Guru Red Manifesto

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Guru Red Manifesto. Curt Sahakian and I drafted these rules in 2004, responding to our growing concern for the direction business was taking as we entered the new millennium.

The rules created a minor stir among the business intelligentsia of the time. Seth Godin called to ask if we wanted to publish Guru Red Manifesto on his new publishing platform, Change This, and more than a few primal screams were issued due to the "old-school" virtues advocated in the manifesto.

Curt and I first met in 1981 when I co-founded Dynaquest, an early artificial intelligence pioneer. Curt served as our general counsel. As consultants, principals, executives, or owners, we have experienced IPOs, private placements, mergers, acquisitions, startups, and turnarounds. The original rules were compiled based on our experiences.

It has been twenty years since the rules were written. To say that the situation has deteriorated would be an understatement, and the immediate future appears turbulent at best in all aspects, including politics, culture, and commerce.

Circa 2024, uncertainty remains the primary challenge for business leaders as we produce the 20th-anniversary version of Guru Red.

Welcome to the new age of uncertainty.

Consider this:

1. Financial institutions no longer offer a reliable means for storing and moving capital.

2. The judicial system no longer offers a reliable means for creating and enforcing contracts.

3. Law enforcement no longer offers a reliable means for protecting life and property.

4. The internet no longer offers a reliable means for conducting business operations.

How can businesses survive in times of chaos and confusion when traditional institutions and safeguards are no longer reliable?

Those that will thrive in the coming days will be small, agile, assertive, and with functional real-world business models.

Guru Red Manifesto presents 52 rules of engagement for operating a business during times of uncertainty.

We decided to bring out the old rules in light of the ride we're collectively about to take and start adding some new ones, recognizing the additional experience we've gained over the past twenty years and the operating environment we face today.

ACCESSING THE RULES

The rules can be obtained by purchasing a print or digital version or by subscribing to the Substack.

Paperback version for $9.95

Digital download for $4.95.

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