Essential Business by Francis Mella
@essentialbusiness.bsky.social
The channel delivers clear, practical insights drawn from real-world experience in business management, marketing, accounting, and leadership.
The strongest position isn't knowing what's next.
It's being ready for whatever comes.
Launch small. Learn fast. Adjust constantly.
That's how you prepare for a technology-driven future.
It's being ready for whatever comes.
Launch small. Learn fast. Adjust constantly.
That's how you prepare for a technology-driven future.
November 14, 2025 at 7:00 PM
The strongest position isn't knowing what's next.
It's being ready for whatever comes.
Launch small. Learn fast. Adjust constantly.
That's how you prepare for a technology-driven future.
It's being ready for whatever comes.
Launch small. Learn fast. Adjust constantly.
That's how you prepare for a technology-driven future.
Stop asking "What technology will dominate 2030?"
Start asking:
"Can our team learn fast enough?"
"Do we have the flexibility to pivot?"
"Are we building for change or for a single outcome?"
Start asking:
"Can our team learn fast enough?"
"Do we have the flexibility to pivot?"
"Are we building for change or for a single outcome?"
November 14, 2025 at 7:00 PM
Stop asking "What technology will dominate 2030?"
Start asking:
"Can our team learn fast enough?"
"Do we have the flexibility to pivot?"
"Are we building for change or for a single outcome?"
Start asking:
"Can our team learn fast enough?"
"Do we have the flexibility to pivot?"
"Are we building for change or for a single outcome?"
Real preparation isn't about predicting the future.
It's about building the capacity to respond when it arrives.
Early signal detection matters more than perfect forecasting.
Adaptability beats accuracy every time.
It's about building the capacity to respond when it arrives.
Early signal detection matters more than perfect forecasting.
Adaptability beats accuracy every time.
November 14, 2025 at 7:00 PM
Real preparation isn't about predicting the future.
It's about building the capacity to respond when it arrives.
Early signal detection matters more than perfect forecasting.
Adaptability beats accuracy every time.
It's about building the capacity to respond when it arrives.
Early signal detection matters more than perfect forecasting.
Adaptability beats accuracy every time.
The businesses that win by 2030 won't be the ones with the best predictions.
They'll be the ones with:
• Teams trained for adaptation
• Systems built for iteration
• Culture that rewards learning over perfection
They'll be the ones with:
• Teams trained for adaptation
• Systems built for iteration
• Culture that rewards learning over perfection
November 14, 2025 at 7:00 PM
The businesses that win by 2030 won't be the ones with the best predictions.
They'll be the ones with:
• Teams trained for adaptation
• Systems built for iteration
• Culture that rewards learning over perfection
They'll be the ones with:
• Teams trained for adaptation
• Systems built for iteration
• Culture that rewards learning over perfection
Most companies will waste resources chasing predictions.
They'll add AI features nobody asked for.
They'll invest in tech before understanding the problem it solves.
They'll confuse innovation with preparation.
They'll add AI features nobody asked for.
They'll invest in tech before understanding the problem it solves.
They'll confuse innovation with preparation.
November 14, 2025 at 7:00 PM
Most companies will waste resources chasing predictions.
They'll add AI features nobody asked for.
They'll invest in tech before understanding the problem it solves.
They'll confuse innovation with preparation.
They'll add AI features nobody asked for.
They'll invest in tech before understanding the problem it solves.
They'll confuse innovation with preparation.
Everyone's talking about AI, quantum computing, and IoT.
But here's what they're not telling you:
The gap between knowing a trend exists and building a business ready for it.
But here's what they're not telling you:
The gap between knowing a trend exists and building a business ready for it.
November 14, 2025 at 7:00 PM
Everyone's talking about AI, quantum computing, and IoT.
But here's what they're not telling you:
The gap between knowing a trend exists and building a business ready for it.
But here's what they're not telling you:
The gap between knowing a trend exists and building a business ready for it.
The question isn't whether to allow side hustles.
It's how to turn them into your competitive advantage.
Before your competitors figure it out first.
It's how to turn them into your competitive advantage.
Before your competitors figure it out first.
November 13, 2025 at 2:04 PM
The question isn't whether to allow side hustles.
It's how to turn them into your competitive advantage.
Before your competitors figure it out first.
It's how to turn them into your competitive advantage.
Before your competitors figure it out first.
Innovative organizations flip the script.
They create frameworks to:
• Support employee ventures
• Capture learnings
• Apply insights internally
• Build innovation culture
They create frameworks to:
• Support employee ventures
• Capture learnings
• Apply insights internally
• Build innovation culture
November 13, 2025 at 2:04 PM
Innovative organizations flip the script.
