This article opens with a vivid historical story that might seem intense at first. It’s meant as a metaphor, a way to explore the timeless challenge leaders face when confronting uncomfortable truths. My goal is not to dwell on the past or shock you, but to highlight the vital role of courageous questioning and awareness in building organizations that endure.

If you stick with me, you’ll see how this “fool” figure offers a powerful lesson for today’s business leaders, especially in an age where real insight and self-awareness are more valuable than ever.

What Sustainable Leadership Has Always Required

I know Halloween is long behind us and we are now in the festive season of good tidings.

So when I begin with a slightly gruesome story about a monarch who was up to some terrible things, believe me, it’s not meant to dampen the holiday spirit. It’s meant to celebrate it.

Henry VIII was a 16th-century king of England who executed between 20,000 and 57,000 people during his 37-year reign. Among them were two of his wives and some of his top advisers, including Thomas More, his Lord Chancellor and a renowned humanist, and John Fisher, Bishop of Rochester.

These advisers were tasked with counseling the king on governance and administration. It was a perilous role, carrying a constant risk of falling out of favor and ending up on the chopping block. Quite literally.

It was a perilous role, carrying a constant risk of falling out of favor and ending up on the chopping block. Quite literally.

If you advised the king, you would be extremely cautious about what you said and did. One misguided word or a wrong glance could land you in the Tower of London, tortured and hoping for a swift death by sword.

In the midst of this mayhem, there was one adviser who spoke to the king fearlessly.

He called out Henry’s grand dreams as hallucinations. He laughed at his visions of fortifying the kingdom and conquering France. He mocked the king’s romantic infatuations and even called him names.

And yet, he outlived the king by several years.

Not only did this adviser make it through Henry’s reign with his head attached to his body, he also outlived the next monarch, Queen Mary, later known as Bloody Mary for her own brand of terror.

Do you know who this adviser was?

It was William Somers, the court jester, more commonly known as the Fool.

In a court where speaking truth to power could mean death, the Fool held a unique position. Shielded by humor and irreverence, William Somers could call out the king’s grandiose dreams without fear. He could challenge illusions, laugh at absurdities and remind the monarch of reality.

William Somers went on to serve in the court of Queen Elizabeth I for many years, playing his part in bringing about England’s golden age of enlightenment.

There’s a profound lesson here: the fool we tend to underestimate is often the catalyst for breakthrough insights and lasting wisdom.

The Death of a Consultant

William Somers’ primary tool for truth-telling was humor.

In the corporate boardroom, humor has its place, but it is not always appropriate. Irreverence also has clear limitations and ultimately offers diminishing value in modern advisory roles.

For this reason, the modern fool in the business world needs to develop a new set of tools and a more refined skill set for truth-telling.

The modern fool in the business world needs to develop a new set of tools and a more refined skill set for truth-telling.

You see, the traditional role of advisers - sometimes also known as coaches, consultants and guides - has not worked very well in the last few decades.

As we became a knowledge-based society and information became widely available to us all, the adviser’s role gradually shifted.

The function of a modern adviser is less about being a source of subject knowledge and expertise and more about being an agent of insights. In the business world, a modern adviser is someone who also helps apply those insights to our world and to our work.

The advent of AI has only accelerated this shift. Today, every business person, from a corner office executive to a fresh graduate in her first job, has access to the entirety of human knowledge right in the palm of their hand.

The function of a modern adviser is less about being a source of subject knowledge and expertise and more about being an agent of insights.

Information and subject knowledge have been flooding us since the 1980s. In recent years, thanks to AI, that flood has turned into a tsunami, much of it diluted into irrelevant slop salad delivered straight to our devices.

We don’t need more experts, consultants or advisers who operate in the traditional way. What we need are those who help others access their own wisdom, even as they bring their expertise and subject matter knowledge to the advisory table.

The role of a modern adviser to leadership then is not necessarily to speak truth but to help leaders discover their own wisdom.

You Can Be a Fool Too

Don’t think for a minute that the skills of being a fool are only reserved for professional advisers. In the age of AI, we all need to be fools. Each and every one of us needs to be a source of wisdom, inspiration, clarity and lucidity to those we care about.

And we need to bring them this wisdom and inspiration not by giving motivational speeches or delivering eloquent monologues. Instead, we need to help them discover the wellspring of wisdom that is already inside them, waiting to be unleashed.

There are two basic skills we need to develop to be an effective fool in the modern business world: one, asking meaningful questions and two, listening openly and without judgment.

Whether we are advising a client, closing a sale, managing a team member, working with a boss, collaborating with a coworker or supporting a friend, we need to help them access their own insights and ideas.

This is a skill, and like all skills, it needs to be developed.

The good news is that with a bit of mindful attention, we can start developing this skill no matter where we are in our careers.

There are two basic skills we need to develop to be an effective fool in the modern business world: one, asking meaningful questions and two, listening openly and without judgment.

And you can start practicing these skills right this very minute. I’ve shared a resource in this article to help you begin developing your advising abilities. And to to make it actionable, I’ve also included a quick, clickable quest.

But before these two skills can become effective, there is a mind shift you need to consider.

Mind the Gap

Our most prized, most premium mental real estate today is not information. It’s not the collected facts, knowledge or expertise. It’s not even learning in the traditional sense.

It’s the gaps in between.

This gap is where we bring awareness to all that we deal with.

This gap is the place where insights happen. This opening in time is the moment when inspiration and ideas bubble up. Over time, a continuous process of self-awareness emerges, through which our inherent, innate wisdom finds its outlet and takes outward expression.

For leaders and founders who value self-sustaining endurance over a short-sighted chase of proverbial riches - the fool’s gold - this expression of wisdom can result in an enduring organization that outlives them.

That, in the truest sense, is the legacy they leave behind.

Our most prized, most premium mental real estate today is not information. It’s not the collected facts, knowledge or expertise. It’s not even learning in the traditional sense.

If you are into self-development like I am, or if you ever end up advising founders, leaders and organization builders like I do, your greatest weapon that truly moves the needle is not what you say or how you say it.

It’s your ability to craft insightful, powerful questions.

Questions designed to bring the leaders you work with face to face with their own truths.

The truths they’ve been avoiding.

The truths they’ve been hiding from.

Good questions are powerful because they allow you to see beyond your existing mindset: those deeply held beliefs that have quietly become your limitations and barriers. They cut through the noise of assumptions and habitual thinking, creating space for fresh perspectives.

Good questions are powerful because they allow you to see beyond your existing mindset: those deeply held beliefs that have quietly become your limitations and barriers.

They invite you to challenge what you thought was true. And in doing so, they unlock possibilities you hadn’t seen before.

Right questions, asked at the right time and in the right context, open a space in your mind - a space of awareness.

It’s in that space where real reflection happens, hidden assumptions surface and new insights begin to take shape.

This is the moment when leadership moves from reacting to responding, from repeating old patterns to creating new possibilities.

