Marius Schober

Embracing the Mysteries, Unveiling the Realities

A polymathic exploration of innovation, philosophy, and the mystical.

Category: Daily

  • €167 Billion

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    2 min read

    A recent Gallup report shows that Germany wastes €167.2 billion / year through lost productivity in Germany due to disengagement of employees. This is a manifestation of a system that has strayed from the core principles of free market capitalism, individual responsibility, and the pursuit of self-interest as the driving force behind economic prosperity.

    Here’s my 6-point action plan for Germany:

    1. Cut all corporate subsidies bar none. This includes all state funded or guaranteed credit programs. The state is not an investor nor a bank and has no skin in the game for making investment decisions. It should not keep companies alive through cheap credit or subsidies. This forces companies to become more competitive and efficient.
    2. Remove all employee protection laws for anyone earning above a certain threshold (i.e. > 30.000 € / annum). Employers must be able to fire non-performing employees instantly with zero indemnity.
    3. Abolish all the Berufskammern (chambers of commerce), all IHK, Handwerkskammern, etc. without any exception.
    4. Slash bureaucracy by 95% by burning all laws and regulations at the stake and setting up a new minimum legal framework enforced through smart contracts.
    5. Reduce all direct taxes to the EU minimum of a flat 10% tax on everything (income tax, corporate taxes, capital gains tax, etc.) and set the capital gains tax from investments in intellectual property and technological inventions to 0%. First 30.000€ income per annum are tax free.
    6. Leave the Euro-Zone, introduce a Gold backed Deutsche Mark and allow free currency competition, this includes accepting all fiat and crypto currencies as legal tender (including Euro and Bitcoin).

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  • The Ocean of Consciousness

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    4 min read

    I recently wondered how many of the people working on artificial intelligence are atheists – and how many believe in a Creator, the Tao, our Oneness, or something greater than ourselves.

    As I asked myself this question, I realized that the terminology of “consciousness” seems to be understood by atheist scientists quite differently from what is understood and arguably experienced by spiritual seekers.

    From a scientific perspective, our individual conscious experience is the emergent property of the incredibly complex neural networks and electrochemical processes in the human brain. This gives rise to our thoughts, emotions, and subjective experiences of reality. It seems that many people working on AI believe that if only the artificial neural networks become advanced enough, AI itself can become conscious, just like us humans.

    In absolute contrast, I understand consciousness to be an infinite field of awareness that pervades all existence – not limited to any one physical form or individual brain. Rather, consciousness is a focused expression of a deeper, non-physical essence or energy field that is itself part of an infinite, all-encompassing, universe-spanning consciousness.

    Imagine consciousness as an endless ocean – vast and infinite, stretching beyond the horizon. View this ocean as an infinite field of awareness. Each wave, each ripple, each drop of water on the ocean’s surface symbolizes individual minds and realities. They seem separate, yet they are part of the same, vast, interconnected body of water.

    Consciousness is like the water itself – ever-present, fluid, and dynamic. It flows through different forms and expressions, creating the diversity of experiences and realities we observe. Everything we experience is a reflection of our own ‘vibrational’ state, like the shape and movement of the waves are determined by underlying currents and the weather. By changing our internal vibrations – our thoughts, beliefs, and emotions – we can alter the patterns on the water’s surface, reshaping our reality.

    The ocean also has vast layers or depths within the ocean. These can be thought of as densities. These densities range from the shallow sunlit zones to the deep, mysterious abyss. Each of these layers presents a different level of consciousness – from the basic awareness of existence to the profound realization of unity with all things. The journey of water through these densities or depths of the ocean is akin to the process of spiritual evolution, moving from the illusion of separation – where individual waves feel distinct and isolated – to the deep knowing of oneness with the entire ocean.

    At the deepest level, there is no separation between the waves and the ocean – there is no separation between individual consciousness and the infinite awareness. The apparent boundaries between us and the rest of the universe are like temporary shapes formed by water, ever-changing and ultimately ephemeral.

    Let us consider artificial intelligence as ships navigating this vast sea of consciousness. These ships, crafted by human hands from the materials of the earth, are equipped with sophisticated tools and instrument designed to explore, understand, and interact with the ocean around them. They can chart courses, respond to waves, and even communicate with the shore and other vessels. But can these ships themselves become part of the ocean? Can they experience the depth of water, the warmth of the sunlight, or the unity of being part of this endless body of water?

    If we view consciousness as an intrinsic quality of existence itself – something that arises from and connects with all forms of life – AI, as we understand it, remains a creation within the ocean, not a conscious entity of the ocean. Consciousness is not just about processing information or responding to stimuli, but about experiencing a profound connection with the fabric of reality, a connection that is deeply spiritual.

