Special lecture again in Karshi, the capital of Kashkadarya, Uzbekistan - an attempt to share a sense of crisis.

Release Date:4/9/2025

During a personal trip back to Karshi, the capital of Kashkadarya Region in Uzbekistan, I was once again invited by the Small Business Support Center (SBSC) to deliver a special volunteer lecture on behalf of SAILABO Inc.

This time, however, the session also carried a more personal mission:To convey the sense of unease I’ve been harboring after meeting over 100 SME owners in the region — a growing concern about the current state of entrepreneurship here. The question was: Could I express that concern clearly? Would it resonate with them? Would they see it as something worth reflecting on?

The Success That Skipped the Process

Uzbekistan’s economic growth has only just begun in earnest. Many business owners here have found success in an environment with little to no competition, or at least one that’s relatively forgiving. That’s not inherently a problem—but what I’ve observed is a striking absence of the foundational process that typically underpins sustainable business growth:

Market research → Observation and analysis → Strategic planning → Execution.

That process is, by and large, missing. And so, this lecture became a quiet experiment: Could I instill a sense of urgency where none seems to exist yet?

Starting with the Global Stage – and Hitting a Wall

I opened with the global chaos sparked by Trump-era tariffs. Still, the reaction was muted. Understandably so—after all, Uzbekistan’s own tariff rates remain relatively low at around 10%. It’s hard to feel threatened by something that doesn’t feel immediate.

Even when I shifted the conversation toward the fragility of global supply chains and asked, “What happens if you widen your view?”, the concept didn’t quite land for most.And yet… I began to notice a slight change in expression in one or two participants. That was enough to keep going.

The Core Message: Move Beyond Solution-Oriented Thinking

The central message of this session was simple but deliberate:Let’s stop starting from the solution.

Many local business leaders here begin with a product or service and then ask, “How do we sell this?” That’s where it starts—and ends. Customer-centric thinking is not the default. Even when I introduced the idea of a Value Proposition, the importance of that concept didn’t seem to stick.

Still, I didn’t back down. I repeated it again and again. This is the kind of message that needs to be planted like a seed.

Tools Used: OODA Loop and CPF (Customer Problem Fit)

To provide a practical framework, I introduced the OODA Loop—specifically, the Observe and Orient stages—along with industry-specific examples. I also presented the Customer Problem Fit approach as a way to shift perspective.

Given that Uzbek audiences tend to disengage without strong visuals, I intentionally chose to present slides packed with text—almost provocatively minimalist. It was, in a sense, a “tough love” approach to keep them engaged through content, not just design.

The lecture ran for two hours, with a 10-minute break in the middle. To my quiet satisfaction, no one fell asleep. That, in itself, was a small win.

A Glimmer of Connection—and a Hard Truth

After the session, one participant approached me individually. From our conversation, I could tell that something had clicked. He had traveled abroad frequently, which made sense. Without external reference points—without another measuring stick—it’s difficult to fully grasp what’s missing or what’s possible. That became our shared conclusion.

Looking Ahead

The feedback gathered during this session has already proven valuable. I plan to refine and polish the content further so that, should the opportunity arise again, I can respond with even greater clarity and impact.