What do you do when someone won't let you in? This Ethiopian folk tale follows a woman who must pluck three whiskers from a living lion to win her stepson's love. What she discovers changes everything - and reveals why the hardest hearts require the softest touch. Plus: The Lion's Whisker Method for business and life.

THE STONECUTTER | Episode 3

"He was already powerful. He had always been powerful. He just couldn't see it from where he was standing."

Have you ever watched someone else's success and felt that familiar ache? The funding announcement you didn't get. The promotion that went to someone else. The life that looks shinier than yours.

This story is about that feeling, and the surprising place it leads when you follow it all the way to the end.

THE STORY

In ancient Japan, a humble stonecutter named Tasaku grows tired of his simple life. When a mountain spirit grants his wishes, he transforms into everything he thinks is more powerful: a prince, the blazing sun, a storm cloud, the howling wind, an immovable mountain. But at the height of his power, he discovers something that changes everything. Tap. Tap. Tap. A stonecutter is chipping away at his side.

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN

- Why every position has power you can't see from the outside

- How the comparison loop traps even the most successful people

- Why your "ordinary" skill might be your ultimate competitive advantage

- The question to ask instead of "how do I get what they have?"

HIS EPISODE IS FOR YOU IF:

- You've been caught in the comparison trap on social media

- You're a founder watching competitors raise bigger rounds

- You're mid-career wondering if you chose the wrong path

- You've been dismissing your own skills as "nothing special"

- You need a reminder that steady work shapes mountains

NEXT WEEK

Episode 4: "The Lion's Whisker" from Ethiopia - a story about the patience it takes to build trust. For everyone who's ever tried to rush a relationship and watched it backfire.

Maxima's Tales: Ancient Wisdom for Modern Minds

New episodes every Wednesday. The answers we're looking for have already been found. We just have to listen to the stories.

You've seen this story on Instagram. Two wolves. One good, one evil. "The one you feed wins."

Beautiful. Tidy. Incomplete.

There's a second part - a harder part - that changes everything. Tonight, a Cherokee grandfather reveals what really happens when you try to starve your dark wolf. And why the loudest voice in your head is usually the wrong one.

In this episode:

• The full Two Wolves story, including the part most people never hear
• Why "good vibes only" backfires (and what to do instead)
• Three business lessons: Your dark wolf is data, integration beats elimination, and the wolf you deny will lead
• Real scenarios for when jealousy, anger, or fear shows up this week

Key quote: "The dark wolf is not evil. He is wounded. And he has gifts—if you know how to use them."

Resources mentioned:

• Substack article: "Why 'Good Vibes Only' Backfires" — https://bit.ly/4jnRVTh
• Episode 1: Anansi and the Box of Stories — https://bit.ly/44MTILt

Connect with Maxima:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maximansimenta/
• Substack: https://bit.ly/4jnRVTh

Next week: The Stonecutter (Japan) - A tale about the man who kept wishing he were someone else.

Hi, friends. Welcome to Maxima's Tales: Ancient Wisdom for Modern Minds.

I'm Maxima. A mom of two, a founder, and a collector of old stories. I believes the answers we're looking for have already been found - we just haven't discovered them yet.

Every week, I share a folk tale from somewhere in the world. Trickster spiders from Ghana. Wise grandmothers from Korea. Clever monkeys from India. Stories that grandmothers told grandchildren. Stories that survived wars and migrations and centuries of forgetting. They survived because they're true—not true like facts, but true like feelings.

At the end of every episode, I share a few bites of wisdom we can actually use—in business, in parenting, in life.

I tell these stories for my children. I tell them for myself. And now I'm telling them for you.

So wherever you are—driving, working out, cooking, building something new, or putting little ones to bed—I'm glad you're here. Pick a story that calls to you and catch up after that.

We'll see you every Wednesday Maxima’s Tales.

What if a spider could teach you more about negotiation than an MBA?

In this episode, I take you to West Africa - to the Akan people of Ghana - to tell you the story of Anansi, a tiny spider who climbed to heaven, faced four impossible challenges, and won the most valuable prize in existence: all the world's stories.

But this isn't just a folk tale. It's a masterclass in strategic thinking.

You'll learn:

• Why studying psychology beats studying strength
• How resourcefulness defeats resources every time
• The difference between 75% and 100% completion (hint: it's everything)

Whether you're pitching to investors, competing against giants, or facing an "impossible" goal - Anansi has something to teach you.

Perfect for: Entrepreneurs, parents, anyone who's ever felt too small to win.

🎧 Listen time: 32 minutes

Next episode: The Two Wolves (Cherokee) - Which wolf wins? The answer will change how you think about every choice you make.