Value is like oxygen: you don’t notice it until it’s gone.

In business, we love to complicate things. Spreadsheets. Committees. PowerPoints that last longer than a Marvel movie.

But strip it all down and one question matters:

👉 Is this action adding value or subtracting value?

Think of it like planting seeds.

Every email you send, every meeting you book, every prototype you test: each is a seed. Some grow into trees that feed your company for years. Others? Weeds. They drain your time, your energy, and your money.

In big corporations, weeds can hide in the jungle. Things still move because of sheer size and inertia. But in startups, you feel every wrong step. Do the wrong marketing campaign, burn three months of salary, and you know it.

That’s why investors obsess over Net Present Value (NPV). It’s a fancy way of saying: what I get tomorrow must be worth more than what I spend today.

Time costs money. People cost money. Waiting costs money.

P&L over time - on which path is your current project?

But here’s the twist: NPV isn’t just for billion-dollar deals. It applies to the smallest things.

• Do I prepare before talking to this client?
• Do we launch an MVP or wait for perfection?
• Do I argue about the color of a button for 2 hours?

Marcus Aurelius once said something like: “What stands in the way becomes the way.” I’d add: what adds no value should get out of the way.

Ramit Sethi, bestselling author, reminds us too: most of us waste time debating details that don’t move the needle. Whether to call it a “framework” or a “methodology”? Nobody cares. Focus instead on actions that create material value.

If you align even your smallest actions with value, you’re building a company that lasts, a career that compounds, and a life that feels purposeful.

Closing reflection:

When was the last time you found yourself trapped in a meaningless discussion? Next time, pause and ask: What’s the value of continuing this?

If there’s none, flip a coin, make a call, and move on.

Because progress loves clarity, and clarity is born from value.

Author: Simone Bernardi🔥, PhD, FRM