January 10, 2025
Story [#25]

Your Own Little Universe.

Or minute of Value.

Every entrepreneur has their own story.

Their own goals, values, and path.

Each lives in a unique world with their own vision of success:

  • For some, it’s about supporting their family.
  • For others, it’s about freedom.
  • And for some, business is a launchpad to the stars.

Each goal shapes a unique way to achieve it.

While countless business models exist, success can’t be copied.

What works for one won’t necessarily work for another, even with the same framework.

But there’s one universal truth.

Every business, regardless of its field, is built around one thing — a value delivery chain.

The value chain is the foundation.

It defines how a business operates, responds to customer demands, and fulfills their needs.

It connects every aspect of the business: from the first customer interaction to post-sale support.

The value chain is like a nervous system, transmitting signals across the “body” of the company.

Physicists talk about the fine-tuning of the Universe:

If even one variable in the physical laws were altered, everything could collapse.

In business, it’s much the same.

Even minor changes to the value chain can disrupt the entire system.

Everything matters.

Every detail is critical:

  • At the growth stage.
    If you’re just starting out, no one knows about you. You lack reputation and reviews.
    Your priority is to attract clients.
  • In the founder’s traits.
    What are your strengths?
    How do they shape your business?

The value chain isn’t static.

It evolves alongside the business, adapting to its needs.

As the business grows, new challenges emerge:

  • Operational efficiency,
  • Market research,
  • Cost optimization.

Even reading this Story is part of your research aimed at growth.

It’s another element of your value chain.

Why is it important?

The value chain is a source of unique advantage.

It helps a business stand out.

Competitive advantage isn’t always about patents or unique technologies.

More often, it’s about:

  • Streamlined processes,
  • Quick response to customer needs,
  • A compelling marketing offer.

Every part of the system impacts the final outcome.

Success isn’t luck.

It’s the result of meticulous system design.

Michael Porter introduced the original idea of the value chain in his book Competitive Advantage.

I’ve expanded it into a broader, overarching business chain.

This approach helps to better identify and optimize bottlenecks.

Business is a living organism.

Every signal lost between departments is a missed opportunity to:

  • Improve quality,
  • Reduce costs,
  • Increase margins.

Business operates in an aggressive, competitive environment.

In many ways, it mirrors life and society.

It involves processes tied to its vitality:

  • Creativity,
  • Research,
  • Growth,
  • Understanding,
  • Meaning — the value delivered to clients.

And it’s not immune to “illnesses”:

  • Rigid thinking,
  • Lack of initiative,
  • Bureaucracy,
  • Office politics.

The business’s immune system depends on you.

Small businesses have the advantage — they adapt quickly.

It’s simpler to build efficient processes:

  • Less bureaucracy,
  • Modern tools,
  • The ability to implement changes quickly.

No-code platforms and AI simplify value chain development.

They automate routine tasks, freeing up time for the most important thing — creating value.

You are the architect of your universe.

The scale and success of your business depend on how well you build your system.

If there’s chaos inside, no amount of sales will save you.

They’ll just vanish, like waves crashing against the shore.

Disclaimer.

Every business has its nuances, and every founder has their unique context and resources. Whether or not my advice applies depends on your situation, experience, and needs. But one thing is universal—use your brain.

Think about how to apply the advice in your context before acting.

Your way.

How to Create Your Value Chain.

Many entrepreneurs grow their business without even realizing that all their actions, one way or another, align with the Value Chain.

Sure, it’s possible to grow without defining it in detail.

While you can grow without formally defining it, here’s the truth — when you take the time to carefully map out and refine your Value Chain, you:

  • Accelerate growth,
  • Create a scalable system that evolves alongside your business.

This system makes it easier for you, as a business owner, to delegate tasks—whether to employees or AI-powered automation.

I’ve put together a simple guideline you can use as a starting point for building your Value Chain.

Step 1: Define Your Goals and Values

  • Clarify your personal and business goals.
  • Identify the core values that will guide your decisions and interactions.
  • Ensure these values align with the value you aim to deliver to your clients.

Step 2: Understand Your Clients and Their Needs

  • Create a detailed profile of your ideal client.
  • Identify their key problems, goals, and desires.
  • Map out how your business addresses their issues and fulfills their needs.

Step 3: Break Your Value Creation Process Into Stages

Divide the process of delivering value into three main stages:

  1. Attraction:
    • Marketing strategies and offers that draw clients in.
    • What channels and approaches work best?
  2. Service and Sales:
    • Delivering your product or service effectively.
    • How do you streamline the customer journey and enhance their experience?
  3. Post-Sale Support:
    • Building loyalty and retaining clients.
    • What actions foster long-term relationships?

Identify tasks, tools, and opportunities for improvement at each stage.

Step 4: Analyze Your Strengths

  • List your personal strengths and key skills.
  • Match them to the stages of your Value Chain to identify where you add the most value.
  • Pinpoint areas where delegation or automation can boost efficiency.

Step 5: Audit Your Current Processes

  • List your existing processes and link them to the stages of your Value Chain.
  • Identify bottlenecks or inefficiencies.
  • Create steps to optimize, automate, or enhance these processes.

To make it even easier, I’ve created a Notion template packed with everything you need:

  • Structured pages,
  • Actionable plans,
  • Helpful tools.

This template will save you time and help you focus on building and using your Value Chain to grow your business.

Download the template and start creating value today!

And one more thing.

A quick video I made on the topic. Might be useful.
One, two, three...
Met some monsters on my spree.

Four, five...
Got none alive.

Six, seven...
What a day, a slice of heaven —
All perished, damned deaden!

Eight, nine, ten...
Girlz love their mischief again!

From the journal of Nyx Thorne.

Every founder has their own way of getting through hard days.

Mine is Nyx Thorne — a fictional hero I created to remind myself that clarity, courage, and rebellion are always possible.

Her journal reminds me (and maybe you) that it’s okay to struggle — and still move forward.
One, two, three...
Met some monsters on my spree.

Four, five...
Got none alive.

Six, seven...
What a day, a slice of heaven —
All perished, damned deaden!

Eight, nine, ten...
Girlz love their mischief again!

From the journal of Nyx Thorne.
That’s all for today. See you next week.
- Eugene

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Autjor avatar

Hi, I’m Eugene.

Strategist, operator, and product builder helping founders escape operational chaos and build businesses that work without them.

Over the past 20+ years, I’ve grown an international agency from one-person freelance to a multimillion-dollar business. I’ve led teams, scaled systems, burned out, rebuilt, and learned (the hard way) what it really takes to run a business that doesn’t consume your life.
Today, I work with small business owners and independent founders who’ve outgrown hustle advice and need practical structure.

I help them make sense of complexity, design simple systems, and create the kind of business they actually want to run.

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