Stratagems #11: Lena Watched Her Own AI Platform Get Cut. An Ember Stayed.

This is a serialized strategy essay, not a tool. It uses a fictional founder named Lena and the framing of the 36 Stratagems — a classical Chinese strategy text — to explore how to navigate budget cuts and platform shutdowns in an AI org context. The editorial angle is 'preserve the core when the whole collapses,' which is a real and undervalued mindset for founders hitting contraction phases. The writing is thoughtful enough that it earns a mention, but the audience for it is narrow: someone currently dealing with a platform cut or internal politics around an AI initiative will get more from it than a founder in growth mode. It is not actionable in the tool sense — there is no product to deploy, no API to call. Treat it as a long-form read for a plane or a slow morning, not a Saturday build session. -> Best for: technical PM or solo founder navigating organizational pressure around an AI project