digitalization and groundbreaking inventions like smartphones. When something is constantly available, it is only human to eventually take it for granted. However, months in isolation make me wonder whether it is still appropriate to take the time to indulge in luxury. Not because it is no longer attractive, but rather because it does not help. Nothing can develop when we remain static. To trigger a reaction, movement is needed—as you already know from Physics 101. And that is also what we need now: movement.

A still incalculable risk hovers over our near future. Coupled with fatigue and fear, this results in a cocktail that would make even James Bond falter. After the Second World War, the ZERO art movement broke through the canvas as an artistic expression of a new beginning, a physical act that released new energy for creation. However, movement does not always have to be physical. Emotions are often described as "I am moved by something". Is it possible to break through the apparent dreariness of exhaustion and anxiety by acting on one's emotions, and what can that look like?

Passion is more than just a job description, it can be found in living according to your values and moral convictions. In addition, what you enjoy doing is not perceived as "work". The popular German philosopher, Markus Gabriel, writes in his current book about "moral progress in dark times" about his insights on a new form of cooperation, one which Gabriel claims is already noticeable in some areas of society, and that he believes will continue to grow. What can this look like?

A few years ago, the term "gig economy" was coined. Young talents who were clearly aware of their skills would immerse themselves in start-ups or companies for short-term contracts to contribute their knowledge over a period of 6 to 12 months. What is now emerging is a wave of freelancers who, like the gig workers, are very clear about what they have to offer. When I hear Markus Gabriel talking about new cooperations, I have a bigger picture in mind of something that will dissolve existing hierarchical company structures and lead to something new on a project-based, talent-oriented and independent basis. Breaking down the big picture into small parts makes it possible to move with more agility and, above all, to correct shortcomings at their source more quickly and with more control over their effects. For managers this means several things: How do I enable my employees to recognize their own strengths? How can I enable personal responsibility? And how can I stand back and let my team create something new? How can I be happy about failures and not judge them? How do I create an environment that allows my employees freedom within the organization?

"It is not the strongest species that survives, nor the most intelligent, but the one that is most likely to adapt to change.”

-Charles Darwin, British naturalist.

If stagnation is not an option, then we must allow for and encourage movement. One way is to seek out new impulses and perspectives that open your eyes to new ways and ideas. These can be found in the stories of the people around you: all it takes is your active listening. I had the privilege to hear such a “behind-the-scenes” story the other day, and have written it down for you: that of a man who trusts in his path and says that he has never felt better since the moment he followed his intuition.

In order to avoid the notorious second wave, many concert promoters have decided to cancel summer festivals. In Switzerland, health regulations are too restrictive to allow for the usual festival scene. But who says that there has to be a usual one? In this special situation, we need to be flexible in our thinking. It's not a matter of keeping everything the same, but of how you can unfold in a new setting.

One example that is very close to my own heart is the Festival da Jazz in St. Moritz, which this summer reluctantly had to give up its main stage, the legendary Dracula Club. The main aspect of this place is proximity between audience and performers, since it has no stage. So a new main venue had to be found, and together with the unique Grand Hotels onsite and their magnificent ballrooms, new venues were created that met the standards of the health authorities.

It may seem like a lone standout, like the small Gaulish village of Asterix and Obelix. However, it is not about rebelling, but rather about preserving a cultural asset while at the same time allowing for new thinking. This requires courage and openness to leave the familiar behind and yes, probably a few Gauls with a similar mindset. What has just happened in St. Moritz on a small scale can be a model for many entrepreneurs who find themselves in a situation where "the old way doesn’t work anymore". The good news is: it does, just differently.

If you enjoyed reading this, make sure to pick up a copy of Die Welt on Monday, August 31! There will be a big interview with me about the future of society and the business world. If you missed to get your copy, you can find the interview online.

Thank you for joining me for this episode of the Letter of Inspiration. Feel free to share this letter with colleagues and friends.

