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Korea (South)1897 Posts
Maybe you've watched the Game of Thrones on HBO or read the series 'Songs of Ice and Fire', so you know the character Jon Snow, the bastard son of Eddark Stark who struggles with his background, but also is put into a position of responsibility and conflict.
If you haven't read the books, but only see the HBO adaptation, I urge you to read the books, they are wonderful, even with my schedule, I managed to devour the books in just a couple of weeks -taking away some of my sleeping hours, but adding to relaxing my mind. But Jon Snow meets someone who constantly challenges his views and in reality has a much strong grasp of the real situation. Nearly all of her conversations with Jon Snow end off with, 'You know nothing Jon Snow' and he knows it too.
So I'm still in the middle of this deal, it's not just complicated, it's basically taking everything I have mentally and physically to keep on top of it. My counterpart in this deal, (the guy on the other side of the deal table) is owning me like a motherfucker. I am his bitch cause he is fucking brilliant, experienced and elegantly hardcore.
He is one of the e-commerce silicon valley pioneers, his background encompasses tech, both hardware and software and also he is a certified genius at sales and consumer behavior - it is an extremely rare combination and he has the results to prove it that in his area I'd say far out paces mine.
I'm not one to shy from any challenge, but this guy is always 3 steps ahead of me, I feel like I'm in a constant fog of war and whenever I lose my focus for a second, I get punched in the face for it, immediately, hard and I can hear the words, 'You know nothing Jon Snow', and I know he's right.
**
It has been not just a massive humbling experience, but I'm extremely thankful for it because throughout the deal process I've gotten smacked around a lot, but I'm also learning a lot. I feel as though I'm an entry level kid again making noob errors, except in this case, the errors that I'm making here and the deal that is on the table is basically the pinnacle here for me, it is what everything I've learning, worked for and experience has gotten me to this point; but even though I'm at the table, it's simply not enough.
So I'm struggling, I'm working like I haven't worked for 7 years; I'm not speaking from any position of power and I'm picking my spots to try to work things through. I'm put in that position where I am unable to anticipate the next question or be ready to smash the answer. And all I keep thinking is, 'You know nothing Jon Snow' as every day that goes by complicates a deal of this size, further and further.
**
But I have an edge, the edge of having done my own firm now for the last 2 years. I've learned to let go of my corporate expectations and simply work through whatever is in front of me, no matter how hopeless the situation is.
All of this only makes sense because I don't know what winning is anymore, or what is losing or failing, I only know that it will be done and I will be the one to do it.
'You know nothing Jon Snow'
I know it, but it doesn't matter. Every day I'm coming back better prepared, understanding my counter part, he respects me, but he was way to far ahead when we first started to think I had anything on him, but every day that has gone by in the last 4 months, I am just starting to understand him and his approach and understanding are finally starting to click. I am starting to get him, become him, match him.
He doesn't know that I am the machine.
'What is dead may never die, but rises again, harder and stronger'
 
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WINTER IS COMING!
Wow a guy who can make you feel so impressed must be quite impressive.
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good read,
are you allowed to say how exactly this deal negotiation works? Like are you selling your firm and trying to make it look appealing? Or perhaps a question or 2 he asked you?
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You are taking this experience the wrong way, lad. What you see as a competition is just a valuable option of learning more! Instead of trying to beat your foe, become his friend and let him teach you. You know nothin' Jon Snow.
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Too bad you didn't write more specific details... like this it's just poetry for my ears.
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#swag
really interesting to think of business as about this kind of interpersonal stuff, instead of the numbers and money stuff that all of my old college classmates went into
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I've been waiting for George RR Martin to kill off Jon Snow ... hope your deal goes through! FIGHTING
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Almost as well written as Martin.
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The title quote is easily my most favorite one-liner from the series.
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Wow, I love reading your stuff. I'm in the exact situation at the moment, trying to get the biggest deal in my life. But working with a company of this magnitude(IKEA) sure complicates stuff. While your counterpart is experienced and a smart businessman, mine has done these kind of projects in like all countries all over the world. Quite hard to find an opening in the contract that will give me the opportunity to actually earn some money. They are so damn cost-effective and aware of how to maximize profit for every screw, in detail.
