AmieDevero
@amiedevero.bsky.social
Startup strategy and people scaling. Founder of BeyondBetter.io, author of Powered by Principle. Relentlessly and indiscriminately curious. Outside interests include gardening, violin and anything with words on it. All opinions mine.
Bold strategies aren't the problem—it's how we execute them. When you launch everything at once, success teaches you nothing and failure teaches you less. The art lies in breaking ambitious visions into learning-rich phases that preserve strategic coherence. #strategy #leadership
Wicked Strategy
Game-changing strategy is never certain since it applies to the unknown future. Feedback may be slow, and its meaning unclear. So, how can you learn fast enough to fix it?
beyondbetter.substack.com
February 4, 2026 at 2:43 PM
Bold strategies aren't the problem—it's how we execute them. When you launch everything at once, success teaches you nothing and failure teaches you less. The art lies in breaking ambitious visions into learning-rich phases that preserve strategic coherence. #strategy #leadership
When results suffer, the last place we look is at our strategy. But in a volatile world, it should likely be the first place. I only we weren't in a groove and subject to inertia. #strategy #startups beyondbetter.io/inertia
Strategic Inertia - Amie Devero
Strategy - Strategic Inertia In general, quitting isn't smart. But often, NOT quitting is the biggest strategic mistake.
beyondbetter.io
February 3, 2026 at 9:50 PM
When results suffer, the last place we look is at our strategy. But in a volatile world, it should likely be the first place. I only we weren't in a groove and subject to inertia. #strategy #startups beyondbetter.io/inertia
Where There's Friction. Have you assessed your own business from the standpoint of reducing the number of steps to achieve anything? beyondbetter.io/where-theres...
Which You Is the Real You? - Amie Devero
- Which You Is the Real You?
beyondbetter.io
February 3, 2026 at 12:49 PM
Where There's Friction. Have you assessed your own business from the standpoint of reducing the number of steps to achieve anything? beyondbetter.io/where-theres...
Strategy is only as good as our understanding of what our customers are out to achieve and what obstacles are in the way. The coolest tech is worthless it doesn't do the job a customer needs done. beyondbetter.io/zeitgeist/ #strategy #JTBD #startups
Zeitgeist Inflection - Amie Devero
Strategy - Zeitgeist Inflection In strategy, change matters. But how do you prepare for changes that come from subtle shifts in customer goals?
beyondbetter.io
February 2, 2026 at 4:00 PM
Strategy is only as good as our understanding of what our customers are out to achieve and what obstacles are in the way. The coolest tech is worthless it doesn't do the job a customer needs done. beyondbetter.io/zeitgeist/ #strategy #JTBD #startups
The calculus for choosing which hard problem to tackle isn't statistically difficult. It's emotionally brutal. Betting everything on one strategic direction feels reckless, but hedging during inflection points guarantees slow death. #strategy #founders open.substack.com/pub/beyondbe...?
Which Hard Problem?
There are lots of hard problems to solve. But choosing the right one to tackle during a strategic quagmire is hard. You need a wide-angle lens and a microscope.
open.substack.com
February 1, 2026 at 9:01 PM
The calculus for choosing which hard problem to tackle isn't statistically difficult. It's emotionally brutal. Betting everything on one strategic direction feels reckless, but hedging during inflection points guarantees slow death. #strategy #founders open.substack.com/pub/beyondbe...?
We often kneecap our own accomplishments before we even start. Learn how to recognize and avoid this #CognitiveBias. beyondbetter.io/fail_before_...
Bigger May Not Be Better - Amie Devero
Uncategorized - Bigger May Not Be Better
beyondbetter.io
January 31, 2026 at 7:08 PM
We often kneecap our own accomplishments before we even start. Learn how to recognize and avoid this #CognitiveBias. beyondbetter.io/fail_before_...
a 30 Second Habit That Makes a Difference. Start your day off with a check mark that sets you up for a great day beyondbetter.io/jump-start-p...
Your Feelings Don't Matter - Amie Devero
Thinking you have to be in the "right mood" is a fallacy that kills effectiveness and fosters procrastination. Learn why and how to overcome it.
beyondbetter.io
January 30, 2026 at 8:08 PM
a 30 Second Habit That Makes a Difference. Start your day off with a check mark that sets you up for a great day beyondbetter.io/jump-start-p...