The lockdown put basically the world in a kind of "hibernation". This with the only difference that we were fully awake with a clear mind during this hibernation. If one observed the reactions in society, two groups surfaced: the activists and the paralyzed. Even though we are not trained for an exceptional situation like this, the one part tried to continue its great drive for action, the other part was paralyzed by the wave of uncertainty.

We cannot yet fully imagine the economic damage caused by this pandemic. What is visible, however, are the health consequences. The virus claims victims, but the so-called lockdown also has a major impact on the mental health and well-being of many individuals.

The isolation is slowly being lifted, but everyday life suddenly seems like a visit to the zoo: Normally thick glass screens or fences protects us from the wild animals - now it is gloves, masks and a minimum safety distance of 2 meters which is supposed to protect us from an invisible danger.

Can business relationships be maintained remotely or is there a risk of developing a similar relationship with our partners as with the animals in the zoo (i.e. none)? Distance cannot simply be resolved digitally. It makes "survival" easier for us, but life in digitality has its limits. Especially when it comes to the human factor. Through the forced reduction of our sensory perception in those digital interactions we are currently losing something that is essential: our intuition.

Of course, the current situation makes me wonder whether, with all these serious events, and times of lockdown and despair allow us to address intuition and the sharpening of perception. I believe that right now the subject of intuition is more important than ever. Not only does the lockdown confront almost all of us with an increased awareness about (the changes in) ourselves, our lives, our fears, nature, the world around us and our interactions. Fortunately there are people who are not in poor health or seriously affected economically. Doers who are used to acting, they too are caught in this empty state between stagnation and progress and have a right to speak and receive positive thoughts.

I would place these people in a third group, alongside the activists and the paralyzed: the considered. They use the void moment, between stagnation and progress, and reflect. It wouldn't surprise me if insights were to emerge in the process that question the unstoppable hunger for continuous growth, for consumption of goods, but also I believe the relationships and communication between fellow human-beings will be questioned. Do you really have to attend every meeting in person? Or to every company apéro or summit? And does it need the new "whatever"? Reflection increases the awareness of scarcity of our time and how to make the best use of it. Suddenly it is all about powerful conversations which stimulate and activate you. Rather less, but a valuable exchange. Not just any conversation, but one that matters for you or triggers something in you.

So, we have rested, gathered our thoughts and are ready to start again. What should we look forward to? Developing together will be essential in the phase to come because if times of crisis are good for anything, it's for reflecting about our own strengths. And this also shows where we need trustworthy supporters.

Existing concepts for success must now likely be reconsidered for most of us and translated into the new context in which we are finding ourselves. However, new thoughts do not emerge in familiar surroundings or in one's own comfort zone, but rather in a controversial exchange with people from other disciplines and idustriers. If you open your eyes, inspiration from other industries can reach you. Whether it is in the creative process of designers who process the current situation in their product variations, or the creativity with which restaurants have reacted to the lockdown. These impulses can be inspiration for you or translated into your own business.

It is no coincidence that the medieval poet Dante Alighieri was accompanied by a trusted friend on his way from “hell to paradise”. In Dante's case this was Virgil. Virgil was a faithful companion, who listened to Dante and guided him. Virgil symbolizes Dante's "intuition". This pandemic was unforeseeable and its size and consequences are still uncertain. That we feel uncertainty is okay, but you don't have to go through it alone. Whereas we are all in the same situation, it is possible to let go of the ego-centeredness and allow others to be involved. That was the moment when Dante met Virgil; an interlocutor who listened, who together with Dante found deep clarity on the core issues, sharpened Dante’s intuition and pointed out paths of action to master the way from "hell to paradise". Virgil - the intuition - is an underestimated weapon in the moments of crisis, which is worth (re-)activating.

The good news is that intuition can be developed and strengthened. We have already begun the journey from hell to paradise. We will only take this demanding and unknown path by opening our own perspective and give space to new thoughts. One carries the thought buds for this within oneself; to let them blossom, one needs the right impulses. The curating of such impulses is my core business and can be seen in events like the Zero Senses Retreat or in individual accompaniment. In 2 ½ days, the retreat format offers natural leaders a firework of impulses from other areas and creates a bridge to application in their own everyday work. The next event will take place in autumn and you can register here for further details.