Anyway, I haven't read the books yet, but I will now. You're like the only writer on this site that I can relate to, and your analogies are always spot on.
GL with the deal! Remember to use the people around you, even if you get bad suggestions they might open another angle somewhere. Hard to find holes in your own ideas 
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On November 28 2012 19:13 MightyAtom wrote:
'What is dead may never die, but rises again, harder and stronger'
Next week on MightyAtom's Blog!!
OH GOD I DROWNED A GUY WHAT DO I DO?
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FuDDx
United States5015 Posts
I like reading your blogs Sir !!
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<3 mightyatom. love your blogs and hearing about you!!
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If this guy really is three steps ahead, he's probably already read this blog.
I suggest trying iocane powder. Works like a charm.
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I always enjoy your blog, sir <3
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5 rated.
I keep going to these running races and seeing the elite runners beating me by a mile. Each time I get a little closer to being able to beat them. I pick up on their mannerisms, their body characteristics and carry these things with me. Eventually if I keep at it I'll be up there next to them maybe showing them a thing or two.
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perhaps you are but an atom
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Fuck yeah. Go kick some ass, MightyAtom 
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Drug him, works every time.
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Korea (South)1897 Posts
On November 28 2012 19:22 targ wrote:
WINTER IS COMING!
Wow a guy who can make you feel so impressed must be quite impressive.
The guy is a fucking monster ^^. The main thing is that he is strong where I'm definitely not at all, of course the deal is on the table because I have a capability that they lack, that being said, its more like they have a Ferrari and I may be one of the top drivers out there, but I'm definitely not the only one. Granted I think I'm the best in my industry in this region by a wide margin, but the fact is, its a Ferrari- even if they get someone who is in the top 10 or the number 3 or 5 player, ultimately they will get similar returns cause the other cars the Ferrari are up against are more like Honda Preludes (which are great cars), but not comparable.
It maybe more like this process is more like the hardest job interview ever. Not kidding about that.
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Korea (South)1897 Posts
On November 28 2012 19:33 Denzil wrote:
good read,
are you allowed to say how exactly this deal negotiation works? Like are you selling your firm and trying to make it look appealing? Or perhaps a question or 2 he asked you?
I'm not, and it is possible that this blog does get monitored time to time as it did before (which is why some posts are deleted when I was working with another party previously, but not really any longer- we are still in contact, but not doing anything together).
But in terms of the questions, it more like having a 4 hour discussion every few days, where parts of the business at hand are discussed in great detail, but the scope is fairly incredible that spans over political, legal, and everything related to business from software/hardware/crm and then marketing on top of that to the corporate funding structure etc. The issue is that I do not have access to the entire framework or business background because I'm simply a single cog in a much larger project that has been going on for some time. The issue becomes, not only am I out of my depth talking about certain areas of the business which are far too technical for me and which are critical to the discussion at this level (best analogy I can give is its one thing to manage a single NBA team, but its another thing managing the entire NBA) but the fact is, no one in my position has all of that, that is why the guy is my counterpart; I am possibly the right cog they need, but I also need to be the cog that really understands where I need to fit in - and the scope was so large, that it has taken me about 4 months to finally get the picture somewhat right.
It's kinda like someone is going to have a revolution and they want you to be a part of it, because they can't give you the full picture of it and you're not even on a need to know basis, basically you're in the dark for everything, but if you can figure it out yourself, you qualify to be part of the revolution because the scope and the type of people they are looking to pull it off with are only the ones that can 'get with the program', its just that this process has been going on for a few years before I even got there, and pretty much at the highest levels of each of the areas, so its not like anyone could just come in here and figure it all out, no matter how smart etc they are, simply because of the size of the scope.
It may seem Iike I'm exaggerating, and I'm sure there are others who could have figured it out in 2 months rather than 4 months like me, but its like these 4 hour discussions on a particular aspect of the business is like a single 4 hour question.
And if you've read my blogs, I usually only write when I have some progress and if you judge from the last time I wrote, I've been getting my ass kicked ^^
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On November 30 2012 22:30 MightyAtom wrote:Show nested quote +On November 28 2012 19:33 Denzil wrote:
good read,
are you allowed to say how exactly this deal negotiation works? Like are you selling your firm and trying to make it look appealing? Or perhaps a question or 2 he asked you? I'm not, and it is possible that this blog does get monitored time to time as it did before (which is why some posts are deleted when I was working with another party previously, but not really any longer- we are still in contact, but not doing anything together).
