I am fool... How not to be like everyone else.
Or a story about self-awareness.
Hey there!
Yes, you read that right—I’m admitting I’ve been a fool.
Owning up to your mistakes is tough. We're egotistical creatures by design. But what do you do when it’s true?
Muster the courage and admit it, and stop whining about how the world doesn’t recognize your genius. That's the only way to grow as a person and an entrepreneur.
For entrepreneurs, this is even more crucial—being able to admit when you're wrong and hearing not just praises but also criticism, even the harsh kind.
But let’s be clear: criticism should come from those who genuinely want to help you succeed and have the experience and knowledge in the relevant field. Or, customers, whose feedback is as vital as air. Not from random haters.
Ultimately, it's not about having ears but mastering the art of listening. That, and knowing when to stand your ground or blend your beliefs with valuable feedback to create a new, improved version of yourself or your work.
That’s why I’m deeply grateful for your feedback. Now, when my follower count is small, your opinions are especially important. They help me create content that’s not just fluff but genuinely valuable and presented in a way that’s convenient for you.
There are several good reflections, which might spark your own thoughts about your projects.
Exactly!
One main reason is uniqueness – something special that sets you apart from other authors.
The internet has allowed billions to create all sorts of stuff, but it’s also brought massive competition in every field.
A hundred years ago, artisans competed with other craftsmen on their street, at most in their city. Now, masters from distant lands create amazing things—they’re creative, hungry, energetic. Creating closed guilds and restricting knowledge, as it used to be, won’t help anymore.
Since when I decided to create my own newsletter and publish content, I studied a ton of materials from other authors. Those who teach how to write, what to write, and those who follow such recommendations, and those who write from the heart for their audience, genuinely wanting to share their experience, mistakes, and knowledge.
I found that no more than 10% of all content can be called authentic.
The rest is just copycat stuff, now even more polished with AI use. Noise and junk.
Sure, there’s some value, but it’s in tiny bits, and all those “I did this, here are 10 steps, make a million” posts are not just annoying—they’re repelling. The problem is, this noise is everywhere—in any topic: creating a SaaS startup, faceless YouTube channels, dropshipping businesses, even how to grow a channel on OnlyFans.
The only thing that will always work is uniqueness and distinction. But chasing virality shouldn’t lead to stupidity.
This differentiation must be as authentic as possible; otherwise, your successful hook will be cloned instantly, and if you're lucky, you'll make your name known enough before being trampled by followers.
Here’s the second point. Brand.
A brand is essentially just an association in the brain. Our brain is a neural network and “thinks” (if you can call it that) in associations.
To decide on a brand, we need to understand how it aligns with our beliefs and worldview. The clearer and more fitting the brand positioning is to your personal idea of excellence and aligns with your “quirks”, the more likely you are to become a brand fan.
Young, unknown brands need to first establish a clear and understandable association: "I stand for this, not what you thought."
For this, you need to understand well who your audience, users, and clients are. Who you enjoy working with and want to dedicate your efforts to. While life’s circumstances can sometimes force you to take what you can get, thinking in terms of years, decades, life, rather than immediate needs, is the most effective approach.
At least because our brains are wired in a way that lets you "think" whatever you want. In the end, it's not you (the unique and irreplaceable individual) making decisions, but it (the grey matter in your skull). But that’s a topic for another time.
In over 20 years of entrepreneurship, I’ve worked with countless clients, partners, employees, and contractors from around the world. Only recently, due to certain circumstances (a story for another time), I finally managed to sit down calmly and piece together this experience to finally see my ideal client, partner, and listener. Now I don't have to trick my brain to motivate myself to work, genuinely seeking opportunities to help.
Yes, it took me many years to understand what I felt from day one when I decided entrepreneurship was for me. Ironic, isn’t it?
You know, this jokey dialogue, although it takes place in my silly head, metaphorically reflects some of my real work conversations.
And it’s a blast.
The thrill of taking part in someone's dream.
The joy of your experience and knowledge being needed and valued.
The pleasure of live human interaction that helps you grow, facing new challenges.
That’s the source of eternal dopamine!
I think the association I want to embed in my brand is a bridge. Yes, bridges can be anything—from a rope crossing over a wild river to an masterpiece of engineering and architectural art.
The question is, where and when is which bridge needed? For novice or not-so-tech-savvy entrepreneurs, reliability (above all) of the crossing is crucial. We’ll add bells and whistles later, once we’re sure we’re on the right path.
So, yes—a bridge. What kind exactly? We’ll see.
Your comments and feedback made me come down from my mountain of self-importance, sit at the base, and think about what’s really important. From the philosophical, like the meaning of my entrepreneurial life, to the practical—how to implement it to bring the most benefit to those who need it most.
- A hook and uniqueness. The main authentic difference of a person or business—their DNA, which, even if copied, produces at best a mutant.
- Brand and its association. The crucial asset that affects everything—from how you’re perceived to who ultimately comes to you.
These two main questions have been gnawing at my brain lately.
I hope my struggles weren’t in vain and were helpful to you, my dear subscriber.
This letter is getting long, and we still need to discuss other thoughts on effectiveness and “wasting” time on preparation.
Let’s leave that as a cliffhanger for the next round of reflections.
In the coming weeks, I’ll break down everything related to turning weakness into strength as I see it and how not to reinvent the wheel each time (which I still do with enviable regularity).
See you next week!
- Eugene
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Who is Eugene?
Here, in my sandbox, I share stories from my entrepreneurial life, along with thoughts and reflections on business, life, and philosophy.
I am obsessed with helping non-tech entrepreneurs demystify web design, development, automation, and new tech.