Sustainability will probably be named as the “non-word of the year” soon. Every entrepreneur, but also almost all friends have the same opinion "Yes, we have to do something...". There are wild ideas on how to implement sustainable aspects in companies and ultimately in our life. One strives for an ISO certification for his company, the other buys only regional products, while another refrains from flying within the EU, but enjoys his avocado toast every morning (by the way, anyone wondered how avocados get from Mexico to Switzerland?). I was lucky enough to experience what sustainability means in holistic terms, when I temporarily lived in the Netherlands a few months ago.
Obviously, the consequences of climate change will directly affect cities like Amsterdam, which lie below sea level. Although I am convinced, that this is not the only reason, this country is closely connected to nature and the fate of the latter. It is apparent in their holistic approach through emobility, the generally healthy lifestyle, and an amazingly high number of impact startups and sustainable food concepts.
Jack Bean, a vegan fast food start-up: One of the founders, a star chef from Rotterdam, wanted to prove the fact that vegan food tastes good, easy to make and sustainable to produce. This young team uses only products grown in the region (i.e., no avocado or quinoa). They have a digital ordering process via tablets and tableware from renewable materials. Their target group are men who want to eat healthily, without giving up on taste. Of course, Jack Bean offers home delivery too, but only by bike or e-scooter and in recyclable boxes. A holistic concept with a great potential.

With this, my Letter of Inspiration comes to an end… Thank you for joining me on the way to more clarity. If you like this episode, please feel free to share it with like-minded colleagues and friends, encouraging them to subscribe!

What happens after the lockdown?

"Invest in talent. In relationships. Invest in yourself, in things you love and that mean something to you." Says Wolf Lotter in his prologue in brand eins magazine 04/2020.

That may sound simple. But when you have just invested all your energy in building up a new business or feel powerless in the face of the economic pressure that is currently weighing on an established company, it is difficult to take such statements to heart. Nevertheless, people get used to new circumstances quickly.

For example, three weeks ago, the idea of being locked down at home for more or less 24 hours, alone or with the family, was unimaginable. Living, working, learning, sporting, cooking and sleeping, all in one place? How is that supposed to work? Today we have to admit: It works, even better than we thought it would. Everyone makes their contribution. Whether it is the Yoga Studio, which now offers online classes, or your favourite restaurant, which gives you a cook-free evening, since it now delivers. The fact is, everyone is trying to support. We have started to get out of our stress bubble and get involved with the needs of others. Stick together, care for each other, be conscious: That's how we manage the 24/7 lockdown.

An outlook into the future. May 2020, the federal government officially declares the lockdown to be over. It is 15.00 o'clock and with the last press conference we got the free ticket 'to the outside world' again. Will we, as predicted by many, break out into a moment of complete ecstasy and a storm of celebration? I do not think so.

Quest for Stability

The first reaction will rather be uncertainty. Can we really leave the house now? Can I go back to the office? Can I meet my friends and does our favorite café has opened again? As a first step, we will only carefully plod back into the world, similar to a baby who begins to walk. A world that suddenly presents itself to us again in its fullness. What was normal before is now unusual. There is no 'Go back to go' card, it just goes on.

Of course we get used to this situation again, but first we look for points of orientation. We look for familiar things that give us security in a world we once knew, which we now need to get use to again. Until a few hours ago, the Federation guided our actions and doings, now we are to take over again. No matter whether it is a question of resuming our own activities, an enforced time-out, or even a new start, what is needed now is one thing: familiarity.

Familiarity gives us security and creates trust. Extensive celebrations with many, once fellow-sufferers who are nevertheless strangers to us, does not. I am convinced that this time after Corona will pay off on what I call a relationship network. Moments with the inner circle, exchange and, above all, a reunion with the personalities who were really missing during the crisis. In the end, you suddenly realize that there weren't so many missing of them. Even more important to make an effort to help the few and thereby begin to rebuild the supporting pillars of your business and private life.