Does that mean you'll be able to re-post all your earlier blogs some time? I'd love to re-read them, plus I think there's a couple I never got a chance to see.
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Korea (South)1897 Posts
On November 28 2012 19:33 JellowLight wrote:
You are taking this experience the wrong way, lad. What you see as a competition is just a valuable option of learning more! Instead of trying to beat your foe, become his friend and let him teach you. You know nothin' Jon Snow.
Haha why assume that I haven't approached it in that way. ^^ But don't get it wrong, at this level, if you think someone can be your 'friend' and they are actually teaching you and they don't know what you are doing and aren't playing the part as well, you will be then wondering why you are getting stabbed 10 times when you think you have the victory. He is crushing me in every aspect, I'm learning to survive and inch to a win.
I know I know nothing, but that is why I'm here at the table and no some other firm.
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Korea (South)1897 Posts
On November 28 2012 20:23 LastWish wrote:
Too bad you didn't write more specific details... like this it's just poetry for my ears.
Can't, but really, each one of my blogs is more like a private vent/space for me to reflect, but thanks for reading as well, every comment gives me a moment to reset a bit mentally.
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Korea (South)1897 Posts
On November 28 2012 21:37 strongandbig wrote:
#swag
really interesting to think of business as about this kind of interpersonal stuff, instead of the numbers and money stuff that all of my old college classmates went into
I think when it gets to a certain level, where the size and scope of the deal is significant, then they are major major dramas happening on both sides of a deal to make it happen or not. At the end of the day, business decisions are still made by people and you never have all the information on both sides and fundamental to that is the issue of trust. And for all the good numbers that someone can present to you, if you don't trust em, they aren't worth the paper they are printed on.
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Korea (South)1897 Posts
On November 28 2012 23:30 Zaranth wrote:
I've been waiting for George RR Martin to kill off Jon Snow ... hope your deal goes through! FIGHTING
Thanks Zaranth and thanks for keeping up with all the knowhow contributions, you are absolutely wonderful ^^
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Korea (South)1897 Posts
@cascades: honestly there is no way I can accept that complement, but thanks for the encouragement keke.
@sylverfyre: same ^^
@Jonoman92 I hope not ^^
@FuDDx I feel the same way about your blogs keke ^^
@PrinceXizor Thanks I'm actually making this all up ^^
@AgentW Will consider and he probably does know, mmm...I guess I'm fucked either way now ^^
@boon2537 ^^
@B.I.G nay sir, I am the Mighty Atom.
@Aerisky will try ^^
@nttea haha, I did buy him a box of Cohiba Siglo 3s, but he smoked them all an effect ^^
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Korea (South)1897 Posts
On November 29 2012 02:29 JollYRoGeR wrote:Wow, I love reading your stuff. I'm in the exact situation at the moment, trying to get the biggest deal in my life. But working with a company of this magnitude(IKEA) sure complicates stuff. While your counterpart is experienced and a smart businessman, mine has done these kind of projects in like all countries all over the world. Quite hard to find an opening in the contract that will give me the opportunity to actually earn some money. They are so damn cost-effective and aware of how to maximize profit for every screw, in detail. Anyway, I haven't read the books yet, but I will now. You're like the only writer on this site that I can relate to, and your analogies are always spot on. GL with the deal! Remember to use the people around you, even if you get bad suggestions they might open another angle somewhere. Hard to find holes in your own ideas
Wow working with IKEA, if you pull this off at any level, with even .5% running profit for you, you rock the free world. Seriously good fucking luck, you're contract is probably harder than mine lol!!! I think in this case I am the lone wolf here.
