The Secret Behind the Famous Tagline
My biggest obstacle as a new CEO in 2024, podcast launch, and more.
Dear modern leader,
This is my first newsletter of the year, and I am pretty nervous to be honest. But fear was my biggest obstacle as a new CEO during my first two years running Olympia. I was afraid to fail, to make a wrong decision, to look dumb in front of the team or clients, to not know what to do. The thing is that making mistakes and not having a clue what to do sometimes are normal when you are in a leadership position for the first time (when you do anything for the first time in that matter). Those are all lessons to learn and move forward, hopefully making less of same mistakes in the future.
So this year I decided to look my fear right in the eye, and make peace with it. I acknowledge, understand, and accept it fully. The only thing what I do not allow my fear to do is to control any of my work and creative processes (and leadership is not only about pragmatism or strategy). I’m in control.
Your fear will always be triggered by your creativity, because creativity asks you to enter into realms of uncertain outcome, and fear hates uncertain outcome.
— Elizabeth Gilbert, “Big Magic“
Fear hates uncertain outcome. It wants to protect us from the worst. And entrepreneurship is full of uncertainty and unpredictability. But bravery is not about never being scared. Being brave means doing scary things.
So in 2025 I decided to be scared and do what I want and got to do anyway.
I started my year in lush, stunning nature of Costa Rica. I was scared to jump off of the catamaran deck into the open ocean, and I jumped anyway. I was scared to do zip line over the jungle, and I did it with excitement, shouting at the top of my lungs. I almost shat my pants having a short flight in a small airplane through the clouds, but I was brave, ‘cause I did it. I made a decision: to live my life to the fullest despite fear. And that’s what modern leadership is for me.
The Secret Behind Nike’s Tagline
After coming back from vacation, I finally started preparations for my podcast launch. The idea of The First-Time CEO project was born in autumn 2024. I was scared to start it for several months. And then I heard Mel Robbins talking about famous Nike’s tagline JUST DO IT.
The secret behind it is in one powerful word. And it’s not “do“. It’s JUST. If the tagline would be “Do It!“, it would generate too much pressure, and pressure always creates resistance to change. JUST appeals to our humanity, because it allows us to make mistakes and however small steps towards our goal or dream. Just do it, however imperfect. Just make that first step.
It was a breakthrough.
So last week I launched The First-Time CEO podcast, that in 50 episodes will become a book. I’ll converse with modern leaders of today, new CEOs, about their challenges, lessons, and real-world experiences of launching and running companies for the first time. Watch an intro episode with my partner and co-founder, Obie Fernandez!
You can also listen to it on Spotify (and soon on other platforms too). It is short and fun, and if you don’t believe me, here’s the teaser. Obie and I discussed stepping into the CEO’s role for the first time (and he was there not once), fears, uncertainty, founder-led sales, why motivation is garbage, and more.
Now, I used to share my #GoldenFindings—articles, books, reports, and other resources I find interesting—on X (Twitter) before, but I recently deleted my account. So every Sunday, together with my weekly newsletter, where I’ll reflect on being a new CEO, and share my and my guests’ lessons, tips, and realizations on the topic, I’ll share my “golden findings“ of the week. And those are not only about being a chief executive. I love self-development in any shape or form. So here goes:
📝 ARTICLES
I found this article at MIGHTY ALLY about being a first-time CEO in social ventures to the point. Most of it cis relatable to new leaders in any industry.
LOVED a brutally honest and blunt blog post by Charity Majors on "Founder Mode" and the Art of Mythmaking” on what being a CEO really means, smashing AirBnB's CEO, Brian Chesky, into pieces dismantling one of his interviews.
The New Yorker became my go-to for great long-reads this year since I subscribed. I recommend reading:
1. How David Lynch Became an Icon of Cinema (R.I.P. legend!)
2. An interesting opinion piece on How Much Our Language Shape Our Thinking?
3. The Hollywood Slog That Led Adam Scott to "Severance" about one of my favorite series and a great leading actor. (Do you like/watch it too? Let me know in comments!)
📚 BOOKS
We have a big library at home, and I'm a crazy book worm. I can't get into a book store without buying Murakami's latest or someone's recent work on self-development. Oftentimes, I start reading a book, and in the middle of it I start a new one. But this wasn't the case with "The Gift" by Edith Eger. She is a clinical psychologist, a Holocaust survivor, and wrote it at 92! It is pure wisdom on how we can use our traumas to live differently, and to heal. Highly recommended!
Another gem is "Big Magic" by Elizabeth Gilbert on creative living beyond fear, where she explains how and why fear goes hand in hand with creativity, and why we shouldn't battle it, and more.
Happy reading!
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