John Cobb
@jcobb.pholus.co
Founder of @pholus.co. Helping leaders protect reputation, prevent failure, and regain momentum when conventional playbooks fall short.
Pinned
John Cobb
@jcobb.pholus.co
· Oct 14
Peru's Presidential Removal: What American Investors Need to Know - Pholus Advisory
Peru removed its third president in three years. Analysis of what institutional breakdown means for American investors in frontier markets.
www.pholus.co
Peru just removed its third president since 2022.
121 votes. “Permanent moral incapacity.”
To U.S. investors, it looks like chaos. It’s not — it’s pattern.
🧵 Here’s what to understand before judging the headlines:
🔗 www.pholus.co/perus-...
121 votes. “Permanent moral incapacity.”
To U.S. investors, it looks like chaos. It’s not — it’s pattern.
🧵 Here’s what to understand before judging the headlines:
🔗 www.pholus.co/perus-...
Beware the “NGO effect.” A foreign-funded program can distort demand signals for years. GTM needs filters to separate real demand from grant-driven illusions.
November 22, 2025 at 11:24 PM
Beware the “NGO effect.” A foreign-funded program can distort demand signals for years. GTM needs filters to separate real demand from grant-driven illusions.
Advising means recognizing that in Peru, reputation spreads faster than contracts. Word of mouth makes or breaks projects.
November 22, 2025 at 3:17 PM
Advising means recognizing that in Peru, reputation spreads faster than contracts. Word of mouth makes or breaks projects.
Buyers want certainty. A steady flow of customers from good marketing creates it.
November 22, 2025 at 2:08 AM
Buyers want certainty. A steady flow of customers from good marketing creates it.
Calm isn’t weakness. It’s choosing clarity when the world around you pushes for panic.
November 21, 2025 at 8:14 PM
Calm isn’t weakness. It’s choosing clarity when the world around you pushes for panic.
Transparency without sensationalism keeps panic contained.
November 21, 2025 at 7:50 PM
Transparency without sensationalism keeps panic contained.
Corruption is a reality, but cynicism isn’t a strategy. Advising in Peru requires realism without fatalism.
November 21, 2025 at 10:50 AM
Corruption is a reality, but cynicism isn’t a strategy. Advising in Peru requires realism without fatalism.
Peruvians value persistence. Most advisors leave too soon. Those who stay through the delays often win trust for life.
November 21, 2025 at 2:08 AM
Peruvians value persistence. Most advisors leave too soon. Those who stay through the delays often win trust for life.
A política pode abrir portas, mas apenas a consistência mantém negócios de pé.
November 20, 2025 at 8:14 PM
A política pode abrir portas, mas apenas a consistência mantém negócios de pé.
The founder’s mood sets the market’s perception. Calm them down privately, so panic never leaks publicly.
November 20, 2025 at 3:17 PM
The founder’s mood sets the market’s perception. Calm them down privately, so panic never leaks publicly.
Estrutura não é burocracia. É a única defesa contra ambientes que vivem de atalhos.
November 20, 2025 at 6:04 AM
Estrutura não é burocracia. É a única defesa contra ambientes que vivem de atalhos.
No conselho, a pergunta mais poderosa é: “O que estamos fingindo que não vemos?”
November 20, 2025 at 3:38 AM
No conselho, a pergunta mais poderosa é: “O que estamos fingindo que não vemos?”
A founder off the rails rarely needs more data. They need someone steady enough to absorb the chaos without adding to it.
November 19, 2025 at 8:14 PM
A founder off the rails rarely needs more data. They need someone steady enough to absorb the chaos without adding to it.
Sometimes your “competitor” is a cousin with a side hustle undercutting you. GTM must address informal competition you can’t sue out of existence.
November 19, 2025 at 3:17 PM
Sometimes your “competitor” is a cousin with a side hustle undercutting you. GTM must address informal competition you can’t sue out of existence.
Keep surprise visits calm. Panic distorts the evidence you came to see.
November 19, 2025 at 6:04 AM
Keep surprise visits calm. Panic distorts the evidence you came to see.
Calming a founder isn’t therapy. It’s containment. Keep the fire from spreading until they regain control.
November 19, 2025 at 3:38 AM
Calming a founder isn’t therapy. It’s containment. Keep the fire from spreading until they regain control.
Leadership isn’t about avoiding storms. It’s about being the one people anchor to when the waves rise.
November 18, 2025 at 11:24 PM
Leadership isn’t about avoiding storms. It’s about being the one people anchor to when the waves rise.
Emerging markets reward speed to cash. Long pilots and endless “awareness” campaigns are graveyards. Sell, get paid, prove, then scale.
November 18, 2025 at 7:50 PM
Emerging markets reward speed to cash. Long pilots and endless “awareness” campaigns are graveyards. Sell, get paid, prove, then scale.
Set up a Gravatar today. Who else uses it?
gravatar.com/jcobbpholus
gravatar.com/jcobbpholus
November 18, 2025 at 7:25 PM
Set up a Gravatar today. Who else uses it?
gravatar.com/jcobbpholus
gravatar.com/jcobbpholus
Your first marketing channel in many markets? Word of mouth amplified by WhatsApp groups. Simple, cheap, fast, and brutally honest.
November 18, 2025 at 10:50 AM
Your first marketing channel in many markets? Word of mouth amplified by WhatsApp groups. Simple, cheap, fast, and brutally honest.
Good marketing signals professionalism. Sloppy branding signals risk.
November 17, 2025 at 11:24 PM
Good marketing signals professionalism. Sloppy branding signals risk.
El verdadero prestigio se gana enfrentando crisis sin disfrazar la realidad.
November 17, 2025 at 8:14 PM
El verdadero prestigio se gana enfrentando crisis sin disfrazar la realidad.
It starts with missed calls and recycled reports. By the time leadership notices, brand control is gone. Here’s how to spot drift before it costs you. 🔗 www.pholus.co/how-to...
November 17, 2025 at 3:17 PM
It starts with missed calls and recycled reports. By the time leadership notices, brand control is gone. Here’s how to spot drift before it costs you. 🔗 www.pholus.co/how-to...
In emerging economies, strategy looks like survival. The GTM winners are those who accept messy realities and build around them, not against them.
November 17, 2025 at 6:04 AM
In emerging economies, strategy looks like survival. The GTM winners are those who accept messy realities and build around them, not against them.
La política puede distorsionar mercados. El consejo debe leer esas señales a tiempo.
November 16, 2025 at 11:24 PM
La política puede distorsionar mercados. El consejo debe leer esas señales a tiempo.
Marketing creates competitive tension. The more visible your demand, the higher your price.
November 16, 2025 at 3:17 PM
Marketing creates competitive tension. The more visible your demand, the higher your price.