Hey — It’s Charlie.

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

• Profitable or Just Pretending? Let’s Get Real! Discover the truth behind startup profitability and why many founders might not be as financially stable as they claim.

• The Playbook for Viral App Growth: Uncover the strategies that teams are using to skyrocket their app's popularity and user engagement.

• Scaling in Founder Mode: Learn how to effectively scale your company while staying true to your vision as a founder.

• Finding the Right Co-Founder: Gain insights from a seasoned founder on the crucial tips for selecting a co-founder who complements your journey.

• Startup Killers to Avoid: Explore the eight non-obvious behaviors that could derail your startup's success.

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

Resources

• The playbook teams are using to crush viral app growth. (LINK)

• How to scale your company in founder mode. (LINK)

• Founder shares tips on finding a co-founder. (LINK)

• 8 non-obvious behaviours that will kill your startup. (LINK)

• Anthropic AI CEO's essay on what excites him about AI. (LINK)

ICYMI

• Semrush Acquired Search Engine Land, SMX & Third Door Media. (LINK)

• Robinhood co-founder launches space solar startup Aetherflux. (LINK)

• 25% of last year's US VC investors have paused new investments. (LINK)

• Startups exiting at a loss hits highest since 2009. (LINK)

• OpenAI asks investors not to invest in AI rivals, including SSI and xAI. (LINK)

Quick Links

• Discover how Ed Axe's $7M sale was powered by simple automation tricks.

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

• Charlie Clark earned $25K/ month by carving a niche in a saturated market.

• What's holding back your business? Learn the biggest risks and how to beat them!

• Discover how Dylan Jacob grew BrüMate into a $20M brand—and learn how you can too.

Build a Sustainable Dropshipping Empire with DropCommerce

Building your startup's eCommerce arm? DropCommerce makes it easy with 0% transaction fees, 400+ reliable suppliers, and 300K+ products. Streamline sourcing, fulfillment, and invoicing with seamless integration for platforms like Shopify. Scale fast, keep more profits!

Profitable or Just Pretending? Let’s Get Real!

Here’s a little reality check on the whole “profitable from day one” claim many founders like to throw around. Sure, you might have more revenue than expenses for now, but are you really making enough to hire someone else to do your job? If you’re barely covering costs or relying on side jobs to make ends meet, then you're not quite there yet. The key is recognizing that true profitability means more than just breaking even—it’s about paying yourself what you’re actually worth and running a sustainable business.

Don’t stress, though. Most successful businesses take time to become truly profitable. It's normal to grind through those early stages, wearing all the hats, working long hours, and watching every penny. Instead of focusing on being “profitable” right off the bat, focus on the strengths you’ve built, the challenges ahead, and the goals you're aiming to achieve. With time and effort, you’ll get there—just don’t rush it! (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.