Hey friend,

It’s been a rough week… I won’t even lie. For instance… I had some (melo)dramatic ideas like nuking the entire company and firing everybody.

You know, shit like that.

But, that’s the really-real (as I like to say) — I want to be able to at least verbalize what I’m thinking and let my team know these things so they can understand the full-weight and gravity of the decisions that we must make from the very bottom of the food chain.

Yes, as you and I know very well already, being the CEO means you’re everybody else’s workhorse — we’re the men and women who’s entire job is to serve the folks that say “Yes” to the job and to create an environment that’s healthy, safe, and positive.

Yes, stay positive. Your and my title is actually “Chief Positivity Officer”; I’m not actually kidding here either. You see, if we can’t stay positive then how can we ask that of our staff and team?

It’s not the “blissfully-ignorant” type of happiness and positivity; it’s actually about leveraging hope and weaponizing it into action. Simply-put, we just do better work when we work with other, positive people.

Oh, and did you know that entrepreneurs who appear more friendly and happy are statistically more likely to raise funding? A recent Yale study analyzed the data and the takeaway is “obvious” for entrepreneurs:

For entrepreneurs, the implications of these findings are obvious: remain as upbeat as possible in pitch meetings.

Naturally, you still need a kickass product and an even more kickass team, but, you know… facts. Besides, mean people fail.

To infinity & community,

— john