Operational Realities

The Windsurf Deal Collapse Is a Masterclass in Strategic Execution

The OpenAI-Windsurf deal blowing up isn't just another "startup acquisition falls through" story—it's a perfect case study in how operational reality trumps strategic narrative every single time. Here's what actually happened: OpenAI structured a $3 billion bet on buying talent and

Operational Realities

The Operational Reality Check Behind "Software Maximalism"

Heavybit's latest thesis on "software maximalism" captures something important about where we're headed. AI will accelerate software creation. More non-technical users will build software. The infrastructure layer will need to evolve. They're right that we're at a crucial inflection point.

Operational Realities

The Hidden Operational Costs of Culture

Culture isn’t just a set of inspirational quotes plastered on your office walls. It’s operational code that’s running constantly—in every decision, every meeting, and every process across your organization. And like any code, it either accelerates or taxes your execution. I’ve spent the last decade

Operational Realities

The Scaling Paradox: Why Your PMF Systems Will Sabotage Your Growth

The first thing I do when I walk into a scaling disaster is look for what’s working too well. Yes, you read that correctly. In my experience as a fractional executive across 12 companies, the most dangerous systems in your organization aren’t the broken ones—they’re the

Operational Realities

Introducing 'Operational Realities': Where Business Theory Meets Brutal Execution

Most business content lives in one of two useless extremes: ivory tower theory or survivorship bias anecdotes. Neither tells you what actually happens when your brilliant growth strategy collides with the messy reality of human organizations, broken processes, and the physics of scaling. I’m Brennan “Brenn” Ashworth, and I’