๐Ÿค– AI Email Marketing ๐Ÿ’Ž Positioning Value ๐Ÿ“Œ Reddit Startup Ideas


This weekโ€™s Founder Finds includes:

๐Ÿค 27 places to find co-founders
๐ŸŒž The importance of compliments
๐Ÿ’ฌ A transcription app for meetings
๐Ÿ“Œ Generating startup ideas from Reddit
๐Ÿค– How to use ChatGPT for email marketing
๐Ÿ’Ž How to find the real value of your product
โš™๏ธ Setting up a life operating system in Notion
โžก๏ธ And moreโ€ฆ



๐Ÿชถ Remember This

Talent hits a target no one else can hit. Genius hits a target no one else can see.



๐Ÿค“ Fav Finds

Tools, tweets and more from Trends Pro Members


๐Ÿค– Email Marketing with ChatGPT written by Renae Gregoire
A guide on using ChatGPT to build an email marketing campaign


โš™๏ธ Notion Life Operating System shared by Eren Suzer
A Notion setup to maximize clarity and focus across all aspects of life


๐Ÿค 27 Places to Find Co-Founders shared by Royce Johnson
A list of places to meet potential co-founders



๐Ÿ“˜ Read This

Unbundling Reddit

Reddit has 138,000 subreddits. Each with its own set of users, rituals and problems.

Learn how to build a startup by serving the needs of users of an individual subreddit.

  • Find โ€ข Look for active subreddits with lots of followers.
  • Join โ€ข Ask questions, give answers, share resources.
  • See โ€ข Find patterns, repeated problems and hot topics.
  • Connect โ€ข Build a closer community outside of Reddit.
  • Build โ€ข Build a product that serves the needs of the community.
  • Improve โ€ข Iterate on your product to better serve the community.



๐ŸŒŸ Founder of the Week

Karthik Vijayakumar

โ€œIโ€™m glad I discovered Trends Pro. I really like standups. At first, I wondered what the point was. Every time I posted, some members would โ€œlikeโ€ my standup notes. But recently, I realized that reading other peopleโ€™s updates can teach me a lot. They help me build my one-person business.โ€


Karthik helps one-person businesses and early-stage startups define value propositions, positioning and nail messaging across different forms of media.


What’s your most important habit?
Short HIIT workouts, 30 minutes of running and drinking 3 liters of water every day.


What are you reading right now?
Finished reading $100M Leads by Alex Hormozi. Started re-reading Thereโ€™s a Customer Born Every Minute by Joe Vitale. It’s a great book about a man called P. T. Barnum (of Barnum & Bailey Circus) and his entrepreneurial genius.


What product are you obsessively using right now?
Claude for my writing and Tactiq for meetings. I love both.


What are you bullish on?
AI-powered learning. AI tools help me learn skills and topics faster than ever. What took me months to read and revise now takes minutes or hours.


What are you bearish on?
Unregulated AI. We need a master switch to prevent things such as a class action from the Authors Guild against ChatGPT. We need good policy-making to keep AI from becoming a bull in a china shop.


What’s your favorite Trends Report?
๐Ÿค‘ Million-Dollar, One-Person Businesses

It helped make a decision to start one myself.


What else?
Iโ€™m writing a book on finding your value proposition, nailing your positioning and crafting your messaging. If you have an experience with any of these, Iโ€™d love to hear what you know. Iโ€™m looking for founder stories to feature in the book. Stories help readers understand ideas better. If you have one, please send me an email. Mention โ€œTrends.vcโ€ in your email subject so I know where you come from.


Exclusive Deal: Karthik is offering the first 20 Trends.vc readers free two-month access to his No Excuses copywriting membership. Additionally, all Trends.vc readers get a free 30-day trial and 50% off the first year using the code TRENDS50.



๐Ÿ’ฌ Join the Conversation

Hereโ€™s what Trends Pro Members are talking aboutโ€ฆ



๐Ÿ”ง Try This

Thinking Something Nice About Someone?

People donโ€™t hear enough compliments.

Even famous people say the thanks from the public is the best part of the job.

The happiness of making a difference in peopleโ€™s lives is a motivation to keep going.

The next time someone makes a positive impact on your life, tell them your kind words of appreciation.



๐Ÿ‘€ Watch This

You Don’t Sell What You Think You Sell

The right positioning helps people understand what your product does and why they need it.

To find the right positioning, you need to identify the value of what you sell.

Josh Spector shares a few tips on how to find the real value of your product:

  • What are the alternatives?
  • Whatโ€™s their value proposition?
  • Why should customers choose you over them?



๐Ÿ† Trends Pro Member Wins

๐Ÿ‘ฅ Paris OG, Sandeeip Chincholkar and Ivan Zografski unlocked 1:1 Founder Intros by joining daily standups


โœ๏ธ Renae Gregoire launched the Beyond Copy newsletter


๐ŸŽฅ Errol Tiozon reached 100,000 total views on YouTube


๐Ÿง  Bernardt J. Vogel wrote a book review of Building a Second Brain


๐Ÿ„ Jesper Delporte launched The Surf Scout newsletter


๐Ÿ”ฎ Tony Tong was accepted into a local incubator with Mindreader


๐Ÿ“ Mehmet Gonullu signed a long-term consultancy contract


Get Weekly Reports

Join 65,000+ founders and investors


    ๐Ÿ“ˆ Unlock Pro Reports, 1:1 Intros and Masterminds

    Become a Trends Pro Member and join 1,200+ founders enjoying…

    ๐Ÿง  Founder Mastermind Groups โ€ข To share goals, progress and solve problems together, each group is made up of 6 members who meet for 1 hour each Monday.

    ๐Ÿ“ˆ 100+ Trends Pro Reports โ€ข To make sense of new markets, ideas and business models, check out our research reports.

    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1:1 Founder Intros โ€ข Make new friends, share lessons and find ways to help each other. Keep life interesting by meeting new founders each week.

    ๐Ÿง Daily Standups โ€ข Stay productive and accountable with daily, async standups. Unlock access to 1:1 chats, masterminds and more by building standup streaks.

    ๐Ÿ’ฒ 100k+ Startup Discounts โ€ข Get access to $100k+ in startup discounts on AWS, Twilio, Webflow, ClickUp and more.

    Live Streamers: Building Communities, Paid Subscriptions, Voice Cloning

    “Content is king, but engagement is queen, and the lady rules the house.” – Mari Smith

    Get Full Access to Trends Pro


    โ“ What You’ll Learn

    • Why should you become a virtual streamer?
    • How to stream content without restrictions?
    • Why are streamers using voice cloning?
    • How to boost your brand awareness?
    • How to keep your audience engaged when youโ€™re offline?
    • How to tap into new audiences?
    • How to boost your reach?
    • How to find the best viewer acquisition channel?
    • How to diversify your revenue?
    • How to use live donations to boost engagement?


    ๐Ÿ’Ž Why It Matters

    Live streamers can attract hundreds of thousands of real-time viewers.

