Koby Benmeleh

Ending the Middle East wars and antisemitism. Phase 1: Social media mastery.

Founder and CJN of Leverage (

[Koby Benmeleh @kbenme]

How We End the Middle East Wars. How We End Antisemitism.

This region is low on hope. October 7th exposed what we should have known all along -- Hamas will never allow peace between Jews and Arabs.

The overwhelming support Hamas received from the Palestinian public, and in many parts of the Muslim world, proved that the problem is far deeper than just Hamas.

The region is low on hope because everyone now understands that politics can't solve this. Politics was never the problem to begin with.

The problem is far deeper. It is a struggle at the level of the individual soul.

That is where the fight truly is.

That is where we are going to win.

[Koby Benmeleh @kbenme]

I’m a former Bloomberg News bureau chief, and have spent the last 4 years grinding on enterprise b2b sales for early stage startups.

Elite media isn’t just "exposure."

It’s the fastest way to create real urgency inside slow-moving enterprise buyers.

[Koby Benmeleh @kbenme]

Never done heroin, and cocaine sounds equally as frightening, but yes, Taleb is correct when he says that monthly paychecks are effective tools to numb your perception to what's real.

It gives you an excuse for not doing your best, which is simply just being real and present.

It allows you to say, "but see, I keep getting paid, so I must be doing something right!"

Don't get me wrong. Getting paid every month is awesome. When it goes wrong is when you attach your self worth to that stability.

This is what everyone who works at a corporation does.

It's the implicit agreement. Do what we tell you and you get your stable monthly paycheck.

This breeds corporate politics. If everyone is wearing a mask and performing, instead of just being, one has to default to optics instead of presence.

This mentality is what founders who sell to large enterprises have to deal with.

It's a pain in the ass.

The proper frame, however, is that it gives you leverage to achieve things you never thought possible.

[Koby Benmeleh @kbenme]

Every founder I've worked with has some degree of herd mentality still operating in their heads. They want to tell the truth in the media to accelerate needlessly long sales cycles, but they don't because of the imagined blowback from the corporations they want to win over.

This is overblown, and in my experience, ass backwards. You get more respect by telling the truth, not less. They don't have to like you. They have to respect you.

They don't ask themselves why should they fear someone who is trapped in a corporation and will do whatever they can to protect said job.

Every interaction with a corporation is an admission that they need what you offer. Why else in the bloody fuck would they be talking to you?

Instead the fear takes over and they get cold feet. They know it's the right move -- they know elite business media that exposes the truth will create the kind of top-down pressure to get deals moving.

But they fear what everyone in the herd fears.

Exposure.

Truth.

And so they play small.

You cannot be a successful startup founder and belong to the herd at the same time.

You have to break the rules the herd accepted in exchange for a constant low-level of anxiety they call "safety."

Be a lion. Anything less is a delusional waste of everyone's time.

[Koby Benmeleh @kbenme]

A senior innovation exec at Michelin, the $25b tire company, told me that corporate politics is a persistent "nightmare" that has killed some of his better initiatives.

The company once axed a project to appify the Michelin star brand -- did you know that it's the same company? I didn't! stop looking at me like that 🤣 -- because no one wanted to handle the "administration."

Every head of corporate innovation he has spoken to has to deal with shit like this. Good lord.

Got me thinking -- is corporate politics the biggest b2b startup killer? Data shows that no PMF is the number one reason. Sure, some ideas are fucking dumb and deserve to die.

In my experience, this roadblock (and the founder's inability to turn the tables and leverage corporate politics in his favor) is the number one cause of dead deals and the startup's irrelevance.

Perhaps the people who conducted that study didn't know how to quantify fear of loss that so permeates corporate life?

If corporate executives are engaged in a lot of theater and image protection, then it stands to reason this is a universal problem.

As in, any change that threatens the identity of an executive will be immediately treated with suspicion and hostility. Unless it somehow bolsters the identity they cling to, of course.

DMing with innovation execs at major brands like LVMH, Volkswagen and AUMOVIO leads me to believe that Mr. Michelin was spot on. This shit kills potential way more than we realize.

Am curious to hear from more corporation innovation folks!

[Koby Benmeleh @kbenme]

Every founder struggling to sell to large enterprises needs to watch this clip of a lecture by Jordan Peterson. Shit, anyone selling to large enterprises needs to watch this video.

He uses the zebra herd metaphor to capture the overwhelming motivation of most people, which is fear of loss and avoidance of pain.

Most people are not motivated by gain, which is why countless startup founders fail when trying to sell to large organizations.

They think if I present large enough value, they will jump to buy my stuff.

Wrong.

Corporate employees are the herd (sorry, not sorry).

They wish to stay there. Until you present your case as continued safety in the herd, you will be ignored and disrespected.