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Korea (South)1897 Posts
On November 29 2012 02:29 JollYRoGeR wrote:Wow, I love reading your stuff. I'm in the exact situation at the moment, trying to get the biggest deal in my life. But working with a company of this magnitude(IKEA) sure complicates stuff. While your counterpart is experienced and a smart businessman, mine has done these kind of projects in like all countries all over the world. Quite hard to find an opening in the contract that will give me the opportunity to actually earn some money. They are so damn cost-effective and aware of how to maximize profit for every screw, in detail. Anyway, I haven't read the books yet, but I will now. You're like the only writer on this site that I can relate to, and your analogies are always spot on. GL with the deal! Remember to use the people around you, even if you get bad suggestions they might open another angle somewhere. Hard to find holes in your own ideas
Wow working with IKEA, if you pull this off at any level, with even .5% running profit for you, you rock the free world. Seriously good fucking luck, your contract is probably harder than mine lol!!! I think in this case I am the lone wolf here.
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Korea (South)1897 Posts
On November 29 2012 09:32 HowitZer wrote:
5 rated.
I keep going to these running races and seeing the elite runners beating me by a mile. Each time I get a little closer to being able to beat them. I pick up on their mannerisms, their body characteristics and carry these things with me. Eventually if I keep at it I'll be up there next to them maybe showing them a thing or two.
You are a competitor. Thank you as well.
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Korea (South)1897 Posts
On November 30 2012 22:34 Tal wrote:Show nested quote +On November 30 2012 22:30 MightyAtom wrote:On November 28 2012 19:33 Denzil wrote:
good read,
are you allowed to say how exactly this deal negotiation works? Like are you selling your firm and trying to make it look appealing? Or perhaps a question or 2 he asked you? I'm not, and it is possible that this blog does get monitored time to time as it did before (which is why some posts are deleted when I was working with another party previously, but not really any longer- we are still in contact, but not doing anything together). Does that mean you'll be able to re-post all your earlier blogs some time? I'd love to re-read them, plus I think there's a couple I never got a chance to see.
No unfortunately not, and by keeping this open by my own accord and writing in new posts, I think it shows the people that know about it on a business level that somehow I'm not willing or ready to be part of the world's business elite, but I also think without TL as a community and always attempting to do some level of contribution, I'd lose a piece of myself as well. I didn't come to business naturally, it was a long winding road as I studied in order: chem, English, Film, International relations, political theory and theology in grad school (all as one time majors- I graduated with a BA with Physics, Bio and Chem as my art electives and summer school every year to catch up on the core requirements for 3 years lol) before coming to grad studies in business and I even started my career really in the gov't than the private sector.
So while I think it is fine to write some new posts, I can't see myself opening up the previous ones for public consumption for while, thing is, I said I would delete those posts, so I did, but again, on my own accord, i did start to write again, which I does goes against the spirit of why I closed them initially, but just for me, I need this as well.
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On November 30 2012 23:07 MightyAtom wrote:Show nested quote +On November 30 2012 22:34 Tal wrote:On November 30 2012 22:30 MightyAtom wrote:On November 28 2012 19:33 Denzil wrote:
good read,
are you allowed to say how exactly this deal negotiation works? Like are you selling your firm and trying to make it look appealing? Or perhaps a question or 2 he asked you? I'm not, and it is possible that this blog does get monitored time to time as it did before (which is why some posts are deleted when I was working with another party previously, but not really any longer- we are still in contact, but not doing anything together). Does that mean you'll be able to re-post all your earlier blogs some time? I'd love to re-read them, plus I think there's a couple I never got a chance to see. No unfortunately not, and by keeping this open by my own accord and writing in new posts, I think it shows the people that know about it on a business level that somehow I'm not willing or ready to be part of the world's business elite, but I also think without TL as a community and always attempting to do some level of contribution, I'd lose a piece of myself as well. I didn't come to business naturally, it was a long winding road as I studied in order: chem, English, Film, International relations, political theory and theology in grad school (all as one time majors- I graduated with a BA with Physics, Bio and Chem as my art electives and summer school every year to catch up on the core requirements for 3 years lol) before coming to grad studies in business and I even started my career really in the gov't than the private sector. So while I think it is fine to write some new posts, I can't see myself opening up the previous ones for public consumption for while, thing is, I said I would delete those posts, so I did, but again, on my own accord, i did start to write again, which I does goes against the spirit of why I closed them initially, but just for me, I need this as well.
Ok, thanks anyway. I love reading your blogs and knowhow articles, keep em coming
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Can I ask where you went for your MBA?
