Leverage by FOCUS logo
FOCUS Founders & Executives

Your time, energy and resources are finite.
Where they flow decides what grows.

The FOCUS principle

  1. Situation

    Daily competing priorities. Resources spread thin.

    Finite available energy and resources flow through one pipe into six taps at once. Every pot gets only a trickle: three seedlings stay small and three plants have dried out.

  2. Choose

    Decide what gets a NOW, a LATER or a STOP.

    The same pipe now has four valves marked STOP, STOP, LATER and NOW. The NOW valve pours a strong stream onto one large, healthy plant, the LATER valve drips onto a seedling, and the two stopped pots stay dry.

  3. Focus

    Same resources. Deliberate allocation. Greater results.

    All the water flows through one tap onto one large, thriving plant. Five small pots of various distractions and competing priorities get none.

I help founders and leaders focus on what matters most, make better decisions, and build the habits that turn focused action into compounding results, without carrying every important decision alone.

A confidential thinking partner with no stake in your decisions. For founders, owners and senior executives. Based in Switzerland, working online, monthly and cancel anytime.

Where do you want your resources to flow now?

Take the FOCUS Check

About 3 minutes. No email needed.

The problem

Not too little opportunity. Too much attention spread across credible options.

The work

Reduce noise. Identify leverage. Choose the priority. Protect execution.

The result

A clearer next move and a practical focus on what matters most now.

Two situations. One core problem.

You already have proof. The question is where to point it.⁠

This is for people who already know how to perform. The challenge is not capability. It is deciding what deserves concentration now.

For founders & business owners
Founder-Led FOCUS

Get more from what you already built.

You run an established business with CHF 1 million or more in annual revenue. You already have customers, proof and something people pay for. But inconsistent focus, weak follow-up or constant reinvention can make revenue less predictable than it should be.

  • Find what is already working and deserves more attention.
  • Turn large projects into smaller paid stages where useful.
  • Protect proven activity from new-idea drift.
  • Build enough short-game consistency to finance the long game.
Explore Founder-Led FOCUS →
For senior executives
Executive FOCUS

Make the next move compound what you already built.

You work at director, VP, C-level or board level, usually earning CHF 250,000 or more a year. You have credibility, experience, relationships and options. The challenge is deciding which chapter deserves the next years of your attention without defaulting to the next obvious ladder.

  • Clarify what the next chapter is actually meant to provide.
  • Separate attractive options from the right option now.
  • Use reputation, relationships and proof as leverage.
  • Turn reflection into evidence, access and strategic momentum.
Explore Executive FOCUS →
The method

FOCUS leverages your existing energy without reinventing the wheel.⁠

FOCUS is a decision and execution system for limited resources. Its five steps: Facts, Outcome, Constraints and Cost, Upside, System. It helps you decide what deserves your finite time, attention, energy and money, accept the cost of that choice, act where progress creates momentum and repeat the right actions until results compound. Not another course. Not more information.

F

Facts

What is actually true, and what resources do we have? Establish reality, evidence, patterns, and finite resources.

O

Outcome

What result matters most now? Choose the one result that matters next.

C

Constraints and Cost

What will receive less attention, wait, or stop because we chose this? Remove noise and drag; make opportunity cost explicit.

U

Upside

Where will focused action create disproportionate and self-reinforcing progress? Find the highest-leverage action and create momentum.

S

System

How do we make the right actions automatic and let progress build on itself? Build habits, feedback, repetition, and compounding.

See how the FOCUS method works →

The perspective

Commercial experience. Independent distance.⁠

My background is commercial, not clinical. For more than 25 years I have worked across sales, business development, partner development, leadership and commercial operations in technology, SaaS and B2B environments, including SAP and iLovePDF.

My role is not to give you more information. It is to help you see what your situation is already telling you, challenge weak assumptions and keep the highest-value decision in focus.

About Ilja → LinkedIn

What clients say

In their own words.⁠

“I’ve been speaking with Ilja as a thinking partner for several years now. Not coaching, no programme. Just a trusted sounding board for thinking and decisions that I’d rather not discuss in my usual circles.

Ilja doesn’t push an agenda or follow a rigid process. What he brings is an outside perspective, helping me see valid points that blind spots can otherwise prevent you from noticing, including the obvious ones. That’s where I’ve got the biggest value.

Seeing and hearing various topics from an outside perspective is another thing that’s important to me. It always helps separate what looks attractive from what is genuinely the right choice. He brings a straightforward, grounded perspective, without a political agenda.

If you keep dwelling on important topics and would appreciate a confidential outside perspective, you’re only a conversation away from stepping outside the usual rooms. I’d highly recommend speaking with Ilja”

Ulrich AltorferCEO, Datakraft

“Few people are suited to assist others, and it takes a rare individual to understand precisely how and when to guide them. Ilja is that person.

My time with Ilja has prompted so many shifts that I lost count, and the outcomes are clear. He has redefined focus for me in unexpected ways. So much so that he is the undisputed thinking-partner. I believed I understood how to concentrate on what matters, mentally and emotionally, for business and personal life until I met this remarkable person. I can offer only so many words to recommend Ilja, so I can sincerely urge you all to let him help you.”

Andre StivalaCo-Founder, ODIT · Archives

“Throughout our time together, Ilja played an important role in the company and in supporting the entire sales process, from the first customer interactions to closing deals, as well as helping organize and support our presence at trade shows and industry events.

Ilja is a dedicated, reliable, and proactive professional who always brings a positive attitude, with great attention to detail and a genuine commitment to doing things well. He is always willing to go the extra mile and isn’t afraid to challenge ideas, bringing constructive feedback and fresh perspectives that help the team make better decisions.

Particularly noteworthy is his ability to understand customers’ requirements and communicate important feedback from the market to internal stakeholders, which led to product improvements and new features in our iLovePDF SaaS and on-premise applications.

But beyond being a great professional, Ilja is an even better person, always respectful, supportive, and a pleasure to work with. For organizations looking to improve their sales process and product-market fit in the B2B environment, I strongly recommend his expertise.”

Marco GrossiFounder & CEO, iLovePDF

“… reaching out to new clients was the surface problem to another deeper issue I’ve faced but was not aware of. … I not only have new international clients; they turned into genuine business partners. … Because of the results I got, I have extended our collaboration for another 6 months!”

Anees AlomarFounder, Business of Archviz

“[Our work together] definitely helped me to prioritize and work out an action plan for my life which still helps me focus and stay on track. Before [our work together] I was moving around in circles without direction or a goal.”

Ursula SmitLean Management Coach, BHP

“If you’re after someone who will take your excuses and let you be in your comfort zone, then look elsewhere. Because Ilja will make you every bit uncomfortable, stretch you and make you aware, ultimately leading you to the personal growth you’re after.”

Pooja LohanaFounder, Damn Fine Writing
Start here

What deserves your attention next?⁠

Choose the path that matches your situation, or start with a free check if you want a quick outside perspective first.

Find your free check → Discuss Next Move