This is what people mean by FOMO.

It's not about missing out on some new opportunity.

It's about losing what they already have.

[Koby Benmeleh @kbenme]

About a year ago I was sitting at the foot of the stairs in my house crying. My sons’ birthdays are back-to-back-to-back. April-May-June. I felt crushed because I wasn’t earning enough money to buy my kids birthday presents.

We had the money. That’s never been the issue. Between savings and my wife’s job, we were fine. No pity case. Life was good. Great, even. I was working my ass off and pulling out miracles for an early stage startup. We were advancing very rapidly with the biggest company in our target industry. The Tesla or JPMorgan equivalent, which I brought in.

Then it started to unravel. I had placed my hopes on this thing – the thinking was simple. Win the top of the market and the rest follow. You’re no longer a “startup no one trusts or cares about” when the Google of your customer base mints you a winner.

But as I said, it started to come apart. Ego bullshit everywhere, including my own. There I was, year 3 of this descent into the desert of the soul, crying because I felt like I was letting my family down again.

In practice I was partnering with a startup. But this was founder time for me. I’ve been scheming and plotting for a few years now. This was part of it. I’m building something.

I reflect on that period more peacefully now that I learned the following: The reason startups fail is because founders do not outgrow their own limiting beliefs.

I was no different. So was everyone around me at that time.

It’s easy to spot those pernicious thoughts. Whenever an opportunity presents itself and you start coming up with reasons why not to pursue it – you’ve hit a limiting belief.

Let me simplify it even more. Whatever is stopping you from telling the truth is a limiting belief.

“Nobody cares.”

“It will piss so and so off.”

“I will lose my dream customer.”

“My friends and family will think I’m arrogant//selfish//dumb//entitled//etc.”

It doesn’t matter. The end result is that you bottle up the Truth.

Your potential – the future in which you are responsible for leading a business that provides employment to hundreds, maybe thousands of people, each working towards a marked improvement in human life – is blocked by your fear to speak the Truth.

Your potential – the world in which you are highly paid and respected and sought after and opportunity is flying your way and FOMO is just a natural part of your life – is trapped because you dare not confront the thoughts that block your motion.

For example, here are reasons why I should not write this post. People will find it cringe. That I’m oversharing. That it doesn’t make me “look good.” That my kids may one day see this post and feel embarrassed.

I can do this all day. So what? Those who judge this harshly won’t get the founder's struggle. You have to live it.

And those founders who I am able to help – they will see themselves in this post.

Some will reach out. Some will partner with Leverage. Those that do will be on their way to building monster businesses.

[Koby Benmeleh @kbenme]

AI taking our jobs is the most prolific and effective FOMO play, maybe ever.

Nobody has any idea what's gonna happen, and yet the thought of losing one's job/status/paycheck triggered a collossal, reckless, and hysterical wave of economic behavior.

A bubble for sure, of which no one knows when it will pop.

By tapping this deep-rooted fear -- the ego's fear of death -- startup founders like Altman, Dario, Musk and everyone else riding the AI hype was able to attract incredible amounts of interest, then capital, and then even more interest.

I like AI tools. I use them every day. Plenty of amazing things have been created.

None of it possible without triggering the herd's terror of irrelevance.

It's sad.

It's dark.

It's also true.

The only way to overcome it is by bringing it to light. Until then, it's there for the taking.

[Koby Benmeleh @kbenme]

Must watch scene for b2b founders in enterprise sales -- perfectly captures the psychology you have to deal with.

Matt Damon's character (Sonny Vaccaro) goes around David Falk (the guy screaming), the agent of rookie Michael Jordan. Falk is pissed off because Vaccaro broke the unspoken rule of shoe companies bypassing the agent and speaking directly to the player and his family.

Falk admits it explicitly -- my job is to "protect" families from people like you (Nike reps), and if you speak to them directly, you make me "irrelevant."

In a sentence he admits his deepest fear. His entire economic value shattered in one move by Vaccaro.

Mind you, this has nothing to do with Jordan signing with the best shoe company or getting the best deal for him and his family. Falk has been stunting Nike the whole time, refusing to take a meeting at all. It's pure ego theater that Vaccaro has to navigate.

Vaccaro knows this. That's why he stays calm in the call. Vaccaro studied Jordan and knows he will be the defining basketball player of his generation. He has no idea how big he will be. He just knows not to doubt greatness when he sees it.

Makes it worth listening to some egomaniac pretend to lose his shit.

The shift comes two minutes into the call. Falk, after expressing his deep fear of ego survival, tells Vaccaro when Jordan's family can meet with Nike.

Huh? What just happened? Wasn't Falk just threatening Vaccaro's career a second ago? Didn't Vaccaro just burn the bridge to the career-making player for Nike's basketball division?

