Sometimes it happens that I shut my laptop and run to the kitchen, eager to cook something tasty—something that can wipe away the stress of a long day.

I remember telling my dad to sell that bloody garden in the back of our house because he would spends hours tending to it on top of the exhausting job he already has during the day.

He always answered me that he finds it relaxing and that it helps him disconnect. Plus, he’d remind me that I never complained when eating the fruits and vegetables it provided us all year long.

I have to admit, now when I look forward to cooking, I’m looking for that same disconnection he found in gardening… ah, we only truly understand our parents’ value when we get older.

Tonight, I wasn’t in the mood to cook. I just wanted to treat myself to a pizza, so I headed to a restaurant near my house.

I went alone, and for those who know me personally, it’s easy to imagine that it didn’t take me long to make friends. I ended up chatting with the Italian waitress who served me all evening.

At one point, while asking what dessert she’d recommend from the menu, she asked if I was on a business trip since I spent the entire evening alone, glued to my phone, writing… how could she not wonder?

“You own your own company?! Wow!!”

She looked at me as she wasn’t sure if I was the same guy and now revealed to have some sort of superpowers.

Now that I run Methodix, I’ve had this kind of reaction more than once, and I can’t help but reflect on it.

Some people dream of having their own business one day and are eager to ask questions. Their enthusiasm is so intense, I almost expect them to interrupt me mid-sentence to say, “Sorry, I have to go start working on my idea. Goodbye!”

Then, there are other times when, after the initial curiosity, some people just switch off. It’s like they reflect on the fact that they’ve been wanting to start their own business for so long but still haven’t quite figured out what they want to do. Some have just accepted that they’re stuck in a job they stopped loving a long time ago because it’s comfortable and helps pay the bills.