Leaving the harbor of my startup after my first exit

I had an exit. So what?

Entrepreneurs start, drive and sometimes sell companies. What happens to a founder after an exit? Which feelings, actions, steps, and thoughts?

I could not find any relatable information about the journey while it unfolds. So here it is. I will share my reflections along the way, and you could join me in this exciting process of discovery and growth.

Writing is the form of reflection that works best for me. So, I am simply publishing my thoughts. These reflections have an intrinsic value for me, and I would have written them even without a reader. However, if these words could ignite a spark or bring a reflection to even a single person, that would feel even more meaningful.

Let's start from the end: my last letter to Pilloxa's shareholders.

Dear all,

Tomorrow is my last official day at Pilloxa. What a ride!

Four Thousand Weeks is a quick book built on an interesting twist on time prioritization. Many concepts are already found elsewhere, but they are well-packaged here. The title points to the average length of human life. That might seem pretty short; however, isn't any time span inherently short when one is looking with a certain attitude? What I found refreshing in embracing finitude is that it brings me back to the core concept that there will never be enough time to do everything one wants to do, and that is a good thing. Listen to the narration of this chapter once you need your moment of Zen 😀

What is left, then? The answer is everything. The world is an open space full of things shining that are available for us to connect with before moving on to the next one. They are everywhere; it is just that we have lost the ability to be attuned. Look for mastery and skill crafting, and admire the ones you find in others. The search for transcendence can be found everywhere once we let go of the pressure of getting everything done. Join others in a journey towards making the world a better place in any way you find inspiring at that moment.

You allowed me to develop mastery and skills I would have never dreamt of when I moved to Stockholm freshly graduated. Your trust led to meaningful relationships that I will treasure for the rest of my life—all of that in a direction that is meaningful to me.

Tomorrow, I close the largest chapter of my adult life. Looking back, I have spent about 400 weeks or, 10% of my lifetime, on this journey. Counting away the hours spent sleeping, and the days I haven't worked as a child, it rounds up to about 15-20% of my total worklife (a bit more if one considers the sleep deprivation of being a father to a lively Nova ❤ ).

Today we celebrate a successful end to a long journey. We had a big win; we found a larger and more solid house for our journey to continue. It is the best outcome we could think of, given where we stood a few months ago. And that is thanks to you and the energy and grit of Helena, Per and Eva until the very last minute.

Energy and action. Those are two of the main constituents of a good life. That's especially true for entrepreneurs. Keeping oneself front-footed and with a positive mental and physical energy balance. In the next quarter, I will explore where to focus my energy and actions and where I can further hone my newly acquired skills and rejoice in the beauty of others mastering their crafts. I want to bring you with me on this journey. Let's share a lunch, celebrate what we have achieved, and show each other things shining. Our conversation might lead to where I will spend energy and actions for the next 10% of my life. 😀

With gratitude,
Francesco

A reflection on the purpose of life

Life just is.

I find no point in asking the question of purpose in life. The whole seeking for a universal and abstract answer to the question is a construction of our hard-coded mental patterns. The entire expectation that "there is a universal, ultimate purpose for the whole universe and that our species is central to it" is a sign of our bias.

However, our intrinsic need for a life compass still stands.

So, what is a better question? We often look for a great answer, while it is way better to look for a great question.

A more skilled question is what you feel is particularly meaningful and how you can be the best you.

There is only one you in the world. The discussion moves from purpose to meaning. From static and universal to dynamic and personal. From an endless cascade of more abstract questioning to a deeper search into an actionable compass.

Right now, I am charting my endless journey through these questions and to my path to being my best me, in other words, self-actualization.

Back to my reflections on the journey

Entrepreneurship is a rewarding and time-intensive activity; naturally, identities and habits form around that. On top of that, a successful journey requires many years of consistent effort, which, at least for me, led to shifting gears to an" execution mode" away from the" reflecting self". My first step is to allow the unfolding of routines and reinstate more fluidity in my identity. This process takes time and action.

The main question is: what does it mean to live a life that resonates with my inner core? I thrive with reflection through action.

Here is a set of actions I am currently undertaking:
- Meet people that instinctively feel they are in contact with themselves and are showing mastery in aspects I feel inspiring. Interview and see what thoughts come up.
- Note which activities I am more inclined to do naturally during the day.
- Note which activities I miss from my previous life.
- Read a lot. From autobiographies to taking courses, keeping a broad net.
- Leave blank spaces in the calendar. As much as possible in uninterrupted sessions.
- Think in the form of lifestyle-centric planning. How is a Tuesday in 2027 looking like?

Out of all this, here are some reflections:
- There is a space for being without doing, and life unfolds in those moments. It takes effort to recognize if actions are a reflex or consciously meant.
- Life can be much more meaningful if one makes some radical choices. However, make sure those radical choices are aligned with your life compass.
- There is an exciting space between immediate satisfaction (eating a cake) and long-term endeavours (starting, driving and exiting a startup).
- Long-term relationships are essential in my life. The compounding interest in relationships should be highlighted much more than in investments.
- Entrepreneurship cannot be coded in a set of rules; it needs practice and experience.