Hey — It’s Charlie.

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

• Marketing is dead: (and What You Should Do About It)

• Unstoppable Companies: How engineering for survival creates unstoppable companies.

• Grow as a Founder: A 6-step framework to grow sales as a founders

• Targeting Made Simple: A step-by-step guide to finding your perfect customer.

• Hidden Startup Debt: The silent killer that’s slowing growth.

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

Resources

• The most common mistakes with Pricing Pages. (LINK)

• A guide to disrupting incumbents. (LINK)

• State of Fintech in 2025. (LINK)

• Brand As An Enduring Moat. (LINK)

• Sam Blond on how to generate more demand. (LINK)

ICYMI

• Empower Local acquires SponsorBooker in a strategic acquisition (LINK)

• OpenAI is reportedly in talks to buy Windsurf for $3B. (LINK)

• Anthropic’s Claude can now read your Gmail. (LINK)

• The WordPress vs. WP Engine drama, explained. (LINK)

• 1X will test humanoid robots in ‘a few hundred’ homes in 2025. (LINK)

Quick Links

• Ray Dalio built a $14B empire by following core success principles that took him from humble beginnings to founding the world’s largest hedge fund.

• Iman Gadzhi and Pierre de Preux launched a SaaS and hit 7-figure ARR in 9 months by moving fast, using Iman’s audience, and solving a real problem.

• Lenny Rachitsky and Jen Abel on how to approach founder-led sales.

• Carta shares 50 slides packed with insights for founders from 45,000 startups.

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

Big Channels Are Overrated — Try Thinking Smaller

Let’s face it—traditional marketing channels are on life support. SEO? Google’s algorithm changes and AI-generated content have turned it into a lottery. Influencers? Most drive vanity metrics, not real customers. Paid ads? CACs are skyrocketing while returns plummet. Even "growth hacks" like referral programs are drowning in fraud and fatigue. The harsh reality: the playbook that worked a decade ago is now a fast track to burning cash and patience. If you’re relying on these tired tactics, you’re fighting an uphill battle with dull weapons.

The antidote? Think small, act bold, and exploit asymmetry. Instead of chasing mass-scale channels, double down on hyper-targeted, unscalable strategies—like laser-focused communities, 1:1 outreach, or edgy brand stunts that polarize (but magnetize). Novelty is your edge—launching in AI or XR? Use their untapped marketing potential before they get crowded. And here’s the non-negotiable: your product must wow. Marketing multiplies greatness, but it can’t polish a turd. Stop copying corporate giants—outmaneuver them with speed, creativity, and a willingness to break rules. Growth today isn’t about budgets—it’s about ingenuity. (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.