What if the most honest work we do begins before we’re ready to share it?
That question has been sitting with me as I start writing The First-Time CEO, a book I decided to write in public. Not in secret drafts or polished chapters, but in the open: Markdown files, visible edits, unfinished thoughts. Each week, I will upload whatever I’ve managed to shape to Leanpub, where anyone can watch the work unfold.
It’s exhilarating. And humbling.
Because the truth is, as a first-time CEO, you learn early that people look to you for certainty. They expect vision, not revision. You become fluent in confidence, even when you’re improvising the next step.
But writing this way—live, messy, porous—strips you of that armor.
Well, leadership, like writing, is mostly an act of faith. Let’s discuss.
The Discipline of Imperfection
In yoga, my teacher often says, “Become comfortable with unfolding into the unknown.” So I learn to surrender.
Writing is its own kind of yoga—an ongoing negotiation between control and trust. Each paragraph is a pose you can only hold for so long before you have to breathe, release, and start again.
The perfectionist in me still wants to choreograph every movement: the sentences, the structure, the meaning. But the page resists choreography. It wants honesty instead.
Some days, I find myself editing a sentence for rhythm, not clarity—trying to sound wise rather than be real. Those are the moments when I know I’ve slipped back into performance.
Because perfection isn’t the pursuit of excellence, it’s the avoidance of exposure.
And exposure is where the growth happens.
The Real Lesson
I used to think credibility comes from polish. Now I suspect it comes from presence—the willingness to show up mid-process, unguarded but intentional.
Building a company and writing a book have more in common than I imagined. Both ask for vision, but both punish rigidity. Both require the humility to say, “I don’t know yet.”
The irony is that the more I let go of trying to sound certain, the more coherent my work becomes. Each imperfect sentence points toward something truer: that creation, leadership, and love all begin the same way—with a willingness to not know.
So this experiment continues. The book will grow in public, one chapter at a time. Readers will see every change, every addition, every hesitation. It’s unnerving, but also strangely freeing—like walking into a room without needing to explain yourself first.
Together with book pre-sales, I will also launch The First-Time CEO Founding Membership (learn more about it here). If you’d like to follow along—or support the project as it unfolds—press the button below. You’ll be the first to know when new chapters are published and when the finished book is released.
What if that’s enough?
What if our best work doesn’t come from mastery, but from movement?
What if the unknown isn’t a threat, but a teacher?
What if imperfection isn’t the obstacle, but the invitation?
These are the questions guiding me now.
And maybe, if I’m lucky, they’ll guide someone else, too.
The First-Time CEO Podcast Update
Wohoo! This week, I recorded Episode 1 of Season 2 of The First-Time CEO podcast! It’s a special one with two guests instead of one. My primary guest was one of the fantastic, influential women in AI I wrote about in my recent article on HackerNoon. You’ll have to brace yourself until I publish the episode next week.
Season 2 expands the conversation. Alongside first-time CEOs, I’ll be speaking with more experienced leaders and experts in areas like law, compliance, and cross-border hiring — all the things that shape how we build companies today.
Hit that follow button to be the first to know when I publish new episodes:
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#GoldenFindings on Writing, Unfolding, and Creating in the Unknown
From Alpha to Adaptive: A New Breed of Leaders
— Leadership is shifting from dominance to adaptability. The best CEOs today aren’t commanding certainty, they’re cultivating curiosity.Creativity in Leadership: The Bridge Between Complexity and Opportunity
— In complexity, creativity becomes a survival skill. Innovation isn’t a moment of genius — it’s what happens when you stop pretending to know.Brainwaves to Breakthroughs: Foster a Creative Culture
— Neuroscience meets leadership: creativity thrives not under pressure, but under psychological safety. Your calm is your team’s catalyst.The Role of Creative Leadership Manifestations
— Research confirms what intuition already knew — creativity in leaders drives organizational innovation. Permission to play equals permission to grow.Why 2025 Founders Must Reinvent Themselves Every Six Months
— The new rule of leadership: evolve faster than your company. Reinvention isn’t a crisis; it’s your core competency.
#CEOCheck
Which part of your work are you still trying to control — and what might unfold if you simply stayed curious instead?
Hit reply and let me know. I read all your emails!
Let’s Connect!
For more authentic content on leading companies for the first time, follow me on LinkedIn and Instagram, and The First-Time CEO podcast on Spotify, YouTube, and Apple Podcasts. Here you can find more information about me and my career.