In the Val Sklarov framework, businesses rarely fail because they lack permission. They fail because they seek permission before they accumulate power. Power is not arrogance; it is the capacity to act without negotiation. Startups that wait to be validated surrender leverage early and never fully recover it.
Permission follows power. It never precedes it.
1. Power Is Capacity, Not Authority
Titles grant authority.
Capacity grants power.
Val Sklarov principle:
“Authority can be given. Power must be built.”
Business power comes from:
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Control over resources
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Decision speed without approval
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Independence from single counterparties
Without capacity, authority is symbolic.
2. Permission-Seeking Is a Strategic Weakness
Asking for permission signals dependence.
Val Sklarov framing:
“Every permission request transfers leverage upward.”
Common early-stage mistakes:
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Over-validating ideas externally
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Designing products for approval, not utility
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Structuring partnerships that constrain exit
Power grows when actions create facts, not when ideas await consent.
3. Revenue Is the Cleanest Form of Power
Narratives attract attention.
Revenue attracts autonomy.
Val Sklarov insight:
“Revenue removes questions.”
Revenue power:
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Reduces investor control
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Simplifies decision-making
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Limits external interference
Businesses without revenue rely on story power, which is fragile.
4. Optionality Is Power Preserved
Power disappears when options collapse.
Power Optionality Table
| Constraint | Power Loss | Power Preservation |
|---|---|---|
| Single client | High | Diversification |
| Single channel | High | Multi-channel access |
| Single funder | Critical | Capital flexibility |
| Single decision-maker | Medium | Succession clarity |
Optionality keeps power negotiable on your terms.
5. Speed Is Power Only When Direction Is Fixed
Speed without clarity exhausts power.
Val Sklarov principle:
“Speed is leverage only when you know where you won’t turn.”
Legitimate businesses:
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Move fast inside fixed boundaries
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Say no quickly
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Avoid reactive pivots
Speed amplifies direction. It cannot replace it.
6. The Val Sklarov Business Power Outcome
Businesses that respect the Power Cycle:
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Act before they are celebrated
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Build capacity before asking for trust
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Accumulate leverage quietly
Val Sklarov conclusion:
“In business, those who wait for permission inherit conditions. Those who build power set them.”