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Lead with Purpose
My updates for founders, executives, and creators who want to lead with vision, not noise
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Issue #35 • March 3, 2026 |
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My dad sent me a photo this weekend; my latest investment decision and FREE meditations for you |
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My dad just sent me this photo. It stopped me cold. |
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It popped up in his Facebook memories this week and suddenly I was back in 2013.
That's my dad, Albrecht, who had just flown in from Germany to visit us in Austin. That's my son Luca. And that's a little red balance bike at Ladybird Lake, one of the very first woom bikes ever built, straight out of my brother Marcus's garage in Vienna.
But to understand why this photo means so much, you have to know where Albrecht came from.
He was born on a farm in Germany in 1944, near the end of World War II. At 15, he had to drop out of school to work. He spent his adult life holding two jobs, welding by day, working at a refinery by night, to keep our family afloat. Some nights, dinner was buttered bread with sugar. Yet he and my mother never wavered. They believed in us. That belief pulled our family out of poverty.
So when I see this photo, my father having flown across the Atlantic to visit his grandson in Austin, Texas, I see his entire journey in one frame.
Luca was almost 2. My brother Marcus had sent the bike over as a gift. The moment I saw it assembled, I knew it was something extraordinary. Lighter, better built, designed for kids in a way nothing else was.
None of us knew then what it would become.
Three generations standing at Ladybird Lake. A grandfather who started with nothing, a father chasing a dream in America, and a not-quite-two-year-old on a little red bike. Something was quietly beginning.
The American Dream didn't start for me in America. It started watching my father work two jobs and never complain.
Read My Story:
My American Dream: From a German Farm to Founding woom
I didn’t grow up with a roadmap to success. There was no safety net, no shortcuts, no guarantees. My American Dream wasn’t handed to me—I built it, one decision, one risk, and one leap of faith at a time. |
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Speaking of building things. I want to share something I'm genuinely excited about. |
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I recently became an investor in this restaurant because I love everything about it |
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I thought I'd share a different angle of my journey. Most of you know that I coach, I mentor, and I advise entrepreneurs and business owners. I also have made Investments across CPG, lifestyle brands, and purpose-driven businesses. This restaurant investment was different: |
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I know restaurants are hard. High failure rate, thin margins, relentless operations. Anyone who tells you otherwise hasn’t been paying attention.
My portfolio reflects that. Investments across CPG, lifestyle brands, and purpose-driven businesses. Restaurants were always a hard no.
Then Citizens All Day opened in my neighborhood. And honestly? This one is just fun.
There’s something different about walking into a place you’ve invested in. You sit down, order your coffee, look around at a full room of happy people and you feel it. Most of my coffee meetings happen here now. Doralicia and ride bikes here for an evening bite. Supporting the portfolio never looked this good.
Oh, and the investor perk? Free brunch for a year. We’ll take it. We love brunch
But beyond the lifestyle perks of it, the business is genuinely impressive. Revenue more than doubled in a year, from $4.9M to $12M. Per-store sales averaging 55% higher than Starbucks. Named the #1 brunch spot in Texas. Featured in Forbes and Vogue. A Local Legends program supporting over 260 local nonprofits. Founders and have spent eight years building this the right way.
When they opened their crowdfunding round, I joined. First restaurant in the portfolio. Probably my most enjoyable one too.
Not every investment has to be serious. Sometimes the best ones are the places you actually want to spend your time and we can bike to. |
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Not every investment is financial. The one I keep coming back to is this: |
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My offer to you: Free guided meditations |
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I invested real time and energy into recording these myself because I believe this kind of support should be accessible to everyone, at no charge. |
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Whether you need a focused start to the morning, a midday reset, or clarity on a big decision — these practices meet you exactly where you are. |
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Morning Mindset Activation: Align Like A Leader
Ground your energy, clear your mind, and step into your day with the calm confidence of a focused leader. Perfect for those who wake up already in reaction mode.
Listen Free on Insight Timer →
Reset & Recharge: Clear Your Mind and Body
Release the tension of a demanding day, restore balance in body and spirit, and return to a grounded sense of calm so you can move forward with ease.
Listen Free on Insight Timer →
Decision-Making Clarity Meditation
Quiet the overthinking mind and access your inner wisdom when facing two paths. Walk away feeling clear, centered, and aligned with the choice that is truly right for you.
Listen Free on Insight Timer →
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A calm mind is the foundation of every great decision, every strong relationship, and every version of yourself you're still becoming. |
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Reminder for all the creators and entrepreneurs out there |
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Perfectionism isn't a high standard.
It's fear wearing a fancy outfit.
I was in a coaching call on Saturday about my new website and someone said something that hit hard: |
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The further you go into perfectionism, the less gets produced |
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Think about it. A mediocre website that's LIVE will always outperform a perfect website that exists only in your head.
So here's the move:
→ Get it good enough
→ Put it out there
→ Let real feedback do what your imagination never could
The world can't react to something it can't see.
Please contact me if I can support you through coaching, mentoring, or advising. I am here to help. Just hit reply. I read every single email.
Talk soon, Mathias
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You're receiving this because you subscribed to by Mathias. |
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