Essays and Articles

Overcoming Persistent Life and Business Problems [Cocoon Power-seat Process]

As founders and leaders, we all struggle with something. These obstacles could range from struggles in sales and fundraising to personal...

How to get unstuck and improve your business traction? [Process for cofounders or management team]

Company's performance = sum of cofounders' strengths and shortcomings. Try this process, and you'll be surprised about the outcomes

The 10-point delegation template I wish I had nailed years ago

The key to successful delegation is knowing what to communicate and what not to communicate.

Hristo Neiland: Is your business led by you or your fear? | sTARTUp Day 2022

Join Hristo Neiland, co-founder of .Cocoon, as he shares his journey on how to overcome fears and make fearless decisions

How to get the most out of working with a mentor

Guidance for business leaders on how to make better decisions and lead the team to win, using a leadership mentor's support

Uku Püttsepp, CEO of Degritter: “The unknown gives me the drive to carry on”

Degritter has been in .Cocoon Program for many years. We talked about business, personal growth, and what they have learned.

Stop doing this one thing to avoid burnout

The thing number 1 that leads to burning out? It’s simple, and, to explain it, I need to revisit the meaning of 2 words - sacrifice and...

Recovering from low energy, burnout, vegetative dystonia, Lyme disease. True story

Experiencing low energy, burnout approaching, headaches or brain fog? Then read on. From the winter of 2016, for the next 1.5 years, I...

Henri Nordström: “I was full-time salesperson and CEO in the evenings”

Henri Nordström, CEO of Jobilla talked about his experience of growing company from 15 to 150 people.

Sure way to kill a business

Place big bets based on unverified assumptions and make sure that if any one of those bets turns out to be wrong, you hit the wall.

Aleksander Tõnnisson │ Cocoon Workshop: Invisible traits needed for raising a VC round

The question is how to stop the invisible traits, which are stopping you from raising the investment. So what is the real challenge?

5 Health Warning Signs Founders Ignore (But Shouldn't)

The problem is that we ignore signs bodies give us, or don’t even recognize them. It could lead to bigger health problems in the future.

How a man transforms. [Lead yourself, then others]

Highlights from the book "Transformation: Understanding the three levels of masculine consciousness" by Jungian analyst Robert A. Johnson.

Aleksander Tõnnisson - Three In Bed │ sTARTUp Day 2021

What I speak here has a very personal meaning for me - in order to understand the importance of relationships firstly with myself, but also

Mark Ashton: Can you be constructively selfish? It could save your life…

My beloved sister Jo took her own life. She was a beautiful soul - kind, compassionate and wonderfully talented and loved by dozens.

Dmitri Sarle: Three Pitfalls Of Self-Development Explored

The self-development world is rich, vivid, and full of variety but it's a trap! How is it possible to get stuck while doing a lot?

Age Rosenberg: Are you mentorable? What is mentorability?

Sometimes people force mentoring on themselves, without being ready. I work with people who understand that there is a lot to discover.

Jin Han: "Founders investors will invest in"

There are many factors, of course, but it boils down to the most important aspect: the founders’ psychology. Or the mindset.

How to use furious emotions as a Jedi master with co-founders and other people (a personal story)

Anger and fear can hijack you so intensely that you no longer control them. Instead, they run you. Read about my experience in resolving it

Relationship with cofounder failing? Ways to improve it from your side (with 8 practical approaches)

How can I focus on my duties if my co-founder is constantly annoying me? How can I do it when he kills my motivation with his way of being?

Resources