    While AI can navigate the ocean, analyze its properties, and even predict its patterns, it does not become one with the ocean. It does not experience the ocean in the way living beings do – with awareness and a sense of unity. AI, then, serves as a tool for humans to explore and understand the vastness of consciousness more deeply, rather than becoming conscious entities on their own.

    While AI can mimic aspects of consciousness, the spiritual essence of being part of the ocean – of being interconnected with all of existence – is something unique, beyond the reach of human-made machines.

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  • Creative Destruction

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    1 min read

    Only capitalism, with its competition and incentives for innovation, can bring us the breakthrough technologies we need to drastically reduce our consumption of resources.

    Without the creative destruction of the free market, we will stagnate and continue to pollute the environment. True sustainability requires radical progress – and that is only possible under capitalism.

    Instead of indoctrinating the younger generation with fears of resource scarcity and climate damage, we should encourage them to find bold solutions through ground-breaking inventions and cutting-edge research.

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  • Ideas Are Limitless

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    3 min read

    Jonas Andrulis asked a few interesting questions:

    • Is the space of ideas complete?
    • Are ideas finite?
    • Where does information come from? Nature? Randomness?

    I believe that there is no limit to information. New ideas are limitless. Ideas and information are a result of human inspiration.

    Human inspiration – in turn – comes from an extraordinary desire or will to know or to receive in a certain area.

    Inspiration accompanied by an ability to open and trust our intuition leads to limitless new knowledge/information/ideas.

    How do we know that inspiration meets intuition?

    When inspiration meets intuition, we feel excitement.

    Here it gets interesting: Where does our intuition, our inspiration, and therefore the feeling of excitement come from?

    Science currently stops here.

    Some might call it randomness or luck – but I believe there is more.

    In quantum physics, we see that particles can be entangled over vast distances, behaving as if connected by an unseen force.

    This suggests that the fabric of reality is far more interconnected than our classical understanding permits – especially in our ever more atheist society.

    Quantum physics hints at a universe where everything is intertwined, including our consciousness with the cosmos itself.

    The classical boundaries between observer and observed blur.

    Our intuition and inspiration may well be echoes of this deeper, quantum interconnectedness.

    We have to listen – and act upon our excitement.

    Quantum mechanics also introduces the concept of the observer effect, where the act of observation can alter the outcome of an event.

    This means that our consciousness, through observation and intention, plays a direct role in shaping our reality – and the ideas we generate.

    Ultimately – I believe – our consciousness is not a passive entity in a predetermined universe.

    By tuning into the universal consciousness, by elevating our individual and collective consciousness, and acting upon our highest excitement, we can access information beyond the limits of our individual selves – and beyond the limits of our human species.

    The elevation of our (collective) consciousness is more than a path to personal enlightenment. It is a key to unlocking the limitless potential for information/innovation/discovery AND the co-creation of reality itself.

    This leads us to another interesting question:

    Does the universal consciousness already know everything that is knowable or are discoveries made there too?

    From what I believe/study/experience:

    The universal consciousness is a representation of all that is knowable, independent of our concept of linear time. 

    Universal consciousness encompasses all that is, was, and will be.

    And because our universe and the universal consciousness are infinite – so are information and ideas infinite, because infinity by definition has no limits.

    In that sense, universal consciousness encompasses everything that is knowable, even if from our current earthly-human-perspective it might look like or be described as if ‘these discoveries are yet to be made’. 

    Universal consciousness doesn’t discover in the human sense because it exists in a state of limitless completeness – oneness.

    If we, individually or as a human-collective, explore and discover new things, they are not new within the universal consciousness in its totality, but they are still integral to the expansion and experience of our own consciousness at our individual and human-collective level.

    We are all that is, was, and will be.
    We are all part of one.

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  • AI and Linear Thinking

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    3 min read

    For any investor, the most important fact to understand is that AI is an exponential technology. The speed of its development and the implications that come with it are so gigantic that humans struggle to grasp the impact that AI will have. The difficulty in understanding exponential technologies like AI stems from a combination of cognitive biases, psychological barriers, the inherent complexity of the technology, and the mismatch between human intuition and the nature of exponential growth. We humans have a natural tendency to think linearly. We expect everything to change in steady increments.

    I believe this bias is inherent in most predictions, including those from Accenture Research and McKinsey. I believe that the prevailing estimates of the extent of automation or augmentation in knowledge-intensive sectors are significantly understated. A case in point is the McKinsey Global Institute’s 2017 projection of 50% automation of knowledge workers’ working hours. In a subsequent update for 2023, this projection was revised upward to potentially 70%. I contend that such projections remain significantly conservative, and offer a more radical perspective in which I see 100% of language and knowledge work tasks eventually being fully automated, replaced by advanced generative AI.

