Birds of a Feather
Some people build platforms. Others are just looking for their next water buffalo.
Note: This post contains several terms in Hebrew or platform-specific language. If anything sounds unfamiliar, scroll to the end, there’s a glossary to keep things clear. Enjoy!
There are, Baruch Hashem (Thank G-d), so many people I’ve had the good fortune to meet in my life, and I suppose that’s the case with us all.
There are those that, the minute we meet, I know are genuinely good people and that we’re going to be fast friends.
This morning, a picture popped up on my WhatsApp, sent by a Platform Partner I was recently introduced to. He’s one of the smartest procurement directors in the Long-Term Care space. He came from outside the industry and quickly made his mark running vendor relations for a highly regarded chain of over 100 facilities. A highly strategic thinker, nuanced and genuine.
He’d left me a message earlier saying he hadn’t called because he was closing escrow, packing and moving all their things, as he had just made the big leap and purchased his first home in a new neighborhood!
After wishing him Mazel Tov and saying Meshane Makom Meshane Mazal, I shared something I’ve told many young people over the years when contemplating a risky move:
“When it comes to buying a house, it’s not just about the money. You’ll work that out. It’s about the leap of trust and faith. Moving from a rental or temporary mindset to a mindset of Ba’alus (ownership).”
I told him the same G-d who can fill a small cup of water is the same G-d who fills the oceans, and that one must build their home, their platform, with the right size, structural integrity, and foundation to carry the burdens, responsibilities, and blessings of G-d’s revealed, and sometimes concealed, benevolence.
A Familiar Face
An hour later, he sent me a picture, standing with an old friend of mine, one of the most thoughtful, smart, and kind people I know: my friend Jonathan.
I met Jonathan quite a few years ago, probably halfway through my career, when TwinMed had purchased a small, Brooklyn-based specialty incontinence manufacturer.
Back then, New York City’s nursing home market was large enough to justify hyper-focused distributors. Companies built around specific chronic condition segments. TwinMed had purchased this company to gain a foothold in New York, but it seemed like a questionable deal. The market was consolidating, providers were moving toward single-vendor relationships, and volumes had slowed to the point of unsustainability.
I flew out to meet the team. A warehouse full of every kind of incontinence product you could imagine. The owners knew more about incontinence than even my friend Eric from yesterday’s blog post. And that’s where I met Jonathan, the company’s main salesperson.
We spent a couple of days visiting facilities and getting a feel for the New York LTC market. I found him to be the best kind of salesperson. Not necessarily the one with the biggest numbers, but the one who consistently closed business and along the way, collected loyal friends. The kind who reminded people that there’s good in the world.
Over the years, Jonathan and I have shared plenty of war trench stories. We both moved on to greener pastures, but we stayed in touch, sharing blog posts, Torah classes, and intermittent check-ins.
People Know
It’s uncanny how often I’ll be going about my day when a Platform Partner from somewhere in the world will message me, and there it is: Jonathan’s lovely, smiling face.
I shouldn’t be surprised.
Birds of a feather flock together.
And I’ve always said:
“People like doing business with the people they like doing business with.”
Knowing the Fit
I’ve learned to be disciplined about this, especially when being introduced or referred to a company or individual interested in becoming a Platform Partner.
I usually know straight away whether the fit is right. Whether they’ll enter the ESaaS as a receptacle and conduit for material, moral, and spiritual upside —
or…
whether they’ll act like predators.
The most dangerous kind:
The kind that goes out every single day,
kills a water buffalo three times their size,
eats their fill,
licks their lips,
lies down on the couch,
takes a rest…
and then comes out the next day again
ribs showing, tongue panting
looking for another kill.
You learn quickly to spot the difference.
The Platform, and What’s Next
In a recent meeting, an investment banker friend remarked that the Platform MVP we plan to launch this October, the one I’ve been thinking about since 2015 and have only recently begun developing, is going to be something so different.
It’s a place where any individual or organization, for-profit or nonprofit, can be referred or invited by another Platform Partner and be welcomed to thrive.
In the coming months, I’ll be sharing more context about what we’ve built and what we’re doing, so that questions can be answered, understanding can deepen, and potential can be fully realized.
That’ll come in the form of videos, podcasts, writings, and interviews with Platform Partners and others who’ve been part of this journey.
We’re excited about what’s coming. And we know many others will be, too.
Because when something resonates, when an idea just feels right,
the right kind of people know it in their gut.
And those are the kind of people we like doing business with.
If you’re interest in receiving updates you can Subscribe to this Substack and info@cuttingedgehc.com
Glossary of Terms & References
Baruch Hashem – Hebrew for Thank G-d. Often used to express gratitude or acknowledge divine providence.
Mazel Tov – A Hebrew expression meaning Congratulations or Good luck, typically used to celebrate a joyous occasion.
Meshane Makom Meshane Mazal – A Hebrew phrase meaning "Change your place, change your luck." Often said when someone moves to a new home or location, implying that a fresh environment can lead to improved fortune.
Ba’alus (בעלות) – Hebrew for ownership. Used here to describe a psychological and spiritual shift from a temporary to a committed, grounded mindset.
Platform Partner – A participant in the Platform ecosystem Boruch is building. Someone who contributes to and benefits from a network based on transparency, values, and aligned business goals.
ESaaS – Ecosystem as a Solution. A concept Boruch is pioneering: structuring trusted networks around values and reciprocal growth rather than transactional relationships.
LTC – Long-Term Care. Refers to the industry serving nursing homes, skilled nursing facilities, and other chronic care environments.
MVP – Minimum Viable Product. The first functional version of a software or platform used to validate its core functionality and gather early user feedback.
War trench stories – Slang for shared experiences of enduring challenging business situations together; forms a bond similar to having “served” on the front lines.