July 2026 · Issue 01

Aruba, Airplane Mode & a Full Battery

What I paused, noticed and came home ready to do.

Published July 1, 2026

THE PLOT TWIST

It had been years since I took a real vacation. In Aruba, I finally put my phone down and let the world survive without me.

The beach was great. The silence was suspicious. Then it became exactly what I needed.

I came home recharged—and ready to hit the ground running.

REST DIDN'T SLOW ME DOWN. IT GAVE ME MY BRAIN BACK.

WHAT I'M RESETTING

Less reacting. More deciding.

Three priorities each morning. One block of phone-free thinking time. And at least one hour a week when nobody can reach me.

Aruba reminded me: your business needs your energy—not every minute of your attention.

A Woman Worth Watching

Anu Duggal

Founder · Female Founders Fund

She launched Voices, a speaker bureau for female founders and operators.

The first website? She built it with AI in about two hours. Start fast. Polish second.

This month's moves

The Business Move

Follow the fast reaction

Interest is polite. Action is information.

The AI Move

The skeptical buyer prompt

Ask AI to be a skeptical customer and retail buyer. What's confusing, unconvincing or missing?

The Five-Minute Fix

Make a 'waiting on' list

Write down every approval, sample or answer someone owes you.

My Monthly Addictions

Low-Carb Protein Summer Fruit Tart

Makes 8 slices. Chill, slice, pretend you planned dessert.

Ingredients

Crust

  • — 1½ cups almond flour
  • — 3 tbsp melted butter
  • — 2 tbsp monk-fruit sweetener
  • — Pinch of salt

Filling

  • — 1½ cups plain Greek yogurt
  • — 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
  • — 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • — Zest and juice of ½ lemon
  • — Sweetener to taste

Topping

  • — ½ cup mixed berries
  • — Peach slices

Directions

  1. 1.Heat oven to 350°F.
  2. 2.Mix crust ingredients and press into an 8-inch tart pan.
  3. 3.Bake 10–12 minutes, until lightly golden. Cool completely.
  4. 4.Whisk filling ingredients until smooth. Spoon into the crust.
  5. 5.Top with berries and peach slices.
  6. 6.Chill for 1 hour, then slice.

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