This is where shifts happen, shifts that can bring profound, inside-out transformation. Not just in the leaders you work with but also in those they lead.

It creates a ripple effect that flows through the entire organization, paving the way to break barriers and ignite meaningful transformation.

Awareness sparked by the right questions becomes the catalyst for lasting change, fueling cultures that adapt, innovate and thrive.

The Lasting Gift of the Fool

So, who is the fool?

The fool is the one who holds up a mirror, not to mock, but to create awareness. This awareness is the bedrock beneath every enduring organization. It is the space where leaders confront their own truths, break free from limiting beliefs and open themselves to transformation.

The fool is the one who holds up a mirror, not to mock, but to create awareness.

Through this awareness, leaders do not just react; they respond. They do not simply manage; they inspire. And from this place, a culture takes root that adapts, innovates and thrives long after its founders are gone.

In that sense, the fool’s greatest gift is not in the words spoken but in the questions asked: the questions that spark awareness, the catalyst for lasting change. That awareness, that inner light, becomes the foundation of organizations that endure.

And that, in the truest sense, is the legacy of the fool.

Give a Gift of Aware Understanding

For me, most of these conversations happen behind closed doors.

However, over the past two years, I’ve had the privilege of sharing many such deep conversations publicly on my podcast, The Business Philosopher Within You. In these two years, I have had 34 such conversations, 22 of them in 2025.

At the heart of every episode lies the same undercurrent: the awareness that opens when a question is asked. Often, the answers that emerge from that space are some of the most profound.

So this holiday season, my gift to you is a challenge. Become a better fool at my expense.

Critique my questioning and listening skills.

Here’s the challenge:

• Scroll through the list of 22 conversation titles below.

• Pick one that resonates with you. (Don’t overthink this!)

• Click the link to watch that conversation on YouTube for about 5 minutes.

• As you do, come up with a question you would like to ask the guest.

• Share that question in the comments section of the YouTube video.

That’s it!

Bonus points: If you share a question I did not ask in the conversation, you’ll get a mention in the following episode where I use your question.

Don’t stop there. Once you get the hang of asking contextual, meaningful questions, take your newfound skills into your next conversation.

Give the gift of deep understanding, meaningful questioning and open listening to at least one person this holiday season.

Happy Holidays!

Bhavesh.

With Deep Gratitude to Our Guests

Before you dive into the conversations below, I want to pause and acknowledge the guests who made them possible.

Each of these leaders chose to step into conversations that were unscripted, unhurried and, at times, uncomfortable. That willingness to think out loud, with the depth that we strive for, is rare.

I’m deeply grateful to every guest who offered their time, attention and trust.

List of The Business Philosopher Within You Episodes from 2025

The Challenge:

• Click on a conversation link to watch on YouTube.

• Come up with a question you would like to ask the guest.

• Share that question in the comments section of the YouTube video.

• Bonus: If you share a question I did not ask in the conversation, you get a mention in the episode where I use your question.

• For a deep dive and the full catalog of episodes, check the Comments section.

1. Culture as the Operating Rhythm

How healthy organizations are built from the inside out.

Episodes featuring:

• Geoffrey Toffetti >> (YouTube Link ➡) Scaling Culture with SaaS

• Mike Chaput (Part 1) >> Can You Scale Revenue Without Sacrificing Values?

• Mike Chaput (Part 2) >> Activating Your Company Culture

• Carol Cone >> Purpose-Driven Culture

• Carrie Klewin Lawrence, MFA >> Culture Through Story

• Melanie Cook >> Neurodiversity & Culture

• Matt Remuzzi >> Culture That Scales

• Ben Greiner >> Culture as the Foundation of a Successful Exit

2. AI, Tech and the Future of Human-Centered Organizations

Where technology, AI and humanity meet.

• Mike Ettling >> (YouTube Link ➡) Ubuntu Leadership in a Tech World

• Jonathan Schneider >> AI, Code Modernization, Leadership & Culture

• Johan Colvig >> AI-Driven Financial Philosophy

• Sri Ramaswamy >> Transforming Insurance with AI

3. Leadership, Self-Management & Awareness as Practice

The inner disciplines that shape outer results.

• Bruce Kasanoff >> (YouTube Link ➡) Leadership from the Heart

• Fabiana Lacerca-Allen, JD, LLM >> Situational Awareness & Crisis Leadership

• Steven Puri >> Flow State & Effortless Productivity

• Jeff Patterson >> Meditation & Leadership Presence

4. Learning Organizations & Human Systems

Because an organization is a learning organism, or it stagnates.

• Joanne Lockwood >> (YouTube Link ➡) Inclusion vs Belonging

• Dr. Christie Vanorsdale, Ed.D, Ms.Ed. >> Collaborative Learning

• Chris Vaughan, PhD >> Why Associations Outperform Corporations

5. Financial Clarity & the Philosophy of Sustainable Growth

Where numbers, behavior and business philosophy intersect.

• Ellen Wood >> (YouTube Link ➡) The Virtual CFO Model

• Brett Bernstein >> Financial Advisory in the Age of AI

• Anupam Nandwana >> Scaling a 300-Employee SaaS Busines

After a careful review of a long line of exciting options, the choice was obvious: we were going birdwatching.

Much to my surprise, they agreed to come along for the experiment. We bought a picture book of birds, two pairs of binoculars, and visited Great Falls, a park not far from our home in Maryland.

Something curious happened along the way.

When we saw an interesting bird, we quickly flipped through the book to find it. However, by the time we found something similar in the book, the bird was gone. The better strategy, we discovered through trial and error, was to leave the book in the car.

On our next excursion, when we saw a bird, we would just take its mental snapshot. Later, when we got back to the car, we would flip through the book to find the bird.

To our surprise, all the details we needed were still fresh in our minds. In most cases, we were able to find the bird we had seen and learn all about it from the book.

Our takeaway? Being present without trying to analyze what we were looking at improved our observational capacity. This, in turn, sharpened our ability to be aware of our surroundings. In the end, our trips were far more enjoyable. We got closer to nature and created some wonderful memories.

Cultivating Situational Awareness: The Path to Deeper Understanding

I was reminded of this story in a recent conversation with Fabiana Lacerca-Allen, the author of Crisis Capable and a Fortune 100 C-level executive.

Fabiana brings a deeply experiential perspective to the idea of situational awareness. She grew up during the times of a military dictatorship in Argentina, where her family navigated through some harrowing experiences. She had no choice but to draw on her resources: being aware of her surroundings, her instincts, and her intuition.

Apart from being tuned into our surroundings, a concept called situational awareness, she emphasizes that trusting our gut feelings is essential for survival and decision-making, especially when information is limited.

"If you feel something's off, it's off." ~ Fabiana Lacerca-Allen

Our society often teaches us to override our inherent observational skills and deep awareness of our surroundings.

