September is starting out strong – here’s what else is in stock (including some special deals today)
We’ve been crazy busy over the past few weeks, including new contracts signed around Labor Day: good news for the economy!
(Even though S&P 500’s deep dive started – a traditional drop in September despite the positive economic outlook. Taking a deep breath there with some hits in my portfolio.)
Strong B2B economic signals
Bottom line, we see more capital flowing back into the economy in preparation for Q4 and the heavy buying season.
Even with the slow summer:
- part of our portfolio had a strong August with some launches
- some saw successful campaigns over the Labor Day weekend
- and some were unlucky in August, but saw an instant massive boost on Sep 3 after everyone got back from holidays and got busy setting up for Q4 success
Considering the extra boost from SEO after the Aug 15 update, we see this clearly on the agency front with more demand on a daily basis.
GTM hack: Content + Partnerships
When it comes to go-to-market strategy, there are different popular motions (this has been covered in depth in my book, “MBA Disrupted”, which made it to top 10 bestsellers in Entrepreneurship Management earlier this week again):
one of my guides from MBA Disrupted
Two popular and effective motions are Inbound (content-led) and Partnerships.
And what’s proven to work over the years is:
- Blogs worked great for 2 decades
- Partnerships can cross-reference leads and share prospect data
- Some publishers run partner publications (multi-author, especially media companies)
- Newsletters are crushing it
- Podcasts with guests are growing in popularity
When you put two and two together, the secret niche I see uncovering in 2025 is:
MULTI-AUTHOR NEWSLETTERS ON BEEHIIV/SUBSTACK🗞️
A combination of a media site and a newsletter that grows faster through a dozen industry experts chipping in, sharing crowdsourced knowledge, and providing more value vs. individuals.
This can work in one of two different ways:
- Multiple people start a publication together
- Someone starts an affiliated publication with a cohort of 20+ creators, featuring their content and know-how continuously (the best of the best)
Another secret worth mentioning here is: there are great ideas out there with AI or content hacks that lack operators. I’ve seen some operator-only communities, but raising more of these will shape a cohort of co-founders who are great at managing processes and growing the KPIs one week at a time.
And if you want to get started today, all you need is a US LLC registered & fully kept in check with professional CPAs thanks to doola. 🦾
- Go to doola.com
- Use the coupon code REFERAFOUNDER30 for a 30% off this month
It’s the ultimate solution to run this independently and get all accounting troubles sorted for you, all year long.
Thanks for reading this issue – and forward this email to a founder or executive in your network to make them 0.1% smarter today.
📈If you want to scale up your martech channels for Q4, DevriX’s EaaS service is here for you (starts at $3k/mo, average plans $5K – $10K for a full-service approach)
🦸♂️Want to work with me directly? My flat $1,800/mo async plan will be your fractional CXO resource going forward.
Yours,
Mario
My Take
First, check out ep. 2 of the Growth Blueprint podcast talking B2B email courses and ghostwriting:
✍️MBA Disrupted Back On Top 10 – “MBA Disrupted” jumping back among the top 10 sellers today! 🚀With the new school year starting, future entrepreneurs equip themselves with the right strategic workbooks.
✍️The 18-Step Advisory Framework – Discover the 18-step framework for over 400 companies, helping them tackle the core business challenges that often go unnoticed by executives. Drawing from my experience as the founder of DevriX and GrowthShuttle, I’m sharing the strategies we’ve used to guide businesses through the complexities of scaling and optimizing their operations.
✍️B2B Podcasts Are The Highest ROI GTM – The first episode of the Growth Blueprint featuring Ryan Sullivan, founder of Podcast Principles, the mastermind behind some of the most successful B2B video podcasts on the planet. Ryan has interviewed titans like Chris Walker in his shows, the demand gen king of dark social and tracking attribution through non-obvious channels (link to the episode below
Business Strategy
📃Decision time for AI safety bill – Whether the controversial California AI safety Bill—SB 047—comes into power or not, is now in the hands of Governor Gavin Newsom. Newsom has a lot of weighing up to do between now and September 30th, when he has to give his final vote.
📃Pinterest surpasses X? – This summer, nearly a third of brand and retailer pros (30%) said their companies had posted content on Pinterest in the last month, compared with fewer than a quarter (21%) who said the same of X.
📃Brazil’s X ban passes in court – All five judges on the top court panel voted in favor of the decision to shut down the platform formerly known as Twitter during a virtual trial on Monday. X can still appeal the decision, after the conclusion of the hearing.
