Three Business Lessons from a Novel: Money, Culture, and Accountability

In this episode of Building a Business: Grit & Grace, Anna Angelova and Jores Minasvand introduce a new format for 2026, sharing business insights inspired by books Anna is reading. This week’s reflection comes from The Story of Us by Catherine Hernandez. While the novel follows the journey of a Filipino overseas worker navigating family, money, migration, and marriage, Anna explores three powerful lessons that directly apply to building a business. In this conversation, you’ll hear about: Why chasing money without remembering your “why” can quietly cost you what matters most The role culture plays not only in countries, but also inside your business The difference between constructive and destructive environments Why accountability and responsibility are non-negotiable leadership traits How victim mentality and blame culture destroy teams Why leaders must model the standards they expect This is a practical reflection on how stories reveal patterns we see every day in business: ambition without alignment, growth without culture, and success without ownership. If you’re building a business and want it to support your life, not replace it, this episode will challenge you to rethink your priorities, your leadership, and the standards you tolerate. As always, we’d love to hear from you: 1. What was your biggest takeaway? 2. How will you apply it in your business? P.S. We also highly recommend the ELI assessment: http://leficomp.com/eli