But, as Fabiana points out, "If you feel something's off, it's off."

This simple truth is a critical foundation for navigating complexities, whether in life or in the workplace. The world around us is as hostile today as it was during a military dictatorship, just a different type of hostility.

Whether we are guiding a team, leading an organization or building a business, learning to trust our instincts is a powerful path to building high-performing teams that can stand the test of time.

Self-Awareness, Inclusion and Belonging: What’s the Connection?

While situational awareness is an awareness of what’s around us, self-awareness is an awareness of what’s going on inside us. It’s the same awareness that allows us to be attuned to our surroundings, but it is directed inwards.

Simply put, self-awareness is the awareness of our thoughts, feelings, emotions and sensations. While it may be a bit challenging to some of us in the beginning, when we develop the ability to be self-aware, we notice our patterns of thoughts, emotions, behaviors, judgments and beliefs.

“Inclusion is a feeling.” ~ Joanne Lockwood

Self-awareness can make us better leaders, builders and managers because it allows us to see our blind spots. With increased self-awareness, we can bring into our teams and organizations people from different perspectives and abilities.

With skilled and insightful management, we can harness the capacity, creativity, and contributions of people from diverse backgrounds and perspectives. In the end, self-awareness allows us to build more efficient, better-performing, and highly resilient organizations.

No one I know is more qualified to talk about this than Joanne Lockwood, the visionary behind See Change Happen and a leading inclusive culture expert.

In a recent conversation I had with Joanne on The Business Philosopher Within You podcast, she made an important distinction between inclusion and belonging. For Joanne, inclusion is a feeling – how one is treated dictates how they feel, leading to a sense of ease and acceptance without needing to prove oneself.

Belonging, however, runs deeper. It's about being completely accepted and celebrated for all of who you are, based on shared values and culture.

Understanding Crisis & Intuition: Insights from Fabiana Lacerca-Allen

In our continuous exploration of building resilient, people-first organizations, we dive deep into the concept of situational awareness with Fabiana Lacerca-Allen, author of Crisis Capable.

She reveals how early life lessons instilled in her a profound understanding of trusting one's gut feelings – a skill she emphasizes is vital for leaders navigating today's complex corporate environments.

Learn why society often conditions us to ignore these crucial signals and how Fabiana's path to becoming a C-level executive at Fortune 100 companies was profoundly influenced by her ability to discern unseen patterns and intentions.

This conversation will challenge your perceptions of safety and provide actionable insights into cultivating your own instincts for better decision-making and organizational strength.

Watch the full conversation with Fabiana Lacerca-Allen below:

The Truth About DEI & Belonging: A Conversation with Joanne Lockwood

In this conversation, we dive into the critical yet often misunderstood landscape of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) with Joanne Lockwood, the visionary behind See Change Happen.

Joanne, a leading expert in inclusive cultures, unpacks the powerful distinction between inclusion and true belonging, offering a definition rooted in feeling celebrated for your whole self, not just the parts others tolerate.

This conversation reveals why the DEI label has become "toxic" in some circles and how superficial initiatives can miss the mark.

Joanne shares insights from her own transformative journey and professional expertise, highlighting the courage and deep commitment required from leadership to embed genuine empathy and belonging into an organization's core culture.

Discover how focusing on this profound level of human experience leads to greater performance, wider talent pools, and sustained relevance in the marketplace.

Watch the full conversation with Joanne Lockwood below:

“What is the connection between humanities and engineering, Dr. Shurecraft?”

As soon as it popped, the question felt awkward. It had come without a preamble or preparation. I should have probably said “May I ask you a question?” But we had only a few hundred steps to go before we reached the humanities building, and I did not want to miss the chance to ask my question. I was relieved to notice that Dr. Shurecraft did not look bothered with my inquiry.

As we got to the first of the double doors to Humanities Building, which I held open for her, she looked at me and said, "Mars."

“Mars.” I repeated. I stepped in after her and held the second door open.

“What would happen if we all moved to Mars? Do we take all our technology with us?"

Once inside the building, she picked up the pace. We were both running a couple of minutes behind. I scrambled to close the gap.

“Some of it, maybe," I threw out the first thing that popped in my head, a filler. My answer did not matter. I just wanted the conversation to continue.

“But not all of it. We will have to leave the electric grid behind. Most of the automobiles. The Transatlantic Telegraph Cable. The Internet. Who would be using all that technology left behind?”

That's when it hit me. I stopped in my tracks. Dr. Shurecraft kept walking. Just as she opened the door to the classroom we were aiming to enter, she glanced at me. As she saw the look on my face, a satisfied smile lit up her face. She knew she had hit her target. Her work was done.

That's when it hit me. I stopped in my tracks.

I walked past the door she had held open for me. I had to confirm what I thought I had learned. “It's made for humans. All this tech would not have any meaning to it if it were not meant for humanity.”

Without saying a word, she turned towards the front of the classroom and started erasing the blackboard.

I found an empty bench in the classroom and sat down, trying to put words to the insight I had just had. The machines were -- engineering was -- supposed to serve humanity, not the other way around. If we took the entire humanity and transferred it to another planet, all the technologies we have built here on earth would have no use, no purpose.

The curriculum authors knew what they were doing. They wanted us to appreciate the human side of things. They wanted us to understand that the reason for engineering solutions was to solve human problems.

~

When I went to college, I was a weird kid. Even for an engineering student, most of whom were not concerned with what most of the “normal” people were preoccupied with, I was different.

I majored in Electrical Engineering at New Jersey Institute of Technology. As part of our studies, we were required to take some humanities courses. In these courses, we studied subjects like World History, Psychology, Philosophy, Religions of the World and Political Science.

Often, on my way over from one building to the next, I would try to figure out the connection between these two worlds: technology and humanity.

Most engineering students hated having to take humanities classes. They only wanted to study the cool engineering stuff. Unlike them, however, I loved the humanities courses just as much as the engineering courses.

On a typical day on the campus, I would be sitting in a class called Electromechanical Control Systems or Probability and Statistics. Then at the end of that class, I would walk over to the Humanities Building and take a class such as American Political System or Philosophies of John Locke and Thomas Jefferson.

Often, on my way over from one building to the next, I would try to figure out the connection between these two worlds: technology and humanity. I was fascinated by both almost equally, although if you pressured me to pick one, I would pick the humanities.

What Comes First: Humanity or Technology?

A simple insight that seems so common-sense in the hindsight is that technology is there to serve humanity, not the other way around. This simple idea is often forgotten when a new technological revolution like Artificial Intelligence takes the world by storm.

If technology serves no purpose without humanity, we can also argue that businesses are meaningless without the people they serve. A business, at their core, exists to solve human problems or fulfill human needs.

And even if we laid off most of our employees in our business, we will still have to manage some people. If we get to a point where we don’t need to manage any employees and run a mega-billion-dollar business solo like some YouTube AI Gurus have us believe, you still have to manage at least one human being, yourself.

