Welcome to Snafu, a newsletter about behavior change.

Every time we step through a portal we learn something new about ourselves. We become a new person. And we can't step back.

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The portals of learning

I recently sat down with an entrepreneur who is nine months into building his business. He described the trials and tribulations of figuring out his business structure, landing his first few clients, and collecting invoices.

I don’t denigrate those challenges. Starting a business is hard! But having built four successful businesses over the last fifteen years, I’m very familiar with those early stages of building a business.

In 2021, I grew Zander Media to more than 10 full-time employees. We were booming! And during that growth, I went through an era of learning and challenge unlike anything I’d experienced before. We sold and delivered larger projects, I hired and fired more people, and I nearly burnt out.

Then, the economy changed and we had to downsize.

I went through a learning portal – a very intense trial of learning and growth. And then I backtracked – I stepped backwards and found myself at a smaller, more predictable stage of the business than I’d been at before.

I haven't crossed a new portal of learning at Zander Media since 2022, and probably won’t until the business surpasses our previous metrics – in people, project scope, or sales.

Because that’s how learning works.

Every time we step through a portal we learn something new about ourselves. We become a new person. And we can't step back.

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3 things I’ve loved this week

Quote I’m considering:

“Whether in music, writing, or any other creative act, the best work any of us can do is try to express ourselves authentically – and learning to do that takes time.”

–Rick Ruben in The Creative Act: A Way of Being​

Book I’m reading: Black Edge: Inside Information, Dirty Money, and the Quest to Bring Down the Most Wanted Man on Wall Street​

A few years ago, I made a list of books about money and power that I wanted to read. On a flight last week, I finally got around to reading Black Edge.

This book feels like a heist movie – except that it is real.

I’m a fan of Brian Koppelman and David Levin, the screenwriters behind Ocean’s 13, Rounders, and the TV show Billions. I hadn’t realized it when I watched Billions, but this book and the story of billionaire trader Steve Cohen serve as a template for that fictionalized series.

Something new I’m try: piano

I recently picked up a used Yamaha keyboard and bought a couple of Level 1 Christmas time piano books. I played piano for a few years when I was little, but haven’t touched one since. There’s something really gratifying about starting from scratch – I have zero expectations of myself and learning comes fast and furious. The hard part comes later, but for now I’m having so much fun learning.

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​Books by Robin - I've published two books - so far! If you’re interested in learning to do a handstand, check out How to Do a Handstand. If you’re building a company or want to improve your company’s culture, read Responsive: What It Takes to Create a Thriving Organization.

Thanks for your support! It means the world.

Until next week,
Robin