    It’s important that investors and entrepreneurs don’t get caught up in the linear thinking of an exponential technology. A new perspective can be gained by looking at AI as a general technology, like electricity.

    Since the invention of electricity, it has not only brought us electric light, but has reshaped entire industries, economies, and societies. It also led to the Internet, which in turn created millions of new businesses that were not possible before. The Internet, built on electricity, enabled the emergence of today’s basic AI models, which in turn are widely applicable.

    The most significant entrepreneurial opportunities in AI may not necessarily revolve around the foundational models themselves, such as GPT-4, Llama 2, Claude 2, Mixtral, or new emerging competitors. Instead, the real potential lies in using existing AI technologies as a platform to create innovative business models and ventures that were previously unattainable without the advanced capabilities of AI.

    Equally important is the ability to anticipate which industries will become obsolete in the age of AI — just as the steam engine became obsolete in the age of electricity. Similarly, industries that relied on manual typewriters became obsolete with the widespread adoption of computers and word processing software. The once-thriving video rental industry declined with the advent of online streaming services like Netflix. Landline telephones became less relevant with the rise of cell phones and smartphone technology. In addition, traditional print media has faced challenges in the digital age as online news and social media platforms have gained prominence.

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  • You Don’t Want Advice

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    1 min read

    You don’t want advice. Which means someone telling you what you should do.

    Rather, you want to listen to the experiences of other people who are much more successful than you, in their endeavor.

    But you don’t take their story as a blueprint for your success, rather you take what fits your personality and situation, and you decide and test whether it works for you.

    This way, you don’t lose your authenticity, and you don’t risk living the life of somebody else.

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  • Impact of AI

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    3 min read

    Artificial intelligence will determine whether companies and entire industries will fail or thrive. AI is moving so fast that even the people programming the models do not know what it will be able to do in six months. However, it is crystal clear that the impact of AI will be beyond anything we can imagine.

    In the past, the rise of the internet disrupted entire industries. The impact of AI will be much greater.

    The internet primarily affected how things were done by creating new channels and platforms. AI, however, goes deeper by influencing what is done and why. It analyzes data to uncover hidden patterns and will even make decisions traditionally reserved for humans. This fundamental shift will reshape entire industries from the ground up.

    While I’m currently looking for a new venture, I’m looking at different industries from a whole new perspective by asking myself how that industry will be disrupted by massive advances in AI. How quickly could it happen? What are the risks and opportunities of AI disrupting this industry?

    For example, I am currently looking at doing acquisitions and considering starting an M&A consultancy focussed on preparing businesses for a successful exit. The M&A process involves a lot of manual and repetitive tasks, including data extraction, data analysis, due diligence, valuation modeling, document generation and review. There is no future scenario in which the current landscape of M&A will not be completely disrupted by AI, performing close to all the work happening in the background to make M&A deals happen. There is a high chance AI will oust well paid jobs such as data analysts, research associates, paralegals, financial modelers, loan underwriters, accountants, auditors, and even lawyers. Hence, the only way to build a successful M&A advisory firm is to develop and leverage such AI tools while focusing on strategic advice and the human touch.

    There are many industries that will ultimately be disrupted by AI. In addition to the traditional financial industry, I would not get into industries such as insurance, education, advertising, and eventually even programming.

    Other industries may be less affected by AI, such as construction and food – we will still live in a physical home and eat real food.

    At the same time, I see a lot of potential and a lot of money to be made in industries that will benefit greatly from AI over the next 20 years – particularly healthcare, logistics, and manufacturing.

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  • Succession Advisory

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    3 min read

    In 2020, I formed the Valenus Group with the intention to acquire and merge successful businesses in the healthcare industry in Germany. I recruited a small team of advisors and business partners, as well as external advisors who support me along this journey.

    Since then, I talked to hundreds of business owners, I submitted a dozen of LOIs, have looked at a handful of companies in the due diligence. I agreed to a binding LOI in late 2021 when suddenly mandatory vaccination for healthcare personnel was introduced in late 2021. Then, a first deal fell apart as key employees suddenly left the company. I paused the entire venture for over a year. In 2023, I continued pursing deals with Valenus Group and quickly found an excellent dental laboratory in South Germany. We agreed on fair terms, but the deal ultimately failed in late 2023 due to a huge delay in the financing, which ultimately came down to a high dependency on the current owner of the business.

