Tech Is Boring We. Need More Rockstars.
I’m writing this from Athens, having just walked the Acropolis. You stand on that rock, a monument of defiance against time, and you can feel the badass energy. You feel the ghosts of the ancient greats—the philosophers who questioned everything, the sculptors who defied physics, the poets who invented tragedy.
They weren't "safe." They weren't "optimized." They were revolutionaries.
Then I check my phone, pulled back into the digital glare of 2025, and a familiar, visceral feeling hits me:
Tech is so fcking boring.*
We’ve become a culture that worships the beige hoodie. We celebrate the optimized morning routine, the “productivity hacks” of bio-dosed tech bros who built an empire on a marginally better spreadsheet. We’ve traded vision for venture metrics. We’ve lionized "operators" who optimize for efficiency but are creatively bankrupt, devoid of any real taste, edge, or soul.
This isn't innovation. This is conformity. It’s a risk-averse echo chamber of recycled ideas, and it’s killing the very spirit of invention.
The Rebels vs. The Operators
Who really changed the world? Not the operators. The rockstars.
The true visionaries were always the rebels, the poets, the ones with a point of view. Steve Jobs wasn't a "tech bro"; he was a rockstar. A difficult, passionate, zen-obsessed rebel who cared about calligraphy. He didn't just want to build a machine; he wanted to create something "insanely great" that felt like art, that made a dent in the universe.
David Bowie wasn't just a musician; he was a one-man startup, constantly pivoting, blowing up his persona, and inventing the future before the rest of us even knew the present.
Which brings me to Måneskin.
In a sea of polished, auto-tuned pop, they burst onto the global stage as an unapologetic, glam-fueled explosion of leather, eyeliner, and raw, androgynous energy. They are a visceral, defiant "f*ck you" to the safe, manufactured, and boring status quo.
Maneskin concert vibessss
The New Founder's Creed
Måneskin’s creed is laid bare in the lyrics of their breakthrough hit, "Zitti E Buoni" (which translates to "Shut Up and Behave"). It’s a song that should be required listening for every founder who has ever been told they are "too much."
It’s a declaration of war against the conformists: "Loro non sanno di che parlo" (They don't know what I'm talking about)."Siamo fuori di testa, ma diversi da loro" (We are out of our minds, but different from them).
This isn't just a song. This is a strategic playbook. It’s the raw, unapologetic truth that being "out of your mind"—being different—isn't a bug in your programming. It’s the entire f*cking point.
The "Be More Boring" Lie
I know this in my bones. I was once told by a business partner that I needed to be "more boring" and "less sexy" if I wanted to land serious clients, like the government or the United Nations. She wanted me to file down my edges, to trade my "fashion badass" self for a more... palatable, corporate version.
She was wrong. Shee was terrified. She was operating from the beige playbook… and I fell for it. For a while.
Your edginess, your culture, your style, your "too much-ness"—that isn't a distraction from your business. It is the business. It’s your strategic moat. It’s the one asset the operators and the copycats can never, ever replicate.
I see so many founders, especially women, living at 98%. They're almost there. But they’re still holding back that last 2% of their true, weird, unapologetic selves, terrified the "serious" world will reject them.
That 2% is everything. That 2% is your genius. That 2% is your rockstar.
The world doesn't need another optimized operator. It needs you, in all your glam-rock glory. It needs the founders with soul, the leaders with a point of view, the ones who have the guts to be "different from them."
So, to all the tech rockstars currently hiding in beige hoodies: "Shut up and behave"? No.
Turn up the f*cking volume.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a "rockstar founder"?
A "rockstar founder" is an entrepreneur who leads with a strong, authentic, and often "edgy" personal vision. They challenge the status quo and build a brand that is a direct reflection of their unique, soulful perspective, prioritizing innovation and culture over simple conformity.
Why is being "boring" a bad business strategy?
In a saturated market, being "boring" or "safe" makes you invisible. A provocative, authentic brand—like Måneskin's—cuts through the noise. A unique point of view is your greatest strategic asset because it cannot be easily copied by competitors.
What does "Zitti E Buoni" by Måneskin mean?
"Zitti E Buoni" translates to "Shut Up and Behave." The song is a rebellious anthem about being unapologetically different, ignoring your critics, and succeeding on your own terms, even if the world thinks you are "out of your mind."