When your strategy feels like a bloated laundry list, it's time to subtract like a hungry piranha. Discover the magic of less: beyondbetter.io/subtraction-... #strategy
Subtraction Strategy - Amie Devero
Strategy - Subtraction Strategy The best thing most founders can do is to reduce the list of key projects to single digits. Subtract!
beyondbetter.io
January 30, 2026 at 10:50 AM
When your strategy feels like a bloated laundry list, it's time to subtract like a hungry piranha. Discover the magic of less: beyondbetter.io/subtraction-... #strategy
Chocolate or Vanilla is not sufficient! Are you subject to binary bias? Defeat it by multiplying your options! beyondbetter.io/binary_bias/ #CognitiveBias
Don’t Be Too Optimistic! - Amie Devero
Uncategorized - Don’t Be Too Optimistic!
beyondbetter.io
January 29, 2026 at 7:28 PM
Chocolate or Vanilla is not sufficient! Are you subject to binary bias? Defeat it by multiplying your options! beyondbetter.io/binary_bias/ #CognitiveBias
Despite what you've heard all your life, and probably preached -- Moderation is WAY Overrated to make significant change. #HabitFormation beyondbetter.io/ditch-modera...
Moderation is NOT the Answer - Amie Devero
Moderation has a great reputation but it simply doesn't work. Hard and fast rules are what get results. Adopt some rules and you can accomplish more.
beyondbetter.io
January 28, 2026 at 2:43 PM
Despite what you've heard all your life, and probably preached -- Moderation is WAY Overrated to make significant change. #HabitFormation beyondbetter.io/ditch-modera...
While competitors focus on hypergrowth, what if your startup focused on profitability first? One founder's contrarian path might be the new blueprint for uncertain times. #strategy #startups beyondbetter.substack.com/p/resilience...?
Resilience Trumps All
Startups aim to accelerate execution and grow fast. But when conditions change, they have no strategic reserves. A resiliency strategy pays dividends.
beyondbetter.substack.com
January 26, 2026 at 4:00 PM
While competitors focus on hypergrowth, what if your startup focused on profitability first? One founder's contrarian path might be the new blueprint for uncertain times. #strategy #startups beyondbetter.substack.com/p/resilience...?
Moments of Truth. These are the ones you never anticipate, but they make or break your customers' opinion. beyondbetter.io/mastering-mo... #CustomerService
The Bottoms of Plates - Amie Devero
- The Bottoms of Plates
beyondbetter.io
January 25, 2026 at 9:01 PM
Moments of Truth. These are the ones you never anticipate, but they make or break your customers' opinion. beyondbetter.io/mastering-mo... #CustomerService
How can you help a great employee who's failing at one critical part of the job? Or, should you bother even trying to save them? beyondbetter.io/focus-on-str... #HR #leadership #startups
Elevating Others Makes Them Better - Amie Devero
Uncategorized - Elevating Others Makes Them Better
beyondbetter.io
January 24, 2026 at 7:08 PM
How can you help a great employee who's failing at one critical part of the job? Or, should you bother even trying to save them? beyondbetter.io/focus-on-str... #HR #leadership #startups
Less is More for Innovation. Add constraints to get the most inventive solutions. #Video beyondbetter.io/less-is-more...
Why Less REALLY Is More for Innovation - Amie Devero
Believe it or not, brainstorming doesn't work and less is more in innovation. Here's the secret that the experts use to stoke creative fires.
beyondbetter.io
January 23, 2026 at 8:08 PM
Less is More for Innovation. Add constraints to get the most inventive solutions. #Video beyondbetter.io/less-is-more...
Your employees know the strategy words. But ask what it means for Tuesday's decisions? Crickets. That's the $2M gap. Play as any role to see the difference: demo.contextuum.net/api/function... #strategy
12 Roles Across 4 Real Companies
Choose your experience: Trader Joe's, Savannah Bananas, Zoom, or WeWork. See how strategic thinking works in your role.
demo.contextuum.net
January 23, 2026 at 10:54 AM
Your employees know the strategy words. But ask what it means for Tuesday's decisions? Crickets. That's the $2M gap. Play as any role to see the difference: demo.contextuum.net/api/function... #strategy
MBB firms charge $500K/month for MBA armies to analyze data. Your $200 LLM can do the same research. What it can't do: listen to subtext, connect scattered dreams into vision, or facilitate the messy human conversations that create breakthrough strategies. open.substack.com/pub/beyondbe...? #AI #Str
Model a Human Strategy
The greatest differentiator in today’s world is connection, context, judgment and empathy –not data, models or analysis.
open.substack.com
January 22, 2026 at 7:27 PM
MBB firms charge $500K/month for MBA armies to analyze data. Your $200 LLM can do the same research. What it can't do: listen to subtext, connect scattered dreams into vision, or facilitate the messy human conversations that create breakthrough strategies. open.substack.com/pub/beyondbe...? #AI #Str
Your brain is a terrible storage device but an excellent anxiety generator. Stop trying to remember all your commitments and start scheduling them properly. Freedom comes from external systems. open.substack.com/pub/beyondbe... #productivity #timemanagement
Managing Your Time
Time management is about much more than time. It's about spending your life on what matters to you. That includes your work, but also, everything else.
