Starting Over: A Raw Blueprint
Starting Over: A Raw Blueprint
Baby steps toward doing things better
A Living Blueprint - Version 1.0 - But definitely not the final version. Yes it is cringe, baby steps, gotta start somewhere.
Lost and Found
I've been lost since 2020. Lost the business, lost the direction, lost the plot. But maybe getting lost was what I needed. When COVID forced us all to stop, it made me ask: What actually matters? Many asked the same question.
For 20 years, I lived chasing external expectations. Revenue targets: 500k! 750k! 1 million! I wanted to be a suit so badly. I wrote my Bachelor's thesis about currencies… I chased the hottest trend for my Master's - ESG. What a load of bullshit that turned out to be.
Easy to sit here and bitch about how everything's fucked. How the system's rigged. How the algorithms pit us fighting left vs. right while they rob us blind. Fuck that. Nobody listens to another rant about sound money or hard work - they've heard it all before. Want people to understand? Show them. Build. Run your business right. Let the results do the talking.
Want to orange pill people? Lead the way. Show them what's possible when you choose freedom over debt, quality over scale, and long-term value over quick profits.
Yeah, I did my fair share of whining too. Haven't solved the ultimate question of life, the universe, and everything. But, from now on, I try to do things a little bit better.
Core values
Time is the ultimate scarce resource
Value creation beats fiat metrics
Quality beats scale
Freedom beats growth
Focus on low-time preference across all life decisions
How to run my business
How I Run My Business
Focus on value creation, not fiat metrics
The best workers. The best product. The best service.
Build with minimal debt.
Growth is great, but sustainable growth beats irresponsible expansion every time.
Commit to excellence, even when it’s hard.
It’s easy to play the numbers game, cut corners, and trap customers in predatory contracts. Yes, people can be gullible, but I’d rather elevate my customers’ intelligence than exploit their trust. We only offer the best products, using the highest-quality materials, with transparent pricing that shows every cost.
Best workers:
I pay my employees 20% more than my competitors and keep workdays 20% shorter. No, this won’t make anyone “rich” by conventional standards, especially in the service sector. But it will offer something better: dignity, respect, and a balance that isn’t just about the bottom line.
Used to employ 14 people, running two shifts, playing the suit game - revenue up, costs down! I micromanaged and made everything depend on me. Worst mistake ever. Now I'm down to 3 people, but everyone takes 100% responsibility. Do you think work's done at 12:00? Go home.
No mediocrity, no bullshit.
On Products and Service
Support the best suppliers
Quality is expensive - good
No cheap options, no shortcuts
Fair and open pricing
Long-term partnerships
We fuck up sometimes - we're human
We fix it - we're professional
Build with minimal debt
My simple math:
Cash > Problems = Freedom
Cash < Problems = Slavery
Survived COVID, wars, 300% cost increases because I had cash, not debt. Everyone asks: "Why no leverage? Why no mortgage? Why not sell your invoices?" Because I'm not their product. I'm not their slave.
I only use debt when it makes clear sense.
Debt is a tool.
On Growth
Everyone's obsessed with "scaling." Run three shifts! Grow faster! Also meanwhile:
Startups get 30 million in government money
Big corps like UPM get 60 million in "energy subsidies"
3.5 billion euros in business subsidies
Small businesses? We get to pay for it all
The Real Path Forward
Stay:
Small and agile
Honest and local
Connected to the community
True to quality
Free from debt
Rich in time
Support:
Local businesses
Real jobs
Real skills
Real communities
Avoid:
Big chains
Quick fixes
Easy money
Bullshit metrics
Choose Your Path
Yes, the system is rigged. Yes, it's frustrating. Yes, the left-vs-right fighting is bullshit. All the algorithms try to do is get us to fight, get mad, and get depressed.
But still:
Every euro to a small business stays in the community
Every quality product reduces waste
Every honest deal builds trust
Every real job creates real value
Let others leverage with debt, burn cash, and chase subsidies.
Keep it small. Keep it honest.
Because at the end of the day, People = People. People will win!
Time = Scarce.
Quality = Sustainable.
Cash = Freedom.
Bitcoin = Future.
That's the way.
Sources and further reads:
https://x.com/Devon_Eriksen_/status/1849242849675489372
Tryin to prove
Run a profitable business without exploiting people
Deliver quality without drowning in debt
Build something sustainable without playing the growth-at-all-costs game
Lead by example instead of just complaining about the system
