The Conflict Within – Entrepreneurship & Business
Why Every Venture Is a Battle of Competing Interests
A Game of (Thrones) Unequal Desires
In every business, there is an invisible war, if you are lucky that is. It’s not between companies—it is within them. Sometimes its messy, bloody and on public display for all to see. I am certain you have experienced places where the staff are disgruntled, the owners frustrated and your outcome short of desired. But why is that? When we all set out on our respective journeys - looking for a job, starting or investing in a business or even simply choosing where to have your morning coffee - none of us do so with the intent to suffer misery, in fact quite the opposite! We all dream of the enjoyable outcome of being gainfully employed or starting a thriving business or buying that coffee in peace. But then it almost always goes wrong. Why?
The problem is inherent in the design. It is the tension between business owners, the workers, the customers, and the investors.
Everyone wants more… for less.
Owners want high profits with low costs , so they cut corners or reduce budgets or staff or whatever it takes to be “successful”.
Workers want high pay with less effort. Because, truth be told and given the choice how many people would show up to work if they did not have to?
Customers want maximum value for minimum price. That is why you always look at the price before you buy, even when you know you can afford it because it is the same thing you buy every week. Do you get excited when you see something you have always wanted on sale?
Investors want equity and return—at the lowest possible investment and risk. I mean, what is the point of investing otherwise, right?
This isn’t dysfunction. It’s baked into the system. It’s the conflict within entrepreneurship. And the businesses that thrive are not the ones that avoid this tension—but the ones that learn to adapt and transform it.
What is the psychology behind wanting more?
Why do we constantly desire more? This constant desire stems from a lack of appreciation for what we already have, a concept known as 'hedonic adaptation,' where we quickly become accustomed to positive changes and seek new sources of satisfaction.
If wanting more is the rule, what is the exception?
Luxury
Luxury, seems to buck the trend of wanting more for less and why is that?
What is the psychology behind luxury consumption?
People buy luxury goods even when they are not able to afford them for several reasons but mainly a belief that a higher price equals higher quality, a desire for higher self-esteem, and a desire for a sense of accomplishment. It is the belief that a higher price equals a greater status in life.
Does this mean that business owners, workers, customers and investors will give more for less? Yes, if they genuinely believe in something bigger than themselves - the project, product or service - that doing so will afford them a greater return (money, self esteem, sense of accomplishment) as well as status in the long run. Then yes!
But what if the real answer lies somewhere in the middle?
The Entrepreneur's Dilemma
Starting a business is like walking a tightrope in a storm. You face:
Scarcity of resources - not always, but in most instances
Uncertainty of success - almost always
Pressure from every angle—internal and external - always
And the biggest challenge? Balancing service and survival.
As Karl Marx suggested in Das Kapital, capitalists are incentivized to extract as much as possible from labor and materials. But what he couldn’t fully anticipate was the rise of the mission-driven entrepreneur—someone who seeks not just profit, but purpose.
Still, the struggle remains:
How do you serve while also sustaining yourself?
How do you create something beautifully profound and unapologetic without sacrifice or compromise when you are surrounded by limitations and constraints?
The short answer is most of us do not. It is a rubix cube sized puzzle that most of us do not have the proclivity, time or the desire for. It is hard.
The Illusion of “Easy Wealth”
Many fall for the mirage of effortless riches:
Get-rich-quick schemes
Drop-shipping dreams
Overnight influencer fame
But history shows: easy come, easy go.
Case Study: The Pop Idol Effect
Think of overnight celebrities—one viral hit, and they skyrocket. But without grounding, systems, or values, they fade just as fast.
Like businesses that chase trends but neglect foundations, they implode under the weight of expectations.
The Psychology of Wanting Without Working
Why do so many want wealth, but resist the work?
Psychological Explanation:
We are wired to conserve energy and minimize risk (as explained in Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman). Long-term effort feels uncertain. Short-term gratification feels safe—even if it costs us more later.
"Desire vs. Effort Over Time". As people, we always want more… rising desire without increasing effort leads to a plateau in outcomes — the conflict between ambition and action.
Resolving the Business Conflict: The Win-Win-Win Model
The most successful businesses create mutual benefit:
Success lies in aligning interests through:
Transparency
Fair value exchange
Shared purpose
Real-World Innovation: How Le Haus Does It Differently
Let’s apply this to Le Haus, a business model that reimagines travel and holiday home ownership.
Problems with Traditional Models:
Hotels: transactional, impersonal, overpriced
Airbnb: inconsistent quality, no long-term value
Timeshares: rigid and outdated
Holiday home ownership: Pricey, one location, high maintenance & management costs
Le Haus Solution:
Membership that creates real value
Community design & lifestyle that aligns the needs of owners, travellers, and workers
Curated spaces maintain high quality and purpose-driven branding
Built-in flexibility balances lifestyle and work
No investor pressure - members are the investors
Backed by real and tangible assets to last a lifetime
In short, Le Haus turns the conflicting needs of business into a synergistic model where everyone contributes and benefits.
Rest as Resistance in Business
In the hustle culture of entrepreneurship, rest is revolutionary.
Why?
Because clarity doesn’t come from chaos.
Great decisions require stillness and reflection.
Try this:
Schedule non-doing time weekly
Review your business not for profit, but for alignment
Ask: Are we extracting—or are we elevating?
Reflection Prompt
Where in your business (or work) are you operating from scarcity, and how could a shift toward mutual benefit transform that space?
Coming Next:
Blog 4 – The Conflict Within: Relationships (Friendships & Colleagues)
Where collaboration ends and competition begins.
References & Sources
Marx, K. Das Kapital
Kahneman, D. Thinking, Fast and Slow
Pressfield, S. The War of Art
Gino, F. Rebel Talent
Grant, A. Give and Take