The graphic above illustrates a concept of hyper-resilience developed some years ago by Nassim Nicholas Taleb. “Antifragile” describes systems or entities that not only withstand stressors, shocks, knocks and a routine battering but benefit from them. In our picture, the hydra grows two heads when one is cut off, increasing its power and threat when attacked. We could also consider the real-world example of Hakodate Future University in Japan. Steel mesh was selected by the engineer, Jun Sato, who wanted a way to deploy beauty in an environment that demanded strength. The harmony of the building therefore benefitted from the threats of seismic and climatic systems ranged against it.

If there was ever an ideal time for business to consider such a noble idea, it is surely right now. Please let us elucidate[NR1] .[NR2] 

Fragile systems break or deteriorate under adverse conditions, while resistant constructs aim to remain unchanged - surviving, not thriving. Antifragile systems meanwhile are stronger, better or even more beautiful when confronted by disorder. In the context of business expansion, the essence of Polymath & Boffin’s advisory services, the antifragile approach means embracing uncertainty, rigorously aligning interests, taking calculated risks, reducing exposure, sharing gains and leveraging challenges to create long-term growth. The aim is not merely to survive, but to prevail, to rephrase a mantra from the Ninja.

As the world recovers from the ravages of pandemics and braces itself against the economic challenges of inflation, supply change deficiencies, the impacts of war and the uncertainty of emerging artificial intelligence, smart cities, and digital currencies; company leaders know that resilient and adaptive approaches to expansion and growth are now required. Yet it may seem that some of their consultants are either chasing the wind during pitches or at the other end of the scale, recommending caution. Wait for it to blow over. Consolidate. Yet stasis is not an option. It never was. You have worked for so much more. We have made our name by proving categorically that the means of expansion is often found enfolded in the company itself. It may well be lying dormant, concealed by traditional methods of analysis or operations. You could be walking past its door every day.

Unrealised assets must be set to work, potential must be unlocked, and where conventional business strategies relying on stability and predictability are clearly no longer sufficient, the answer is to shine light on hidden revenue possibilities and then unfold the liberated advantages into synergistic force multipliers for sustainable and replicable gains. Why not compound the effects of the innovations? Efficiency seems to enjoy being cubed. At the very least, it yearns to become a factor of itself by virtue of its very nature.

The reimagination of diversified revenue streams can lead to products generating greater turnover when transformed into a service and a service may be more profitable upon conversion into an array of products. By looking outwards for these possibilities, companies can mitigate the risks associated with expansion and augment their ability to be enhanced by changing conditions.

Leveraging the power of network effects by building strong relationships with suppliers, partners, and customers to nurture shared relationships created resilient ecosystems which survived repeated lockdowns. This we know from experience. These considerations position the company for continued growth by enabling it to tap into new markets and opportunities, such as benefiting from equity swaps and combining forces to share international risk as well as economies of scale. By embracing experimentation, programming redundancy and flexibility, and leveraging network effects, in partnerships, we can move closer to antifragility.

The essence of an antifragile system must include:

1. Resilience: Able to absorb shocks and maintain functionality

2. Adaptivity: Able to adjust and evolve in response to changing circumstances

3. Decentralisation: Able to operate and respond independently, without a single point of failure. Consider the consumer product giant Haier, for example

4. Diversity: Able to leverage a variety of components and strategies to respond to different situations

5. Simplicity: Able to reduce complexity and increase efficiency while maintaining effectiveness

Antifragile systems design can be applied to various domains, including business, economics, engineering, and social systems. It involves embracing uncertainty, variability, and viewing randomness as a well of opportunity rather than a threat. By designing systems that benefit from changes, we can develop more robust, agile, and sustainable (in the truest sense of the word) businesses. We can also expand them by attracting the right investors, on the right terms to back a reimagined enterprise portfolio already on the journey to its primacy.

With this firmly in mind, you should contact us to discuss the vision you have for your business. We provide dynamic solutions devoted to development and we furnish clients with bespoke corporate intelligence, forecasting, funding and premium practical arrangements (including statutory, regulatory, CEO, Accounting, Legal, HR, Ops and Sales personnel plug-in roles). Once the Project Plan we agree upon becomes self-sustaining in execution, the components are unplugged, for maximum efficiency.

Polymath & Boffin thrives in the pursuit of inventive, and if necessary, transformative alignments of investors and investees for long term growth and mutual success assuring the realisation of the greatest business dreams in our shared world of strangeness and disorder. Therein, we believe, opportunities abound for us to help your most ambitious aspirations succeed. Right now[NR3] . 

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