open.substack.com
January 21, 2026 at 2:43 PM
Your brain is a terrible storage device but an excellent anxiety generator. Stop trying to remember all your commitments and start scheduling them properly. Freedom comes from external systems. open.substack.com/pub/beyondbe... #productivity #timemanagement
When working from home employees miss out of the feedback of body language and casual encounters. It is costly for team development. Here's help to keep everyone growing. beyondbetter.io/developing-y... #WFH #TandD #CEO
First, Ask Why - Amie Devero
As leaders or employees, we do lots of things that may have no good reason. Before you do a thing, ask why. You'll be a more strategic leader and employee.
beyondbetter.io
January 19, 2026 at 4:00 PM
When working from home employees miss out of the feedback of body language and casual encounters. It is costly for team development. Here's help to keep everyone growing. beyondbetter.io/developing-y... #WFH #TandD #CEO
We treat our calendar as a duty to be where others expect us to be, not a promise to ourselves of what we will cause. That single shift transforms every scheduled block from obligation into conviction. The difference changes everything. #timemanagement #startups
Integrity and Time: Part 3 of Managing Your Time
Reducing overwhelm and increasing productivity is great. But there is more available: A life you love and a path to becoming the person you want to be.
beyondbetter.substack.com
January 18, 2026 at 9:01 PM
We treat our calendar as a duty to be where others expect us to be, not a promise to ourselves of what we will cause. That single shift transforms every scheduled block from obligation into conviction. The difference changes everything. #timemanagement #startups
You're trying to motivate employees the wrong way. Higher salaries and better perks are one-way transactions that miss the point entirely. Intrinsic motivation comes from people seeing themselves as architects of a future they actually want to create. beyondbetter.substack.com/p/a-tantaliz... #emplo
Energy from the Future
Whether explorers or entrepreneurs, the greatest source of energy and genius is the image of the distant new world we are creating. That's true for 12th century explorers and for the teams that bring your startup to life.
beyondbetter.substack.com
January 17, 2026 at 7:08 PM
You're trying to motivate employees the wrong way. Higher salaries and better perks are one-way transactions that miss the point entirely. Intrinsic motivation comes from people seeing themselves as architects of a future they actually want to create. beyondbetter.substack.com/p/a-tantaliz... #emplo
Scorecards are maps, not reality. To truly understand your business, spend time with your customers and those on the front lines. beyondbetter.io/to-the-trenches #leadership #strategy
To The Trenches - Amie Devero
Leadership - To The Trenches Leaders need to deeply understand their employees‘ and customers’ reality. It can’t be done from afar.
beyondbetter.io
January 16, 2026 at 8:08 PM
Scorecards are maps, not reality. To truly understand your business, spend time with your customers and those on the front lines. beyondbetter.io/to-the-trenches #leadership #strategy
You can't PowerPoint your way to strategic alignment. People need to practice applying strategy to their actual decisions. Step into any role and try it: demo.contextuum.net/api/function... #strategy
12 Roles Across 4 Real Companies
Choose your experience: Trader Joe's, Savannah Bananas, Zoom, or WeWork. See how strategic thinking works in your role.
demo.contextuum.net
January 16, 2026 at 10:50 AM
You can't PowerPoint your way to strategic alignment. People need to practice applying strategy to their actual decisions. Step into any role and try it: demo.contextuum.net/api/function... #strategy
The Why Matters. Long after you commit to something will you remember why? That matters to accomplishing it. beyondbetter.io/the-why-matt...
Great Managers Are Made Not Born (redux) - Amie Devero
Promoting a great employee to manager means taking her out of the role she is great at and giving her a job she is ill-equipped to handle. Yet. we do that.
beyondbetter.io
January 15, 2026 at 7:27 PM
The Why Matters. Long after you commit to something will you remember why? That matters to accomplishing it. beyondbetter.io/the-why-matt...
You've invested weeks crafting your strategy. Your team spent five minutes in the all-hands learning about it. Six months later, they're making decisions based on convenience, not competitive advantage. The gap between strategy creation and activation is where most companies lose their edge.
Activating Strategy
A great strategy comes to life when it acts as the context for everyone's decision making. Then it's activated!
beyondbetter.substack.com
January 14, 2026 at 2:48 PM
You've invested weeks crafting your strategy. Your team spent five minutes in the all-hands learning about it. Six months later, they're making decisions based on convenience, not competitive advantage. The gap between strategy creation and activation is where most companies lose their edge.
The challenge isn’t just in reducing projects; it’s in recognizing which projects are both critical to the strategy and addressable in the fullest possible way. What's on your list that shouldn't be? #strategy #leadership beyondbetter.io/subtraction-...
Subtraction in Action - Amie Devero
Strategy - Subtraction in Action Wanting to reduce the number of strategic projects is understandable. Actually culling the list is harder. Here's how.
beyondbetter.io
January 13, 2026 at 9:50 PM
The challenge isn’t just in reducing projects; it’s in recognizing which projects are both critical to the strategy and addressable in the fullest possible way. What's on your list that shouldn't be? #strategy #leadership beyondbetter.io/subtraction-...