Today, I had a brief yet profound conversation with a young man named Joe during a 15-minute sauna session. What struck me about Joe wasn’t just his challenges—it was his unwavering commitment despite having what many would consider better options elsewhere.
Joe is part of a media production company that operates in a chaotic startup environment—constant transitions, shifting priorities, and growing pains. He faces immense pressure from his family, especially since his two sisters work in Singapore, earning salaries far beyond what he makes locally. Yet, despite these external forces pulling him in different directions, Joe chooses to stay.
At first glance, his decision doesn’t seem logical. Why turn down financial stability, career advancement, and a smoother path for the uncertainty of a startup? I wanted to understand his reasoning firsthand. What I learned from Joe wasn’t just about his choice—it was a reflection of what truly drives resilience and long-term success.
Why Stay When You Can Leave?
Joe admitted that the pressure from family was real—comparison to his sisters’ incomes made it nearly impossible to justify his career choice. His company, still finding its footing, faced frequent turbulence. Any rational person would say he should leave for something better.
But Joe stays for two reasons:
- A Sense of Belonging – The community at his company isn’t just a workplace; it’s a space where he feels valued, accepted, and genuinely loved. And while we may believe we’re the ones providing that support, the truth is—Joe himself is lovable in a way that even he might not fully realize.
- Growth Over Comfort – Unlike many in his generation who prioritize personalization, self-centered pursuits, and instant gratification, Joe is different. He embraces delayed gratification, learning through challenges, and growing through discomfort. He understands that staying where growth is possible is more valuable than chasing short-term gains.
This made me reflect: How many of us would stay in discomfort simply because it makes us better?
Resilience Alone Isn’t Enough—It’s About Results
At Stellar, we hold a simple truth:
“Resilience leads to desired results.”
But not all resilience leads to success. Some people stay in a job for 10, 20, or even 30 years doing the same thing without evolving. That’s endurance, not growth.
Joe isn’t just resilient—he’s transforming. His hunger to learn and humility to embrace challenges allow him to outgrow limitations others accept as permanent. That’s why his persistence will eventually pay off—not just in survival, but in breakthrough results.
Scaling Beyond What We See
Joe’s media company serves a niche market—preschools, helping them with graduation photos, teacher portraits, and student photography. Their unique positioning comes from the founder’s deep roots in the education industry.
When I asked Joe what business he believed they were in, he answered, “Media production.”
That’s true—but it’s only part of the story.
I challenged him to think bigger:
“What if your company isn’t just a media company, but a tech company?”
Right now, traditional media production businesses are difficult to scale. But companies in tech and finance? They scale globally because they don’t depend on labor, heavy assets, or inventory.
Joe’s company has the potential to do the same:
- Minimal labor – They don’t need a large team to produce high-quality work.
- Minimal assets – A few cameras and computers, not factories or heavy machinery.
- No inventory – Unlike product-based businesses, their value is in their systems and creativity.
But the real shift happens when they stop thinking like a media company and start thinking like a tech platform.
The Power of Disruption
I have yet to see a media production house successfully disrupt its industry through AI, automation, and a scalable tech model. But imagine if Joe’s company developed a platform-driven solution for media services—one that could serve preschools across cities, countries, and continents without needing massive manpower.
Consider these examples:
- Airbnb – The world’s largest hotel company owns no hotels.
- Grab – The biggest ride-hailing service owns no cars.
- Zus Coffee – More than a coffee brand, it’s a technology-powered ecosystem.
What if media production could follow the same disruptive path?
Instead of manually serving one school at a time, they could develop an AI-powered platform that enables schools to automate their photography needs seamlessly. That’s the kind of thinking that turns a small startup into an IPO-ready business.
Scaling Isn’t Just About Growth—It’s About Purpose
But let’s step back for a moment. Why does any of this matter?
Scaling isn’t just about revenue or expansion. If a company grows for the sake of growing, it loses meaning. Why are we growing? What problem are we solving?
I reflected on this deeply, remembering a well-known story:
A rich man once approached a fisherman, urging him to leave his simple life to build wealth.
“With more wealth, you’ll have more freedom,” the rich man said.
To which the fisherman replied, “But I already have freedom.”
What’s the point of success if it doesn’t serve something greater?
At Stellar Education Group, we never scale just for the sake of it. We grow because we believe in our purpose:
Inspiring the dream of a better world through innovating education and transforming lives.
If Joe’s company—or any company—scales without a meaningful purpose, the success will feel empty. Wealth without impact is just another form of failure disguised as achievement.
The True Measure of Success
Joe’s commitment reminded me of something crucial: Success isn’t about how much we can earn—it’s about how much we can build, contribute, and transform.
- What spaces are you willing to stay in, even when they’re difficult—because they make you grow?
- What challenges are you embracing, not for short-term gain, but for long-term transformation?
- What’s the bigger purpose behind your success?
Because at the end of the day, the goal isn’t just to build something great.
The goal is to build something that matters.
