Recession Is the New Co-Founder

Recession-Proof Your Startup Before It’s Too Late

April 16, 2025

Hey — It’s Charlie.

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

  • Why CFOs Are Nervous: (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)

  • Greg Isenberg on how to grow your startup (LINK)

  • State of Fintech in 2025. (LINK)

  • Brand As An Enduring Moat. (LINK)

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

ICYMI

  • Amazon reportedly submits last-minute bid to acquire TikTok. (LINK)

  • ChatGPT users have generated over 700M images since last week. (LINK)

  • Apple loses $250B market value as tariffs tank tech stocks. (LINK)

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

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

  • 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!

Startups That Survive This Storm Will Own the Next Wave

With a recession on the horizon and AI shaking up how teams operate, it’s time for startups to get smart—fast. CFOs are already trimming budgets, slowing down on new hires, and tightening up cash flow. Metrics like CAC payback and burn multiples are back in the spotlight. The goal? Stretch runway and stay lean without losing momentum. It’s not about panicking—it’s about being proactive before the market forces your hand.

But it’s not all doom and gloom. If you play it right, this could be your edge. Recessions clear out the noise, and companies that stay scrappy and cash-efficient can grab some serious opportunities—whether that’s talent, tools, or customers. AI is your friend here—both to cut costs and to sell smarter. If you're building something essential and staying nimble, this storm might just be the best growth moment you didn’t plan for. (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.