They create frameworks to:
• Support employee ventures
• Capture learnings
• Apply insights internally
• Build innovation culture
They create frameworks to:
• Support employee ventures
• Capture learnings
• Apply insights internally
• Build innovation culture
Think about it:
Your employee is maintaining insurance and salary while building something new.
They're taking a real risk.
Learning REAL lessons.
All without costing you a dime in training.
Your employee is maintaining insurance and salary while building something new.
They're taking a real risk.
Learning REAL lessons.
All without costing you a dime in training.
November 13, 2025 at 2:04 PM
Think about it:
Your employee is maintaining insurance and salary while building something new.
They're taking a real risk.
Learning REAL lessons.
All without costing you a dime in training.
Your employee is maintaining insurance and salary while building something new.
They're taking a real risk.
Learning REAL lessons.
All without costing you a dime in training.
The reality?
Hybrid entrepreneurs bring back insights about:
• Customer validation
• Lean operations
• Creative problem-solving
• Resourcefulness under constraints
Hybrid entrepreneurs bring back insights about:
• Customer validation
• Lean operations
• Creative problem-solving
• Resourcefulness under constraints
November 13, 2025 at 2:04 PM
The reality?
Hybrid entrepreneurs bring back insights about:
• Customer validation
• Lean operations
• Creative problem-solving
• Resourcefulness under constraints
Hybrid entrepreneurs bring back insights about:
• Customer validation
• Lean operations
• Creative problem-solving
• Resourcefulness under constraints
These are precisely the skills organizations desperately need.
But instead of leveraging this learning...
Most managers see it as a distraction.
But instead of leveraging this learning...
Most managers see it as a distraction.
November 13, 2025 at 2:04 PM
These are precisely the skills organizations desperately need.
But instead of leveraging this learning...
Most managers see it as a distraction.
But instead of leveraging this learning...
Most managers see it as a distraction.
Here's what these companies don't understand:
Employees running side businesses learn to create VALUE from new ideas.
They test markets.
They iterate fast.
They solve real problems.
Employees running side businesses learn to create VALUE from new ideas.
They test markets.
They iterate fast.
They solve real problems.
November 13, 2025 at 2:04 PM
Here's what these companies don't understand:
Employees running side businesses learn to create VALUE from new ideas.
They test markets.
They iterate fast.
They solve real problems.
Employees running side businesses learn to create VALUE from new ideas.
They test markets.
They iterate fast.
They solve real problems.
A Leadership Pulse survey found that only 30% of companies support hybrid entrepreneurship.
24% actively DISCOURAGE it.
That's a lot of wasted innovation potential.
24% actively DISCOURAGE it.
That's a lot of wasted innovation potential.
November 13, 2025 at 2:04 PM
A Leadership Pulse survey found that only 30% of companies support hybrid entrepreneurship.
24% actively DISCOURAGE it.
That's a lot of wasted innovation potential.
24% actively DISCOURAGE it.
That's a lot of wasted innovation potential.
The question isn't whether every child should become an entrepreneur.
It's whether we're creating environments where they learn to IDENTIFY problems worth solving.
Both skills matter.
But the balance shapes what becomes possible later.
It's whether we're creating environments where they learn to IDENTIFY problems worth solving.
Both skills matter.
But the balance shapes what becomes possible later.
November 12, 2025 at 2:32 PM
The question isn't whether every child should become an entrepreneur.
It's whether we're creating environments where they learn to IDENTIFY problems worth solving.
Both skills matter.
But the balance shapes what becomes possible later.
It's whether we're creating environments where they learn to IDENTIFY problems worth solving.
Both skills matter.
But the balance shapes what becomes possible later.
Five factors that actually develop entrepreneurial thinking:
Autonomy in learning
Problem-based projects
Comfort with uncertainty
Collaborative work
Iterative processes
You don't need to overhaul everything.
Autonomy in learning
Problem-based projects
Comfort with uncertainty
Collaborative work
Iterative processes
You don't need to overhaul everything.
November 12, 2025 at 2:32 PM
Five factors that actually develop entrepreneurial thinking:
Autonomy in learning
Problem-based projects
Comfort with uncertainty
Collaborative work
Iterative processes
You don't need to overhaul everything.
Autonomy in learning
Problem-based projects
Comfort with uncertainty
Collaborative work
Iterative processes
You don't need to overhaul everything.
Even China's exam-oriented system adapted.
After launching "Mass Entrepreneurship and Innovation" in 2014, their innovation index rose continuously.
Strategic additions can shift outcomes without reimagining the entire system.
After launching "Mass Entrepreneurship and Innovation" in 2014, their innovation index rose continuously.
Strategic additions can shift outcomes without reimagining the entire system.
November 12, 2025 at 2:32 PM
Even China's exam-oriented system adapted.
After launching "Mass Entrepreneurship and Innovation" in 2014, their innovation index rose continuously.
