I woke up this morning with an unsettling feeling. At any moment, our lives can change. At any moment, everything we rely on could shift.
For those who’ve known me for a while, you know I care deeply about people and their success. With the recent talk about TikTok being shut down, the reality hit even harder when TikTok and CapCut actually went down. It’s a stark reminder of how quickly things we depend on can disappear.
I can’t help but reflect on how many examples it will take for business owners to realize the dangers of dependence — whether it’s on people, platforms, or systems we don’t control.
I want to reiterate: Do I think it will stay this way? No. But depending on platforms or systems we don’t own puts us in a vulnerable position. The question isn’t whether things will improve, but whether you’ll take control of your life and your business now.
A Hard Truth About Dependency
Let’s reflect on history:
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When COVID-19 struck, over 20 million jobs were lost in just one month in the U.S. alone.
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During the 2008 financial crisis, the global economy shrank by nearly $2 trillion and millions of families lost their homes overnight.
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When the dot-com bubble burst in 2000, over $5 trillion in market value disappeared in just a few months.
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Capital One account holders were left unable to access their money for days due to a system outage — no ability to pay bills, purchase essentials, or control their own money.
Every one of these events was a warning. The question is: how many more do you need before you build something that belongs to you — not to a platform, a bank, or an algorithm you can’t control?