    Which is more than most niche TV shows.


    ๐Ÿ” Problem

    We all need a break from reality sometimes.

    Where routine is replaced with unpredictable outcomes.

    We want to see what you see, hear what you hear and feel what you feel.


    ๐Ÿ’ก Solution

    Live streaming gives us unscripted moments, raw emotions and genuine interactions.

    You become a part of a tribe that escapes reality with a live, shared experience.


    ๐Ÿ Players

    Live Streamers

    Live Streaming Platforms

    • Twitch โ€ข Live streaming service focused on video games, e-sports and more
    • YouTube โ€ข Live stream to the worldโ€™s most popular video hosting platform
    • Facebook Live Launch live chats, workshops, Q&As and other online events
    • Kick โ€ข The most rewarding gaming and live-streaming platform
    • Crowdcast โ€ข Reach, engage and grow your community with live streams
    • Castr Platform for live streaming with video hosting

    Live Streaming Tools

    • OBS โ€ข Free and open-source tool for live streaming
    • StreamBeats โ€ข Copyright-free music for live streams
    • DonationAlerts โ€ข Interactive monetization tools
    • Printful โ€ข Make custom print-on-demand products


    ๐Ÿ”ฎ Predictions

    • Uncensored streaming platforms will let streamers create content without restrictions.
      • Livepeer is a video protocol for live and on-demand streaming.
      • Owncast is a free and open-source live video and web chat server.
      • PeerTube is a tool for building private video hosting and live-streaming networks.


    ๐Ÿ›  How to Build a Live Streaming Business

    • Do faceless live streaming to lower key-person risk.
      • LIRIK streams video games.
      • ironmouse streams gameplays, live chats and more.
      • BRIGHT SIDE streams animations on science, discoveries and more.
    • Use branded graphics to boost the recognition of your channel.
      • Banners help you brand your streamโ€™s web page.
      • Panels share important details about your stream.
      • Emotes let viewers express their feelings and reactions.
      • Overlays give a consistent look to on-screen elements, transitions and more.
      • Alert boxes and sounds draw attention to new subscribers, milestones and more.


    ๐ŸŒฑ How to Grow as a Live Streamer


    ๐Ÿ’ฐ How to Monetize as a Live Streamer


    ๐Ÿ˜  Haters

    โ€œLive streaming has a lot of key-person risk. The business stops if I stop streaming.โ€
    Faceless streams and virtual avatars can help you offset this risk. Another option is to run streams that are not focused on you and your voice as the creator. BRIGHT SIDE streams animations that donโ€™t need the live presence of the host.

    โ€œThere is less ability to edit myself. I might get banned or canceled for doing something live.โ€
    Community guidelines can help you avoid streaming inappropriate content. Be mindful about what youโ€™re saying or doing.

    โ€œI can expose my private data while sharing my screen.โ€
    Remember to switch scenes or pause screen sharing when entering sensitive data.

    โ€œMultistreaming is dividing the community and hurts engagement.โ€
    You can use multistreaming to see what channel performs best for your content. Then pick this channel and drop the rest.


    ๐Ÿ”— Links

    1. Building a Report on How To Grow and Monetize as a Live Streamer โ€ข The Tweet behind this report.
    2. Guide on Video Lighting โ€ข How to set up quality lighting for video production.
    3. How to Grow an Audience โ€ข Tips on getting views, virtual gifts and loyal fans.


    ๐Ÿ“ Related Reports

    • โ€‹โ€‹โ€‹โ€‹โ€‹Online Events โ€ข A cost-effective and scalable way to spread your message
    • Virtual Influencers โ€ข Create the ideal brand ambassador from scratch
    • Personal Brands โ€ข You need to show why you are worth trust and attention
    • The Creator Economy โ€ข Democratized code and distribution help you focus on what youโ€™re good at
    • Audience-First Products โ€ข Build trust before building products


    ๐Ÿ™ Thanks

    Thanks to Stewart Townsend. We had a great time jamming on this report.

    โœ๏ธ Emin researched and wrote this report. Dru researched and edited this report.


    ๐Ÿ“ˆ What else?

    Trends PRO #0131 โ€” Live Streamers has more insights.

    What youโ€™ll get:

    • 11 Live Streamers (120% More)
    • 12 Live Streaming Platforms (100% More)
    • 8 Live Streaming Tools (100% More)
    • 7 Predictions (133% More)
    • 6 Ways to build as a Live Streamer (100% More)
    • 8 Ways to grow as a Live Streamer (167% More)
    • 6 Ways to monetize as a Live Streamer (100% More)
    • 9 Links (200% More)

    With Trends Pro youโ€™ll learn:

    • (๐Ÿ“ˆ Pro) How will decentralized streaming platforms attract users?
    • (๐Ÿ“ˆ Pro) How to boost engagement with interactive streams?
    • (๐Ÿ“ˆ Pro) Who raised $43,000,000 for charity?
    • (๐Ÿ“ˆ Pro) How to pick the right hardware?
    • (๐Ÿ“ˆ Pro) How to host adventure streams?
    • (๐Ÿ“ˆ Pro) How can traditional video makers tap into live streaming?
    • (๐Ÿ“ˆ Pro) Where to connect with your fans?
    • (๐Ÿ“ˆ Pro) How to run โ€œendlessโ€ streams?
    • (๐Ÿ“ˆ Pro) How can you boost your reach with on-demand videos?
    • (๐Ÿ“ˆ Pro) How can you monetize your traffic?
    • (๐Ÿ“ˆ Pro) How to get a cut of ad revenue?
    • (๐Ÿ“ˆ Pro) How to make a living as a full-time streamer?
    • (๐Ÿ“ˆ Pro) What are 38 fun ways to liven up your stream?
    • (๐Ÿ“ˆ Pro) How to set up text-to-speech alerts for donations?
    • And much moreโ€ฆ

    Get Weekly Reports

    Join 65,000+ founders and investors


      ๐Ÿ“ˆ Unlock Pro Reports, 1:1 Intros and Masterminds

      Become a Trends Pro Member and join 1,200+ founders enjoying…

      ๐Ÿง  Founder Mastermind Groups โ€ข To share goals, progress and solve problems together, each group is made up of 6 members who meet for 1 hour each Monday.

      ๐Ÿ“ˆ 100+ Trends Pro Reports โ€ข To make sense of new markets, ideas and business models, check out our research reports.

      ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1:1 Founder Intros โ€ข Make new friends, share lessons and find ways to help each other. Keep life interesting by meeting new founders each week.

      ๐Ÿง Daily Standups โ€ข Stay productive and accountable with daily, async standups. Unlock access to 1:1 chats, masterminds and more by building standup streaks.

      ๐Ÿ’ฒ 100k+ Startup Discounts โ€ข Get access to $100k+ in startup discounts on AWS, Twilio, Webflow, ClickUp and more.

