Just Thoughts #22: Do you know who's the biggest business titan of them all?
Thoughts of the week with a full overview off all Headlines on Just Thoughts so far.
The content in this article is “handwritten” and only co-piloted with Grammarly’s spell-checking and re-phrasing for the desired tone of voice. I’m dyslectic, so using it removes my cognitive impediments.
This publication aims to remain independent in a world of conflicting interests. To achieve this goal, it seeks reader support. Subscribe to get the entire archive of thoughts, and by supporting this publication, you endorse independent thinking.
Just Thoughts is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
Reading these thoughts, you are either inspired or not. The first rule of reading these thoughts is asking yourself: Why should I think this way?
The highlight of the week: Wedding at Noormarkku, Finland
It’s been a week since Russia dropped a bomb on a children’s hospital in Kyiv, and I can’t help but wonder if this had been in the news at the beginning of the war, the reactions to it would’ve been a whole different caliber. At least from the perspective of my bubble, everything went under the skin, and you felt an internal urge to contribute. The voices that were strong enough to have an opinion then aren’t as loud anymore. I guess that is human nature, and although I am an advocate for being able to see the moral dilemmas from both sides, the discussed incident doesn’t need to be questioned. It’s wrong.
Originating from a discussion I think I had with Moaffak Ahmed, a philosophy student turned entrepreneur and now likely best known as an Angel investor, told me that in the questions between “right” and “wrong,” you should ask yourself, “If everyone would be doing it, would it make the world a better place?”. Regardless of the origin, I’ve subscribed to the thought since, and if you take the very drastic example above, bombing children’s hospitals is wrong for whatever reason. The only tricky question is, what countermeasure is justified to make that would make the world better if everyone were doing it? Bombing a children’s hospital in Russia is not the answer. Having Russia answers for its war crimes? Yes, but easier said than done, and how much additional force is needed to get to the point?
I recently found myself watching the Star Wars Series “Andor.” As someone in the habit of covering all of the Marvel and Star Wars content, Andor had been on my watchlist. Thinking you’d get another version of content reminds you of hardcore “LARP” ing; unlike most of the other recent Star Wars series, Andor is an action thriller that only gets better with each episode. I bring this up in the context written above because Andor is an excellent depiction of how to start revolutions, and there is a scene in one of the last episodes where Christian Skarsgård, in the supporting act of the mastermind behind the revolution, explains what he’s had to do to create change. He’s had to use the methods of his enemy to the point he’s had to sacrifice his dignity, integrity, and soul to create change.
One wonders if this is what the Donald Trump shooter was thinking when taking the shot. Was he thinking he was doing the wrong thing for the right reasons? We may never know. All I could think of when I saw the picture with Trump’s bloody first in the air was how much it resembled the picture reporters “die for”, as told in the Movie “Civil War” I covered in Just Thoughts #11.
Finally, it makes you want to ask yourself: Who ultimately decides what is right or wrong? Nonetheless, human society could degrade into anarchy without an agreed-upon sense of morality, even if the average human will want to act out of compassion and not fear… or at least that is what I at least like to believe about others.
I started heavy this week, as this incident deserved more weight than it got. On to an incident that moved the Finnish startup scene, Silo.Ai got acquired by AMD in a cash transaction of 600€M+. Everyone seemed to have something to say about it. Did it go too cheap? What is the actual impact? On the side of that, I wanted to ask why Combient Foundry was highlighted in AMD’s press release but not in the stakeholder discussions, at least on LinkedIn. Nonetheless, the rest of the business world may have raised an eyebrow regarding pricing, given the global competition for the type of talent Silo.ai holds. Regardless of your point of view, I also like to believe this was a net positive transaction for Finland, and a sure loser in this scoop was Elina Lappalainen, the local reporter who has covered most of the startup and technology-related news, as she was on (or still is?) on holiday. You can’t judge her. If you’ve ever done business with Finns, you know we’re on holiday in July. Here’s Supercell being funny with it on LinkedIn.
However, I’ve not had the luxury of officially keeping a holiday, at least in the traditional sense. I’ve pursued my genuine interest at the cost of my financial position, and I’ve reached a point where I’ve done the things I wanted to do before I’d be laid to rest in my grave.
Do you think it’s weird to say something like that? When you spend the beginning of your career with people with endless ambition and a drive to change the world and all the wealth in the world, you could also feel their regrets. How many stories have you not heard about undone, the time not spent with loved ones? Are the words not shared? Was the grudge held in vain? You know the stories.
If I’m meant to be a driver of change, I still hopefully have most of my life to do it, but I’m not acting out of a position of regret, longing, or a need to prove myself. People don’t lie on their deathbed, regretting what they’ve done; they regret what they didn’t do. If I die today, I could say, “I did it… I did it all”, and aim to live my life like that. My seemingly financially irresponsible choices, or the risk any entrepreneur takes, have led me to a position where I need to find some work, being content with what is offered without compromising my values. Ultimately, I enjoy a level of privilege and wealth money cannot buy: supporting friends and loved ones, health, and being born as a cis-gender heterosexual white male living in the country of birth, being a speaker of both native tongues. However, I hope the structural privileges dissolve with time as globalization and humanity evolve.
I have a habit of leaving writing to the weekend. This weekend, however, I was a guest at a lovely wedding in the Ahlström Family estates in Noormarkku. I was left with a nasty hangover from a fantastic party and a sense that the Ahlström family legacy needs a proper review, as it is the legacy of one of the only true business titans of Finnish national history.
Hence, here are some pictures to tease the paid audience. This will be followed by a review of all the content covered so far. As a paid subscriber, you can access the Archives of Just Thoughts.
The NoorMarkku iron works area has only been open to the public for less than two decades, regardless of its historical significance to Finnish history. They are going to build a new museum to this truly unique place.