Longing for the Known

We will certainly feel the urge to travel, but only to hotels and places we already know and within our own country. We will have dinner, but without experiments, we will go to our favorite Italian restaurant around the corner. We will do most of our shopping locally and if possible at the regional weekly market. We want to maintain and pass on the cohesion we have experienced over the past weeks. Global is not what we need at the moment. Global is rather what worries us.

What do we miss from the Corona period?

Being able to follow one's interests for weeks on end. Reading, sports, cooking, painting, all these are activities that nourish our creativity and to which we have been able to devote ourselves more and more. The effect I noticed, it is good to have this duality of cognitive (business) and being creative. The two worlds serve each other. Back in everyday life, how do you maintain this balance? Time and space, these are the magic words. The best way to do this is to put our creativity in the context of our business. More stability in any situation is guaranteed by this balance.

Striving for recognition does not mean living out your talent.

The famous painter Vincent Van Gogh just sold one of his magical paintings during his lifetime. His talent was only recognised after his early death at the age of 37. In a collection of letters Vincent regularly wrote to his younger brother Theo, the genius and myth of the painter Vincent Van Gogh can be traced piece by piece.

Vincent lived in poor circumstances, his brother Theo was his financier and all his money was spent on paper, paints and painting utensils. For himself, he took only the bare essentials. Devotion, diligence and solitude were his companions. He once said that he was ahead of his time. He was, and yet he was not tired of carrying on.

The story of the young Van Gogh is intended to motivate you not to lose faith in your own actions, especially in difficult circumstances, and to indulge your creative powers as entrepreneurs today more than ever. Not for others, but for yourself. If the story alone does not inspire, then it is certainly one of five sunflower pictures Vincent Van Gogh painted. This one hangs in the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam.

The inbox of our email accounts is full of 'inspiration' on all kinds of topics. This is where a mistake lies: Who gets our attention and more importantly, what truly inspires us? Inspiration is a tool I use to change my clients' perspectives, always with the aim of creating added value for clear business decisions. These impulses can show themselves in a 'Tour of Inspiration'. How that looks like is illustrated here.

So much for this special edition of the Letter of Inspiration. Feel free to share this letter with colleagues and friends and encourage them to sign up here!

In the past, life was considered good if you could afford everything. Everything usually meant at least one summer and winter holiday a year, two cars, a house, maybe even a weekend house in the countryside or somewhere near the beach. New generations neither have a driver's license, nor do they learn to ski in school anymore. Intercontinental flights are also being questioned in the times of Greta and climate change discussions. What about going out for dinner? Yes, but vegan please, preferably with local ingredients. A good life: what does it mean today?

Goodbye luxury, goodbye consumption

Consumption is similar to the monthly salary: up to a certain level, we are still happy about a promotion, until the marginal utility of any further increase becomes zero. After this point we do not care anymore because the next promotion would have to be immense to fundamentally change our lifestyle. In the Western world, the last 40 years have been good years. What do I mean by that? We didn't urgently miss anything, as everything was available. “If” has never been a question; only whether “there's more”. However, constant availability simply leads to boredom. Something similar happens with consumption. As it has become vulgar, as a response, we don't want to test the next Michelin Star restaurant, or buy another car, nor buy a new house in Spain, and our children don't fly anymore anyway, because of their CO2 footprint.

The end of consumption leads to a redefinition of luxury. A minimalist lifestyle seems to be the natural consequence of prosperity.

A simple lifestyle

Luxury always had an exclusive effect, which has been represented by the limited availability or the high price of certain products or services. Now platform models such as booking.com or UBER, but also flight providers such as easyJet, are trivialising a commodity that was reserved for those who had privileged access to a 'good life'. Today everyone has access to a top deal in a 5* hotel, and your private driver (UBER) picks you up from the airport, while your flight costs only 39.00 CHF. The sudden “democratization” of luxury signals a turning point. .

