“In a world full of crooks and criminals, the biggest threat to success is not competition, but corruption.”
— Ertan Enginalev
Welcome to Bestie Fire Fighters: Your Anti-Corruption Newsletter
The first rule of BFF is: you never do not talk about BFF’s commitment to fighting corruption.
The second rule of BFF is: you NEVER DO NOT talk about BFF’s stance against political corruption, government corruption, and corporate corruption.
Third rule of BFF: If someone yells “stop” or taps out, the fight against bribery and corruption pauses.
Fourth rule: Fights against corruption will go on as long as they have to. We’re in this for the long haul.
And the fifth and final rule: If this is your first time at BFF, you HAVE to fight. Everyone has a role in combating corruption in all its forms.
BFF’s Mission: Exposing and Challenging Corruption
It’s not your lack of ambition or how hard you work that’s keeping you from achieving success. It’s not the competition from those more experienced, more educated, or more connected. No, the real enemy of success isn’t competition, it’s corruption.
Corruption, whether it’s political corruption, government corruption or corporate corruption, robs us of opportunities, stifles innovation, and perpetuates social rifts. But here at Bestie Fire Fighters, we’re not just going to sit idly by. We’re here to expose, challenge, and dismantle these pillars of destruction.
This newsletter was born out of my desire to fight corruption, bribery, level the playing field, and foster an environment where honesty, integrity, and justice can thrive. I’ve been a firm believer in the power of “benevolent hostility” as a force for positive change for most of my adult life, and my belief and resolve has only grown stronger after I lost my dad.
My aim with BFF is to ignite a fire in you — a fire to create change and ensure a world where success is determined not by bribery and other corrupt practices, but by hard work, talent, and determination.
Subscribe to BFF: Fight Corruption
Free subscribers will receive our weekly BFF newsletter filled with summaries of long-form articles around the web, videos, and original posts, all centered around our mission to combat corruption in its various forms: political, governmental, and corporate.
Paid subscribers, our patron BFFs, will receive our weekly BFF newsletter and have unrestricted access to our full archive of past articles, and the chance to comment on posts and engage with our community. As a paid subscriber, you’re not just a reader, you’re a contributor, a participant, and a key supporter of our shared mission by keeping BFF newsletters paywall-free and available for everyone.
BFF Name & Logo: Symbols of an Anti-Corruption Fight
At Bestie Fire Fighters, we’re not just a newsletter; we’re a story written in fire and ink, an emblem of a fight well-fought. The BFF name and logo doesn’t just represent us or what we stand for; it represents a burning philosophy and the battles we are ready to fight.
“Bestie”, in our context, isn’t your typical chum. A “Bestie” is a proactive problem-solver, a valiant disruptor, an individual who embodies the concept of benevolent hostility — a proactive approach to problem-solving that doesn’t shy away from conflict but rather uses it as a tool for positive change.1
“Fire Fighters”, well, we aren’t battling infernos of the physical kind, rather we’re here to extinguish the scorching wildfire of corruption with a similar intensity, encapsulating the ethos of “fighting fire with fire”.
Each element of our logo is a piece of the puzzle, coming together to form the saga of BFF.
The Skull, at the heart of our logo, is a chilling reminder of the ultimate price corruption can exact. In my case, it’s a personal and poignant tribute to a life cut short by corruption, a life that inspires me every day to be the best version of myself and to challenge the status quo with vengeance.
A Firefighter Helmet sits within our logo, the first sign of rescue amid the smoke. This helmet stands for the values we bring into a world engulfed by the flames of corruption as a symbol of our promise to fight it to the best of our ability, even when the flames grow fierce and the smoke clouds the way.
The Flames engulfing the Skull and Firefighter Helmet are symbolic of our spirit to “fight fire with fire”. This signifies our unyielding resolve to match the heat of corruption, not just quenching the flames, but using them to forge a path forward.
The Roses adorning the Flames are signifying the unique “kill them with kindness” quality of our approach. In the midst of conflict, we retain our benevolence, our empathy, and our capacity for kindness, understanding that hostility need not compromise humanity.
The number “94” is more than a numeral; it’s a date that is etched into my heart and soul. A day and month when the cost of corruption truly hit home. It serves as a memorial for a loved one lost to the havoc corruption wreaks, symbolizing both the pain of loss and the relentless motivation it fuels.
Every aspect of BFF — our name, our logo, our philosophy — serves as a beacon, illuminating the path to a future less burdened by corruption. I invite you to join us, to become a part of our story and to help us write the chapters yet to come.
This is our fight. And we’re proud to share it with you.
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About Ertan: Fiery Anti-Corruption Advocate
For a decade, I’ve been an activist investor, helming a firm committed to challenging corporate governance failures and corruption in all its forms.2
I’ve spent years in the trenches, engaging with companies to enforce accountability. But my fight goes beyond balance sheets — it’s about uprooting corruption and sowing seeds of integrity.
Through my work, I’ve learned that the power to create change lies within us all.
Like the legendary investigative journalist Jack Newfield said:
“Compassion without anger can become merely sentiment or pity. Knowledge without anger can stagnate into mere cynicism and apathy. Anger improves lucidity, persistence, audacity, and memory.”
This is the fuel that drives me. It’s the fire that keeps me going, and it’s the fire we’re going to use to create lasting, positive change.
