“That which does not kill me makes me stronger.” — Nietzsche

For several weeks, I refrained from writing. The reason is straightforward: a succession of international travels, intensive schedules, and demanding preparations. Writing is a form of breathing for me, yet at times the pace of events in the field surpasses the rhythm of words at the desk. This week I felt compelled to return to the page, for the lessons whispered by fatigue and the legacies left by success are worth recording.

The week began with Ozon Global’s event, where I witnessed the determination of brands aspiring to expand into the Russian and regional markets. The questions were familiar: How can we scale? How can we ensure safety? How can we optimize? The answers, as always, lie in data, reliable partnerships, and disciplined operations. Yet there exists another, less visible factor: rhythm. When the rhythm is right, meetings reinforce one another, participants converge on the same sentences, and opportunities arrive unbidden. This rhythm was tangible throughout the event.

Immediately afterward, the Istanbul Tourism Fair opened its doors. Tourism is the transformation of sentiment into industry. Here, marketing is not merely a lever; it is a language that clarifies objectives and amplifies experiences. For us, the most critical moment this year was the launch of our new product. A project we had discussed for months, refined over countless nights, and tested rigorously as a team was finally introduced at the very heart of the sector, to its most relevant audience. The expressions of recognition—“this is precisely what we need”—lifted the veil of fatigue. Positive feedback and faster-than-expected demand confirmed that our efforts had struck the right chord.

Fatigue has taught me that speed does not mean haste; rather, it requires clarity at moments of decision. Whom to address, with what insight, and through which channel—once these three are defined, one can accelerate without damaging the vehicle, despite the potholes on the road. Success, in turn, has left me with trust in the team. In the final five minutes before the presentation, it was the meticulous remarks—“let us soften this visual,” “let us adapt this case for the Turkish market”—that served as the true safeguard of the work.

The launch reminded me once more that the first sentences spoken by clients constitute the true manual of a product. “Will it also solve this problem of ours?” “Can it integrate with X channel?” “How will it deepen measurement in our performance campaigns?” Such questions effectively write the product’s market language. We took note: two items were advanced on the roadmap, and one was streamlined. A launch is not the conclusion of a product; it is its first examination in the real world.

On the performance marketing and technological front, the demands were clear:

• Real-time data integration and closure: campaign data feeding directly into the CRM, enabling full visibility until the moment of sale.

• Cross-channel integration: search, social, video, and programmatic platforms aligned toward a single KPI, managed from a unified dashboard.

• Depth of measurement: not only clicks and impressions, but metrics reflecting business outcomes—ROAS, ROI, and LTV/CAC.

We therefore condensed our message into three sentences: What do we do? We unify performance marketing through data and accelerate operations with automation. For whom? For brands operating across multiple channels yet seeking unified results. What difference do we make? We bring transparency to costs and shorten the conversion funnel.

At the end of the day, following the events in Istanbul, I returned home.

Small moments accumulate: a quiet walk across the fairground before the stands open; a brief corridor conversation in which a brand remarks, “we aim to enter this market this quarter; let us try together”; three lines scribbled at night at home: “Integration X must accelerate. Convert the case into a short video. Note on rhythm for Sunday Reading.” These are the traces success leaves behind.

This week has reminded me once more that fatigue is temporary, but success endures. Fatigue reminds the body and mind of their limits; success demonstrates that those limits can be transcended. Together, they form an image that represents growth in both personal and professional dimensions.

“It is not the force of the water that pierces the stone, but the persistence of the drops.” — Proverb