Max Osborne’s Post

😮 I’m a founder and just spent 4 weeks out of office! 😮 What? Why? How? You must work 100 hours a week non-stop as a founder!? Being a founder is hard work and there are 100 hour weeks. I’ve done plenty of them in the past 6 years and I’ll do it again over the next 6. But there are times when you need to step back and breathe. We've just come off 20x growth in two years and in the last 6 months we have doubled our revenues and team size, and raised 7 figures from 4x unicorn founders and 3x tier 1 VCs. So why step back now? You’d think now is the time to capitalise on momentum and buckle down right? Absolutely. Yes it is. It 100% is. And have you heard of “Go slow to go fast”? Taking 4 weeks out of office is just 1% of the next 6 years. Pausing breeds 10x clarity, energy, and conviction. It’s been transformative and already is yielding it's ROI —personally and professionally. Why now? * The company, the industry, and I as a human have all evolved (I’m 30 now 🤯) * My role has shifted from 'doing' to leading leaders, driving strategy, and embodying ThisThat's DNA * Now was the time to step back, reflect on the last 6 years and think about the next 6 years I return feeling rejuvenated and stronger than ever before * Ready to lead our team to greater heights with renewed energy and clarity. * Poised, collected, and with a clear vision for the next growth phase * With conviction on the type of leader I want to be for my team and the industry Reflecting on a recent conversation with Kevin Hartz (founder of Eventbrite). I’ve come to like an analogy of Greek/Roman leadership styles and see my role more clearly through it —Now is time for me to be a Greek and my leadership team to be Romans. In other words, now is time for me to lean into thinking and lean out of operating. This is a big change, I’m very excited and I could not be happier and any more confident in the team at ThisThat. I have ever more courage to speak on the purpose of ThisThat. Our mission is to make marketing enjoyable. Advertising has evolved, Market Research hasn't and Marketing needs both to evolve in harmony. We've set out to drive this change. I have an abundance of gratitude  * Massive thanks to ThisThat's leaders and executors who kept things running smoothly and clients happy * For the support from investors and board who encouraged me to take this time * Being able to spend precious time with family and loved ones My love for the industry has only deepened—I've missed it and can't stay away. To my clients and industry friends: Let's catch up! I'm back with enthusiasm and eager to shape the next era of marketing together. Leaving thought: Just as marketers need to invest in the long-term of the brand and can’t rinse out performance at its expense, we humans need to invest in our long-term health and can’t just be executing at its expense. Investing in the long-term yields beyond 10x ROI 🧘♂️❤️🚀