      ๐ŸŽฏ Scientific Goal Setting ๐Ÿค Negotiation Tips โšก Fast Startup Validation


      This weekโ€™s Founder Finds includes:

      ๐ŸŽฏ A goal setting guide
      ๐Ÿ‹๏ธ A workout tracker app
      ๐Ÿค How to negotiate with clients
      โœจ How to rebrand your company
      0๏ธโƒฃ What is zeroth principles thinking
      โšก The fastest way to validate a SaaS
      ๐Ÿงฐ Resources to learn entrepreneurship
      โžก๏ธ And moreโ€ฆ



      ๐Ÿชถ Remember This

      Don’t be afraid to give up good to go for great.



      ๐Ÿค“ Fav Finds

      Tools, tweets and more from Trends Pro Members


      โšก Fast SaaS Validation shared by Elie Steinbock
      A short video on how to validate your idea fast


      ๐Ÿงฐ Techstars Entrepreneurโ€™s Toolkit shared by Royce Johnson
      Resources to learn the basics of entrepreneurship


      0๏ธโƒฃ Zeroth Principles Thinking shared by Prabhjot Singh Lamba
      A video on challenging fundamental assumptions. Read more about it here



      ๐Ÿ“˜ Read This

      Behind the Rebrand

      Jay Clouse just rebranded his business and newsletter.

      He dives deep into the rebranding process and its challenges:

      • When to rebrand?
      • What makes a good brand?
      • How to find flaws in your current brand?
      • How to lower the rebranding risks by talking to your audience?



      ๐ŸŒŸ Founder of the Week

      Tony Tong

      โ€œTrends Pro has been keeping me disciplined in updating my daily progress. As a founder, having an accountability group is quite important. It’s a whole different identity and mentality to be your own boss.โ€œ


      Tony is building Mindreader. It helps salespeople in high-ticket industries (insurance, real estate, consulting) boost sales by 10-50% using their AI profiling system. Which was trained in the leading banks, insurance and real estate companies in Asia. 


      What’s your most important habit?
      Taking notes. It helps me learn new things and remember important decisions I have already made. As a CTO, it helps me track my tasks across management, design and AI research.


      What are you reading right now?
      Iโ€™ve just read The Mom Test by Rob Fitzpatrick to learn how to talk to users and understand their needs. This book uncovered some poor Biz Dev practices that were causing zombie leads.


      What product or service do you wish existed?
      A device that could read our mind and generate images or videos to help others understand what we are talking about. It does sound quite apocalyptic though. This would rewrite so many social norms.


      What product are you obsessively using right now?
      Hevy to track my weights and exercises. It has a cool feature that lets me see when my friends track their workout. It is a good motivation to go to the gym more often.


      What are you bullish on?
      I’m bullish on my success as long as I keep iterating and getting better.


      What are you bearish on?
      I’m bearish on getting people to change. I focus on my life instead and let people do what they want. This is great for my inner peace.


      What’s your favorite Trends Report?
      ๐Ÿ–๏ธ Chrome Extensions as I want to build one for Mindreader.


      What else?
      Iโ€™m happy to connect with founders in the sales or lead generation space.

      I’m shipping 3 AI chatbot features this year. Let’s chat if this interests you!


      Exclusive Deal: Tony if offering Trends.vc readers 75% off any Mindreader plan with the code โ€œCRAZY75โ€.



      ๐Ÿ’ฌ Join the Conversation

      Hereโ€™s what Trends Pro Members are talking aboutโ€ฆ



      ๐Ÿ‘€ Watch This

      When Client Says “Your Price Is Too High”

      Chris Do and Mo Ismail act out a role play scenario where Mo is the vendor and needs a video for $1,000. While Chris navigates this obstacle knowing his minimum level of engagement is $4,000.



      ๐Ÿ”ง Try This

      How to Set Goals (Backed by Science)

      Goals are a great source of satisfaction and purpose in our lives.

      There are 2 types of goals:

      • Specific goals โ€ข Lose 20 pounds of weight.
      • General goals โ€ข Be a healthy human being.

      Specific goals help you achieve tangible outcomes. General goals keep you motivated and honest.

      You should balance specific and general goals to prevent negative outcomes from pursuing your dreams.

      You donโ€™t want to lose 20 pounds by living off pretzels and carrot juice for 1 year.



      ๐Ÿ† Trends Pro Member Wins

      ๐Ÿ‘ฅ Rishabh Singh, Mike Giannakopoulos and Aurรฉlien Vasinis unlocked 1:1 Founder Intros by joining daily standups


      โœ๏ธ Renae Gregoire launched a column on Forbes


      ๐Ÿฉบ Bernardt J. Vogel wrote about generative AI in healthcare


      ๐Ÿ‘จโ€๐Ÿ’ป Elie Steinbock launched the Open Source Explored newsletter


      ๐Ÿ’ก Mehmet Gonullu launched the waitlist for Ventures Fabrika


      ๐Ÿ’ฌ Maisha Cannon wrote about chatbots on Poe


      ๐Ÿ’ฐ Abhishek Kumar signed $8,000 worth of market research projects and was invited to a podcast


      ๐Ÿง  Eren Suzer unlocked Trends.vc Masterminds by reaching a 30-day standup streak


      Get Weekly Reports

      Join 65,000+ founders and investors


        ๐Ÿ“ˆ Unlock Pro Reports, 1:1 Intros and Masterminds

        Become a Trends Pro Member and join 1,200+ founders enjoying…

        ๐Ÿง  Founder Mastermind Groups โ€ข To share goals, progress and solve problems together, each group is made up of 6 members who meet for 1 hour each Monday.

        ๐Ÿ“ˆ 100+ Trends Pro Reports โ€ข To make sense of new markets, ideas and business models, check out our research reports.

        ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1:1 Founder Intros โ€ข Make new friends, share lessons and find ways to help each other. Keep life interesting by meeting new founders each week.

        ๐Ÿง Daily Standups โ€ข Stay productive and accountable with daily, async standups. Unlock access to 1:1 chats, masterminds and more by building standup streaks.

        ๐Ÿ’ฒ 100k+ Startup Discounts โ€ข Get access to $100k+ in startup discounts on AWS, Twilio, Webflow, ClickUp and more.

        Niche AI Models: No-Code, Open-Source, Communities

        “It is difficult to think of a major industry that AI will not transform.” – Andrew Ng

        Get Full Access to Trends Pro


        โ“ What You’ll Learn

        • How can niche AI models make you more productive?
        • Who is crowdsourcing niche AI data?
        • Why should you customize existing AI models?
        • How to build niche AI models by solving your own problems?
        • How to get early customers and feedback?
        • Who is building niche AI models in public?
        • Why should you open-source your AI model?
        • Who built 700+ models with no-code tools?
        • How to build an AI clone of yourself?
        • Why do tech giants acquire niche AI startups?


        ๐Ÿ’Ž Why It Matters

        Niche AI models do some tasks better and faster than humans.