However, the integrating AI into business is not solely a technical challenge; it profoundly interacts with the human elements of an organization.

There is a connection between humanities, engineering, artificial intelligence and business management.

The humanities, with their focus on understanding the human experience, provide crucial insights into the why behind engineering efforts and business ventures. They help us define the problems that need solving and understand the human context in which solutions work. Engineering then provides the tools and methods to build these solutions.

Business management is the discipline that organizes resources, including engineering efforts and technological tools like AI, to deliver these solutions effectively and sustainably to people.

Artificial Intelligence is a transformative force, much like previous technological revolutions such as the printing press or the internet. Its application in business is widespread, from automating tasks like code refactoring and analysis to potentially reshaping entire industries.

However, integrating AI into business is not solely a technical challenge; it profoundly interacts with the human elements of an organization.

Case Story #1: Blending AI Innovation with Human-Centric Business Practices

A Conversation with Jonathan Schneider, CEO and Co-Founder, Moderne

Consider Moderne, a platform that leverages AI for auto-refactoring and analyzing large codebases.

Jonathan Schneider, CEO of Moderne, discusses the role of AI in software development, particularly its use in helping to write new code "recipes" faster. Yet, he expresses caution about letting AI directly mutate code due to the potential for "hallucination" or errors. This highlights the crucial need for human oversight and direction even in highly automated processes.

According to Jonathan, the “intellectual property of many businesses lies in their code”, and ensuring its integrity requires careful human guidance.

"You really have to feel compelled, I think, to bring something into being." ~ Jonathan Schneider, CEO and Co-Founder, Moderne

The human factor is also crucial in how businesses are led and structured, especially in a tech landscape which is increasingly reliant on AI. The "freedom and responsibility" culture at Netflix, which influenced Jonathan, emphasizes trusting highly skilled individuals to make decisions. This approach requires “lean teams of experienced professionals” who can operate autonomously.

Building a successful company culture, as discussed in relation to Moderne, involves establishing a clear identity and values early on, practicing humility, and having fierce resolve to make products work for customers. It's about hiring senior talent by reducing the perception of risk and finding individuals who fit the team dynamic naturally.

Watch my full conversation with Jonathan Schneider below for deeper insights.

Case Story #2: Heart-Centered Leadership and the Human Core of Sustainable Organizations

A Conversation with Bruce Kasanoff, Executive Coach and Author

Beyond organizational structure, one way to explore the nature of leadership is through the lens of "heart-centered leadership".

This approach, championed by Bruce Kasanoff, emphasizes “connecting deeply with emotions and leading with love and passion rather than fear”. This involves self-awareness, understanding motivations, and nurturing a culture of empowerment and positivity.

"It's the ability to be in touch with your emotions, to be able to process your emotions, and to feel as opposed to just think." ~ Bruce Kasanoff, Author and Executive Coach

Leading with heart, though challenging, involves balancing personal values with business needs and embracing vulnerability. It is about controlling one's state of being and approaching the world with love and abundance.

These human-centric aspects of business leadership and culture are essential for creating "high-performing, self-sustaining and scalable" organizations.

Perhaps a take-away from this conversation is that a business cannot truly flourish sustainably without “true human intelligence and heart at its core”.

But don’t let me tell you what to take away from a conversation as deep and raw as this. Watch the conversation below draw your own lessons.

The Enigma of AI Consciousness: An Upcoming Video Exploration

Exploring Diverse Perspectives, Including Nobel Laureates and Leading Scientific and Philosophical Minds, on AI's Cognitive Frontiers.

As we navigate the implications of AI, questions about its nature inevitably arise.

Can AI truly be intelligent, conscious or sentient?

One expert argues that AI, even generative AI, is not intelligent in the human sense of conscious thinking; it processes data from memory. This ongoing debate is crucial to understanding the relationship between humans and AI.

To explore these profound questions about AI consciousness, I am in the process of creating a video.

This video will offer a more fleshed-out discussion, drawing from multiple resources to explore whether or not artificial intelligence possesses consciousness.

One expert argues that AI, even generative AI, is not intelligent in the human sense of conscious thinking; it processes data from memory.

It will include perspectives from two Nobel laureates, my own commentary, a few other references, and a secret, most important person with a deeply scientific opinion.

This exploration is a continuation of the conversation about the nature of AI and its place in a world where technology, engineering, business and humanity are intricately connected.

If there are specific topics or questions you would like me to address in this video, please DM them to me.

‘Till next time,
Bhavesh.

Most of these ideas are comically unoriginal, perhaps regurgitation from millions of HR Handbooks, hundreds of thousands of training programs by Learning and Development departments, and thousands of books and scientific papers from the academia.

So for me, the best use of generative AI is not to share with my audience the ideas it generates. It’s something else entirely.

Using AI For Human Connection: Organizational Culture and Common Terminology

Despite its shortcomings, I think that the current version of AI is a ground-breaking technology, and I use it extensively in my work.

I am on a quest to find and share ideas that are often groundbreaking in creating human-centered organizations. While many of these ideas are quite commonsense, they sometimes come across as a bit “out there” to some, simply because they are not familiar with them.

So a big part of my work is to find a common ground of communication, perhaps a common language, with my audience. With the help of the concepts they are already familiar with, the seemingly groundbreaking ideas that I share can be better communicated and understood.

With a clearer understanding of these ideas, they can apply them more successfully to produce meaningful results in their world.

With generative AI, I now have access to the commonly accepted collective wisdom in the world of organizational and culture development. Thanks to generative AI, I can now connect better with the people that I want to connect with.

With our shared ideas as a starting point, I could bring them fresh insights that they would normally not get from the pool of wisdom they would access with AI.

The False Assumptions of Generative AI About People-Centric Company Culture

The focus of almost everything I share is built around the idea of humanness in our teams, businesses and organizations. A theory I am always testing is that when we build our organizations with people as the focus, we can create self-sustainable organizations that can stand the test of time.

When AI encounters these ideas, it makes its own connections. These connections are based on the commonly accepted wisdom it has collected from its sources.

So AI will often throw out the terms such as emotional intelligence, empathy, diversity and inclusion and many such tropes and clichés from the world of organizational development and human resources.

Maybe it’s not AI’s fault altogether. Perhaps that’s how such ideas are presented to it from its sources.

Fair enough.

However, there is a major misconception, at least as I see it, in how it presents these ideas.

It seems to frame the whole argument in moral and ethical terms. It thinks that being good to people and creating a happy workplace is some kind of a moral imperative that every leader should embrace.

It also seems to assume that building a people-centered organization is a transactional give-and-take.

With such transactional framing, it proposes that building people-centered, inclusive work environments means that the leaders have to give up on something.

It seems to think (although I really don’t think it thinks!) that:

• Leaders would have to give up on performance if they wanted to create a supportive workplace.

• Creating a happy workplace is some kind of a charitable giving to the employees with no benefit to the organization.

