The safest course, paradoxically, is to be bold


Hi Reader

Here’s a stat that stopped me in my tracks:

64% of CEOs say they need to take more risks than their competitors just to stay ahead.

That’s from the 2025 IBM CEO Study. And no—they’re not talking about thrill-seeking or spontaneous gambles.

They mean bold, strategic, “this-could-change-everything” moves:

  • Betting on AI with no guaranteed ROI.
  • Rethinking talent in a world where 31% of the workforce needs reskilling—and over half of AI-related roles didn’t even exist a year ago.
  • Restructuring culture—not just tweaking policies, but rewriting the DNA.

It’s a playbook for transformation that starts with one uncomfortable truth:

You can’t lead in the future using yesterday’s mindset.

🚀 What It Really Looks Like to Take the Leap

A few weeks ago, I interviewed Pavel Kovsharov—a former executive who made that kind of leap. He left a top corporate job with a newborn at home and built a global entertainment business from scratch.

Today, he runs 20+ family entertainment centers across Russia, the UAE, and soon Saudi Arabia and the U.S.

Here’s a preview of what he shared:

1. Leap Before You’re “Ready”

“If you made a decision to change your life, you need to change your life. Please don’t wait.”

The IBM CEO Study says it plainly: taking more risk isn’t reckless—it’s required. In moments of disruption, courage is a strategy.

Pavel’s leap wasn’t reckless—it was backed by conviction, vision, and urgency.

2. Culture Is a Founder’s Job

“You cannot delegate culture. It has to come from the founder.”

Many leaders still treat culture as HR’s job. But IBM’s research shows: leadership is the glue in any transformation.

Pavel learned that the hard way. After COVID, he had to rebuild the culture from scratch. Today, every new employee receives a personal memo on company culture—written by Pavel himself.

Culture isn’t a slide deck. It’s a daily commitment.

3. ROI Is Bigger Than Profit

“I measure return in time, energy, and how fulfilled I feel after a year.”

Only 25% of AI initiatives are delivering expected ROI, according to IBM. But top CEOs are expanding how they define value—beyond profit, toward resilience, employee engagement, and long-term adaptability.

Pavel puts it plainly: “Your calendar is your real P&L.” In the future of work, fulfillment is strategy.

🎧 Want the Full Story?

I turned our conversation into a full blog post. You can read it here:

It’s packed with real insights, honest stories, and the kind of wisdom you usually only hear behind closed doors.


If you’re feeling stuck—or “almost ready”—don’t wait for perfect timing. It rarely shows up.

Instead, look to the people already making bold moves. People like Pavel.

Because if today’s CEOs are rethinking everything—from tech stacks to org charts—maybe we can rethink what’s possible for ourselves, too.

Take care,

Daria

PS – I regularly share conversations like this in my newsletter. If you’re not subscribed yet, you can join here:

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