        ๐Ÿ” Problem

        You want to do specific tasks more accurately and efficiently.


        ๐Ÿ’ก Solution

        Niche AI models are fine-tuned to perform well on domain-specific tasks.


        ๐Ÿ Players

        Niche AI Models

        • Pi โ€ข AI personal assistant
        • Runway โ€ข AI for video production
        • GitHub Copilot โ€ข AI for programmers
        • Krisp โ€ข AI to make meetings more productive 
        • Character AI โ€ข AI to create interactive characters
        • Ada โ€ข AI for customer support
        • Chirp โ€ข AI for analyzing speech

        AI Model Directories 

        • Hugging Face โ€ข Marketplace for open-source AI models
        • Gravity AI โ€ข Catalog of free and paid AI models
        • Modelplace โ€ข Marketplace for image-detection models

        AI Modeling Tools


        ๐Ÿ”ฎ Predictions


        ๐Ÿ›  How to Build Niche AI Models

        • Customize existing AI models to save time and money training your own models from scratch.


        ๐ŸŒฑ How to Grow Niche AI Models

        • Build an open-source alternative to proprietary AI models to gain recognition and get community contributions.ย 


        ๐Ÿ’ฐ How to Monetize Niche AI Models

        • Offer enterprise plans for companies that want to access the top features.
          • Mem offers more custom-trained models to enterprises.
          • Fireflies offers private storage for enterprises with sensitive data.
          • Krisp offers dedicated 24/7 customer support for enterprise clients.


        ๐Ÿ˜  Haters

        โ€œChatGPT can already solve niche problems with prompt engineering.โ€
        Sure. But your customers donโ€™t have the time to learn how to prompt ChatGPT. Runway makes high-quality video for creators. Suki automates admin work for doctors. People need tools to solve specific problems without complicated prompts.

        โ€œItโ€™s hard to compete with large companies with proprietary data.โ€
        Large companies canโ€™t focus on every niche because they serve the masses. Use open-source AI platforms and access public data directories to solve problems for an underserved niche.

        โ€œBuilding a niche AI model seems hard.โ€
        It depends on what youโ€™re building. You can build useful models by customizing pre-trained models or using no-code tools. Online tutorials and developer communities can help you with anything more complex.ย 

        โ€œNiche AI models can still give wrong answers.โ€
        Humans also make mistakes. Keep them focused on the tasks theyโ€™re designed for and always verify their output. Theyโ€™re meant to help you do your job. Not do it for you.


        ๐Ÿ”— Links

        1. Building a Report About Creating and Monetizing Niche AI Models โ€ข The Tweet behind this report.
        2. Building Domain-Specific LLMs: Examples and Techniques โ€ข How to build a niche AI model.
        3. MLOps Landscape in 2023: Top Tools and Platforms โ€ข List of tools to help you build your AI model.


        ๐Ÿ“ Related Reports

        • โ€‹โ€‹โ€‹โ€‹โ€‹AI Agents โ€ข Boost your productivity with AI that makes decisions on your behalfย 
        • ChatGPT โ€ข Boost your productivity with AI that helps you code, write, research and more
        • Open-Source AIย  โ€ข Build AI faster by learning from each other
        • AI-Generated Content โ€ข Discover AI tools for generating image, voice and video content
        • Virtual AI Companions โ€ข Feel connected when friends and family are not around


        ๐Ÿ™ Thanks

        Thanks to Uwe Dreissigacker, Edward Danilyuk, Harsha MV and Frank Jones. We had a great time jamming on this report.

        โœ๏ธ Phil researched and wrote this report. Dru and Emin edited this report.


        ๐Ÿ“ˆ What else?

        Trends PRO #0130 โ€” Niche AI Models has more insights.

        What youโ€™ll get:

        • 21 Niche AI Models (200% More)
        • 6 AI Model Directories (100% More)
        • 14 AI Modeling Tools (100% More)
        • 7 Predictions (133% More)
        • 5 Ways to Build Niche AI Models (67% More)
        • 7 Ways to Grow Niche AI Models (133% More)
        • 4 Ways to Monetize Niche AI Models (100% More)
        • 10 Links (233% More)

        With Trends Pro youโ€™ll learn:

        • (๐Ÿ“ˆ Pro) How to improve your niche AI model?
        • (๐Ÿ“ˆ Pro) How to boost accuracy by combining niche AI models?
        • (๐Ÿ“ˆ Pro) Where to find high-quality training data?
        • (๐Ÿ“ˆ Pro) Why should you use AI-generated data instead of real-world data?
        • (๐Ÿ“ˆ Pro) How to earn commissions from sharing AI models?
        • (๐Ÿ“ˆ Pro) How to monetize niche AI models?
        • (๐Ÿ“ˆ Pro) How will blockchain help to manage access to niche AI data?
        • (๐Ÿ“ˆ Pro) How are AI startups using foundation models?
        • (๐Ÿ“ˆ Pro) How are YouTubers using niche AI models?
        • (๐Ÿ“ˆ Pro) When will we run out of publicly available data?
        • And much moreโ€ฆ

        Get Weekly Reports

        Join 65,000+ founders and investors


          ๐Ÿ“ˆ Unlock Pro Reports, 1:1 Intros and Masterminds

          Become a Trends Pro Member and join 1,200+ founders enjoying…

          ๐Ÿง  Founder Mastermind Groups โ€ข To share goals, progress and solve problems together, each group is made up of 6 members who meet for 1 hour each Monday.

          ๐Ÿ“ˆ 100+ Trends Pro Reports โ€ข To make sense of new markets, ideas and business models, check out our research reports.

          ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1:1 Founder Intros โ€ข Make new friends, share lessons and find ways to help each other. Keep life interesting by meeting new founders each week.

          ๐Ÿง Daily Standups โ€ข Stay productive and accountable with daily, async standups. Unlock access to 1:1 chats, masterminds and more by building standup streaks.

          ๐Ÿ’ฒ 100k+ Startup Discounts โ€ข Get access to $100k+ in startup discounts on AWS, Twilio, Webflow, ClickUp and more.

          ๐Ÿช„ AI Screen Capture ๐Ÿ“จ 1,000 Paid Subscribers ๐Ÿงฒ Lead Magnet Guide


          This weekโ€™s Founder Finds includes:

          ๐Ÿงฒ A lead magnet guide
          ๐Ÿ”€ When to switch careers
          ๐Ÿ“จ How to grow a newsletter
          ๐Ÿช„ An AI workflow documentation tool
          ๐Ÿ’น How Loom scaled to a $1.5B valuation
          ๐Ÿฌ 10 sugar hacks to eat whatever you want
          ๐Ÿ‘จโ€๐Ÿ’ป A list of open-source projects for learning
          โžก๏ธ And moreโ€ฆ



          ๐Ÿชถ Remember This

          Opportunities donโ€™t happen. You make them.