• Empathy and caring come at the expense of high-performance and stellar results.

• To create an engaged, empowered workplace, you have to give up a little bit of the productivity and performance.

• To have a well-functioning organization, you have to back-away a little from expecting so much from your people.

High-Performance Because of a Human Workplace, Not In Spite Of

In my work, I have found that this is definitely not the case. I have seen and worked with many organizations that did them both well.

It was not even a balance between the two. These organizations achieved high performance because they embraced these ideas and executed from them.

• They were consistently high-performing, because they belonged in a happy workplace.

• Their people were engaged because the leaders made the effort to cultivate a culture of trust, belonging and connectedness.

• They were highly productive because of - not in spite of - great leaderships that built extraordinary work cultures.

The Pinhole Perspective of “Right vs Left”

The argument here is that healthy, well-functioning work culture built around the strength of our people, when done right, can build high-performing workplaces.

This is not an ethical or moral argument.

It’s also not a political argument.

It's a business performance argument.

The singular and extremely narrow perspective of “right vs left” locks us into a trap of our own belief systems. Such a narrow view prevents us from building work cultures that are high-performing and well-functioning.

When we approach all our decisions, all our thinking with a singular political lens, we limit ourselves in a straight-jacket of our own making.

Can a Deeply Human Leadership Create High-Performing Organizations?

When I work with ChaptGPT and other generative AI, I often come across blocks of text that equate building a human, diverse and sustainable work culture as some kind of a moral imperative.

That we should be good to people, as if to get brownie points from an authority of such things. It also implies that trust, empathy, diversity and inclusion are a sort of transactional trade-off.

The volume of such ideas on Generative AI indicates a basic and critical misconception. This misconception is that to build a great place to work, something must give:

• We have to give up a little bit of performance and productivity.

• We have to renege on the idea of excellence in the workplace.

• We have to make some kind of a sacrifice to have a happy, healthy, functional and welcoming workplace.

As a business community and the working population of the world, we pay a price for this misperception.

The price we pay is that we hesitate building such a workplace. If we do commit to such an initiative, out commitment is shaky, and our execution is wishy-washy. So when our efforts come under pressure, we are more likely to back off.

When we build a great work culture not only because it's the right thing to do, but also with the absolute conviction that it's the best thing to do for our business performance, our commitment is stronger.

This is not just a theory or a philosophy. Every day, I come across businesses and organizations that demonstrate such a commitment. They show that a great work culture and high performance are not either-or, they are not mutually exclusive. They are deeply intertwined, where a great work culture is the direct cause of high business performance.

In this article, I bring you two examples of such a workplace.

"Transparent Leadership" with Melanie Cook, Founder and CEO of Veritas Management Group

Summary: Discover how embracing neurodiversity can transform your business into a high-performing company culture from this conversation with Melanie Cook, Founder and CEO of Veritas Management Group.

🏅 What if the key to a high-performing company culture lies in embracing neurodiversity?

In the 19th episode of "The Business Philosopher Within You" podcast, I sit down with Melanie Cook, founder and CEO of Veritas Management Group (VMG). Melanie shares her remarkable journey from overcoming personal challenges with ADD and dyslexia to leading a successful management consulting firm that champions neurodiversity, equity and inclusion.

Learn how Melanie's personal experiences have shaped her leadership style and the culture at VMG. Discover how transparency and empathy play crucial roles in building a supportive and innovative work environment. Explore how embracing neurodiversity can transform challenges into strengths and foster a culture of innovation and resilience.

Ubuntu: The Heart of Leadership with Mike Ettling, Executive Chairman of SYSPRO and the former CEO of Unit4

Summary: Explore Ubuntu as a transformative business leadership philosophy with Mike Ettling, which emphasizes trust and people dynamics as crucial factors in high-performing organizations.

💗 What if the key to successful leadership lies in embracing the interconnectedness of humanity?

In the 20th episode of "The Business Philosopher Within You" podcast, I sit down with Mike Ettling, Executive Chairman of SYSPRO and the former CEO of Unit4, to explore the profound impact of the Ubuntu philosophy - "I am because you are" - on business leadership.

Mike shares his journey from leading Unit4 to his current role at SYSPRO, emphasizing the importance of people-centric policies and trust in transforming organizational culture.

Throughout the conversation, Mike delves into the challenges and triumphs of his leadership experiences. He discusses the significance of empowering employees, the role of trust in leadership, and the strategies for cultivating a culture of trust in organizations. Mike's insights offer a fresh perspective on how leaders can navigate the complexities of modern business with the philosophical perspective of interconnectedness while executing real-world policies.

"Security is mostly superstition. It does not exist in nature." ~ Helen Keller

Despite our often deep differences, there is something irrefutable that brings us human beings together on this planet, something we all share in common.

(Actually, I think there is more that brings us together. But it requires a bit of deeper thinking than I can muster on the Monday morning I am writing this article. So let's stay with the “irrefutable” argument for now.)

We all come to this planet with a predetermined future: At some point in the future, whether we like it or not, each of us must exit this plane of existence.

(Sorry to be the bearer of the bad news. But, c'mon, this couldn't have been entirely news to you.)

But hear me out: I actually bring you good news.

The Happiness Index

On March 20, 2025, The World Happiness Report released the 13th edition of their popular Happiness Index.

Years ago, when I heard about this index, the first question that popped into my head was: What's their definition of happiness?

Turns out, they seem to have a fairly good idea of what it means to be happy. In fact, they have a section where they answer the question: What is happiness? In this section, they seem to link Happiness to Wellbeing and then state the following:

"Wellbeing is your inner subjective state; the quality of your life as you experience it. We believe that the ultimate good is the wellbeing of present and future generations. Other goods (like health, wealth, relationships etc.) are good because they help us to feel good."

Fair enough.

Uncaused Happiness

There is a question I have pondered quite a bit in the last few years of my life: Is there a kind of happiness that is not caused by external conditions or circumstances?

Here are a few more ways to consider this question:

Can we be happy without being subject to external environments and circumstances that we think make us happy?

Is there a state of happiness where what The World Happiness Report defines as wellbeing is irrelevant?

Is it possible for our inner happiness not to depend on accumulating stuff, doing things or achieving goals?

Is it possible to be happy even when the factors that drive our wellbeing are not present?

What does uncaused, unconditional happiness feel like, if there is even such a thing?

Splitting Hair: A Pursuit of Success, Wellbeing and Happiness

I have found some answers to such questions, and I will be bringing them to you in this newsletter and other places where I publish my content.

However, let me share with you the crux of what I found in my search: Happiness and Success are two distinct, separate things, but they are deeply intertwined.

What is success?

A good definition of Success is "continuous achievement of meaningful goals."

