🚀 3.2.1. On Being Custodian ::: Atomic Scaling

I see entrepreneurs increasingly as world builders. Think of Elon Musk, Steve Jobs, or Satoshi Nakamoto. They didn’t just create companies; they constructed entire worlds with new rules, technologies, and cultures. They bent reality by first forming a coherent vision in their minds, then executing relentlessly until the world conformed to it.

This is the first in a three-part series on Bending Reality. We begin with On Being Custodian, not just of capital, but of purpose.

3 IDEAS FROM ME

I. Business isn’t ownership; it’s stewardship.

I see money not as a possession, but as energy. Energy that wishes to flow, to circulate through leaders who serve a mission greater than themselves. When investors feel that flow of purpose, they don’t invest in a company; they invest in its custodian.

II. Company is culture and people.

An organization is a machine built of two living components: culture and people. Being a custodian means running that machine with truth, transparency, and integrity. When founders treat capital as trust capital, they attract not only funding, but deep loyalty from employees, partners, and clients.

III. "Amanah", trust as sacred responsibility.

As I write this from Dubai, where I’m setting up a new asset management company, I’ve been introduced to Amanah, a principle in Islamic finance meaning “trust” or “safekeeping.”

Wealth isn’t ownership, it’s responsibility. The Qur’an reminds us, “Indeed, We offered the Trust (al-amanah) to the heavens and the earth… but man undertook it.” (Qur’an 33:72). Across generations, family offices in the Gulf have lived by this principle. They don’t seek entrepreneurs, they seek custodians who honor wealth as a divine trust, not a personal trophy.

2 QUOTES FROM OTHERS:

I.

“Treat your life like a mission-driven enterprise. You don’t own it. You’re responsible for making it work well for everyone it touches." - Ray Dalio, Co-founder of Bridgewater, world's largest hedge fund.

II.

“Business is not a machine for making money, it’s a human enterprise. When conducted consciously, it creates value for all stakeholders. That’s the true role of a custodian.” - John Mackey, Author of Conscious Capitalism

1 ACTION FOR YOU:

Cherish your vision and share it often. With your team, your customers, and your community. That shared vision is the fire that keeps the wheel of creation spinning.

To Your Success,

Ludovic Bodin

3x Entrepreneur, 2x Unicorn Investor, 1x IPO. Founder of BOBIC Generational Wealth and Author of Atomic Scaling

P.S. We’re living in the most extraordinary moment in history. AI has given each of us the ability to amplify our impact and become better versions of ourselves. Time is our only finite resource. Our purpose is to use it to move humanity forward. Here is a short clip from my keynote at the AI Summit.

WHAT THEY ARE SAYING:

"A strong culture and a well-defined playbook are essential to scaling success.

Atomic Scaling goes beyond growth. It’s about creating a foundation where every team member is equipped and inspired to make a real difference."

- Jimmy Lee, Former Game Lead at Supercell