Solving Wicked Problems: How Michael Mainelli Merges Finance, Technology & Policy
Founders Espresso Shots: featuring shot-size inspiring stories, key lessons, and practical tips from Hidden Champion Founders to boost their entrepreneurial journey.
🚀 Growth Hack
Building Policy Through Feedback Loops
Michael Mainelli believes that effective policy and project development stem from strong feedback mechanisms. Drawing from systems theory, he incorporates seven key components: inputs, process, outputs, feedback, feedforward, monitoring, and governance. The most crucial among these, according to Michael, is feedforward (predicting outcomes) and feedback (assessing results), which create a continuous improvement cycle.
One key principle he follows is Goodhart’s Law: “Any measure that becomes a target ceases to be a good measure.” By keeping evaluation flexible and iterative, he ensures that policies adapt to real-world challenges instead of becoming bureaucratic checkboxes.
Advice: Structure decision-making with a continuous loop of feedback and feedforward to refine strategy and execution over time.
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💡 Founder Spotlight
From Science to Finance: Michael’s Vision for Problem-Solving
Michael co-founded Z/Yen 30 years ago with the ambition to solve the world’s wicked problems—complex, interconnected challenges that don’t have clear solutions. Drawing from his background in finance, technology, and systems thinking, he sought to help organizations make better decisions through a holistic approach.
One of his key insights: “If everybody made slightly better decisions every day, the world would be a better place.” This philosophy led to the publication of his book The Price of Fish, which explores how better decision-making can address systemic issues across economics, evolution, and governance.
Advice: Tackle large-scale problems by breaking them down into decision-making improvements that compound over time.
🗝 Founder Tips
Mastering Uncertainty & Leadership
Michael credits his leadership success to a high tolerance for uncertainty. He views unpredictability not as a risk but as a framework to navigate. He categorizes strategic decisions into four approaches:
Opting out – Not every game is worth playing.
Improving odds – Refining execution to increase chances of success.
Mitigating risks – Using insurance or financial strategies to cap downside risks.
Reducing volatility – Increasing certainty by controlling external factors.
His daily productivity tip? Keeping an index card with key priorities—an old-school but highly effective tool. Unlike digital notes, a physical card requires action, preventing tasks from being forgotten.
Advice: Embrace uncertainty by structuring risk management. Keep a simple, actionable list to stay focused.
🛠 Startup Tools
Convening People as the Ultimate Tool
Michael highlights that despite an explosion of digital tools, the most effective method remains face-to-face interaction. His approach centers around convening—bringing the right people together to solve problems.
A standout initiative is his coffee colloquies—structured yet informal events where participants get four minutes to share insights. This rapid format ensures high engagement, prevents long-winded speeches, and fosters meaningful connections.
Advice: Prioritize human interaction over technology. Use structured conversations to drive efficient collaboration.
☕ Cup of Founders Wisdom
The Challenge of Feeling Useless
For Michael, the toughest career moment wasn’t a failed project, but the creeping feeling that his work wasn’t adding value. He emphasizes that self-doubt is crucial to progress. Just as in science, questioning assumptions leads to breakthroughs.
Whenever he feels stuck, he asks: “Am I using the right tools? Have I built the right network?” This reflective process ensures that he constantly refines his purpose and direction.
Advice: Doubt is not a weakness—it’s a tool for growth. Use it to reframe your approach and refine your mission.
🔋 Boost of Inspiration
Curiosity as a Driving Force
Michael’s ultimate motivation? Curiosity. He thrives on engaging with new people and solving novel problems. He sees his career not as a linear journey but as an evolving exploration of ideas. His high-level purpose is to make an impact by addressing systemic global challenges, while his day-to-day motivation comes from the joy of meeting people and exchanging ideas.
Advice: Stay curious. Use every conversation and challenge as an opportunity to learn and grow.
Sip up and scale up!
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