Furthermore, there are brand new ways of communication, which are more visual than verbal. The perfect Instagram image replaces the postcard from the vacation and WhatsApp allows us to be constantly connected with our friends despite thousands of kilometers of distance. In the end, we are longing for a break: break from the availability, to find that imperfect moment you will remember because it doesn't look like something from an ad of a lifestyle magazine.

A strong character

It takes courage to admit imperfection. We have been trained for decades on what a good life should look like - and now we are supposed to just forget about it? The admission is difficult and yet opens up a new perspective. I would like to emphasize the thesis that the new luxury is strongly connected to personality and that the more we develop our character, the stronger our 'feeling for a new luxury' will be. The way to a good life in the new 20s year heralds the era of artists.

If you are interested in this thought, you can read my article "The Era of Artists".

A recipe for success?

My passion is to curate moments of inspiration for natural leaders. This has the wonderful side effect of allowing me to have conversations with many fascinating people. But the real beauty emerges through connecting and condensing my observations to the essence. After a few inspiring meetings recently, I believe I have discovered a “recipe for success”.

Go your own way: I had an inspiring encounter with an antique dealer and restorer in Zurich. He told me about the beginnings of his profession; all his colleagues started to study and he has decided to learn craftsmanship. He was often mocked for choosing this path. Today, he says with pride: "Yes, only very few people can do what I do today. Nowadays, I would say that I am successful." The gentleman I'm talking about is now over 70 years old. He says he is doing very well, especially when he is working, because he does not notice the passing of time or the little pains that come with age.

Experience is crucial: recently, at a dinner with artists who can be considered as “successful”, I was wondering whether they could see a “recipe” for their success in retrospect. Independently of each other, both artists mentioned their decision to go and work abroad as one reason. Without working in Chicago or Berlin, the recognition of their work would not be at the level where it is today. The experience and change of perspective gained in a foreign country have widened the perspective of their work and strengthened certain character traits in them. Indeed, strong characters have something magically attractive.

What inspired me? Success is something individual: there is no algorithm for success. It seems much more important to follow the intuitive and personal path, no matter whether it leads to craftsmanship or to distant cities. Our good life is something only we can define for ourselves.

Due to the current situation regarding COVID-19 I had to postpone the Zero Senses Retreat.

I am happy that the wonderful Hotel Paradies as well as each of the fantastic speakers understood due to the given situation we had to postpone the Retreat. The new date for autumn will be announced soon and one more thing: We make two extra seats available. Interested? Sign up here.

And for those of you, who are curious, you can find the program here:

We have to know the source to understand its consequences. The question of how leaders create relevance in this new era was the main topic of my last Circle of Inspiration (click for details). Together with an exclusive group of guests, we discussed the art of context creation during a dinner in the midst of the inspiring environment of the Hauser & Wirth Gallery in St.Moritz. By using the current exhibition as an example, the gallery’s director, Stefano Rabolli Pansera, captivated us with his stories and motivated a stimulating table discussion amongst the guests. It was clear: the more we understand the source, the better we are able to create a context. Why is that necessary? To create relevance and thus meaning in times when everything is available.

So much for this issue of the Letter of Inspiration - thank you for following my impulses! Feel free to share this letter with colleagues and friends.

I realized that reducing sleep, optimizing my body through morning sports, having a healthy diet, and improving my memory through learning foreign languages do not make me a “better machine”. However, this banal realization raises the question: what does it mean to be a human? Recently had a fruitful discussion with a Swiss philosopher about the difference between humans and machines. He summarized his opinion in a wonderful image:

A loaf of bread:

When I send a machine to the bakery to buy a loaf of bread, I will get a loaf of bread. When I send a child to the bakery, who smells the freshly baked chocolate croissants, there is a good chance that I will not get any bread...

Situational, impulsive, and individual actions distinguish us from the accuracy and perfection, in which machines are multiple times better than we are. In a debate with Elon Musk about artificial intelligence, Jack Ma (the founder of Alibaba) said: "Chess is meant to be a game between humans and humans”. He doesn't care if a machine defeats him, nor does he try to run faster than a car. According to Ma, the time we gain from the creation of “utility items” shall be invested in self-development.

