From: mk_thisisit
Rafał Brzoska, the leader of InPost, articulates a clear vision for the company and shares insights into his leadership philosophy, the challenges faced by Polish businesses, and his personal commitment to both InPost’s success and Poland’s economic development.
InPost’s Vision and Evolution
Brzoska’s deepest aspiration for InPost is for it to become the largest logistics operator in Europe, dethroning DHL [01:06:08]. This ambition extends to expanding InPost’s presence in key European markets such as Great Britain, France, Spain, and Italy, which are considered top markets alongside Germany where the company is not yet present [01:17:17].
The evolution of InPost began in 2005 when Brzoska recognized that distributing leaflets lacked a future [01:18:18]. He identified the postal market as a significant opportunity, valued at PLN 6 billion compared to his existing market of PLN 120 million [01:43:00]. This marked InPost version 1.0, focusing on the traditional postal market [01:59:00].
However, recognizing the rapid shrinkage of the traditional letter market globally, Brzoska pivoted InPost to version 2.0 in 2009 [02:09:00]. This involved entering the parcel market, which in Poland was dominated by foreign giants offering cheap and efficient home delivery services [02:29:00]. To compete, InPost developed a cheaper, technology-based service that would encourage Poles to change their social habits: the parcel locker [02:45:00].
Leadership Philosophy and Challenges
Brzoska attributes his strong work ethic to his parents, who taught him that hard work is essential for achieving success [03:01:00]. He holds no regrets about his past decisions, including the challenging competition with Poczta Polska, which he believes was fundamental to the creation of the parcel locker concept [00:55:00], [01:09:00], [01:40:00]. He rejects the idea of looking back and wishing things were done differently, asserting that all past events contribute to the present [01:46:00].
Entrepreneurial Environment in Poland
Brzoska believes strongly in the “Polish entrepreneurial gene,” citing metrics like the high number of companies created and recreated, and the fact that over 70% of Poland’s GDP is generated by Polish private business [01:40:00], [01:52:00]. However, he notes that only 18% of society is aware of this [01:59:00].
A significant challenge for Polish entrepreneurship and global market strategies is the large domestic market, which can prevent companies from developing a global mindset [04:04:00]. Unlike smaller countries that must export to grow, Polish businesses can achieve substantial market shares and values solely within Poland [04:08:00]. However, this is changing as the domestic market becomes insufficient for growing “champions,” necessitating international expansion, as InPost is doing [04:47:00].
Brzoska also highlights a tax disparity where InPost pays increasing taxes to the state budget, while foreign competitors operating in Poland with similar revenues pay lower or no taxes [00:25:05], [02:54:00]. This situation, where accumulated taxes from “colonial countries like Poland” are most likely paid in their home markets (e.g., DHL), is a concern [02:13:00].
Combating Negative Trends
Brzoska identifies a concerning “culture of disgusting work ethic” prevalent over the last decade, fueled by what he calls an “extreme activist, left-wing” perspective that mocks hard work and “kills the gene of entrepreneurship, hard work, and work ethic” [00:02:02], [02:31:00]. He is optimistic that this trend is slowly reversing [03:05:00].
He actively engages in efforts to improve the business environment in Poland, despite it requiring significant personal sacrifice of time and health [07:58:00]. His commitment stems from a deep economic and patriotic sense, believing that those who succeed must support those who haven’t, especially to ensure future generations can thrive in Poland [06:02:00]. He spends more on philanthropy than he earns [00:38:00], [07:31:00].
Deregulation and Systemic Change
Brzoska is a vocal advocate for deregulation and systemic changes to foster creating innovation and intellectual property in Poland. His efforts are formalized through a mission to create a team that professionally supports society and micro-entrepreneurs in deregulation and proposes projects to advance Poland [01:58:00], [01:06:00]. He dedicates significant personal time to this, working on deregulation in the mornings and evenings, alongside his InPost duties [01:47:00].
Key proposals for change include:
- Presumption of Innocence: A fundamental principle that a citizen is innocent in administrative disputes with the state, shifting the burden of proof to the state [01:18:00]. This contrasts with civil and administrative proceedings where citizens are often at a disadvantage [01:27:00].
- Instructional Deadlines: Addressing the issue where state bureaucratic machines fail to meet over 80% of instructional deadlines in Polish law (e.g., judgment justifications taking six months instead of 14 days) [02:07:00]. The proposal is for tacit consent of the taxpayer if offices fail to meet deadlines [02:37:00].
- Speedy Trial: Despite a constitutional right to a speedy trial, disputes drag on for years in Poland [02:57:00]. Brzoska proposes six simple provisions to prevent 70% of economic cases from reaching courts, including KSEF enforcement titles, mediation, notarial orders, and abolishing locational jurisdiction of courts [02:14:00].
Brzoska’s initiatives are not only for large companies but primarily aim to affect a wide range of citizens and small and medium-sized enterprises [01:01:00]. He views the entrepreneurs’ role in proposing deregulation not as an act of desperation, but as a proactive approach to positive change, akin to how Polish business and society were first to help during the war in Ukraine or floods [02:22:00], [02:00:00].
Mentorship and Education
Rafał Brzoska identifies his father as his master and a champion in his life, even 11 years after his passing [02:29:00], [02:34:00]. His father, along with his mother, instilled key maxims that Brzoska adheres to and wishes to pass on to his own children [02:44:00]. A master serves as a guide, prompting the question, “What would he or she do in my place?” [02:07:00].
Regarding education, Brzoska advocates for continuous adaptation of the curriculum to changing realities, criticizing the lack of such adjustments [02:39:00]. However, he maintains that the Polish education system is not a disaster, pointing to his scholarship holders, who were all educated in Poland, and the competitive performance of Polish children against their peers from the Netherlands, Great Britain, or Germany [03:06:00].
Brzoska acknowledges concerns that supporting young people with scholarships for studies abroad might encourage them to leave Poland permanently [02:54:00]. However, he believes that 85% of his scholarship holders, through their actions and the example set for them, demonstrate a strong connection to Poland and will likely return or proudly represent Poland globally [02:54:00], [02:56:00]. He argues that if someone is determined to leave, they will do so regardless of a scholarship, and a Polish foundation providing education might paradoxically encourage a “give-back reflection” towards Poland [02:02:00].
Dealing with Hate
Brzoska views hate speech as a significant impediment to people’s energy and believes it dissipates potential [03:34:00]. He rationalizes it through his father’s maxim: “The measure of your success is the number of your enemies” [03:03:00]. He asserts that haters target those who achieve success, whether it’s a talented Olympian or a successful business person, often driven by envy [03:19:00]. He notes that an increasing number of haters are bots used in political and ideological fights to spread division [03:54:00].
Brzoska actively combats hate by identifying and taking legal action against those who spread vicious hate, particularly against innocent people or his loved ones, leading to trials and prosecution [03:19:00], [03:51:00]. He believes that advancing technology makes it easier to track down anonymous individuals, which will eventually lead to the end of anonymous hate speech [03:51:00].