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I will forever associate the quote "You know nothing John Snow" with him giving Ygritte oral. She says that like a good 20 times.
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On November 30 2012 22:58 MightyAtom wrote:Show nested quote +On November 29 2012 02:29 JollYRoGeR wrote:Wow, I love reading your stuff. I'm in the exact situation at the moment, trying to get the biggest deal in my life. But working with a company of this magnitude(IKEA) sure complicates stuff. While your counterpart is experienced and a smart businessman, mine has done these kind of projects in like all countries all over the world. Quite hard to find an opening in the contract that will give me the opportunity to actually earn some money. They are so damn cost-effective and aware of how to maximize profit for every screw, in detail. Anyway, I haven't read the books yet, but I will now. You're like the only writer on this site that I can relate to, and your analogies are always spot on. GL with the deal! Remember to use the people around you, even if you get bad suggestions they might open another angle somewhere. Hard to find holes in your own ideas Wow working with IKEA, if you pull this off at any level, with even .5% running profit for you, you rock the free world. Seriously good fucking luck, your contract is probably harder than mine lol!!! I think in this case I am the lone wolf here.
Just because the company is big doesn't mean that the project is. But in this case it's quite big! I'd never settle for ,5% profit, too big risk.
Anyway, I'm managing my company by myself. I know how much pressure you're under. And your deal seems huge, good luck with running the NBA! I'll PM you if I get the chance to go to SK.
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On November 28 2012 23:30 Zaranth wrote:
I've been waiting for George RR Martin to kill off Jon Snow ... hope your deal goes through! FIGHTING
you should read the last few pages of A Dance with Dragons :D
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Well MA. I love you and love hearing about you. I'm still struggling to find a place in the world man but hearing about your life definitely encourages me and motivates me not to give up. No matter what you can PM me to talk if somehow someone tells you to stop posting blogs <3
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Korea (South)1897 Posts
On December 01 2012 00:00 -Kaiser- wrote:
Can I ask where you went for your MBA?
I got an MA in international business (management/Negotiation) from Korea University. Same offering as MBA course wise, but instruction was in English and under the international graduate department rather than the commerce department.
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Korea (South)1897 Posts
On December 01 2012 02:05 JollYRoGeR wrote:Show nested quote +On November 30 2012 22:58 MightyAtom wrote:On November 29 2012 02:29 JollYRoGeR wrote:Wow, I love reading your stuff. I'm in the exact situation at the moment, trying to get the biggest deal in my life. But working with a company of this magnitude(IKEA) sure complicates stuff. While your counterpart is experienced and a smart businessman, mine has done these kind of projects in like all countries all over the world. Quite hard to find an opening in the contract that will give me the opportunity to actually earn some money. They are so damn cost-effective and aware of how to maximize profit for every screw, in detail. Anyway, I haven't read the books yet, but I will now. You're like the only writer on this site that I can relate to, and your analogies are always spot on. GL with the deal! Remember to use the people around you, even if you get bad suggestions they might open another angle somewhere. Hard to find holes in your own ideas Wow working with IKEA, if you pull this off at any level, with even .5% running profit for you, you rock the free world. Seriously good fucking luck, your contract is probably harder than mine lol!!! I think in this case I am the lone wolf here. Just because the company is big doesn't mean that the project is. But in this case it's quite big! I'd never settle for ,5% profit, too big risk. Anyway, I'm managing my company by myself. I know how much pressure you're under. And your deal seems huge, good luck with running the NBA! I'll PM you if I get the chance to go to SK.
Great and good luck as well. I'm back to grind today. ^^
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Korea (South)1897 Posts
On December 02 2012 14:14 PrinceXizor wrote:
Well MA. I love you and love hearing about you. I'm still struggling to find a place in the world man but hearing about your life definitely encourages me and motivates me not to give up. No matter what you can PM me to talk if somehow someone tells you to stop posting blogs <3
^^ well I'm trying to get that position where I can post at will! Thanks though!
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When the day comes you can say what you want, it's going to be awesome, but knowing you, you'd never want to stop there.
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Italy12246 Posts
Gogo MA kick his ass, you got this shit ezpz Good luck!
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You haven't posted here in a while, is everything okay? I love your blog. Can you update a fan on your situation?
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EPT