Serendipity is a surprising and positive discovery made by people when they originally wanted to buy a loaf of bread. One of the most famous examples is probably the accidental discovery of America by Christopher Columbus. Such a phenomenon would never occur in a world optimized by machines, where individual thinking would not exist. But isn’t exactly our open mind is what differentiates humans, the ‘compassionate machines’, from machines? And if so: is it possible to cultivate this basic human strength after years of trying to become a better machine?

Leaders need time and space in which such accidental discoveries can happen. The Zero Senses Retreat for “Cultivating Presence” will take place in October 2021 for a limited number of leaders. In a 2 1⁄2 days program, I curated five key impulses with a focus on sensory experiences of the art and culinary scene. Focusing on the senses creates a different level of awareness. Impulses include profound conversations with international thought leaders, who will speak about economics, philosophy and research. The impact is intensified by the venue itself: located in the middle of the Swiss Alps, Hotel Paradies offers a unique atmosphere. The retreat guarantees time and space for reflection.

I read the autobiography of Marina Abramovic, who is a very inspiring character for me, and is most likely one of the most successful performance artists of our time.

This woman, who used her body as canvas and took her personal experiences (family, partners, friends) as 'color' and inspiration to express herself across a variety of settings, concluded after nearly 500 pages that during all these years she was actually looking for attention and affection, especially from her partners. Why?

Abramovic grew up in a very well-situated family under the communist regime in Belgrade, in former Yugoslavia. She never experienced the love and attention she always longed for, especially not from her mother. The memory of emotional coldness endured at a young age drives her to perform even more passionately. This is why she has chosen the title “Walk Through Walls” for her autobiography.

I do not want to venture into the depth of psychology, but I find it interesting how profoundly our formative years influence our adult behavior (which is still the case for Abramovic, who is now 72). TrendsActive, a trend agency from Holland, observes formative years on a meta-level. Based on the environmental influences (such as crises, financial instability or economic development) between the ages of 4 and 14, the TrendsActive team identifies behavioral patterns, and provides companies with advice on how to approach different generations.

It is fascinating to observe the influence of the formative years in the biography of a well-known artist, as well as a business approach to better understand target groups.

Thank you for staying with me. I hope you received fruitful impulses. Please feel free to share the content with colleagues and friends.

The luxury industry for a long time was considered a seismograph for the mass market. A big statement, starting with the question of what luxury actually means and ending with the question mark of what that means for my business.

The next generations (known in the media as Millennials and Gen Z), have been fortunate enough to grow up in an environment, in which nothing has ever been missing. They did not experience neither financial crises, no war. In fact, they have lived their formative years (between 10 and 25) in a globalized world, without geographical boundaries or limited access to products. When there is access to everything, the quest for meaning becomes even stronger. However, it would be very naive to assume that the latter has no impact on an industry dominated by consumption and material things.

One example is the airline industry: what was once a symbol for luxury and only accessible to a select group of people, has filtered down to the mass market. Nowadays flying is even perceived by many as a burden. Although, concepts such as NetJets, a private-flight provider, are steadily gaining ground. Why? This company does not sell flights anymore, but safety and independence for an exclusive clientele. These values describe the new luxury.

Knowledge creates conscious awareness, therefore meaning. The quest for meaning has made materialism replaceable. The understanding of luxury evolves from status to connoisseurship. Ultimately, the depth of knowledge about the product dictates the level of enjoyment. For example the menu presentations of Michelin-Star restaurants mention not only the local farmers, but even the dairy cows, creating a deeper understanding of the product.

How does this trend affect your business? Success will manifest itself for those who create meaning and place this new value in the right context.

I see a new chapter opening up: suddenly people gain attraction over big brands. Our current era values individual thinking and a certain level of depth over the superficial results of an average Google search. An upcoming revival of the appreciation for craftsmanship signals the shift of values: from the growing popularity of baristas who are experts in roasting temperatures and grinding, to the increasing willingness of customers to wait up to three months for a handmade pair of leather shoes.