Strategic additions can shift outcomes without reimagining the entire system.
After launching "Mass Entrepreneurship and Innovation" in 2014, their innovation index rose continuously.
Strategic additions can shift outcomes without reimagining the entire system.
Research on entrepreneurship education shows measurable results:
Students in these programs showed HIGHER rates of business creation and increased income.
This matters especially for those facing systemic barriers to economic participation.
Students in these programs showed HIGHER rates of business creation and increased income.
This matters especially for those facing systemic barriers to economic participation.
November 12, 2025 at 2:32 PM
Research on entrepreneurship education shows measurable results:
Students in these programs showed HIGHER rates of business creation and increased income.
This matters especially for those facing systemic barriers to economic participation.
Students in these programs showed HIGHER rates of business creation and increased income.
This matters especially for those facing systemic barriers to economic participation.
The skills that matter most in business aren't the ones traditional education measures most heavily.
Students learn success means memorizing for tests and following rubrics.
But entrepreneurship requires experimenting, questioning rules, and thinking outside the box.
Students learn success means memorizing for tests and following rubrics.
But entrepreneurship requires experimenting, questioning rules, and thinking outside the box.
November 12, 2025 at 2:32 PM
The skills that matter most in business aren't the ones traditional education measures most heavily.
Students learn success means memorizing for tests and following rubrics.
But entrepreneurship requires experimenting, questioning rules, and thinking outside the box.
Students learn success means memorizing for tests and following rubrics.
But entrepreneurship requires experimenting, questioning rules, and thinking outside the box.
A study of 3,000 employers revealed something critical:
"Years of schooling" ranked 2.9 out of 5 in hiring importance.
"Academic performance" ranked 2.5.
"ATTITUDE" ranked 4.6.
"Communication skills" ranked 4.2.
"Years of schooling" ranked 2.9 out of 5 in hiring importance.
"Academic performance" ranked 2.5.
"ATTITUDE" ranked 4.6.
"Communication skills" ranked 4.2.
November 12, 2025 at 2:32 PM
A study of 3,000 employers revealed something critical:
"Years of schooling" ranked 2.9 out of 5 in hiring importance.
"Academic performance" ranked 2.5.
"ATTITUDE" ranked 4.6.
"Communication skills" ranked 4.2.
"Years of schooling" ranked 2.9 out of 5 in hiring importance.
"Academic performance" ranked 2.5.
"ATTITUDE" ranked 4.6.
"Communication skills" ranked 4.2.
Here's the PARADOX I keep seeing in my MBA studies:
Schools reward compliance.
Entrepreneurship requires independent thinking.
Schools emphasize following instructions.
Entrepreneurs create approaches that don't have instructions yet.
Schools reward compliance.
Entrepreneurship requires independent thinking.
Schools emphasize following instructions.
Entrepreneurs create approaches that don't have instructions yet.
November 12, 2025 at 2:32 PM
Here's the PARADOX I keep seeing in my MBA studies:
Schools reward compliance.
Entrepreneurship requires independent thinking.
Schools emphasize following instructions.
Entrepreneurs create approaches that don't have instructions yet.
Schools reward compliance.
Entrepreneurship requires independent thinking.
Schools emphasize following instructions.
Entrepreneurs create approaches that don't have instructions yet.
Jeff Bezos also attended Montessori.
Teachers had to physically lift him from activities because he was so absorbed.
That intense focus later defined Amazon.
Researchers call it the "Montessori Mafia" in Silicon Valley.
Teachers had to physically lift him from activities because he was so absorbed.
That intense focus later defined Amazon.
Researchers call it the "Montessori Mafia" in Silicon Valley.
November 12, 2025 at 2:32 PM
Jeff Bezos also attended Montessori.
Teachers had to physically lift him from activities because he was so absorbed.
That intense focus later defined Amazon.
Researchers call it the "Montessori Mafia" in Silicon Valley.
Teachers had to physically lift him from activities because he was so absorbed.
That intense focus later defined Amazon.
Researchers call it the "Montessori Mafia" in Silicon Valley.
Google founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page both went to Montessori schools.
When asked about their success, they didn't credit Stanford.
They pointed to Montessori's emphasis on SELF-DIRECTED learning and questioning systems.
When asked about their success, they didn't credit Stanford.
They pointed to Montessori's emphasis on SELF-DIRECTED learning and questioning systems.
November 12, 2025 at 2:32 PM
Google founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page both went to Montessori schools.
When asked about their success, they didn't credit Stanford.
They pointed to Montessori's emphasis on SELF-DIRECTED learning and questioning systems.
When asked about their success, they didn't credit Stanford.
They pointed to Montessori's emphasis on SELF-DIRECTED learning and questioning systems.