The Ahlström family heritage seeps properly into the entire nation's history, from the first electricity to independence, trades in heavy industry, wars, and wealth.
I got this book about Walter Ahlström, the Titan that changed everything.
The area includes one of Alvar Aalto’s most famous architectural designs.
I didn’t know about Ahlström's family legacy until this trip, and I am grateful for that. I will cover more in the upcoming Just Thoughts, but if you found this writing short, here’s an overview of all the previous headlines on Just Thoughts. To gain access, please consider becoming a paid subscriber.
I’m looking for full-time opportunities within Talent Development, but I’ll keep writing Just Thoughts as my only goal for this year, as described in Just Thoughts #2.
Just Thoughts #1: Rebranding to Just Thoughts
Book Launch: Leading by Example
Launch Process: A Discovery process
Outcomes: Family, Friends and Fools round
What’s next: Contracting
Product Feature: Docue
Just Thoughts #2 - An operating Model and Goal Setting Practice + Joining deidei
Personal Goal Setting exercise
The Heart Beat Hustle: an Operating Model
Joining Deidei
Just Thoughts #3: The Beat of Slush (from way back when) and DEI-learnings.
The Beat at Slush way back when
The context
The structure
The Heart of the team (way back when)
The Beat of the team (way back when)
The Hustle of the team (way back when)
DEIB-Learnings
deidei’s new e-learning & webpage.
Just Thoughts #4: Thoughts on self-awareness of Entrepreneurs and Women's Day.
Self-awareness of entrepreneurs
Women’s day
The state of inappropriate behavior in the Finnish startup ecosystem
Dune 2 - The movie.
Just Gratitude
Just Thoughts #6: Consulting vs. Entrepreneurship
Consulting vs. Entrepreneurship
Practicing Learnings of Allyship
Movie Review: Myrskyluodon Maija
Just Thoughts #7: Privilege, having babies, AI-newsletters and getting self-checked
Having Babies.
AI Newsletters.
Getting served for my biased privilege.
My stories of harassment, discrimination, and bullying.
Just Thoughts #8: Reflections of daily thoughts
Thought of the day #39: LinkedIn Group certification.
Thought of the day #40: When to start monetizing Just Thoughts.
Thought of the day #41: School shooting.
Thought of the day #42: OpenAI will raise 100B.
Thought of the day #43: Some leadership books I like referring to.
Thought of the day #44: Using AI for social media content.
Thought of the day #45: Emotional regulation.
Snowboarding and the Finnish weather.
Just thoughts #9: Solving DEIB and the startup ecosystem challenges
DEIB-related events: Two spaces that should’ve been shared.
On the hunt for an artist.
Life advice from my two favorite sources.
The discussion the Startup Ministers and the President should have.
Just Thoughts #10: An organizational analogy
The Jungle: An analogy for organizational roles.
What is trust?
Deidei offsite.
Re-charging.
You are talking to your AI self.
Feedback training summary.
The nature of communication of highly effective teams.
Movie Review: Civil War
The highlight of the week: Bake your bread.
Poem of the week.
Just Thoughts #12: Art Exhibitions and normalizing being "different" as a "normal."
Art in Helsinki.
Vappu Celebrations.
Slush releases now and back then.
A Dose of Hope - A One Billion Donation
Poem of the Week - The Distance of Love
Just Thoughts #13: A template to run your organization effectively.
The Heart Beat Motion Template
A Bedtime Story by my son and AI.
Movie Review: Terminator Dark Fate
A Dose of Hope: The Piece Index
Poem of the week
Just Thoughts #14: We Launched AI within Art!
AI Within Art
The Case for DEI in Organization
Movie Review: The Creator
Poem of The Week: The Favorite Part of Me.
Just Thoughts #15: Mental Health and family
Extended format essay on the title subject
Just Thoughts #16: The book is here
Talking with an AI artist: Roope Rainisto + The first 4 Patrons for Ai within Art.
Getting to know Croatian Teas
Music Tech in Helsinki: A reflection
Series Review: Shogun
Poem of the week
Just Thoughts #17: The "Why" for Ai within Art and building organizational culture
Being part of a Helicopter ground crew
Building Culture
Poem of the week: To Lead.
Just Thoughts #18: Angels telling you entrepreneurs can solve everything
Nvidia is all the rage
Sam and Vinod - Interview
100 Startups Will Save Finland
Reflection on our challenges
Poem of The Week
Midsummer in Inkoo, Finland.
Ai within Art results.
Poem(’s) of the Week.
Kalajoki
Cultural Appropriation: White Rap Artists
Pride & Flags
Movie Review: Next Goal Wins
Poem of The Week: Chase The Goal
Just Thoughts #21: Politics and Sports
Pyttis: The profitable municipality.
Book Review: Discipline is Destiny
Poem of the Week: Angel
That’s all for this week!
P.s. When I wrote about Cultural Appropriation, White Rap Artist Eminem dropped the song Tobey the same week, and MGK dropped a new album, Hotel Diablo, in which he’s still trying to go up against Eminem in the song El Pistellero that ended up on my summer playlist, as it deserved the acknowledgment.
I think MGK shouldn’t try different rap styles in the same song. He should try other genres. That would be according to his strengths and truly sets him apart from others while also messing with Spotify's recommendation algorithms funnily.
A good conversation about those here, with the full convo below
Until next week! Remember to subscribe for more thoughts to ensure you don't miss a fresh dose of Just Thoughts every Monday at 7 AM (EEST)
If you found this inspiring, please share
You can find me on LinkedIn here. I currently have no other active social profiles. Don't hesitate to contact me if you want to contribute to or advertise this publication! I am always happy to hear feedback and suggestions on how to improve!