The age of connoisseurs suddenly brings our attention to a profession that has only been found in the art world: the curator. This group cleverly combines individual works into an exhibition by creating a higher context, based on their connections with connoisseurs (artists). Sooner than later the skill of curating will be more and more prevalent in other industries as well, laying the foundation for a new form of recognition. The search for meaning no longer puts consumers in front of boutiques to wait in queues, but prompts them to seek access to connoisseurs.

I recently published an article about ‘curating inspiration’, which you can find here.

Let me give you an example, how the purpose of meaning can make a difference in a highly competitive market. James Freeman, the founder of the California-based coffee chain Blue Bottle had a dream: he wanted to offer the best coffee in the world. That was a huge vision back in 2004, especially because of the fierce competition among existing coffee chains. The best coffee for Freeman meant the most tasteful coffee. Many conversations, tastings and researches later, he found out that the peak of flavor decreased significantly 48 hours after roasting. After this discovery, Freeman’s goal was clear: to only offer coffee that is enjoyed within 48 hours after roasting. The result? More than 60 stores worldwide and revenue of $22.5 million.

Excessive consumption is no longer chic. The luxury of connoisseurship can be distilled in radical sophistication, presenting itself in a more silent, unobtrusive enjoyment. Simply picking the most expensive red wine from the list is no longer enough. The quest for meaning breaks through the surface of price and status. The insight into wine style, winemakers, grape growing and winemaking draws the customer’s attention. The sommelier, who is actually a curator of wine, becomes the gatekeeper to knowledge. If he is not convincing, new generations will rather order water with lemon… or celleric juice.

People seek more clarity: easy access to information and domain-specific knowledge reduces our willingness to compromise. The consumer is more aware, educated and curious than probably ever before. According to a study by the Gottlieb Duttweiler Institute (GDI), this trend will continue, stating that “the consumer is also a producer”. Let’s theoretically expand the circle of connoisseurship! As our own expectations are increasing and craftsmanship is celebrating a revival, could our motivation to buy one day be replaced by “doing-it-yourself” and barter?

The desire for lightness. I had a beautiful imagine in my mind of colorful houses, embedded among the rocks on the Tyrrhenian seashore and white, little beaches, inviting to refresh from the hot August sun. The reality of the Amalfi Coast was a different one: crowded pass roads, black, hot and rocky beaches where you had fit your towel as if playing Tetris between all the others.

Space, solitude, independence - for me attributes of new luxury - have not even come close to what I experienced. Three days at the coast in southern Italian has been nevertheless enriching: people, especially Italians, who seemed not to notice any of what I just described. These people truly enjoyed the moment being fully present, with style and pleasure, far from self-optimization or the staging of a next Instagram post. In our fast-moving society there is a huge urge to reconnect to oneself: yoga, mediation, plant-based diet, and artificial minimalism through the self-imposed reduction to only 100 items and so on. However, lightness might not come to those who spend all their energy on forcing themselves to reach a certain state, but to those who can let things go and simply... be.

Thank you for staying with me. I hope you received fruitful impulses. Please feel free to share the content with colleagues and friends.

Building a business is certainly not an easy task, but for me it is probably the most exciting and formative experience so far:

- It is exciting, because I can do everything for the first time, without any support from a company, or the protection of a boss, or the security of a superficial senior title. I am - just myself. Even though it is a huge initial effort, it's a time when I grow almost daily. I dive deeply into topics, I learn to translate my experience into a new context, to eventually reach the moment when I can apply this experience - let it be a client meeting, a lecture or a conversation about an acquisition. I’m preparing to eventually share my 'new', transformed knowledge. What's so exciting about all this, you may wonder? The moment of uncertainty; not knowing whether my idea will be understood, acknowledged or even lead to inspiration. The brief moment of silence, the VOID, which feels like minutes even though it only lasts seconds, triggers a feeling of floating without a firm ground below.…

- It is a formative experience, because the moment of uncertainty triggers a void, which I learned to enjoy. The feeling of tightrope walking without a safety harness, which I described above, makes me rely on my own experience and forces me to use the latter in my arguments. A child who has once touched a burning candle, will not only avoid the the burning flames, but also will be careful when sitting around the campfire with friends. The art of enjoying the void is to instill what one experienced in the past into the present moment and instead of seeing the void as danger (burning campfire), enjoy the gently warming fire.

