Knowledge Marketplace
My First Million

My First Million

The best business ideas come from noticing what's working and doing it better, faster, or for a different audience.

Back to Mental Models

Owner Psychology as Business Root Cause

All business problems ultimately trace back to the psychology, fears, and mental blocks of the business owner

Decision Rule

When diagnosing business problems, keep asking 'why' until you reach owner psychology rather than stopping at surface tactical issues

How It Works

Owner psychology drives hiring decisions, spending priorities, risk tolerance, and strategic choices that create all downstream business outcomes

Failure Modes

Focusing on tactical fixes while ignoring root psychological causes

Blaming external factors instead of examining owner contribution

Avoiding difficult psychological work in favor of easier technical solutions

Example Decision

Company has slow growth → bad paid acquisition → inexperienced hire → owner won't spend on talent → owner fears overspending due to past experiences