Branding, Big Bets & Bold Moves

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1. Welcome

Dear Reader

Thanks for helping bridge the gap between entrepreneurs and investors. It’s good to have you here! It’s my final week in Stellenbosch so my regular video content will soon resume. Text updates are great but the algorithm far prefers video and so do I!

2. Weekly Spotlight

• 63% of entrepreneurs want to improve their personal brand to better promote their businesses. I’ll start showing you how:

• Start a weekly newsletter – it's a game-changer for visibility and credibility. More here.
• What to post in 2025? Stick to content that entertains, inspires, or educates. Watch more.
• LinkedIn’s hidden advantage: A meritocracy in disguise—I get 2.5M views per video with under 10K followers. So can you. Watch this to learn more.

3. VC Perspective

• Helion promises fusion electricity by 2028 – a bold claim or a realistic breakthrough? Backed by Sam Altman & Peter Thiel, they’ve just raised another $425M to make it happen. Is fusion always '20 years away,' or is disruption finally here? Let us know your thoughts here.

4. Entrepreneur Corner

• Starbucks’ decline isn’t about homelessness. It’s about: ? Overpriced coffee (￡6 for dishwater) ?? Sugar-loaded drinks (14 tsps in some) ?? Tipping culture fatigue ?? Corporate controversy…

…and overall abusing customers in the pursuit of profit. That’s not how startups will win in 2025. What do you think?

• Diana & Roma (kids YouTubers) are worth $90M – proof that content creation is a serious business. Let’s discuss.

5. Common Ground / Industry Trends

• Nvidia dips 16%—but no, this isn’t the DotCom bubble bursting again. Most people are still long on NVDA. Are you?
• DeepSeek vs. OpenAI: Did China copy OpenAI’s model, or is this just investor panic? Didn’t OpenAI copy humans in the first place? Jump into the conversation.
• Efficiency is the future: AI breakthroughs are making tech cheaper and more sustainable regardless so we should celebrate and start building!

6. Ask Alex

How do you fairly allocate startup equity?

• Key factors: Risk, value contribution, and decision-making power.
• The 49%-51% dilemma: What would you adjust for? Discuss here.

7. Detours and Closing Thoughts

• Was COVID a Wuhan lab leak? The CIA now says it’s "more likely than not." I think we ought to to be told the truth given the pandemic’s brutal impact on startups: Supply chain chaos, lost markets, forced pivots, and VC funding shifts. Your thoughts?
• Trump’s bold idea: Abolish income tax & replace it with tariffs—smart or disastrous? Have your say here.

Join the conversation and let’s keep pushing forward—together!

Best, Alex

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