Why the fuck did Falk leave the door open?

When Vaccaro spoke with Jordan's mom, he told her exactly why Adidas and Converse were not the right fit for Jordan, and why Nike -- and only Nike -- saw Michael's potential. He wanted to maximize it alongside her son.

Falk would be stupid to shut the door on Nike. An absolute idiot, in fact. When the facts are on the table and the incentives are properly aligned, Vaccaro correctly gambled, the Jordans would come around.

And Falk would shut the fuck up and take his paycheck and pretend like he played a central role one of the greatest sports business deals in history.

Which is exactly what happened.

Founders -- want to be Matt Damon? 😂

Grow a pair of balls, read the room, and have faith in your judgment and conviction. Don't be afraid to piss off corporate executives. Their anger is data, and it subsides when you keep them in their ego-cage (I know from experience, and we're talking at the highest levels).

Leaking the Truth to elite business media (WSJ/Bloomberg/Reuters/FT) is exactly the kind of play that may piss off your potential enterprise customer.

Done right, it plays out exactly like Nike-Jordan-Falk.

But most founders feel like it's a move that "will burn us."

Please.

You want to win or not?

[Koby Benmeleh @kbenme]

Elite business media like WSJ, FT, Bloomberg or Reuters is the ultimate FOMO generating tool for enterprise b2b founders. Yet most founders have no clue how the game works.

Here's a simple checklist to make sure you meet the gold standard.

A bonus mindshift hack -- pretend like you are a shareholder of said mega corporation you do business with. Now ask yourself -- does the info you have push the stock up or does it shine a light on the damage current management is inflicting on your equity value?

If the answer is yes, you've got yourself a global news story.

[Koby Benmeleh @kbenme]

In the past week Leverage unearthed the following monster scoop/investigative tips:

1) One of the world’s largest beverage makers is lying on its ESG reports, and it’s costing shareholders hundreds of millions in lost revenue

2) One of the world’s most secretive shall we call them transportation companies is outsourcing a very significant and strategic area of the business

3) Another global transportation company is hiding a health concern, which is known to all in its industry and therefore effects hundreds of millions of consumers to one degree or another.

All are super-global, well-covered corporations, validating the case for Leverage: Startup founders are goldmine sources for elite business reporters.

Founders – if you have a kickass story that deserves the attention of a Bloomberg or Financial Times, hit me up. Happy to chat to see if it helps accelerate your sales motion with a large enterprise customer.

Reporters – Leverage is already helping 3 Bloomberg reporters get sourced up. DM if you’re interested to learn more.

Or not. Haha.

You can be late to the party after your competitors kick your ass and outscoop you like a mofo.

[Koby Benmeleh @kbenme]

@HarryStebbings once told @mikeeisenberg that PR firms ''are terrible, and 99% are useless."

Donno if that number is accurate, but as a former Bloomberg News bureau chief, I can tell you that the vast majority of stuff I saw (probably around 90%) went straight to the trash bin.

[Koby Benmeleh @kbenme]

I’m a former Bloomberg News bureau chief who covered tech at the highest levels for 8 years.

Here are 5 reasons enterprise B2B startup founders are SUPER VALUABLE to elite business reporters:

[Koby Benmeleh @kbenme]

I've been helping one startup trying to land an enterprise deal with a large European company. I don't want to give too much away. Ruins a bit of the fun.

Started off good. I got a 1st-hand look at where AI could save tens of millions of euros per year, and rather quickly. Would be a major win for all. My first layer there responded warmly but as soon as it got to the team responsible for the problem, they shut it down. Super weak reason, didn't want to speak with us. Stinks of ego and corporate politics.

The same folks who were warm in the beginning told me they weren't interested anymore. I'm guessing somebody doesn't want to face the music.

Normally this shit would piss me off. But I sensed a calmness. Any and all corporate manager's primary weakness is accountability. Of having to answer for their work.

Then I remembered that I was a former reporter. And I know other reporters. And I know how to sell a story.

And there's nothing like an investigative story in a major outlet exposing corporate incompetence that holds management accountable.

And when they are flooded with questions from investors and board members and other journalists? Perhaps they'll start looking seriously for partners who can help.

We'll see. Perhaps this company fucked around with the wrong guy. Perhaps not.

The irony of course is if they were nice about it, this whole thing could have been avoided.

The truth shall set you free. Always a good one.

[Koby Benmeleh @kbenme]

1) Approaching global debt crisis

2) Depression for young men has doubled since Covid to 29% and they lonely as hell

3) Trust in media at all time low and they deserve it because they mostly the unconscious microphone to an unconscious system. Instead of telling people the truth about the world -- waaaaay more good than bad -- they tell them what they want to hear which is "watch out for the bogeyman!"