Wellbeing, as defined by The World Happiness Report above, is more closely related to success than happiness. Wellbeing seems encompass the external factors that success does not take into account, such as access to healthcare or living in a stable political environment. In a way, the happiness they defined based on wellbeing is not really a definition of happiness; It’s closer to the definitions of success.

Pure happiness is not related to whether we are successful or not, whether our wellbeing is met or not. It stands on its own.

Are we splitting hair here? Perhaps.

But there is a point to such splitting of hair, so bear with me.

The commonly accepted view is that success—along with the external factors that make up that success—makes us Happy.

"The uncaused, unconditioned, unfiltered, non-objective happiness that does not depend on external factors can drive success and wellbeing."

However, what I found is that happiness—the uncaused, unfiltered, non-objective Happiness—can also drive success.

In fact, when one lives from this perspective, they would discover that being happy and then letting that state of happiness drive all of the others things such as actions, thoughts, emotions and behaviors is a terrific way to live a life.

In other words, be happy first, and then let it drive all the other factors that make up our sense of success and wellbeing.

But, of course, you ask, as you should: What’s the point of such hair-splitting when it comes to leading teams and building organizations?

Building Teams, Businesses and Organizations with a Happiness-First Mindset

As leaders, managers and business builders, we can choose between two philosophies.

The first is choice to lead with “success-first, happiness later” business philosophy. This choice is a default in our world culture, simply because most of us have not yet caught up to the alternative.

The alternative is to lead with the “happiness-first, success-later” philosophy. This may feel like growing against the grain, with some experimentation and risk-taking.

We can build the culture of teams, businesses and organizations based on “success-first” principle. We can also build them rooted in “happiness-first” principle.

In my educated and experiential opinion—and it’s an opinion nevertheless—the latter option, to lead with happiness-first principle is much more powerful.

In other words, the chances of building highly successful, long-lasting organizations are exponentially higher if we follow the “happiness-first” philosophy than the “success-first” philosophy.

Don’t Believe Me: Your Perspective Is Your Superpower

Everything I propose with what I bring to you comes with a caveat: Take it for the checking. I say this not because I am not confident in my suggestions, but because only you can be the judge of what works best in your world.

This is why I have a podcast.

On this podcast, called “The Business Philosopher Within You,” I have regular conversations with people who I admire and respect, who have built (or are building) extraordinary businesses and organizations, and get to know their stories — their business philosophies - that helped them get there.

This is also why I have regular conversations on this podcast with experts and thought leaders who have spent years, often decades, pursuing fields of study and practice that add value to our endeavors.

In this article, I bring two such perspectives.

One is a story of determination, grit and deeply held personal values. The other is rooted in decades of diving deep into a field of self-discovery, into the essence of what makes us human.

My hope is that there is something here that will help you away with some actionable insights.

Happy Success!
Bhavesh.

“Transforming Insurance with AI: A CEO’s Bold Journey” with Sri Ramaswamy, Founder, CEO, Patent Holder, Charlee.ai

What does it take to revolutionize an industry while staying true to human values?

In this episode of "The Business Philosopher Within You" podcast, I sat down with Sri Ramaswamy, CEO of Charlee AI, a trailblazing AI platform reshaping the insurance industry.

We explored how AI is unlocking potential for exposure and risk management, while nurturing collaboration and organizational growth.

Among what we discussed:

• How Charlee AI leverages cutting-edge technology to bring structure to unstructured data, enabling insurers to make faster, objective decisions.

• The balance between innovation and empathy: Sri’s bold vision for the future of insurance, focusing on exposure intelligence and customer-centric solutions.

• The entrepreneurial journey: Lessons on emotional intelligence, effective communication, and navigating challenges in a slow-moving industry.

• Practical insights into leadership development, team dynamics, and creating a culture of independence and respect in remote work environments.

Sri also shares her personal story, blending professional achievements with self-awareness and resilience.

From building a patented AI platform to managing the unpredictability of life, her journey offers invaluable lessons for leaders and entrepreneurs alike.

“Discovering How Meditation Impacts Your Business Success” with Jeff Patterson,
Founder and Instructor, The Yielding Warrior

One way to access the ultimate source of this uncaused happiness is the art and skill of meditation. In this episode, I had a deep conversation with Jeff Patterson, who is a seasoned meditation and martial arts expert with over 36 years of experience.

Jeff is a seasoned meditation and martial arts expert with over 36 years of experience, who shares actionable insights on integrating mindfulness into daily life for personal and organizational growth.

Watch or listen the above video to:

• Explore the impact of meditation on self-awareness, emotional intelligence, and communication.

• Learn how to incorporate practical meditation techniques like breathing exercises and posture alignment to reset and refocus throughout the day.

• Understand the concept of "yielding" in physical, mental, and emotional contexts to enhance collaboration and manage conflicts effectively.

• Discover the benefits of consistent meditation practices for leadership development, team dynamics and remote work challenges.

• Consider philosophical perspectives on mindfulness and how they apply to achieving balance and empathy in professional relationships.

Jeff also introduces his three pillars of meditation—ritual, active, and philosophical practices—offering a roadmap for integrating mindfulness into your lifestyle.

As we headed towards the exit, he looked me up and down. He must have noticed that I was wearing a thin short-sleeved shirt and a thin pair of pants because, almost as an afterthought, he also gave me his gloves and asked me to put them on. I did put the gloves on, but in a defiant bravado of a newly minted immigrant, I left the buttons of my coat undone.

I thought all the fuss was unwarranted until I stepped out of the gate. The cold air hit me like daggers of ice. The wind that occasionally blew felt like it was going straight through me.

For the first time in my 20-year-old life, I saw snow on the ground.

The cold air should have bothered me, and it did, a little. But what I really felt was exhilaration and optimism.

The traffic at the curbside was stop-and-go. But when I glanced beyond the line of cars toward the horizons, I thought the open view of the country that I had just arrived in was the most beautiful sight I had ever seen. I was in America!

Later, when we got on the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge, I could not believe my eyes: the Empire State Building and the Twin Towers were rising through the winter-mist, exactly like I had seen them in magazines and movies.

Freshness of Transformation

The first few years of my life in the great United States were some of the best years of my life. Even as I struggled to find my first job, even as I juggled multiple jobs at minimum wages, even as I applied to colleges and struggled to transfer my tuition credits from the engineering college in India to the one in the United States, I did not lose the giddy optimism of being in a new country.

A few years later, I would think back to my first days in the United States and wonder why those early days in the country were so happy. When the answer came, it was obvious.

It was like being born.

It is the same reason why we look back at our childhood so fondly. When we get new eyes to look, everything looks fresh. We had not yet gotten bored with the daily commute. We had not yet tired of the same political arguments. We had not yet learned to complain about the taxes.

We had not yet formed our judgments and predispositions, likes and dislikes.

As I went through life in the next few years, I gradually committed to keeping my perspective as fresh as I could. The proverbial “beginner’s mind” in Zen philosophy: a mind that is empty of all its content, that replenishes itself with fresh insights, allows them to stay for a while and then lets them go, holding nothing.