          ๐Ÿค“ Fav Finds

          Tools, tweets and more from Trends Pro Members


          ๐Ÿช„ guidde shared by Stewart Townsend
          An AI screen capture tool for documenting workflows


          ๐Ÿงฒ Lead Magnet Dos and Donโ€™ts shared by Dru Riley
          A short guide on what to offer as lead magnet


          ๐Ÿ’น Founder Playbook shared by Maisha Cannon
          A talk on scaling Loom to a $1.5B valuation



          ๐Ÿ“˜ Read This

          How to Waste Your Career

          A lot of people regret staying in unfulfilling jobs, often motivated by a misplaced sense of loyalty or fear of change.

          If you’re not paying attention, you lose precious years stagnating and being unhappy.

          Ask these questions about your last 3 months at work to see if itโ€™s time for a change:

          • Challenge: Have I faced any challenges?
          • Growth Alignment: Have I gained new skills?
          • Impact: Would I put my recent work on a resume?
          • Accomplishment: Have I done anything notable recently?
          • Community: Am I enthusiastic about my work, team and company?

          Be proactive in seeking change. Do not waste your career, one comfortable year at a time.



          ๐ŸŒŸ Founder of the Week

          Giovanni Vanini

          โ€œIt has been a year since I became a Trends Pro Member. I was motivated to join because of the opportunity to connect with like-minded people and share interests for personal growth.โ€


          Giovanni is building Fides. He is also a member of Trends Mastermind #0007.


          What’s your most important habit?
          Maintaining a consistent morning routine. This routine is enhanced by reading and disconnecting from online activities until noon.


          What are you reading right now?
          Learn or Die by Edward D. Hess and Hidden Genius by Polina Marinova Pompliano

          Both books share strategies for learning, problem-solving and personal growth. โ€œLearn or Dieโ€ shares practical tips for continuous improvement. โ€œHidden Geniusโ€ explores how successful people think when dealing with creative and challenging tasks.


          What product or service do you wish existed?
          An instant, real-time translator that we could use to eliminate the language barriers.


          What product are you obsessively using right now?
          Descript. It helps me save a lot of time doing sales calls.


          What are you bullish on?
          NFTs. I believe that once companies grasp the full potential of this technology, they will unlock countless opportunities.


          What’s your favorite Trends Report?
          As a management engineer with basic knowledge of computer science, I found the ๐Ÿงฑ No-Code report to be extremely helpful. It opened up numerous doors for me that were previously closed.



          ๐Ÿ’ฌ Join the Conversation

          Hereโ€™s what Trends Pro Members are talking aboutโ€ฆ



          ๐Ÿ”ง Try This

          Do This to Grow Your Newsletter

          Polina Pompliano grew The Profile to ~1,000 paid subscribers.

          She shares tips on how to build and grow paid newsletters:

          • Commit to your release cadence to build trust.
          • Have a content buffer to account for weeks off.
          • Collaborate with other newsletters via cross-promotions.
          • Track your retention rate to see how many people come back for your content.



          ๐Ÿ‘€ Watch This

          10 Sugar Hacks to Eat Whatever You Want

          Glucose spikes can make you feel tired, age faster and gain more weight.

          Your body does not care whether itโ€™s sugar from fruit or Coca-Cola.

          They key to a healthier life is to eat food the right way:

          • Order Matters: Veggies first, protein second and carbs at the end.
          • Stop Counting Calories: A yogurt and a donut can have 150 calories each
          • Move After Eating: A walk or an exercise after a meal will lower the glucose levels.



          ๐Ÿ† Trends Pro Member Wins

          ๐Ÿ‘ฅ Vivek Karna, Zac Qi, Tony Tong and Aashish unlocked 1:1 Founder Intros by joining daily standups


          ๐ŸŒฑ Yoann Pavy launched a growth marketing podcast


          โš”๏ธ Frank Jones built Art Of War Business Advisor


          ๐Ÿ‘จโ€๐Ÿ’ป Elie Steinbock launched the Learn from Open Source GitHub repo


          ๐Ÿ”ฎ Bernardt J. Vogel wrote about the future of VC


          ๐Ÿ’ผ Uwe Dreissigacker landed a fractional CMO role


          ๐Ÿง  Giovanni Vanini unlocked Trends.vc Masterminds by reaching a 30-day standup streak


          Get Weekly Reports

          Join 65,000+ founders and investors


            ๐Ÿ“ˆ Unlock Pro Reports, 1:1 Intros and Masterminds

            Become a Trends Pro Member and join 1,200+ founders enjoying…

            ๐Ÿง  Founder Mastermind Groups โ€ข To share goals, progress and solve problems together, each group is made up of 6 members who meet for 1 hour each Monday.

            ๐Ÿ“ˆ 100+ Trends Pro Reports โ€ข To make sense of new markets, ideas and business models, check out our research reports.

            ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1:1 Founder Intros โ€ข Make new friends, share lessons and find ways to help each other. Keep life interesting by meeting new founders each week.

            ๐Ÿง Daily Standups โ€ข Stay productive and accountable with daily, async standups. Unlock access to 1:1 chats, masterminds and more by building standup streaks.

            ๐Ÿ’ฒ 100k+ Startup Discounts โ€ข Get access to $100k+ in startup discounts on AWS, Twilio, Webflow, ClickUp and more.

            Software Development Services: Attracting New Clients, AI Apps, No-Code Tools

            “The value of software is not in the lines of code but in the value it creates.” – Unknown

            Get Full Access to Trends Pro


            โ“ What You’ll Learn

            • How to get new clients?
            • How to build MVPs fast?
            • How will dev shops invest in their clients?
            • Why should you offer recruiting services?
            • How to help clients automate business tasks?
            • How to save the clientโ€™s money?
            • How to signal expertise?
            • How to get predictable revenue?
            • How to avoid underpricing your work?
            • How to set clear expectations for clients?
            • How to lower scope creep?
            • How to scale your revenue without spending more time?
            • How to lower market risk?
            • How to manage multiple projects?


            ๐Ÿ’Ž Why It Matters

            You can build a software business without technical skills.


            ๐Ÿ” Problem

            Youโ€™re not a programmer.

            You donโ€™t know how to build quality, scalable software.


            ๐Ÿ’ก Solution

            Software development services let you focus on your core competency.

            Such as brand, sales, distribution, domain expertise and more.


            ๐Ÿ Players

            Software Development Service Providers

            Developer Marketplaces

            • Skilled โ€ข Find top freelance developers from Israel
            • Codeable โ€ข Find expert WordPress developers
            • Lemon.io โ€ข Connects clients with qualified devs on a per-hour basis
            • Remote Crew โ€ข Hire a team of pre-vetted developers
            • Shepherd โ€ข Hire full-time employees from the Philippines and Latin America
            • CloudDevs โ€ข Hire vetted Latin American remote developers
            • Turing โ€ข Find deeply vetted developers and teams matched by AI


            ๐Ÿ”ฎ Predictions

            • Dev shops will build MVPs with no-code and low-code tools to help clients get to market faster.


