The 7th Jump
This is the 7th edition of SpaceFold a newsletter with resources, best practices, and thought leadership to help the journey of founders and emerging professionals.
Welcome
It's me, Julius Alejandro, your residential entrepreneur, strategist, and educator, and I decided to start a newsletter called SpaceFold. What's the meaning behind the name SpaceFold? I'm a big sci-fi nerd! It comes from the faster-than-light travel you watch in sci-fi shows. For example, traveling from Earth to Mars would take about seven months. Theoretically, you can fold closer the literal space between Earth and Mars so that it would be instantaneous.
Founders
Strategic Thinking: This is Chess, Not Checkers
I’m an avid Chess player. I even had a job teaching Chess for an after-school program while I was a master’s student. It has helped me develop my strategic thinking in decision-making, looking ahead and understanding that every decision has immediate and long-term consequences. Early-stage founders have limited resources, and everything is critical. There are two aspects: your pieces (resources) and board position (environment).
Let me give you an example using the classic Chess opening theory of the Giuoco Piano (quiet game):
Control the Center:
The most common Chess strategy is to control the center of the board; it’s finding the product-market fit in securing half the board (market) and having a strong position (resource) to capture (traction) the rest. That means being ahead of industry trends and customer needs.
Develop Pieces:
Develop a strong, high-functioning team where each member and resource is allocated and utilized properly to the overall strategy to ensure a well-coordinated effort.
Protect the King:
Giuoco Piano emphasizes protecting the king early in the game. Those are your tangibles, like your IP, trade secrets, and trademarks. But, importantly, protect your core mission, vision, and value through the challenges of your industry and the funding landscape.
I encourage you to play Chess as a way to exercise your strategic thinking. It’s not about winning but the practice of strategic thinking using 32 pieces in a 64 square board that projects over one million possibilities. The best free app and platform available for iOS and Android is lichess.org. Find me at username: nvmdwply
Passion to Career
Luck Razor
A philosophical method in decision-making uses the razor analogy to “shave off” an unlikely and unnecessary explanation. The most well-known is Occam’s razor, which states, “If you have two competing ideas to explain the same phenomenon, you should prefer the simpler one.” In this case, it is the Luck Razor: When choosing between two paths, choose the path with a larger luck surface area.
How does Luck Razor help you on your career journey?
Leverage your network in your industry for greater opportunities. It sounds simple, but it requires being proactive and consistent.
Join professional associations IRL and online (Slack or Discord) and attend networking events to foster good rapport. You must be out there increasing your professional brand and potentially meeting the next career opportunity.
Social media like LinkedIn lets you share your thoughts, engage thought leaders, and connect with like-minded professionals.
I professionally have benefitted from this in my background in the nonprofit sector since 2010 and in the startup ecosystem since 2016. Since doubling my luck surface area, I have volunteered proactively. I haven’t had a cold job interview since 2017. Since 2018 and this newsletter, I have been directly hired, had consulting gigs through direct relationships, and was hired but had to be processed through the bureaucratic HR process. But, my Luck Razor is for the general umbrella of economic development from entrepreneurship and workforce development.
What’s happening…
I have been MIA for many reasons, such as raising money for my nonprofit, my new job role, etc. I thought about just putting something out, but that means I’m going to sacrifice quality for us in something my heart isn’t 💯 in putting out, and for you to be like, “WTH is this?” So, I will do my best to be consistent. When you get something in your inbox from me, it means I worked hard to bring value to you. In the meantime…
What if something goes wrong? It is the theme of a special virtual program I’m working on outside the four Razor School offerings that would immerse me in building a company in a narrative format. It’s upending the traditional model of teaching entrepreneurs A leads to B leads to C in perfect sequential order when we know the journey is not linear. This special program would address leaning into that ambiguity where there is no “right” answer but a need to respond. It will be for first-time founders with an idea or who have just started, giving them a glimpse of the pre-seed-to-seed journey. It encourages making major mistakes in the program rather than in real life.
At Razor School, our virtual cohort programs blend cutting-edge expertise with an interactive learning environment, empowering you to lead, market, and communicate with the utmost impact and effectiveness. Join us and be part of a transformative journey toward professional excellence.
Organizational Leadership
Unlock your leadership potential with our virtual cohort-driven workshops. Join a community of like-minded individuals, engage in interactive sessions, and acquire practical leadership skills to propel your career and impact your organization.
Marketing & Branding Creation
Elevate your brand presence with our virtual marketing and branding program. Collaborate with a dynamic cohort, learn from industry experts, and develop strategies to create a compelling brand identity that resonates with your target audience.
Community Strategist
Become a catalyst for positive change with our virtual Community Strategists cohort. Dive into the Razor Framework for community development, collaborate with fellow changemakers, and devise innovative solutions that uplift and empower communities, impacting the world around us.
Emerging Professional Cohort
Empower your career growth with our virtual cohort program designed exclusively for young adults early in their professional journey. Discover your strengths, set meaningful career goals, and gain invaluable insights from experienced mentors, setting the stage for a prosperous and fulfilling career ahead.