I had already figured out a little secret to learning that, I later found out, many people never learn.

The secret to learning was insights.

The word knowledge comes from an ancient word Gnosis, which, when stripped to its essence, implies a fresh insight into the nature of things. The fabled “Aha!” moment. The best way to learn was not to accumulate knowledge; we had dictionaries and encyclopedias even in those days. It was to see through what we thought we had learned. What we thought we knew. The best way to learn was to get to the fertile ground of not knowing. It was to bring a fresh perspective to everything we see, touch, think and feel.

It was to always be a beginner.

A teaching technique I later developed, called Insight-Based Learning, had its roots in this idea. Later in my career, when I worked with organizations, this approach to learning was the foundation on which we built their cultural transformation.

What does it mean to be authentic?

Being new is often considered something to overcome. New to a place? Get a map. New to a skill? Practice until you master it. New to a new culture? Get to know the cultural norms and assimilate.

There is a practical aspect to this, of course. We need to do what can to adapt to our surroundings, situations and circumstances.

But what dawned on me gradually was that being new is not always a weakness. In fact, when it comes to learning and growth, it's a tremendous strength.

Everyday, I make a conscious effort to keep intact that innocence that I brought with me, not just to this country, but also to this planet. The insatiable curiosity of a child that comes from the state of not-knowing, not having it all figured out. And just like a child, it is my most intimate vulnerability. But it's also my biggest strength.

Not just strength, it's also my (not so) secret weapon. It's my superpower.

Being grounded in that innocence, the place of not-knowing, is my most precious gift.

What does an authentic organization look like?

And How to Get There?

Businesses, organizations and teams are made of people. So, if we want to build an authentic organization, we need to make sure it's made of authentic people.

What does it mean to be an authentic person? It means that, to the best of our abilities, we are living our authentic selves, what we truly are at our depth.

Finding this authentic self, for most of us, is a lifelong journey. It's an acknowledgement that we are all a work in progress, that we have not yet figured it all out.

And that's the part that makes this journey to authentic so exotic. The adventure begins with not-knowing, with not having it all figured out. To keep that adventure alive, we need to come back, again and again, to the state of not-knowing.

How to Invoke Our Authentic Selves

There are several ways to discover our authentic selves. One of them is to tell our story as honestly as we can. First to ourselves. And then, when and if the time is right, to others.

As we tell this story of ourselves to ourselves, we come to terms with our (perceived) strengths and weaknesses. Often, we come to a place where even our perceived weaknesses shine as our strengths.

And then we build our businesses, organizations, teams and careers around the contours of those perceived strengths and weaknesses.

A Case Study and a Guide: Building an Authentic Business

Two Conversations on "The Business Philosopher Within You" podcast

Telling an authentic story is one thing. Living it is another.

In case you thought all of this was just a wannabe philosopher's pipe dream (Believe me, someone actually said that to me once. Worry not, I've heard it all. 🙂) let me share with you a real-world example.

A Case Study

I recently sat down with Matt Remuzzi, the founder and owner of CapForge.

In that conversation, Matt shared how, over the span of 24 years, he navigated his own strengths and (what we can call) weaknesses, even as he built his business to now 85 employees and growing. Through this journey, Matt built an entire management structure around what he discovered about himself as a professional and a leader.

A Guide

On this journey to authenticity, some of us need some help. To get some insights on the process of carving out an authentic journey, I sat down with Carrie Klewin Lawrence, the author of "Origin Story."

Carrie drew from her experience as a stage director and strategic storytelling expert and shared specific formulae for storytelling. Used by novel writers and movie producers alike, these storytelling structures help us bring out the essence of us, as a person, an organization or a brand.

You can watch both of these videos below.

"Leading By Strength" with Matt Remuzzi, Founder of CapForge

Summary: Explore how CapForge built a sustainable company culture, focusing on strength-inspired leadership and the unique challenges of business building.

What is the role of "playing to one's strengths" in being a leader who can build a self-empowered business?

What does it take to build a sustainable company culture that stands the test of time?

In this episode of “The Business Philosopher Within You” podcast, I sat down with Matt Remuzzi, the visionary founder of CapForge, to explore the intricacies of creating a thriving business environment. From the challenges of scaling a business to the importance of maintaining core values, Matt shared his journey and insights. (Thank you, April F. Moore for making the connection and bringing us together for this conversation.)

Bonus Point: Can you tell us what the word "strength" in the title means?

Hint: It's not physical wellbeing, mental acuity, or emotional fortitude, even though they are integral parts of Matt's story.

"Authentic Business" with Carrie Klewin Lawrence, Author, Origin Story

Summary: Explore the impact of origin story on company culture and authentic storytelling with Carrie Klewin Lawrence's insights on personal and corporate growth.

What if the key to transforming your company culture lies in the stories you tell?

In this episode of "The Business Philosopher Within You," I sat down with Carrie Klewin Lawrence, MFA, a renowned stage director and strategic storytelling expert, to explore the profound impact of storytelling on both personal and corporate development.

Bonus point: What is the connection between discovering our "origin story" and creating an authentic business?

Hint: It's not artificial intelligence.

A plane crash on the Potomac...

A seismic technological shift brought on by China's DeepSeek...

Among the events we saw as January drew to a close, the one that hit home for me was something that we had not seen since 2009.

It's Personal

Gravelly Point Park is a special place to my family.

Snuggled close to Reagan National Airport on the bank of the Potomac, it sits across the river from some of the most celebrated landmarks in Washington, D.C.: the Washington Monument, the Jefferson Memorial, and, far off in the distance, the Kennedy Center. Even on a foggy day, the skyline is clearly visible.

When my daughters were young, we would visit this park often - about once every six months.

Most people feel a range of mixed emotions when they see the D.C. skyline. For me, however, that emotion is just one: awe. I am still in awe of the fact that the monuments I had only seen in movies and read about in magazines while growing up in India were the features of my fairly regular visits.

A farm-boy from India residing at the center of the world's power center!

The best part of our park visits was that we could see airplanes take off and land, up close.

Really close.

So close that we could make out the tire treads of the airplane wheels, count the windows on their sides, and peek inside the underbelly that housed their landing gears, which would be fully open.

A typical aircraft would jet over our heads with a deafening roar, vibrating through our whole body. Within seconds, the tires would hit the runway, barely a few hundred yards from us. The friction smoke that emerged from beneath the tires would sometimes be followed by a jerk and a screech. Moments later, the plane would straighten up and be on its happy way, slowly taxiing towards the gate.

We would all breathe a sigh of relief. Then promptly turn around to spot the next airplane that had lined up for a landing.

We would do this for a while but then get tired of all the excitement.

The deafening roar, the smell of gasoline, and the straining of the necks would take their toll. We would retreat back into our cars and make our way back home in complete silence. My head would still be processing the noise, and my body would be swimming in all sorts of sensations.