            ๐Ÿ›  How to build Software Development Services

            • Offer no-code development to help clients get to market faster while saving time and money.
              • Zeroqode builds web and mobile apps.
              • Airdev builds scalable web-based apps.
              • 8020 builds websites using no-code tools.
              • NoCodeTeam builds web and mobile MVPs.
              • Idea Link builds custom software in 4-12 weeks.
              • Low/Code builds custom software with no-code and low-code tools.


            ๐ŸŒฑ How to grow Software Development Services


            ๐Ÿ’ฐ How to monetize Software Development Services

            • Charge per hour to lower the chances of underpricing your work.


            ๐Ÿ”‘ Key Lessons

            • The recurring revenue of software development services is not scalable. Youโ€™re selling hours.
            • Longer-term projects give you predictability. When a short-term project ends, you may start paying salaries from your pocket while looking for new clients.
            • Set realistic, measurable goals to lower scope creep. Break down projects into smaller milestones you can measure and add a 50% buffer on top. Do you think it will take 100 hours? Tell your client it will take 150 hours.


            ๐Ÿ˜  Haters

            โ€œNo-code tools make software development services less relevant.โ€
            Less relevant does not mean irrelevant. No-code development is easier but less powerful. Custom development is more complex but more powerful. One does not exclude the other. They serve different purposes.

            โ€œSome clients have unrealistic expectations.โ€
            Explain the project scopes, timelines and limitations early. Educating your clients on the nuance of building their projects can help you deliver products your clients need instead of want.

            โ€œBuilding on top of ecosystems leads to platform risk.โ€
            This also lowers market risk. Bubble, Webflow and Salesforce are not going anywhere soon. What are you afraid of?

            โ€œOutsourcing software is dangerous. Itโ€™s our key differentiator.โ€
            Many businesses compete on pricing, customer service, distribution or another front. Not software. If software is your trade secret, you should build it yourself. If youโ€™re building common software such as a CRM, itโ€™s more feasible to outsource it.

            โ€œIf agencies are building and marketing, what is the core competency of the client?โ€
            Thereโ€™s more to core competencies than building and marketing products. Logistics, sales, customer service and buying power can be part of the clientโ€™s core competency.


            ๐Ÿ”— Links

            1. Everyone wants to build a SaaS. But not everyone can code โ€ข The thread for this report.
            2. Project Management Methodologies โ€ข 12 popular frameworks for managing development projects.
            3. MVP vs PoC vs Prototype โ€ข Difference between 3 early product stages.
            4. Building a Report on Software Development Services โ€ข The tweet behind this report.


            ๐Ÿ“ Related Reports

            • โ€‹โ€‹โ€‹โ€‹โ€‹Productized Services โ€ข Offer service packages instead of hours
            • Consulting โ€ข Guide clients through complex problems
            • Fractional Executives โ€ข Monetize your expertise on an as-needed basis
            • Micro-Consulting โ€ข This is a cost-effective way to get help
            • Agencies โ€ข Help companies solve problems without hiring and managing large teams


            ๐Ÿ™ Thanks

            Thanks to Inaamul Haq Mansoor, Oleg Kalyta,  Maciej Cupial, Uwe Dreissigacker, Stewart Townsend, Nirav Multani and Elie Steinbock. We had a great time jamming on this report.

            โœ๏ธ Emin researched and wrote this report. Dru researched and edited this report.


            ๐Ÿ“ˆ What else?

            Trends PRO #0129 โ€” Software Development Services has more insights.

            What youโ€™ll get:

            • 16 Software Development Service Providers (129% More)
            • 17 Developer Marketplaces (143% More)
            • 11 Predictions (267% More)
            • 12 Ways to build Software Development Services (300% More)
            • 10 Ways to grow Software Development Services (233% More)
            • 7 Ways to monetize Software Development Services (133% More)
            • 6 Key Lessons (100% More)
            • 13 Links (225% More)

            With Trends Pro youโ€™ll learn:

            • (๐Ÿ“ˆ Pro) How to boost productivity with AI coding platforms?
            • (๐Ÿ“ˆ Pro) How to build products around ChatGPT?
            • (๐Ÿ“ˆ Pro) Why will dev shops build and promote apps for clients?
            • (๐Ÿ“ˆ Pro) Why offer DevOps-as-a-Service?
            • (๐Ÿ“ˆ Pro) Why use AI website builders?
            • (๐Ÿ“ˆ Pro) How to get high-ticket sales with less mental overhead?
            • (๐Ÿ“ˆ Pro) How to help clients validate ideas fast?
            • (๐Ÿ“ˆ Pro) How to lower competitor risk?
            • (๐Ÿ“ˆ Pro) How to monetize your expertise without building software?
            • (๐Ÿ“ˆ Pro) How to attract organic leads?
            • (๐Ÿ“ˆ Pro) Why join expert directories?
            • (๐Ÿ“ˆ Pro) How to build a client flywheel?
            • (๐Ÿ“ˆ Pro) How to boost your potential upside?
            • (๐Ÿ“ˆ Pro) How to get a predictable cash flow?
            • (๐Ÿ“ˆ Pro) How to stop trading time for money?
            • (๐Ÿ“ˆ Pro) What are the negative scale effects of agencies?
            • (๐Ÿ“ˆ Pro) How to start and scale a software agency?
            • (๐Ÿ“ˆ Pro) How to use SEO to get $100,000 deals?
            • (๐Ÿ“ˆ Pro) How to protect your interests with legal documents?
            • And much moreโ€ฆ

            Get Weekly Reports

            Join 65,000+ founders and investors


              ๐Ÿ“ˆ Unlock Pro Reports, 1:1 Intros and Masterminds

              Become a Trends Pro Member and join 1,200+ founders enjoying…

              ๐Ÿง  Founder Mastermind Groups โ€ข To share goals, progress and solve problems together, each group is made up of 6 members who meet for 1 hour each Monday.

              ๐Ÿ“ˆ 100+ Trends Pro Reports โ€ข To make sense of new markets, ideas and business models, check out our research reports.

              ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1:1 Founder Intros โ€ข Make new friends, share lessons and find ways to help each other. Keep life interesting by meeting new founders each week.

              ๐Ÿง Daily Standups โ€ข Stay productive and accountable with daily, async standups. Unlock access to 1:1 chats, masterminds and more by building standup streaks.

              ๐Ÿ’ฒ 100k+ Startup Discounts โ€ข Get access to $100k+ in startup discounts on AWS, Twilio, Webflow, ClickUp and more.

