Bundling writing software, rating AI output using AI, local recommendations, rucking, Fuckarounditis, ...

Hey,

this is Jakob Greenfeld, author of the Business Brainstorms newsletter - every week I write this email to help you level up your entrepreneurial game.

Let's dive into today's ideas, trends, and opportunities.

💡 Opportunities

• “Are there an AI models to rate/rank images by aesthetics? Like it'd be nice to let AI itself curate the best pics AI makes” - Pieter Levels

  • One of the biggest problems with current machine-learning models is that their output can be very inconsistent. So it’s usually impossible to use them to fully automate tasks. You always need a human-in-the-loop to quality check and curate outputs.

  • This is not just true for text-to-image models but also text-to-text models. Everyone using one of the popular API’s (like OpenAI’s) is spending a ton of time writing custom algorithms to filter out unwanted outputs.

• “Gen-Z is turning to short-form videos (TikTok, Shorts, Reels) for food recommendations. How will the iconic 3-star Michelin Guide restaurant review system adapt?” - Trung Phan

  • I’ve been traveling a bit more recently and found it frustratingly hard to find local recommendations (where to eat? where to stay? what to eat and drink? where to train? where to work? what to do?) that match my taste. The information you find one Google is completely useless. Most of the content is written by people who very obviously have never done what they’re writing about. Reddit is a bit better but most of the recommendations are kind of generic and boring. Many useful recommendations are buried deep in closed local Facebook groups. TikTok has also been surprisingly useful. A short video often gives a much better impression of what an experience will be like. It’s also much harder to fake compared to a blog post. You actually have to visit the place to create a video.

  • But still I feel like this discovery process shouldn’t be so hard and random. Create different personas (or maybe just start with one). Then create highly curated lists of specific recommendations for each city for each persona. No listicles, just the absolute best things. Put the recommendations behind a paywall to make sure incentives are aligned.

  • For example by far the best thing we did in Stockholm was to rent an eBike (costs $2/day), use it to randomly explore Djurgården (No need to visit any of the museums there. The island is stunning in itself.), and afterward grabbing amazing non-alcoholic cocktails The Nest rooftop bar. We discovered both of these experiences completely randomly despite doing extensive research. I definitely would pay to get these kind of specific recommendations for cities I’m traveling to.

  • Yes, there are travel guides. But I don’t know any that are actually useful. They all seem to contains the same unopinionated lists of museums. Also Nomad List in theory could be a solution, at least for one specific persona, but currently definitely isn’t. What I want is specific recommendations from a real person with similar taste. So asking friends is a great solution that, however, doesn't work for most people for most cities.

• “Writing software is unbundled. Each feature has its own app. Grammarly for grammar. Hemingway for rhythm. Most Dangerous Writing App for flow. Miro for structure. Google Docs for feedback. Lose the Very for words. It’s a pain. I'd pay $250/year for a comprehensive writing app.” - Michael Dean

📈 Trend Signal

• Rucking is a type of cardio that involves carrying a heavy backpack filled with weight, such as sandbags, while walking or running.

• One reason rucking is becoming increasingly popular is that it’s recommended in Michael Easter’s bestseller The Comfort Crisis.

• It’s especially great for anyone who struggles to fit exercise into their schedule. You can ruck while going on a walk, during phone calls, or when grabbing a coffee. Very easy to get a meaningful workout done with no time cost.

👨‍🎓 Framework

• The Framework: Fuckarounditis.

• Explanation: Fuckarounditis is a behavioral disorder characterized by a complete lack of real-world progress, despite significant amounts of time invested. Fuckarounditis most commonly manifests itself as an intense preoccupation with designing logos, printing business cards, and dreaming up infrastructure that scales. Fear of launching and marketing is another distinguishing trait.

  Doing things that don’t scale or activities that require overcoming The Resistance are either completely lacking or misapplied

• (free after Martin Berkhan)

🧙‍♂️Take my advice 

Meredith Wheeler is the founder of Sesh Coworking, Houston's first female-centered coworking space.

How did you spot the gap in the market for Sesh Coworking?

I have always been drawn to the idea of running my own business, but didn't find the time right until I found myself at home with my first child, unwilling to return to a job I did not enjoy following maternity leave.  As I explored, tested and subsequently quit several business ideas, I found myself feeling lonely, unsure and lacking confidence.  I longed for a community who could relate to my journey.  As I explored coworking spaces in the area with my infant in tow, I didn't feel that the spaces I visited were meant for me.  It was then that I knew my calling was to create a community and workspace designed for the communities most underrepresented in the entrepreneurial world - women, Communities of Color and the LGBT Community.

If you could start all over again, what would you do differently? 

I wouldn't change a thing because I believe that everything happens as it's meant to.  However, I would encourage myself to stop wasting so much energy worrying that I did not deserve a seat at the table. This is a very a common fear among women and due to no fault of our own, but one that only serves to hold us back.  The only question we should be thinking about is whether we WANT a seat at the table.  If the answer is yes, go for it.  If the answer is no, go find the table where you do want a seat.

What trend or opportunity would you take advantage of if you were not too busy building Sesh Coworking?

I would get involved in the sponsorship world, ideally playing the connector by helping brands and communities form valued partnerships.  I've learned through building Sesh that there are so many big brands who want to get in touch with their ideal clients and are willing to put money forward to make this happen.  It's all about understanding the goals and values of each brand and the goals and values of the communities who are looking to connect.

💸 Revenue Signals

• Teachable, 9 months in, was only at ~$5K in MRR. But 9 months after, they hit $1M+ in ARR.

• EverydayCarry.com makes $1k/day in affiliate commisions. (“A peek into the pockets of people worldwide, showcasing our every day essentials.")

• Elephas just hit $1k MRR. (“World's first AI writer that integrates with your Mac.”)

📚 Read this: Scott DeLong’s $500k challenge

• My favorite business content is when someone a few steps ahead of me is doing something interesting and then takes me along for the ride.

• Scott DeLong’s “$20k Into $500k In 1 Year” challenge is a perfect example of that.

• Scott is the guy behind ViralNova. (If you haven’t heard of Viral Nova before, you should read this amazing summary by Glen Allsopp.)

• Now he’s trying build a website that sells for $500,000+ in one year with a $20k budget.

• I’m learning a ton from his weekly emails like this one.

📢 Shoutouts

• TRUST-able. Become a reputable, trusted-advisor in your market niche. Actionable insights for indie entrepreneurs. Monthly.

End Note

As always, if you’re enjoying this report, I’d love it if you shared it with a friend or two. You can send them here to sign up.

Have a great week,

Jakob

PS: Wanna partner with me? If you are interested in reaching my audience, click here.