Why I Started Empire Playbook

I’ve been spending a lot of time recently studying leadership — not through modern trends or productivity hacks, but through history.

Specifically, the Three Kingdoms period.

It was one of the most unstable eras ever recorded: fragmented power, constant pressure, incomplete information, and zero margin for error. Yet some leaders endured — not because they were the strongest, but because they made better decisions under pressure.

That insight led me to start a new project: Empire Playbook.

Empire Playbook is a newsletter that distills ancient strategic lessons into clear, modern leadership principles. Each issue explores a single idea — such as timing, trust, preparation, or ego — and translates it into something you can apply today, whether you’re running a business, leading a team, or making high-stakes decisions.

This isn’t a history blog, and it’s not motivational content.

It’s about judgment.

If you’ve ever felt that speed is overrated, that clarity matters more than confidence, or that leadership is more about restraint than force — Empire Playbook was built for you.

You can subscribe for free here:
👉 [Empire Playbook Newsletter Link]

I’ll continue sharing personal insights on KenSmartTips, but Empire Playbook will be where I publish deeper, more structured thinking around leadership and strategy.