ESS-001 Unit Economics 7 min
The Two Numbers Every Founder Must Know
Why LTV and CAC are the only metrics that determine whether your business model actually works.
Essays
Organised by topic. Written for founders who build.
ESS-002 Unit Economics 6 min
Why CAC Payback Is the Only Honest Metric
Why payback period reveals what LTV hides — and why investors care about it more than your growth rate.
ESS-009 Fundraising 12 min
How to Read a Term Sheet Like Someone Who Has Been Burned
The clauses that look harmless and are not. A practical guide for first-time founders.
ESS-010 Fundraising 8 min
The Mistakes That Kill Deals Before the Partner Meeting
You will never know about most of them. Here are the ones you can actually control.
ESS-012 Fundraising 8 min
Pre-Seed vs Seed: When to Raise and How Much
The wrong answer to this question costs you 12-18 months. Here is how to get it right.
ESS-021 Founder Psychology 7 min
The Founder Loneliness Nobody Talks About
Not the PR version. The actual experience of building something nobody else can fully understand.
ESS-022 Founder Psychology 8 min
When to Quit vs. When to Push Through
The framework for the hardest decision a founder will make. How to tell the difference before it is obvious.
ESS-025 Investing 8 min
What I Look For Before Writing a Check
The actual criteria. Not the polished version I give at panels.
ESS-028 European Ecosystem 9 min
Building a Startup in Poland vs Silicon Valley
Not a complaint — a strategic map. The differences that change what playbook you should use.
ESS-029 European Ecosystem 10 min
The European Founder's Guide to Fundraising
The US playbook does not transplant. Here is what actually works in European fundraising.