The courage to be savage

2025: The Year of Uncompromising Excellence

As the calendar turns to a new year, reflection becomes a necessary ritual—not for sentimentality, but for clarity of purpose. Each year presents itself as a canvas, and how we approach it determines whether we create art or mere noise. For me, 2025 is not just another year; it is a moment to recommit to the principles that drive success, build legacy, and shape the future.

The future is malleable--if you have the force of will to bend it, to mould it in the furnace of your discipline. The more intentional you are, the greater the force of will, the more competent you are--the more likely it is that you can build the future you desire. That's true for the reader, and it's true for me.

Truth, as always, sits at the foundation of everything. Pursuing truth isn’t just an intellectual exercise—it’s a lifestyle. It means being relentless in seeking out what is real, no matter how uncomfortable or inconvenient the answers may be. Truth is clarity, and clarity allows us to act decisively. In 2025, I will not merely acknowledge what is true; I will embody it, act on it, and align every decision with it. There is no greater source of strength than standing firmly on what is right.

Equally important is the refusal to back down when circumstances demand clarity and courage. Life, business, and leadership all require defining what is right, even when the world clamors for ambiguity. Once right is defined, there is no room for retreat, no justification for hesitation. To retreat in the face of principle is to surrender the very essence of leadership. I reject the comfort of ambiguity and embrace the responsibility to establish frameworks that clarify not only what is real but also what is appropriate.

Negotiation has its place, but there are moments when compromise is the enemy of progress. The best way to negotiate is, often, not to negotiate. To concede only when it is the right thing to do—not out of fear or convenience but out of a deliberate, principled stance—is a mark of strength, not weakness. This year, every concession will be intentional, every decision unwavering, and every action aligned with the pursuit of excellence.

The courage to be a savage is not for the faint-hearted. It is a willingness to operate with a level of intensity, focus, and precision that most people shy away from. It means being ruthless with inefficiency, unapologetic about high standards, and unflinching in the face of resistance. To be a savage is to hold yourself to a standard so high that others might call it unreasonable, but you recognize it as necessary. It is the courage to set a pace that separates the extraordinary from the ordinary, and to demand that those who walk with you rise to that level or step aside. This is not about cruelty or recklessness; it’s about relentless discipline, clarity of purpose, and an unshakable belief in the vision you’re building. The courage to be a savage lies in being willing to do what others won’t, in order to create what others can’t.

Culture, whether in society or within an organization, is shaped by two forces: the uncompromising and the lazy. The uncompromising define the rules for others to follow. The lazy, by contrast, accept the rules as given—or worse, allow mediocrity to creep in where discipline should reign. I choose to stand among the uncompromising, setting standards that others can emulate, enforcing rules that protect the integrity of the system, and ensuring that excellence remains the baseline.

Loyalty and competence are the twin pillars of any lasting endeavor, yet they are exceedingly rare. Loyalty without competence is a liability; competence without loyalty is a risk. Both must be sought out and nurtured, but when found together, they are the bedrock of any multigenerational vision. I will reward loyalty and competence wherever I find them. But mediocrity? Mediocrity will have no place in my world.

Organizationally, my mission for 2025 is clear: to build an African Zaibatsu—a multigenerational enterprise that transcends industries, operates with discipline, and commands respect across borders. Discipline, loyalty, and strategic distribution of rewards will be the foundation. But beyond structure lies the essence of what will make this possible: systematic execution paired with entrepreneurial vision.

Traveling across Zambia and the continent, I’ve seen opportunity everywhere. The potential is abundant, but what’s missing is the mindset to execute consistently, the courage to take risks others won’t, and the discipline to sustain success. In 2025, I will be savage in my pursuit of goals, unwavering in my commitment to building something that endures, and ruthless in my demand for excellence at every level.

After ten years in business, mediocrity is not an option. Growth demands transformation, not comfort. We will not regress into complacency but instead push harder, aim higher, and execute better. Every day remains Day 1. The hunger to achieve and the drive to innovate will not fade; they will intensify.

What is true in work, is true in life in general. Count the losses upfront; intensity comes at a cost--focus comes at a cost.

2025 is the year of uncompromising ambition, of savage execution, and of unwavering resolve. It is the year to define the rules, reward loyalty and competence, and build the future with precision and focus. This is not just a new year—it’s a new level. And we will not stop. Not now. Not ever.