              ๐ŸŽฎ AI Playground ๐Ÿค Co-Founder Insights โœ… Cult Of Done


              This weekโ€™s Founder Finds includes:

              ๐Ÿค– An AI chat tool
              โœ… How to finish anything
              ๐Ÿ“ˆ A startup growth framework
              ๐Ÿ’ธ A book on getting better at sales
              ๐Ÿคฉ The secrets of irresistible products
              ๐Ÿ’ช How to focus on what you can control
              ๐Ÿค How to know if you need a co-founder
              โžก๏ธ And moreโ€ฆ



              ๐Ÿชถ Remember This

              Every action you take is a vote for the type of person you wish to become



              ๐Ÿค“ Fav Finds

              Tools, tweets and more from Trends Pro Members


              ๐ŸŽฎ AI Playground shared by Elie Steinbock
              A tool to chat with multiple AI models at the same time


              โœ… Cult of Done shared by Chuck Hardy
              A list of principles to help you finish any project


              ๐Ÿ“ˆ Four Fits Growth Framework shared by Royce Johnson
              A framework for startup growth beyond product-market fit



              ๐Ÿ“˜ Read This

              How to Make Irresistible Products

              There are 4 questions that define a valuable product:

              • Dream Outcome: How will this improve my life?
              • Likelihood: How likely is this to happen?
              • Time Delay: How long will this take?
              • Effort: How much work will this take?

              Most products focus on the top 2 questions but the bottom is where the magic is.

              If you can lower your customerโ€™s time delay and effort to zero, youโ€™re golden.



              ๐ŸŒŸ Founder of the Week

              Jordon McKoy

              โ€Iโ€™m a long-time member and have grown to appreciate not only Trends Pro Reports and the insights they hold, but the community that lives around them. Itโ€™s been inspiring to see everyoneโ€™s growth, willingness to share and collaborate.โ€


              Jordon is building Benji. A chatbot that helps creators find tax write-offs by automatically sorting through personal and business expenses.


              What’s your most important habit?
              Regular exercise. Itโ€™s great for my mental health and focus. When I feel stronger physically, I feel stronger mentally and more confident in my work. It is also a break from the world and a moment to be with myself, maybe catch up on a podcast. I find it meditative.


              What are you reading right now?
              Demand-Side Sales 101 by Bob Moesta

              I have a story I tell myself that I donโ€™t like sales or canโ€™t be good at it. Iโ€™d like to rewire the way I think about sales to improve.

              The Culture Map by Erin Meyer

              Doing some research for an upcoming podcast episode on Find The In.


              What product or service do you wish existed?
              A service that would make applying for a Visa as easy as filling out a quick form. It would be cool if we could apply to many places at once. Iโ€™m considering moving to Europe next year and Iโ€™m currently feeling a bit overwhelmed thinking about the whole process.


              What product are you obsessively using right now?
              Spotify and the basic iOS Notes app. Iโ€™m most creative when Iโ€™ve got some music playing in the background and when inspiration hits Iโ€™m quickly capturing ideas in my Notes app. Iโ€™m also a podcast fan and Spotify has me covered there as well. The seamless experiences they enable make them a must for me.


              What are you bullish on?
              I like the trend of fractional executives and micro-consultants. I think there is real power in people being able to operate within their โ€œzone of geniusโ€. I believe organizations willing to engage with such individuals will benefit from the agility that project-scoped specialists provide.


              What are you bearish on?
              Prompt engineering. As the underlying models improve and interfaces become more robust, I doubt that prompt engineers will be needed outside of niche applications.


              What’s your favorite Trends Report?
              Call me biased but Iโ€™ll have to go with the ๐Ÿ”ฌ Micro-SaaS report because Benji is mentioned!


              What else?
              I’m in the very early days of building a podcast, Find The In. We’ll be exploring  entrepreneurship, technology and business while looking for insights  from founder stories.


              Exclusive Deal: Jordon is offering Trends.vc readers 70% off of the first Benji paid plan. Sign up for Benji using this link to claim.



              ๐Ÿ’ฌ Join the Conversation

              Hereโ€™s what Trends Pro Members are talking aboutโ€ฆ



              ๐Ÿ”ง Try This

              How to Focus on What You Can Control

              You canโ€™t control everything.

              Youโ€™ll waste your energy trying to change the outcome that wonโ€™t change no matter how hard you try.

              Build resilience by focusing on what you can control and learn how to accept the rest.



              โ” Ask Yourself

              Do You Really Need a Co-founder?

              You may have heard that having a co-founder can boost your chances of success.

              The main reason for having a co-founder is to share key responsibilities.

              Sometimes you need another pair of eyes and different opinions to make the right decision.

              But there are business advisors that can do the same and 65% of startups fail due to a feud between co-founders.

              Do you really need one?



              ๐Ÿ† Trends Pro Member Wins

              ๐Ÿ‘ฅ Atul unlocked 1:1 Founder Intros by joining daily standups


              ๐Ÿก Brianna Brazle launched The Village


              ๐Ÿฅพ Mac Martine reached 1,000 subscribers for the SaaS bootstrapper


              โญ Prabhjot Singh Lamba got a great video review for Craftar


              ๐ŸŽฎ Yoann Pavy opened the waitlist for his indie game Z-END


              ๐ŸŽ™๏ธ Mehmet Gonullu reached the global top 10% in Listen Notes with The CTO Show


              ๐Ÿ‘จโ€๐Ÿ’ป Elie Steinbock made a video on the code behind OpenStatus


              Get Weekly Reports

              Join 65,000+ founders and investors


                ๐Ÿ“ˆ Unlock Pro Reports, 1:1 Intros and Masterminds

                Become a Trends Pro Member and join 1,200+ founders enjoying…

                ๐Ÿง  Founder Mastermind Groups โ€ข To share goals, progress and solve problems together, each group is made up of 6 members who meet for 1 hour each Monday.

                ๐Ÿ“ˆ 100+ Trends Pro Reports โ€ข To make sense of new markets, ideas and business models, check out our research reports.

                ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1:1 Founder Intros โ€ข Make new friends, share lessons and find ways to help each other. Keep life interesting by meeting new founders each week.

                ๐Ÿง Daily Standups โ€ข Stay productive and accountable with daily, async standups. Unlock access to 1:1 chats, masterminds and more by building standup streaks.

                ๐Ÿ’ฒ 100k+ Startup Discounts โ€ข Get access to $100k+ in startup discounts on AWS, Twilio, Webflow, ClickUp and more.

                Short-Form Videos: Generative AI, Creator Funds, Content-Format Fit

                “The play button is the most compelling call to action on the web.” – Michael Litt

                Get Full Access to Trends Pro


                โ“ What You’ll Learn

                • How will short-form video platforms improve the shopping experience?
                • How to monetize with exclusive videos?
                • How are short-form video platforms attracting creators?
                • How to make short-form videos fast?
                • Why should podcasts use short-form videos?
                • Why should you start a faceless YouTube channel?
                • How to monetize your traffic?
                • How to find the content-format fit?
                • How to boost retention?
                • How to tell great stories in shorter formats?


                ๐Ÿ’Ž Why It Matters

                Short-form videos are easier to consume and share.


                ๐Ÿ” Problem

                We have short attention spans.


                ๐Ÿ’ก Solution

                Short-form videos let you explore many independent interests in the time it takes to watch one long video.


