Negative Convexity

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Akash Kanojia

Ex–Wall Street bond investor turned entrepreneur. I explore how money, risk, and human psychology collide, writing essays on finance and decision-making at Negative Convexity.

📍 Austin, Texas, USA

What is Realistic? Rethinking Realistic Financial Goals and Comfort Zones

Are your financial goals realistic—or just limited by your comfort zone? This essay explores how environment shapes what feels possible, why effort expands the boundary of “realistic,” and how to choose circles that broaden your sense of what’s achievable.

Toxic Leadership: Micromanagement in the Workplace (Part 5 of 7)

Micromanagement erodes trust and stifles creativity. Part 5 of my toxic leadership series explores why leaders micromanage, how it harms confidence and productivity, and why absentee managers are just as damaging.

U.S. Macro Thoughts 18-Aug-2025

U.S. macro update as of August 18, 2025: dollar depreciation, persistent trade deficits, a potentially dovish Fed, inverted yield curve, strong equities, and weak labor data amid inflation pressures. Political interference looms large. Markets are euphoric; fundamentals are not.

Toxic Leadership: Passing the Buck (Part 4 of 7)

Part 4 of my toxic leadership series explores blame-shifting and scapegoating—why leaders deflect responsibility, how it erodes trust and productivity, and why the most secure leaders own their mistakes while the insecure create a culture of fear and CYA.

Toxic Leadership: Fight-or-Flight and the Poisoning of Teams (Part 3 of 7)

Unregulated anger in leaders acts like emotional radiation, poisoning team performance over time. This post explores how bullying, dominance games, and unpredictable aggression trigger fight‑or‑flight, burn out employees, and ultimately erode a leader’s influence.

Toxic Leadership: Dishonesty and the Time Value of Truth (Part 2 of 7)

Toxic leaders lie to avoid discomfort—but the cost compounds. This piece explores three common forms of dishonesty in leadership and introduces a key idea: the time value of truth. The longer you delay it, the more trust—and power—you lose.

The Hidden Risk on Your Balance Sheet: Toxic Leadership (Part 1 of 7)

Culture is a leading indicator, financials are a lagging one. This 7-part series breaks down how toxic leadership behaviors—like bullying, dishonesty, and micromanagement—dysregulate teams and quietly erode company performance.

Planning for Your Worst Day of the Year

Bad days are inevitable—even for the most careful planner. This essay explores why mistakes happen, how to reduce their damage, and how to build the emotional and practical reserves to survive them. Planning well means preparing for your worst day of the year.

Attention as Capital

Attention is your scarcest resource. Like capital in a portfolio, it needs to be allocated deliberately. This essay explores how we waste attention, how to budget it better, and how to invest it in the goals that matter most.

Cosplaying as a Rich Person

Many chase the appearance of wealth or knowledge instead of the real thing. This essay explores why signaling matters, why it’s incomplete without substance, and challenges readers to show their real value without fear of looking fake.