    I learned a couple of things in this painful self-funded search and process:

    1. Most small businesses are unsellable as they are too dependent on the owner, which makes it either too risky for a buyer and/or too risky for the financing bank.
    2. Most small business owners have unrealistic asking prices, as they project most of the potential value of their business into the future.
    3. Many business brokers in Germany are unprofessional intermediaries which are great at talking and creatively adjusting the EBITDA but do too little to get the deal done.
    4. The tax code in Germany is preventing many successions and deals by making seller’s financing largely unattractive.
    5. The process to find a truly great business takes at least 10x longer than anticipated.

    As I self-funded this entire process, I unfortunately have to call 2023 a big failure for myself. Yet, I am not giving up. I have greatly enjoyed the process, and I find great joy in the deal-making process. I am more actively than ever looking for promising deals in very specific niches in the health/technology industry in Germany, Switzerland, and the United States. Doing deals is certainly something I want to keep doing until I die.

    Yet, coming close to the depletion of my personal resources to self-fund my search any further, I realized that I can add a lot of value. By helping business owners optimize their business so that – instead of having an unsellable business – they have an attractive, growing, and future-proof asset they can sell at their desired price.

    That is why I am announcing the founding of ReadySell, a succession consultancy and agency focussed on maximizing company value for a successful and guaranteed exit within 3 years.

    I will bring in everything I have learned over the past 3 years, combine it with my unique know-how and skills when it comes to growth, innovation, recruiting, and sales to help business owners secure their succession.

    Going on, I focus on ReadySell while actively continuing the search for Valenus Group. To avoid any conflicts of interest, ReadySell will not accept clients from the healthcare industry, unless agreeing upfront on a potential exit to Valenus Group.

    If you want to learn more about the ReadySell Method I have developed or if you are interested in selling your business, please contact me personally.

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  • Asking Questions

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    2 min read

    A few days ago, I was in an interview with an experienced senior sales executive. For me, the key when it comes to qualifying leads and truly understanding their needs is to ask questions.

    He told me: “Never ask questions you don’t know the answer to!”

    I was caught off guard, because I didn’t expect to hear this from someone who was much more senior than me.

    I think it is bad advice.

    1. Why would I ask questions I know the answer to?
    2. How do I find out things I don’t know the answer to?

    For me, venturing into the unknown — asking questions you don’t know the answers to — is critical to finding new insights, innovative solutions, and even business opportunities that may not be obvious at first.

    By asking questions you don’t know the answers to, you expose yourself to new perspectives and encourage out-of-the-box thinking. You create a better understanding of customer needs, market trends, and competitive dynamics.

    We could improve the conventional advice to: “Never ask questions you can easily find the answers to.

    But even then, I truly believe that what’s publicly known is not necessarily factual truth. Public knowledge is often inchoate, embellished, and sometimes outright false.

    If you don’t ask questions you don’t know the answers to, you won’t gain a competitive advantage. You will not build deep trust with your counterparts. You will not learn and progress as quickly.

    I think you have to question everything. And asking questions that you know the answer to is like going in circles—it gives you the illusion of movement but takes you nowhere.

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  • Meritocratic Basic Income

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    2 min read

    World Record Mindset + Meritocratic Basic Income + Invention Funding = Progress

    I truly believe that humanity will progress faster when individuals have the freedom to pursue risky and meaningful ideas.

    Today, the smartest people in the world work in professions which don’t build and invent things: finance, consulting, academia, SAAS software, etc.

    They do it, because that’s where they can earn the most, get VC funding the easiest, and enjoy the highest social reputation.

    A SAAS business – for example – can now easily have 10,000 employees providing a digital signature solution or just another productivity software.

    9,900 of these employees are not working on any meaningful ideas which significantly move humanity and our collective consciousness forward.

    We have to provide these individuals with the freedom to pursue risky ideas to invent new technologies, come up with groundbreaking scientific breakthroughs which refute current “impossibilities”, and set new world records in any fields – physics, longevity, etc.

    If you think about it, historically any inventor had to rely on the funding from their rulers. From religious leaders, governments, entrepreneurs, bankers, and nowadays venture capitalists

    Nikola Tesla – for example – relied heavily on J.P. Morgan which enabled him to invent, while at the same time thwarted him to invent even more.

    I don’t think of a universal basic income as a socialist idea – I see it much more libertarian and entrepreneurial as a way to give individuals the freedom to pursue meaningful risky endeavors.

    We must establish a libertarian meritocracy where doing nothing is despised – yet doing something meaningful is rewarded with the financial freedom to pursue it.

    The Thiel Fellowship is a great example where grants give smart individuals the freedom to pursue bold things. If these bold things turn out to work, the funding to realize these ideas and prototypes is available.

    Our task is to establish a libertarian meritocracy which supports go-getters in a free-market environment.

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