Hey — It’s Charlie.

Welcome to the latest edition of Great Startups! Here’s what’s in store:

• Unlocking 'Aha' Moments: Discover five key lessons from the founder of Folk on how to drive feature adoption that really resonates with users.

• Finding Your Marketing Goldmine: Learn how to uncover your next big marketing idea and take your startup to the next level.

• The Secret to Soaring Strategies: Ever wondered why some startups nail it while others flounder? It’s all about crafting a strategy that acts as your North Star amid overwhelming complexities.

• Sam Altman’s Journey: Dive into the early, challenging days at OpenAI as Sam Altman shares his insights on navigating the rough waters of startup life.

• Power Up Your Pipeline: Discover 40+ incredible ICP marketing plays that can energize your pipeline and drive growth for your startup.

Get ready to dive into these power-packed insights for founders and growth enthusiasts!

Resources

• 5 Lessons from Folk’s Founder on Driving 'Aha' Feature Adoption. (LINK)

• How To Find Your Next Big Marketing Idea. (LINK)

• A framework to choose if your new feature should be free or paid. (LINK)

• 40+ ICP Marketing Plays to Power Up Your Pipeline. (LINK)

• Packy McCormick’s Take on Turning an Idea into Action. (LINK)

ICYMI

• ElevenLabs acqui-hires open-source reader app Omnivore. (LINK)

• Sam Altman on the early, difficult times at OpenAI. (LINK)

• Helpful tip if you’re having a hard time raising money for your startup. (LINK)

• This investor seeks to place $150K in 1-2 startups by year-end. (LINK)

• General Catalyst secures $8B for new fun. (LINK)

Quick Links

• How Two Unemployed Friends Built a $1.2M SaaS and Sold it for $10M

• Curious how entrepreneurs hit $1M in a year with zero investors?

• See how one entrepreneur skyrocketed their $700K business to $2M.

• SaaS Founder Attracts Paying Customers in Just 2 Weeks with Targeted Strategies

• How One AI App Founder Makes $20K+ Monthly—and How You Can Too!

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The Secret to Strategy that Soars

Ever wonder how some startups nail it while others flounder? It’s all about strategy done right. Think of a great strategy as your North Star—it cuts through overwhelming complexities to give everyone a clear path. It's blunt about challenges, skipping any sugarcoating, so the entire team is aligned and solving the right problems together. Plus, it makes those tough calls on what to focus on, slicing away distractions like a playlist without a single dud track.

But here’s where it really resonates with startups and growth folks: a killer strategy leans into what you’re naturally good at, doubling down on strengths instead of stressing over every tiny flaw. It’s about making strategic bets where the gains far outshine the risks—like investing in a high-growth market or leveraging a unique tech advantage. And while it's steering everyone towards quick wins, it’s also setting up the play for long-term success, keeping an eye on sustainable growth and future opportunities. By combining these elements, a strategy becomes not just a plan but an inspiring guide for consistent, meaningful wins. (LINK)

Ok that’s it for this week, We keep refining our newsletter content, just hit reply to let us know what you think about this issue.