📃America’s massive hotel strike – Baltimore hotel workers are joining a massive nationwide strike against three major hotel chains during one of the biggest travel holidays of the year. Unite Here, the union representing hotel workers said approximately 200 hotel workers walked off the job in Baltimore at the Hilton Inner Harbor this morning.
📃Google Ads adds product categories – Google Ads added a new Categories tab under the Products section. It appears to pull from the google_product_category attribute. These ecommerce insights may give you a clearer view of performance metrics, demand trends and actionable recommendations to drive more clicks and sales.
Global News
📈 The market can stay irrational longer than you can stay solvent is the old adage attributed, probably incorrectly, to the famed economist John Maynard Keynes. Frothy rather than irrational is a better description for the stock market this year, but it’s hard to argue that there haven’t been some recent periods of jaw-dropping valuations.
- S&P 500: $5,528(-2.12%)
📈National mortgage rates were mostly lower compared to a week ago, according to Bankrate data. Average rates for 30-year fixed, 15-year fixed and jumbo mortgages each decreased, while rates for adjustable rate mortgages rose.
- 30-year mortgage rate: 6.46%
- 15-year mortgage rate: 5.94%
📈When Jerome Powell delivered a high-profile speech last month, the Federal Reserve chair came the closest he ever had to declaring that the inflation surge that gripped the nation for three painful years was now essentially defeated.
And not only that. The Fed’s high interest rates, Powell said, had managed to achieve that goal without causing a widely predicted recession and high unemployment.
📰 Here are some of the most prominent headlines this week:
- Germany’s far-right party is set to win the most votes in a state election for the first time since the Nazis, exit polls show.
- Former President Trump said that if elected, his administration would protect access to IVF and have either the government or insurance companies cover the cost of the service for Americans who need it.
- Netanyahu speaks as protesters fill the streets demanding that the Israeli prime minister do more to secure a ceasefire and hostage release deal.
Investment News
- Questo– the travel startup used by 500,000 people worldwide, is raising €630,000 in funding round to scale its gamified event solution.
- I Love Failure – raising €300,000 to expand its platform dedicated to personal and professional growth.
- Maskots – raising €200,000 to expand its pet care app, helping pet owners keep their animals happy and healthy.
Note: Got a round going that you want to feature – your own business or a portfolio company? Get in touch.
Now let’s have a look at the latest top Flippa offers
Well-Aged Antivirus Blog – This antivirus comparison content site drives $885K annually through affiliate sales and has achieved double digit profit growth, year-on-year, since 2021.
- Monthly profit: $73,790
- Monthly page views: 88,106
- Business age: 10 years
Skin-safe Jewelry Ecommerce – This ecommerce store in the jewellery niche features a brand with a strong reputation and a retail store in Melbourne.
- Monthly profit: $14,534
- Monthly page views: 1,091,737
- Business age: 6 years
Skin-safe Jewelry Ecommerce – This ecommerce store in the jewellery niche features a brand with a strong reputation and a retail store in Melbourne.
- Monthly profit: $14,534
- Monthly page views: 1,091,737
- Business age: 6 years
Amazon Freebie and Discount SaaS – This SaaS business features an innovative platform that leverages stackable coupons and is monetized through a monthly subscription.
- Annual profit: $282,000
- Active subscribers: 400
- Business age: 2 years
Need My Help?
I’m involved with a number of initiatives – here’s what I can do to help you:
🌐Scalable and secure WordPress? DevriX provides WordPress retainers to SMEs, publishers, eCommerce, SaaS, and more. Our plans start from $1,200/mo to $40K/mo for anything from support through engineering, CRO, performance, security, to fractional CXO services and managing the data stacks of large corps.
🚀Want to scale and optimize your business? Growth Shuttle offers personalized advisory plans starting at $600/hr. Tap into my personal pool of business know-how and my data warehouse of industry data.
👥 Want access to my blueprints/books and a weekly Slack planning session? Join my Community and grab my Entrepreneurship book.
📈Looking to start a US company? Check out doola and their “Business in a Box” model. Suitable for both foreigners and US citizens and both for residents and non-residents.
📊Have you tried buying and selling digital property? Have a look at Flippa’s marketplace. They offer a vast variety of online businesses for any buyer’s interest. Or if you’re ready for an exit, Flippa provides you with the necessary tools to list your business and close the deal.
💼Looking for investment opportunities? Check out SeedBlink and use Nimity to manage it.
💡Eager to incorporate my recommended solutions? Track my angel investments. Sharing, applying for open roles, or writing reviews helps a ton. And anything else I try to publish on my blog and my courses here!
