POPULAR ARTICLES
The death of George Floyd and its aftermath is a stark reminder of a virus, deadlier than COVID, that has been here for 400 years.
Its like weightlifting for the brain. Last year, I decided to focus on leaders.
Trust me, sometimes, getting a NO from a VC — no matter how peculiarly it is delivered — could be the best thing that ever happens to you.
TOPICS
- Antifragile
- Being CEO
- Blockchain
- Bookshelf
- Branding
- Coaching
- communications
- Crisis
- Culture
- Decisions
- Diversity
- Documentaries
- Featured
- Founding
- Fundraising
- Habits
- Hiring
- Inclusion
- Insurtech
- Interviews
- Leadership
- Letters
- Life Lessons
- Management
- Marketing
- Mental Models
- Product
- Recruiting
- Sales
- Tribe Vibes
- Women
RECENT ARTICLES
The journey as CEO is a long one. You won’t be able to rely purely on your god-given raw intelligence for the whole trip.
I am here to help you achieve your goals. I am your servant.
Startups are like a long series of runs. The moment you start running, you encounter obstacles large and small that are designed to surprise you.
A leader’s job is to create the environment and the context where people can actually do the most, accomplish the most, and teams can be the most impactful.
We never plan for a crisis. When we are in the midst of one, it feels like an endless mountain to climb.
As I reflect on 2020, I see a real lesson in resilience. 2020 was full of pain, joy, and learning.
Want Some Mental Candy in Your Inbox?
Join over 1,500+ CEOs who receive our carefully curated newsletter full of inspiration.
You’ll get thought-provoking morsels from around the web, book reviews, inspiring quotes, and exclusive tools delivered to your inbox on #motivation Monday mornings.
And, you’ll never miss our new stories and successful plays.
The problem with the Segway was that it completely missed the fact that the core need wasn’t there.
WHAT OUR READERS SAY

“I am no CEO, but I found your blog looking for mental models to improve my thinking. Thank you so much for sharing your treasure trove of knowledge; I enjoy reading your [Mental Candy] newsletter.”
“I find your thoughts so well crafted, timely, and helpful (and have forwarded them to other startup folks I know too).”
“Thank you for what you do and sharing the story of your journey. You’re an inspiration and set a great example for what true entrepreneurship means.”
“I wanted to drop you a note to tell you that the work you do with CEOPLAYBOOK is right on point. Thank you for you and the rich content you provide.”
“You are the first writer that I feel teaches the complexity easily without telling only stories about being a CEO.”
“Thank you for your [Mental Candy] newsletters. I get many blog posts and newsletters in my inbox every week, and you’re one of the very, very, very few that I read.”
“Amazing!!! Loving your CEO Playbook.”
“I’m on a journey to reinvent myself to get to the next level of my career and looking forward to reading about your insights in business.”
“I have been following your CEO playbook, and really enjoy it. I am always striving to improve my performance as CEO, and learn a lot from what you share.”
It starts deep in the pit of my stomach. It’s hard to describe. It’s like a cross between butterflies and sharp fluttering stomach pain. Sometimes, it manifests itself as a pain on the left side of my neck. It feels like a burning, humming sound. The buzz you might hear at a power substation full
Sales is an integral part of any business, but rarely associated with the CEO’s role.
Walking away from a promising career at Lockheed to attend MIT was definitely not in the original plan. But for Dip Patel, it was only the beginning.
Every entrepreneurial experience, successful or not, brings with it new knowledge.
As CEOs, if we train our minds to see the bigger picture, or consider all sides of the problem before making a decision, we can become better leaders. By using knowledge and insights from many disciplines, we have a chance.
Corey Thomas isn’t in the role he thought he’d be as Chairman and CEO of Rapid7, but 7 years, a ton of successes, a failure or 3 and an impressive and enviable culture, show that sometimes our paths lead us exactly where we belong.