Forty-two years ago, David Ogilvy wrote what I consider the finest opening paragraph ever committed to paper:
When Aeschines spoke, they said, ‘How well he speaks.’
But when Demosthenes spoke, they said, ‘Let us march against Philip.’
I like writing when it compels people to action. Loaded gun sentences. That’s how I’ve always held the pen, even in English — which isn’t my native tongue.
I used to fill reams of paper in my previous life. High-stakes writing to bring competing stakeholders into agreement on things they’d naturally resist. There are very few things I’d bet my bottom dollar on, but here’s one: words move more deals than spreadsheets ever will.
I’m saying this to remind you that nothing you’ll read here constitutes investment advice. I hold strong convictions that are often biased, fallible, and occasionally delusional. Caveat emptor applies twice when the merchant believes his own merchandise.
I spent the last decade in M&A, saving like a miser and quietly building a small holding company from one thousand euros in issued capital. It’s grown into something respectable since then. It still ain’t much, but it’s honest work, and it pays for coffee, freedom, and a bit of peace. It also serves as a platform to explore wider opportunities.
As 2025 began, I turned forty and decided to pull the switch. I bought a country house somewhere in Western Europe and moved in with my family of three. I now run my miniature empire from here, surrounded by forests and old stones, and sometimes consult for my former employers and clients, especially those based in the US.
I’m a value investor by religion and temperament, operating on principles that are old, simple, and few. My mentor taught me business analysis and valuation in a plain, straightforward way. In the end, it is all about counting the cash. Good ol’ farmer common sense.
Everything I process passes through that lens. If something I say makes no sense to you, that’s probably why. We’re just using different telescopes pointed at different skies.
I started this blog to keep track of certain thoughts, connect with like-minded entrepreneurs and investors, and see where the writing leads. Thank you for reading. If you’d like to comment on anything, you can reach me in inviolable secrecy at [your contact link].