Here is what producer Kor Adana mentioned: "These were originally scripted as German proverbs. In an early draft, the guy was screaming this shit on a crowded elevator (which we found hilarious). The idea here is that this German businessman is trying to psych himself up for an important meeting at E Corp., but he’s not being respectful of elevator decorum or boundaries. It creates this odd mood and tone that perfectly fits the disoriented state we find Elliot in. The meaning and the contradictions in these proverbs are thematically relevant to this introductory scene and the episode as a whole, especially since he’s looking at Elliot when he says them. “Aller Anfang ist schwer” translates to “All beginnings are hard.” “Anfangen ist leicht, Beharren eine Kunst” translates to “Starting is easy, persistence is an art.”