II Samuel 13 · Startup voice, On-ramp

Hook

The founder’s dilemma is rarely about strategy; it is about the "blind spot" created by unchecked appetite. We often justify our behavior—our aggressive acquisitions, our cutthroat hiring, our "move fast and break things" mentality—as mere byproducts of vision. We tell ourselves that because we are building something "great," the standard rules of human dignity or organizational health don’t apply to us.

In II Samuel 13, we see the ultimate case study in the pathology of the founder-leader who believes his desires are synonymous with his destiny. Amnon, the crown prince, is "so distraught" because he cannot possess what he wants II Samuel 13:2. He doesn't see a human being in Tamar; he sees an obstacle to his satisfaction. He enlists a "very clever" advisor, Jonadab, to architect a hack to bypass the moral friction.