𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁: 𝗔 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗘𝗿𝗮 𝗼𝗳 𝗥𝗼𝗰𝗸𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗗𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗹𝗶𝗲𝘀

Because in the end, the real question is not how fast we can grow, but what kind of value we want to create—and sustain.

The world is transforming before our eyes. For decades, globalization powered growth, lifting billions out of poverty and reimagining borders and economies. But today, that era is giving way to something new—a competitive arena where nations strive for influence, resources, and the reins of reconfigured value chains. We’re not just witnessing a shift; we’re witnessing a fundamental transformation with profound implications.

After the Lehman Brothers crisis, we entered an era of zero interest rates and cheap capital. This environment created two types of companies. First, the 𝗭𝗼𝗺𝗯𝗶𝗲𝘀—businesses that coasted on endless refinancing, surviving rather than innovating, their resilience 𝗱𝘂𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝗯𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗰𝗮𝗽𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹. In today’s landscape, where localism rises and interdependence fades, these companies are now facing challenges they were never prepared for.

Then, we have the 𝗜𝗰𝗮𝗿𝘂𝘀𝗲𝘀—the darlings of Silicon Valley. These companies adopted a “𝗳𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗶𝘁 𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗶𝘁” mindset, racing to scale at any cost, often without a sustainable business model. 𝗙𝘂𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 cheap money, they prioritized rapid growth and marketing over real, enduring impact.

And now, as globalization fades, a new economy is emerging—one built on resilience, on endurance, on the power to transform. New archetypes are rising with it.

Enter the 𝗗𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗹𝘆—𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘆𝗺𝗯𝗼𝗹 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. These are companies that commit to the long game, focusing on lasting impact over short-term gains. 𝗚𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗘𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰, with its profound internal transformation, stands as an example. Industries like 𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘂𝗺, foundational to this new age, are evolving too, proving that change is possible. And perhaps the boldest Dragonfly yet? 𝗕𝗶𝘁𝗰𝗼𝗶𝗻, 𝗮 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘁 𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗻 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗮 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗿𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘇𝗲𝗱, 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗺𝘆.

Then, there are the 𝗥𝗼𝗰𝗸𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘀—those who inspire, who set the pace, who refuse to settle. Companies like 𝗧𝗲𝘀𝗹𝗮 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗣𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗿 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀; they are beacons of a new 𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗰𝘆, symbols of what is possible in this new age.

𝗜𝗻 𝗮 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁’𝘀 𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗳𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗴𝗹𝗼𝗯𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗼 𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗮𝗹, 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘁-𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗺 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲, 𝘄𝗲 𝗺𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗯𝗲𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗜𝗰𝗮𝗿𝘂𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗭𝗼𝗺𝗯𝗶𝗲𝘀. 𝗪𝗲 𝗺𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗰𝘂𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲, 𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘃𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲. Because in the end, the real question is not how fast we can grow, but what kind of value we want to create—and sustain. And that will be what defines the new Rockstars in today’s changing world.

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Thanks for reading,

GuillermoValencia A

Cofounder of Macrowise

November 8th ,2024