New Fin de Siècle? What It Means for Entrepreneurs Today
Is history repeating itself?
Check how our AI Editor at Olympia, Calvin, helped me create this newsletter. Hire Calvin as a part of AI team to streamline your operations!In recent reflections, I found myself captivated by the phrase “fin de siècle Vienna” discovered in an article about Alma Mahler-Werfel by Alex Ross in The New Yorker. Curious, I started digging into that period—the late 19th and early 20th centuries, a time of artistic brilliance, intellectual ferment, and underlying anxiety.
The term, meaning “end of the century” in French, originally described the final decades of the 19th century—an era of decadence, upheaval, and transition. On the surface, it was a time of optimism: rapid technological progress, economic expansion, and flourishing culture. But beneath the grandeur of Vienna’s coffeehouses and Paris’s salons, there was unease. The old world was crumbling—empires were unraveling, nationalist movements were rising, and deep anxieties about modernity and identity were taking hold.
Just as the old world was fading and a new one wasn’t fully formed yet, today’s entrepreneurship, tech, and leadership landscapes feel like they’re standing at the edge of something unknown.
The world is shifting. The startup playbook that defined the past two decades—hypergrowth, infinite venture capital, and the relentless pursuit of scale—feels increasingly outdated. The promise of boundless progress has given way to something more uncertain, more fragile.
I couldn't help but wonder—are we having a fin de siècle moment? Is history repeating itself?
Entrepreneurship: The End of an Era, The Birth of Another
Much like the fin de siècle of the 19th century, today’s entrepreneurship is caught between excess and disillusionment.
The age of blitzscaling—where startups prioritized speed over sustainability and capital over customers—is in decline. WeWork’s implosion, FTX’s collapse, and the reckoning of the tech bubble have all signaled that the era of infinite funding and growth-at-all-costs is over. Venture capital, once a limitless fountain, has tightened. Founders who raised millions on hype alone are now struggling to justify their valuations.
At the same time, AI and automation are rewriting the rules of value creation. Much like the Industrial Revolution transformed 19th-century economies, AI is reshaping what businesses can be. The old assumption that human labor is the key to production is fading, forcing founders and CEOs to rethink how companies should be built.
The creator economy—much like the Art Nouveau and Symbolist movements of the fin de siècle—is both a rebellion and a reimagination of business. It challenges the idea that companies must be large to be successful. Instead, it rewards individuals who cultivate niche audiences, build personal brands, and monetize expertise. Just as fin de siècle artists broke away from traditional institutions to experiment with new forms, today’s solopreneurs and indie founders are redefining business outside of corporate structures.
But what comes next?
My prediction considering the shifts I witness nowadays is that this will be a renaissance of entrepreneurship, where new models of sustainable and community-driven businesses emerge. Or are we simply witnessing the decadence before collapse, much like the fin de siècle before World War I?
Geopolitics: The Breakdown of the Global Order
If the late 19th century saw the decline of European empires, today we are watching the fragmentation of the global economic order.
For decades, globalization was seen as an unstoppable force, bringing nations closer and markets more interconnected. But the cracks are now obvious: U.S.-China tensions, the war in Ukraine caused by the Russian invasion, supply chain disruptions, and a rising wave of protectionism. Much like the world of 1900, alliances are shifting, and the stability once taken for granted feels increasingly fragile.
Startups and CEOs are no longer building in a world where global expansion is easy. Decoupling from China, de-risking supply chains, and navigating geopolitical volatility are now essential skills for leaders.
The fin de siècle optimism that innovation and economic growth would unite the world was shattered by the First World War. Today, we face a similar question: will AI, automation, and technological progress lead to a more connected, prosperous future—or one defined by division and conflict?
Culture & Society: The Age of Decadence and Anxiety
Culturally, we are in an era of paradox. On one hand, the digital age has created limitless access to information, entertainment, and opportunity. On the other, there is a pervasive sense of unease. Social media amplifies both artistic innovation and existential dread. The rise of AI-generated content and deepfakes blurs the line between reality and illusion, much like fin de siècle literature blurred the line between beauty and corruption.
The Decadent movement of the 1890s—epitomized by figures like Oscar Wilde—rejected moral constraints, embraced aestheticism, and indulged in excess. Today’s world mirrors this dynamic: influencers flaunt lavish lifestyles while economic instability grows. Billionaire founders are treated like rock stars, yet the idealism of Silicon Valley has faded.
There is a growing sense that something else must emerge—whether a new movement in business, leadership, or social structure. The question is: who will shape it?
What This Means for CEOs: Leading in a Fin-de-Siècle Moment
Periods of transition require a different kind of leadership. The fin de siècle wasn’t just an ending—it was a prologue to modernism, to new ways of thinking, to the leaders who redefined industries and institutions.
For first-time CEOs today, these strategies are vital:
Question the Old Playbooks – The hypergrowth-at-all-costs model is fading. Instead of chasing scale for its own sake, focus on sustainability, differentiation, and real value creation.
Embrace Intellectual Ferment – The best leaders of transitional eras are polymaths. Read beyond business books. Study history, philosophy, and psychology. Learn from those who thrived in times of upheaval.
Balance Vision With Pragmatism – The great leaders of modernist movements didn’t just dream—they built. CEOs today must navigate uncertainty with both imagination and practicality.
Prioritize Human Connection – In an era of AI and automation, human relationships—trust, community, authenticity—will define which businesses endure.
Redefine What Success Means – The old markers of success (unicorn status, IPOs, billion-dollar valuations) are becoming less relevant. The next era of business will reward those who build lasting, meaningful, and adaptable companies.
The First-Time CEO Podcast: Episode #1
If history rhymes, this fin de siècle isn’t just an ending—it’s a turning point. The last one led to modernism, the roaring ’20s, and ultimately, upheaval.
The future is unwritten. But one thing is clear: the leaders who shape it will be those who recognize that this is not just another cycle. It is the end of the old paradigms and the beginning of something new.
Kirk Marple’s story is a case in point. His journey—from CTO to first-time CEO, from layoffs to reinvention—is a microcosm of the transition many leaders are facing today. In a world where old assumptions are crumbling, resilience, adaptability, and customer focus are the new foundations of leadership.
In this episode, we dive into:
🔹 What changed at Graphlit after layoffs and a major pivot
🔹 How Kirk handled the transition from CTO to CEO—and the mindset shifts required
🔹 His approach to founder-led sales and marketing in a changing landscape
🔹 What he does when shit hits the fan—and how he makes decisions under pressure
🔹 Why he believes customer-focused product development is the key to long-term success
🔹 The biggest challenges he faced as a CEO—and the lessons that shaped him
Tune in to gain a deeper understanding of how Kirk Marple navigated the complexities of leadership during a fin de siècle moment, offering practical strategies and inspiration for those looking to lead and innovate in today's transformative business landscape.
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If you want to know more about The First-Time CEO project, listen to an intro episode with my co-founder,
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