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This week we’re talking about better ways to make a few billion dollars, how everything looks the same, and pushing through the uncomfortable (not around it). Happy reading!

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Andy

HAPPENING AT CASA CINCO

We are moving things around and will pause events for the time being. More details coming soon… 👀

FOR INSPIRATION

Brad Jacobs. Chances are, you haven’t heard about him. This is because he’s focused his career on what most people would classify as ‘boring’ businesses. Seven of them, all worth billions of dollars.

In his interview with Shane Parrish from The Knowledge Project, Jacobs shares insights from his book “How to Make a Few Billion Dollars” and on how he’s made boring businesses, well, less boring (not his words, but ours).

There’s a lot to unpack, but the main takeaway (and inspiration for you) is: what matters is not what you do, but how you do it. His contrarian, yet intuitive, business philosophy places humanity at the center and implies that creating alpha is highly correlated with intentionally building a happy workplace, among others.

There’s obviously a lot more behind it, but Jacobs is one of the few leaders we’ve heard highlighting the importance of otherwise overlooked practices such as active listening, kindness, positivity, and validation. For us, that is where the magic lies… and, ultimately, how great businesses are built.

FOR CONVERSATION

Are we in an age of average?

In this controversial post, Alex Murrell argues that the world around us is starting to look the same. Everything from interiors, to architecture, to cars, to people, is converging into homogeneity. Think of an Airbnb, a coffee shop, and an Instagram influencer. Chances are, we’re picturing relatively similar things (or people).

People may not only agree or disagree with the thesis, but also fundamentally care or not care. So what if everything looks the same? That, we argue, is when things get more interesting.

If we’re catering our businesses, art, and personal looks to an algorithm, we may get the likes in the short term. But what happens in the long term? Where will innovation go?

Regardless of whether you agree or disagree that the world is currently looking pretty standard (still fun to debate), use this as a helpful reminder to remain authentic. Original. Bold. Innovative.

Ask yourself: are you catering to an algorithm, or yourself?

FOR ACTION

In his conversation with Dr. Andrew Huberman from Stanford University, American author Robert Greene argues that success lies on the other side of anxiety.

Success is ultimately a matter of absorbing, analyzing, and executing on ideas. However, in the process of doing this, we may encounter significant anxiety. How we handle anxiety, Greene argues, will determine how successful we ultimately are.

Anxiety is uncomfortable, and tends to prompt action away from it and towards instant gratification. Just think of the number of times you look at Instagram while trying to get through work. We tend to work around what’s uncomfortable, not through it. This, however, prevents us from developing, growing, and getting to the next level. We end up being limited by our own preference for comfort.

Greene’s advice? Don’t rush away from anxiety and into the first available alternative (or Instagram). Feeling it, dealing with it, and pushing through it - not around it - are what differentiates the great from the good.

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We’ll talk soon. Thank you for joining us at Casa Cinco

Not sure Casa Cinco is for you? Have advice on how we could improve? Schedule a quick chat with Andy.