Minimum Viable - Nov. 10, 2025

“My review of our solar system: one star” - numerous dads
⭐️ One-star review outreach automation for small businesses (favorite reviews at the end)
🥱 Silicon Valley startups adopting China’s 996 schedule
💸 Wingstop sold for $532million, now it’s founder is back to work
🏋️‍♂️ 30 day discipline challenge
📖 Pre-cut magazine letters for totally normal use

⭐️ One-Star Review Outreach Automation for Small Businesses

IDEA: Small businesses rely on word of mouth, referrals, and, maybe most importantly, reviews. One single bad review can sink a mom and pop shop overnight especially if they have a low amount of ratings. It is an incredibly unfair system since one-star reviews are always extremely biased, provide virtually no context, and may have been based on completely arbitrary issues and not the company itself. Small businesses need a way to combat one-star reviews and make things right.

PRODUCT: Create an automation service that integrates with business review sites like Yelp, Tripadvisor, and Google Reviews. When a one-star review is submitted, the company will automatically send the reviewer an apology or message from owners, a promotional offer, and an invitation to return. The owners will also receive contact information for the reviewer to reach out personally. Have the automation service send an additional follow up email with a link to the original review asking them to delete or update the review.

MVP: Integrated email automation that reaches out to one-star review writers with a promotional offer, message from owners, and invitation to return.

REVENUE MODEL: Low cost subscription based model and commission for customer return or review deletion.

EXIT STRATEGY: Sell to a large review service like Yelp, TripAdvisor, or Google for 4-7x revenue.

Publication: Wired

Link: Silicon Valley AI Startups Are Embracing China’s Controversial ‘996’ Work Schedule

Summary: Startups in the US, particularly in the AI sector, are increasingly embracing the 996 work schedule: 9AM. to 9PM, six days a week. Originating in China, this routine became linked with workplace protests and accusations of modern slavery there. US firms say they need such intensity to keep up in the global AI race. Some even make readiness to work these hours a pre-condition for interview. While some founders say employees must lead the pace, many suggest such hours may be optional or limited to the “most committed” tier.

Spin: Hard pass. When starting a company, you may have to work some odd or extended hours, but those shouldn’t be the norm. Especially when you are building something that is meant to make work more efficient like AI. This schedule essentially means that you are pledging your existence to a company that you may not even get equity in. I’ll say it again for good measure: hard pass.

Publication: Yahoo! Finance

Link: This Millennial Sold His Startup for $532 Million — Now He's Back To Work Out of Boredom

Summary: Tom Grogan, cofounder of Wingstop UK, sold his startup for $532 million. The company experienced rapid growth before being acquired at that high valuation. Following the sale, despite his financial windfall, the founder returned to work because he found retirement “boring” and still wants to stay active in building things. He said that the deal gives him freedom, but not motivation to stop. His story reflects the trend of founders who continue working post‐exit rather than stepping away completely.

Spin: Tom Grogan is only 34 years old. With the life expectancy of in the UK being ~79 years for males, I would challenge anyone to do nothing for 45 years. Even if you have millions and achieved greatness, not focusing on anything you’re passionate about would be a truly miserable existence. It doesn’t have to be work necessarily. If I sold a company and had all my financial needs and wants met, I would at least travel and follow Kentucky Basketball and Tottenham for a few seasons. Reply to this email and let me know what you would do if you had a large exit and never had to work again.

Today’s motivation comes actually comes from you: intrinsic motivation. Maybe you don’t feel it right now, but if you are going to be a successful entrepreneur you are going to need that intrinsic motivation and discipline. When you are disciplined, you are unstoppable. The good news is that if you are not particularly motivated or disciplined, you are not alone or out of luck. These things can be learned and its free. Check out the link below and get started on a 30 day challenge to become unstoppable (not a sponsor).

IDEA: Not all letters comprised exclusively of cut out magazine letters are nefarious. Sometimes you just want to want to write an anonymous letter. It’s not weird. But compiling letters to use in your blackmail normal correspondence can be an exhausting and lengthy process. What if you need the letter “Q” or an exclamation mark? How many magazines would you need to go through?

Sell an assortment of letters and symbols in different fonts and sizes cut at random angles on glossy magazine paper for creative people to use in crafting projects… or anything else they may think of.

Send us an email! Let us know what you’re building, what you thought about today’s newsletter, or whatever else is on your mind.