Having lost a €17 million empire and gone minus €7 million in debt during the 2008 global crash and bounced back to build a successful business in Ghana, Aldis Ozols, the Founder and CEO of A1 Diesel Limited, has shared some tips on dealing with financial devastation and the associated mental health crisis.
During an interview on JoyNews’ Personality Profile with Lexis Bill on Thursday, December 11, 2025, the author of Win Life, Lose Millions candidly admitted that thoughts of suicide are a “quite natural” response to losing everything.
He then outlined four critical, actionable steps he took to avoid the extreme and rebuild his life from scratch.
The Four Pillars of Survival After Financial Collapse
Ozols, whose life journey includes serving in the Soviet Special Forces and overcoming serious health setbacks, emphasised that recovery requires intense physical and mental discipline.
1. Zero Tolerance for Alcohol
The first and most non-negotiable step is total abstinence from alcohol, which Ozols describes as an accelerant for poor decision-making during a vulnerable period.
“Number one, no alcohol. No alcohol because alcohol will pollute your brain, and you will lose your focus, and that can lead you to jump from the window.”
He stressed that even individuals losing only a fraction of their wealth can be driven to commit suicide, making clarity of mind paramount: “People jump from the window even when they go from the billions to the millions. And he goes and commits suicide. It’s human nature.”
2. Discipline and Constant Movement
Ozols insisted that combating depression requires overcoming the inertia of despair by forcing physical activity.
“Discipline and move your body. Move your body. When you are depressed, if you are sitting, it is like being stuck in water; it will start to smell. Move your body. Move your body. If you cannot run, walk. Whatever. Do push-ups and pull-ups. It’s necessary.”
He encouraged using exercise as a tool for motivation and focus: “If you can still afford the gym, super. Go to the gym because others will give you motivation.” He particularly emphasised the therapeutic value of “long walks” for quiet contemplation.
3. Seek Motivation from Peers
Ozols recommended leveraging the energy and success of others, particularly in environments like a gym, to push yourself forward.
“Somebody will look at you and say, ‘Hey, that’s what you can carry?’ Prove him (wrong), and then you can carry more. Somebody in that same gym is doing well, quietly working hard. That’s your example. This is how you need to become.”
4. Reconnect with Childhood Dreams
The final and perhaps most profound step involves looking past the immediate pain of financial loss and reconnecting with one’s intrinsic, non-monetary purpose.
“Listen to yourself. Hear yourself. Remember your childhood dreams. Ask yourself what you wanted to do when you were a child. What were your dreams? And have you done at least one of them?”
Ozols views this reflection as the ultimate path to finding the necessary emotional energy to rebuild. He concluded that this strategy provides the spiritual resilience needed to overcome any setback: “I think that’s important. And this is where you can come out from any grave.”
Ozols’ life of resilience
Arriving in Ghana in 2010 with virtually nothing, Ozols embraced the unfamiliar terrain of West Africa. Drawing on his mechanical aptitude—honed from early tinkering in Latvia—he founded A1 Diesel Limited, a specialist in diesel fuel injection systems, turbochargers, and automotive diagnostics.
Today, the Accra-based company boasts a state-of-the-art repair centre on Spintex Road, serving over 50,000 customers across more than 60 countries.
“Ghana gave me a second chance,” Ozols said, crediting the country’s vibrant economy and welcoming spirit for his comeback. His firm has grown into a regional powerhouse, employing locals and exporting expertise throughout Africa, with annual revenues now in the millions.
Ozols’ story isn’t just one of financial recovery; it’s a testament to mental fortitude.
He invoked a motivational quote from Russian entrepreneur Oskar Hartmann: “Before you lose $1 billion, don’t condemn yourself. You are still good to go.”
This mindset, he explained, propelled him through despair, including bouts of depression and physical frailty post-heart attack.
“I lost my fortune, my name, my certainty,” reads the book’s synopsis, “yet from the ashes of collapse, I found clarity, purpose, and the will to rebuild.”
It details his strategies for bouncing back, from mindset shifts to practical business pivots, drawing on lessons from his Soviet upbringing, military service, and multiple failures. Early readers have hailed it as a must-read for 2025, blending raw honesty with actionable advice.
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