StartUp Founders: Trump


Hey Reader,

Change is the only constant. Whether it's politics, economy or tech, the forces around us are always evolving. The recent US election? One more example of how quickly the landscape can shift.

Change is also the engine of progress. It forces you to adapt, innovate, and become a stronger founder. Ten minutes ago, none of us had “AI” in our pitch decks. Today, it’s transforming everything and likely front & center on your website. Tomorrow? Who knows. Exactly the point.

So, if it's not about whether things will change, then it becomes how quickly you adapt when they do.

Whatever the macro/micro environment throws at you. From policy shifts, funding trends, immigration adjustments, or trade changes - these forces always have an impact.

Even if you're doing everything right, building a profitable, efficient startup, external forces influence your funding, hiring, valuations, and market access. Knowing this isn’t about conceding control; it’s about being ready to adapt and respond when they show up.

Even positive change is disorienting. Forces you out of your comfort zone, and demands that you learn and grow as fast, if not faster, than the market around you.

Every Founder/StartUp Needs A Newsletter

Communicate authority, deliver value, and nurture relationships. Whether you're building in public, establishing expertise, or growing your audience, a newsletter is key to sustained engagement.

Turn old leads into new opportunities. Drive long-term growth with consistent, valuable content.


Kit empowers you to build and nurture relationships, driving long-term growth and engagement.

Want to get in front of 140,000+ founders at $3 CPC? Go here.

HYPER RELATED:

Porter's 5 Forces: Competition isn't just about direct rivals, it's about all the forces that shape how you enter and compete in your market. Understanding this ecosystem isn't theory, it's a playbook.

LETS GET INTO IT:

Questions to consider:

  • What policies directly impact my business model?
  • Where are the new opportunities in this shifting landscape?
  • How can I turn these changes into competitive advantages?
  • What moves can I make while others are hesitating?

There are founders out there waiting, uncertain, holding back or believing market conditions won't impact them. When markets shift, hesitation can have a high price. Being agile means staying alert, adjusting, and moving forward when others aren’t sure.

A recent observation by Lemkin:

Two types of struggling SaaS companies:

The ones where the CEO is out there fighting tooth and nail, for real, to reaccelerate growth. And doing something about it. And getting even more driven and aggressive.

And

The ones where you hear about how we are in a downturn.

Which founder are you going to be?

So. Stay alert, adjust quickly, and have the courage to move forward. The best time to capture market is during change.

Don't waste energy fearing change, prepare for it, adapt to it, and find ways to make it work in your favor.

Everything changes, yet, in reality, nothing changes. Founders will always face shifting landscapes. Be ready.

The market is shifting. What are you going to do about it?

As always, if I can be of service, feel free to grab time.

LFG.

-- James

Not A Subscriber?

Join 140k+ StartUp Founders reading my weekly newsletter offering tactical insights to start, scale, and fund their startup. Real advice from a 3x exited founder.


‪8424 Santa Monica Blvd, Suite A523, Los Angeles, CA 90069
Unsubscribe · Preferences

StartUp To ScaleUp

Where 140k+ founders read my weekly newsletter offering tactical insights to start, scale, and fund their startup. Real advice from a 3x exited founder.

Read more from StartUp To ScaleUp
The Golden Rule

Hey Reader, Every founder is driven by the pursuit of advantage. The shortcuts, insights, frameworks, and sparks that, just maybe, ignite the one idea, the one insight, the unlock code that can be leveraged. One goal. Move faster, smarter, better. Last week's newsletter, on founders navigating the space between what was and what will be... resonated... <join in> The great thing about someone else's method is that one of two things will happen: Either you'll embrace it, find that it works for...

Hero Stories

Hey Reader, Startup culture is built on a lie: the myth that other founders are somehow better than you. That they know exactly what they’re doing and execute flawlessly. (𝕏) These hero stories paint a picture where every decision was inevitable, every move was calculated, and the outcomes obvious. Nope. For everyone, it was a whole lot of chaos, guessing, hoping, and praying. Stop holding yourself to impossible standards, stop comparing your behind-the-scenes reality to someone else’s...

The Dip

Hey Reader, There’s a part of the startup journey that’s brutal and rarely mentioned. The Dip. The exact opposite of the adrenaline, excitement & energy of the beginning. The Dip feels like a deep, personal struggle, and yet, it's a universal founder experience. (𝕏) The Dip isn't burnout. That's different. It's also not procrastination. That's avoiding (the right) work. The Dip is the lag between momentum and traction. When your adrenaline has burned out but reality hasn't caught up - the...