On the way home, I would sink deep beneath the sensations, searching for the stillness that I knew was there. If I found it - and sometimes I wouldn't - I would drive like that for the next 45 minutes, grounded in that silent place, while my daughters did whatever they did in the back seats. (iPods and iTunes were popular back then.)

As residents of the DC Metro Area, we have spent many days at Gravelly Point Park. So when we heard that an aircraft had collided with a helicopter near that spot, it felt personal.

If we were there when it had happened, we would have seen it with our own eyes.

Is it enough to ask questions, even when we can't find the answers?

As we now know, 67 lives were lost in this incident. As the dedicated first responders and others who came after them, always the heroes, worked to deal with the aftermath of this tragedy, it left me with some questions.

I have listed these questions below. Perhaps you have struggled with these questions as well. Maybe you have some answers, maybe you don't. Chances are, you have some questions of your own that are not listed below. (Please share in the comments if you do. Of course, if you have answers, share them too!)

I think the important exercise here is to ask the questions, even if the answers are not immediately available.

• When lives are at stake, when the complexities of a system involve hundreds, thousands, or sometimes even hundreds of thousands of people, what would guide our decisions?

• What role do our values play in how we lead a team, a business, an organization or an administration?

• What is the North Star we could use as a guidance system as we navigate through our decision-making process?

• Where do we go - both literally and metaphorically - to find values, principles and ideas that could guide us through change?

• Do the ideas of right and wrong - benevolence and malevolence - matter in leadership? If they do, how do they affect the results that the leaders bring to their organizations and their customers?

• What are the ripple effects of these decisions on people with whom we work, on those who look to us for guidance and inspiration, and on those who are the beneficiary of our decisions, such as our clients and stakeholders?

• When we seek the changeless beneath the changing, the timeless within the activity, what do we find? Can that changeless be both our anchor and guidance system?

• How do the ripple effects of our values - and our decision-making based on those values - reverberate through our organization?

  ---

Smart Growth and Competitive Advantage: "The Business Philosopher Within You" Podcast

As the month of January closed with some of the most consequential changes we could imagine, we on "The Business Philosopher Within You" podcast remained focused on what we do best: exploring the timeless essence of our humanness that allows us to build enduring organizations.

We continued to explore the principles drawn from this essence that make our organizations effective and our people productive yet happy.

We published two episodes in January.

You can watch both of these videos below. These are YouTube videos, so you can also save them to your YouTube viewing list and come back to them later.

"Smart Growth" with Ben Greiner, Founder of Forget Computers

Summary: Discover how aligning core values with smart business growth fosters a strong company culture, paving the way for a successful business exit.

Ben Greiner brought to us the idea of "smart growth" rooted in the cultural values of positivity, trust, clarity and efficiency.

We explored Ben's thoughts on navigating smart growth, carving a strong brand-identity and laser focus, creating a committed company culture, and the power of effective communication in the tech industry.

Watch this video and you will learn how Ben navigated the complexities of the tech industry, built a customer-centric business, and executed a successful exit strategy. You will also understand the importance of redefining growth beyond mere revenue, and how focusing on a niche market with a strong marketing message can set you apart from the competition.

Bonus Point: Why does Ben call the growth of his company "smart growth?"

Hint: You have to watch only a small portion of the video for the answer.

"There are many ways to grow, but we just only talk about revenue." ~ Ben Greiner, Founder, Forget Computers

"The Competitive Advantage" with Anupam Nandwana, Founder and CEO of P360

Summary: Learn how P360 leveraged its competitive advantage and scaled a SaaS business in the life sciences industry to 300+ employees, driving innovation and growth.

How would you build a successful, sustainable business employing over 300 employees in a hyper-competitive marketplace, teeming with global players who have deep pockets?

In this interview, Anupam Nandwana shared the business philosophy that powered P360's competitive position and sustainable growth in a highly competitive Life Sciences industry with established players.

We discussed the inception of P360, addressing the challenges of competing in a regulated and competitive industry, and the positioning of Zing, P360's flagship platform. The conversation also navigated through customer-focused business strategies, the role of marketing as an equalizer, and the necessity of a clear vision and adaptability. Effective leadership, maintaining integrity and empowering teams were underscored as essential for creating a successful and sustainable business.

Bonus point: The video is titled "The Competitive Advantage." Can you tell us what P360's competitive advantage really is?

Hint: You don't even have to watch the video for the answer - at least the answer I am thinking of. (Although I highly recommend you do.)

(Thank you Kate McQuade for making the connection that brought us together.)

"We believe in disruption." ~ Anupam Nandwana, CEO and Co-Founder, P360

And why would you care?

Is it possible to create enduring organizations that outlive us?

Why would we even endeavor to go on a journey the ultimate fruits of which we may not see in our lifetimes?

Are there benefits to us today, right this hot minute, to be on an adventure of building endurance deep into the cultural fabric of our organizations?

These and other similar questions we will explore in this newsletter, 360 Business Lab, and its sister newsletter on Linkedin, 360 Business Lab Digest. (I have been watching Star Wars with my daughters these last few days and have rediscovered Yoda. So bear with me.)

Who will answer these questions?

Ultimately, you, the reader, will. (Okay, I admit, I do have some answers, but I would not impose them on you. I would rather hear what you have to say.)

My job is to create an environment, a platform perhaps, where it's okay to ask such questions. My work, I think, is to nurture a space where you feel inspired to contemplate such questions. My mission is to create a community that thrives on answering such questions with an audience who would love to hear them.

360 Business Lab, this newsletter, is meant to be a gateway to such conversations.

We won't just explore abstract ideas and esoteric theories, however. We will also dive into the nitty-gritty of growing a business, building thriving teams and inspiring high-performing, well-functioning, highly productive organizations. We will discuss, strategies, tools, frameworks and ideas to help you create self-sustaining, self-perpetuating, high-performing, thriving organizations that can stand the test of time.

Here is an example.

This last year, 2024 (OMG, it's already gone!), I started a podcast called "The Business Philosopher Within You." ("Too long, make it short," a critique said. But I defied that criticism. Ask me why in the Comments.)

On it, I had some incredible conversations with some of the most awesome people I have come across. Those conversations are available in their entirety under the Podcast tab in this newsletter.

But we are not done.

In 2025, I have lined up even more such conversations. In fact, we have decided to double up the pace of podcast publication to twice a month from once a month. Yes, that’s twice the work my team and I have taken on, but I think we can do it. Wish us luck!

If you know someone who could be a guest for the podcast, please ask them to reach out to me directly. Also DM me if you would like to explore being a guest on the podcast.

If you have any questions about what I look for in a guest on the show, please visit this site. I have clearly spelled out the kinds of conversations we have and the background of the guests I seek.

With that, I wish you health and wealth, success and happiness, wisdom and adventure for 2025 and beyond.

Happy Success!
Bhavesh.