1/ The philosophy of building companies is similar to that of collecting art. The biggest successes come from those that reflect the spirit of the time or the zeitgeist. Lets dive in ⬇️

2/ The 16th century was marked by Renaissance art. Why? Because it reflected the zeitgeist: humanism, religion, and the influence of the church. Think of the iconic works by Da Vinci and Michelangelo

3/ The Renaissance was followed by the Baroque movement in the 17th century, during a period of dramatic tension driven by the counter-reformation and the rise of monarchies. Artists like Caravaggio and Rembrandt captured this drama and grandeur in their work

4/ In the 19th century, Impressionism emerged. This coincided with the invention of the camera in France, which influenced artists like Monet, Cézanne, and Renoir. It was all about capturing the world in a canvas

5/ But in the 20th century, the art world faced an existential crisis. Cameras could now capture color and realism better than paintings. This shifted art from capturing the world to expressing emotions, which led us to Expressionism, with works by Pollock, Matisse, and others

6/ Subsequent art movements, such as Pop Art and Contemporary Art, continued to evolve alongside the spirit of their times. However, there’s a catch: we can only define the zeitgeist in hindsight—50 to 100 years later. Possible zeitgeists of our current era include digitalization, urbanization, climate change, globalization, the rise of AI, and the fall of the state.

7/ How is this relevant to entrepreneurship? The most successful, impactful, and lasting companies are those that tackle issues reflecting the zeitgeist, not trends. This framework is useful for starting companies as it encourages us to think big, place bold & strategic bets, and play the long-term game—just like great art collectors have done