Friday's Five ✋ #459

And that's when the endorphins kicked in...

Aug 07, 2026

Happy Friday! ☀️

Working with any client is special. And then there are the moments when an executive moves on to become CEO of a new company and invites you to start the journey with their new team. This week, two days in the beautiful Bergisches Land region with exactly that. A quiet 18th century farm surrounded by fields, woods, and water. A perfect summer assignment.

What I’m reading 📖

Philipp Meyer’s name rang a bell and then I remembered: his book was the premise of the series American Rust. Spotted his novel The Son and downloaded it immediately. Three protagonists, three eras: the 1850s, the 1910s, and the 2010s, all telling the story of the McCullough family independently but closely connected. The pace, the storytelling, and the vivid language caught me in the same way Demon Copperhead did. More about the book.

What I’m listening to 🎧

After the first day with the team, I switched into workout gear for a hike through the hills. After a day of concentration, upbeat music felt more right than resuming the audiobook. Turned to The Killers' live performance at Royal Albert Hall. Reaching the top of a hill to the chorus of Read My Mind, I started smiling. Checked the tracking app: 30 minutes in. That's when the endorphins kicked in.