Sharpening our sensory awareness is one way to learn transferring our experience into the now. Jack Ma, the founder of Alibaba and former teacher, illustrated the importance of our soft skills in a convincing interview at the WEF 2018 in Davos. He brought up the education system as an example to illustrate how crucial it will be in the future to reactivate our soft skills, like our talent for painting or music.

What a wonderful world it would be, in which I easily make decisions based on my feelings - from the weather forecast "I feel that it is going to rain today!” to business decisions "I just feel that this is the right way to go for our company". The reality, however, is different; Intuition is an unused potential that, like everything else in life, must be learned. Andrew McAfee, MIT Cambridge USA, a man who is always a great source of inspiration for me, expressed the importance to learn intuition quite drastically in his Harvard Business Review article in 2010: "Following intuition is a deeply misguided advice".

What does one of the digital thought leaders mean by this? It's not about naively following a feeling, but...
... it takes time to develop intuition
... we must train our ability to actively listen and perceive first
... to lay the foundation for intuition as awareness of ourselves, we need consistency in our own perception to be able to use its power. How can you do that? Read this article ‘ZERO is the light’

Almost 10 years later, I came across an interview in Forbes Magazine with Ryan Caldwell, the founder of a fast-growing technology company called MX. Ryan impressively describes what it entails to trust in one's own intuition. In the end, I can summarize the takeaway with the concept of clarity: Clarity of who I am; and what that means to my business = values; Clarity, in words and behavior; Clarity to make consistent decisions.

I agree without McAfee and Caldwell: Intuition has tremendous potential that allows us to make more independent and conscious decisions. We need to reactivate and cultivate this suppressed strength in order to apply it. I like the comparison with sports. If I decided to do sports on a daily basis, I would probably stick to my decision for no more than five days, but to integrate sports as daily routine and let them become a habit, it takes consistency, stamina and a strong belief that our effort will add value. It works the same way with intuition. "Intuition is neither a caprice nor a sixth sense; it is a form of intelligence," said Prof. Gerd Gigerenzer, director of the Max Planck Institute in Berlin. For me, intuition is the ability to connect knowledge (ratio) with feeling (emotion) and to translate them into the present moment.

Sustainability will probably be named as the “non-word of the year” soon. Every entrepreneur, but also almost all friends have the same opinion "Yes, we have to do something...". There are wild ideas on how to implement sustainable aspects in companies and ultimately in our life. One strives for an ISO certification for his company, the other buys only regional products, while another refrains from flying within the EU, but enjoys his avocado toast every morning (by the way, anyone wondered how avocados get from Mexico to Switzerland?). I was lucky enough to experience what sustainability means in holistic terms, when I temporarily lived in the Netherlands a few months ago.

Obviously, the consequences of climate change will directly affect cities like Amsterdam, which lie below sea level. Although I am convinced, that this is not the only reason, this country is closely connected to nature and the fate of the latter. It is apparent in their holistic approach through emobility, the generally healthy lifestyle, and an amazingly high number of impact startups and sustainable food concepts.

Jack Bean, a vegan fast food start-up: One of the founders, a star chef from Rotterdam, wanted to prove the fact that vegan food tastes good, easy to make and sustainable to produce. This young team uses only products grown in the region (i.e., no avocado or quinoa). They have a digital ordering process via tablets and tableware from renewable materials. Their target group are men who want to eat healthily, without giving up on taste. Of course, Jack Bean offers home delivery too, but only by bike or e-scooter and in recyclable boxes. A holistic concept with a great potential.

With this, my Letter of Inspiration comes to an end… Thank you for joining me on the way to more clarity. If you like this episode, please feel free to share it with like-minded colleagues and friends, encouraging them to subscribe!