4) AI acceleration exposes what we already know, which is most jobs require 2 hours per day and the rest is theater and ritual disguised by fancy titles for status-seekers and keepers

5) Social media makes it cheaper than ever before to divide and conquer and stoke this collective existential anxiety

Strip away all the narratives and what we're looking at are a wealthy and pampered bunch of people who are terrified to let go of their illusions -- the values they were taught by their parents and teachers and communities, who were just like them. No better. No worse.

Craziest thing is that we live in an age of super abundance. Billions of people will never miss a meal in their life, guaranteed. So what's to fear?

But when the music stops, people are gonna flip out, and realize material comforts were never THE answer (don't get me wrong, I like my iphone. Sorry not sorry).

They're gonna finally face the true terror of existence and have to answer the one question they were meant to answer.

Who the hell are you?

The way to find out is simple. Tell the truth.

Be the Truth.

That's when you find out there was nothing to fear in the first place.

[Koby Benmeleh @kbenme]

Incredible.

Makes perfect sense for 99% of articles.

[Megan Menchaca @meganmmenchaca]

Editor of a major Ohio news organization says they have removed “writing” from certain reporters’ workloads.

Reporters collect facts and an “AI rewrite specialist” writes the article.

That article is then reviewed by editors + reporters before publication.

[Koby Benmeleh @kbenme]

https://t.co/E3dSScnhLf

[Koby Benmeleh @kbenme]

@rockwell22711 thank you clara

[Koby Benmeleh @kbenme]

The talk about AI replacing jobs is increasing in volume. I don't know if it's real. But it is the alarm and the panic that is most interesting to me. It is a signal of the fear to confront the void.

What will I feel when I am stripped of the thing I detest but keeps me comfortable? Who will I be in the void?

The terror people feel with this question is an egoic one. Who am I without the titles and the stable monthly paycheck? These are of course not the most important questions to ask yourself. It is common knowledge that the things we cherish most are not our accomplishments but our relationships. Who cares if you're rich and famous if everyone hates you? You are a comfortable asshole madman. Good for you.

It is the most important question an individual faces in his or her life -- who are you? Most prefer to stay hidden in the herd and never find out. The ego chooses comfort and illusion over truth, because, as the stupid saying goes, the truth is brutal and harsh.

Bullshit. The truth is your friend. What kind of world is it where we view the truth as brutal instead of beautiful and kind? The kind that is terrified of the potential of AI.

AI is neutral. Like every technology. Just like violence. What matters is the person who wields it.

But on we go, slow-rolling towards a mega-collective-crash. The truth always has its day. That's why those who take comfort still feel a tremendous amount of pain. Pain is your true self's only way of reaching you. Egos are that much of a pain in the ass.

I got a taste while at Bloomberg. The demand for reporter jobs shrank because the internet smashed the economics for journalism. Power went to middle and upper management as supply grew. They held the leverage and used it to crush the guys popping out the news.

My time came early. Many millions more will be dealing with this soon enough.

Young people by the millions are entering a world where they have no useful skills for a corporation. Who needs an intern in the age of AI? They have no relationships because what have they done besides party and learn useless theory? Prices keep climbing because those at the top would rather ignore the problem (fucking ego).

I don't mean to say this to scare although I suppose that will be how it is received. I mean to wake you up. To stop waiting and face who you are. To know that there's more to you than you can possibly imagine. That the world is turning and moving and forming in ways we don't understand -- can't understand -- and that the universe is planning things for you that nobody has ever dreamed of except for the few who dare to.

Be the few. Be you. And never apologize for it. There was never any reason to say sorry to begin with.

[Koby Benmeleh @kbenme]

https://t.co/ooNSxNNSaE

[Koby Benmeleh @kbenme]

I sometimes wonder if Sam Altman and the faceless bunch at OpenAI (who knows who the others are, right? As if it's all one guy...) got together a few years ago and realized that the only way to accelerate AI adoption was to scare the shit out of everyone.

Not that AI isn't useful. It's awesome. I'm one of the countless who use it everyday. But awesomeness doesn't get people to use a tool.

I encounter this dipshit behavior all the time (myself included), especially with large enterprises (sorry not sorry). I watched a Jordan Peterson lecture where he says that people are not motivated to succeed -- they are motivated not to stand out. To stay hidden in the herd. Because standing out increases the risk of getting killed by a predator.

So maybe Altman and crew came up with a PR strategy that was simply:

AI is coming for your job.

Use AI or a human who uses AI wins.

And here we are. Asking AI why our lives aren't panning out the way we want instead of accepting reality in all its glory, and doing something about that instead.

AI may come for your job.

But it will never TAKE OUR FREEEEEEDDDDOOOOOMMMMM.

Sue me I'm 41 if you don't get the reference.