Hard Things Wartime CEOs Do That Will Really Surprise You

When we think about business leadership, we often envision growth, success, and building thriving companies. But what happens when everything goes wrong? When crises strike, and tough decisions must be made quickly? That’s where the concept of a wartime CEO comes in—a leader who steps up during the most challenging times, making high-stakes decisions to ensure survival. Ben Horowitz’s The Hard Thing About Hard Things offers a raw, no-nonsense guide to leading a business through adversity, providing entrepreneurs with lessons on thriving even when the path forward seems impossible.

Now, Apollo Skills brings you an exclusive course on The Hard Thing About Hard Things, designed to equip you with the knowledge and resilience to navigate the toughest challenges in leadership.

What You’ll Learn from This Course

1. Master Crisis Leadership
   Wartime CEOs face relentless pressures that peacetime leaders rarely experience. This course teaches you how to lead in high-stakes situations—when decisions must be made quickly, and your company's future is on the line. You’ll learn strategies for navigating crises and keeping your team focused and motivated, even when everything is uncertain.

2. Embrace the Struggle
   One of the central messages in Horowitz’s book is that there’s no easy way to handle the hard things in business. This course will help you embrace adversity and learn to view obstacles as opportunities for growth. Instead of fearing failure, you’ll develop resilience and the mental toughness to push through setbacks and challenges.

3. Product-Market Fit and Adaptability
   No matter how good your product is, it won’t succeed if it doesn’t meet market demand. You’ll learn how wartime CEOs make critical decisions to pivot and adjust when things aren’t working. Whether refining your product or changing your business strategy, this course will show you how to adapt quickly and effectively.

4. Practical Tools for Tough Decisions
   From managing layoffs to dealing with investors, wartime CEOs make some of the hardest calls in business. This course will guide you through those tough decisions, giving you frameworks and tools for making high-impact choices under pressure.

5. Emotional Resilience
   Leadership can be lonely and emotionally taxing, especially in tough times. Horowitz doesn’t shy away from discussing the mental challenges CEOs face, and this course will provide you with practical strategies to build emotional resilience and stay grounded as you lead your team through challenging situations.

Start the course today!

5 Reasons Why CEOs Need to Read The Hard Thing About Hard Things

1. Learn to Lead in Crisis
   Unlike many leadership books focusing on growth and success, Horowitz’s book delves into how to lead when everything seems wrong. It’s a must-read for anyone who wants to be prepared to handle the most challenging situations.

2. Understand the Role of a Wartime CEO
   Wartime CEOs are defined by their ability to make tough decisions quickly, often under extreme pressure. This book explains how to shift between being a “peacetime” and “wartime” leader and why both are crucial to business survival.

3. Embrace Failure as a Learning Tool
   Failure is inevitable, but it’s not the end. Horowitz teaches CEOs to view failure as a learning opportunity and move forward with persistence and resilience.

4. Master the Art of Tough Decisions
   Tough decisions, from managing layoffs to changing the company’s direction, are part of every leader’s job. This book provides practical advice on how to approach those decisions with confidence.

5. Build Emotional Resilience
   Leadership can be emotionally draining, especially when things get tough. Horowitz shares insights on how CEOs can develop the mental toughness needed to keep going, even when the world is against them.

Reader Reviews

1. “The Easy Thing About The Hard Thing About Hard Things is Reading It”
   This reviewer loved the book’s honest, real-world experience, noting that it’s packed with practical advice on navigating the toughest decisions. – A Writer, Amazon Review

2. “The Most Honest Business Book”
   One reader called it essential for entrepreneurs and CEOs, praising the brutal honesty and practical insights that go beyond theoretical advice. – Jaime Lopez, Amazon Review

3. “Hardcore Truth for Passionate CEOs”
   A CEO praised the book’s raw insights, calling it a must-read for those willing to face the brutal realities of leadership. – Mercenary Trader, Amazon Review

Are You Ready to Become a Wartime CEO?
If you want to learn how to lead your business through adversity and come out stronger on the other side, don’t miss this opportunity to learn from Ben Horowitz, one of the most experienced entrepreneurs of our time.

Enroll in The Hard Thing About Hard Things course and start building your resilience and leadership skills today.

Call to Action

• Ready to tackle the most challenging parts of being a leader? Enroll today.

• Don’t wait—gain the tools and insights to lead your business through any crisis. Start learning now: The Hard Things About Hard Things.