Culture is not a poster on a wall.
A organization has no existence of its own. It is a vehicle created by human beings to maximise their potential and their peace of mind. At Just Esops, our culture shapes how we design equity—and what we advise. We believe a founder’s primary role is not to sign documents or raise money—it is to contemplate on values and vision. You are the Chief Contemplation Officer of your organization.
“There are many ways to create something large, but there is only one way to create something truly inspiring. And that is contemplation.”
From the Atom CourseOur guiding principles
Contemplation Is the Mother of Clarity
When we contemplate on certain matters for a long time, we gain deep insights into the subject. Given two people with the same level of average intelligence, the one who contemplates will always find insights, hidden patterns, and connections that can only be found in a state of deep thought. It is contemplation and not just intelligence that creates a Newton or an Einstein.
Values Before Valuation
If your vision says 'let's become a billion-dollar company,' you are saying you have no vision beyond making money. Values and not valuation inspire people. Vision and not valuation inspire people. The colour of money is the same everywhere, but the colour of values and vision differs with each founder. Use your own colour as a differentiator.
Potential Over Retention
We don't build retention tools or golden handcuffs. We build vehicles that maximise the magnitude of your team's potential and their peace of mind. Potential has two components—magnitude and direction. Maximising potential means deepening thought and ensuring that depth is applied in the right direction.
The Right Direction
Potential with a high magnitude but applied in a wrong direction will be catastrophic. Financially successful, perhaps. Peaceful, unlikely. Our frameworks ensure you move in the right direction—one anchored in logic that survives funding rounds, market downturns, and team changes.
The ADIOS Cycle
A Dialogue In Objective Silence. An objective, unbiased dialogue with yourself—so you can make the right decisions, even when a part of you pulls towards thinking about valuation rather than values.
Contemplation on values
→ Clarity of thought
Contemplate on the right values to think clearly and ensure you move in the right direction.
Contemplation on vision
→ Depth of thought
Contemplate on your work and vision to develop deep insights that surface only in a state of objective silence.
Clarity + Depth
→ Maximised potential
When you think clearly and deeply, you maximise both the magnitude and direction of your potential.
Maximised potential
→ Peace of mind
When you work at your highest ability, in the right direction, for the right purpose—you are peaceful, even through challenges.
From vision to ownership
Values are the ideological hooks on which everything else is hung. This is the sequence that transforms a organization from a valuation vehicle into an inspiring enterprise.
Non-Financial Vision
The purpose that makes your organisation worth belonging to. It is this vision that inspires people to go beyond their call of duty.
Values
The principles that guide every decision. They are the ideological hooks on which everything else is hung.
Culture
The lived experience of those values. The attitude of the majority defines what your company smells like.
OKRs
The measurable targets that translate purpose into undeniable truth and hold the team accountable to the vision.
ESOPs
The ownership vehicle that aligns financial gain with the non-financial vision. A proxy for your values—not a financial bribe.
“Discover Your Own Right Road”
Our blog post on how to train yourself, your team, and your organisation on values—and why there are many right roads, but only one right for you. Don’t imitate others. Your stock options design will flow from your values and vision. That is what gives it authenticity.
Read the post →