                ๐Ÿ Players

                Short-Form Video Examples


                ๐Ÿ”ฎ Predictions

                • Short-form video platforms will embed storefronts into videos to improve the shopping experience.


                โ˜๏ธ Opportunities


                ๐Ÿ”๏ธ Risks

                • Content-Format Fit โ€ข Short-form videos have limited context. This makes it hard to convey complex concepts. Can you teach backend development in 1 minute?
                • Platform Risk โ€ข Youโ€™re subject to YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat policies.
                • Creative Burnout โ€ข Short-form videos can quickly become outdated. You may need to produce timely content fast. This can lead to creative burnout.


                ๐Ÿ”‘ Key Lessons

                • Short-form videos can drive growth for your long-form videos. Using a combination of both formats can boost your reach. Joshua Weissman shares quick cooking tips and food recipes.
                • Short-form videos are mobilecentric. If you take them from your long-form videos, ensure that the content is optimized for mobile screens.
                • Short-form videos are great for sharing quick, focused solutions. Learn how to use chopsticks fast.


                ๐Ÿ”ฅ Hot Takes

                • Short-form videos are best for casual content. Longer-form videos are best for serious subjects.
                • Using clickbait captions will boost retention. โ€œWait until the endโ€ or โ€œThatโ€™s what happens ifโ€ฆโ€ are popular ways to lower the chances of skipping your video.
                • Captivating short-form videos are hard to make. You need to adapt to new trends and formats to keep your content engaging. People get used to the same narrative fast.


                ๐Ÿ˜  Haters

                โ€œIt’s harder to tell compelling stories in shorter formats.โ€
                Focus on a single idea, use catchy visuals and add smooth transitions. If this doesnโ€™t work, it can be wise to use long-form videos to tell your stories.

                โ€œSaturation makes it harder to stand out.โ€
                Use your personality to stand out. Your character and experiences are unique.

                โ€œAttention span is a myth. People may spend more time watching short-form videos than long-form videos.โ€
                Youโ€™re talking about watching videos as a process. Weโ€™re talking about watching individual videos.

                โ€œShort-form videos lack depth. They focus on entertainment instead of meaningful content.โ€
                What is meaningful content? Hereโ€™s how to safely walk dogs. Hereโ€™s how to help a choking baby. Hereโ€™s how to strengthen your wrists.


                ๐Ÿ”— Links

                1. โ€‹How Charli D’Amelio Got Hundreds of Thousands of Followers Per Day โ€ข The thread for this report.
                2. Keyword Insights on TikTok โ€ข Trending script keywords from voice-overs, captions and ads.
                3. The Best TikTok SEO Strategy โ€ข How to optimize TikTok videos for search.
                4. Building a Report on How Create and Monetize Short-Form Videos โ€ข The Tweet behind this report.


                ๐Ÿ“ Related Reports


                ๐Ÿ™ Thanks

                Thanks to Maciej Cupial, Stewart Townsend, Errol Tiozon, Uwe Dreissigacker and Hamed Mohammadpour. We had a great time jamming on this report.

                โœ๏ธ Emin researched and wrote this report. Dru researched and edited this report.


                ๐Ÿ“ˆ What else?

                Trends PRO #0128 โ€” Short-Form Videos has more insights.

                What youโ€™ll get:

                • 21 Short-Form Video Examples (163% More)
                • 9 Predictions (200% More)
                • 16 Opportunities (300% More)
                • 5 Risks (67% More)
                • 10 Key Lessons (233% More)
                • 12 Hot Takes (300% More)
                • 9 Links (200% More)

                With Trends Pro youโ€™ll learn:

                • (๐Ÿ“ˆ Pro) How to get brand deals?
                • (๐Ÿ“ˆ Pro) How can teachers use short-form videos?
                • (๐Ÿ“ˆ Pro) How to use prompt engineering to make short-form videos?
                • (๐Ÿ“ˆ Pro) How to turn long videos into short clips at scale?
                • (๐Ÿ“ˆ Pro) How to get user-generated content?
                • (๐Ÿ“ˆ Pro) How to boost brand awareness?
                • (๐Ÿ“ˆ Pro) What are hashtag communities?
                • (๐Ÿ“ˆ Pro) How to lower platform risk?
                • (๐Ÿ“ˆ Pro) How to build trust?
                • (๐Ÿ“ˆ Pro) Why should you use cliffhangers?
                • (๐Ÿ“ˆ Pro) How to go viral fast?
                • (๐Ÿ“ˆ Pro) Why does SEO matter?
                • (๐Ÿ“ˆ Pro) How to optimize visuals for tutorials?
                • (๐Ÿ“ˆ Pro) Why does watch time matter?
                • (๐Ÿ“ˆ Pro) Who offers productized short-form video services?
                • (๐Ÿ“ˆ Pro) What is content-platform fit?
                • (๐Ÿ“ˆ Pro) How to turn short-form videos into online courses?
                • (๐Ÿ“ˆ Pro) What are 9 short-form video ideas?
                • And much moreโ€ฆ

                Get Weekly Reports

                Join 65,000+ founders and investors


                  ๐Ÿ“ˆ Unlock Pro Reports, 1:1 Intros and Masterminds

                  Become a Trends Pro Member and join 1,200+ founders enjoying…

                  ๐Ÿง  Founder Mastermind Groups โ€ข To share goals, progress and solve problems together, each group is made up of 6 members who meet for 1 hour each Monday.

                  ๐Ÿ“ˆ 100+ Trends Pro Reports โ€ข To make sense of new markets, ideas and business models, check out our research reports.

                  ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1:1 Founder Intros โ€ข Make new friends, share lessons and find ways to help each other. Keep life interesting by meeting new founders each week.

                  ๐Ÿง Daily Standups โ€ข Stay productive and accountable with daily, async standups. Unlock access to 1:1 chats, masterminds and more by building standup streaks.

                  ๐Ÿ’ฒ 100k+ Startup Discounts โ€ข Get access to $100k+ in startup discounts on AWS, Twilio, Webflow, ClickUp and more.

                  ๐Ÿ—จ๏ธ Better Prompts โš–๏ธ Mastering Negotiation ๐Ÿ—บ๏ธ Slowmading with Kids


                  This weekโ€™s Founder Finds includes:

                  ๐ŸŽก 5 creator flywheels
                  ๐Ÿ—บ๏ธ Slowmading with family
                  ๐Ÿค– An AI prompt writing tool
                  ๐Ÿ’ณ What is expectations debt
                  ๐Ÿ’ญ A list of ideas for founders
                  ๐Ÿง˜ 3 quick ways to lower stress
                  ๐Ÿงช A copy guide for SaaS products
                  โš–๏ธ A book about mastering negotiation
                  โžก๏ธ And moreโ€ฆ



                  ๐Ÿชถ Remember This

                  Be undeniably good. No marketing effort can substitute for that.



                  ๐Ÿค“ Fav Finds

                  Tools, tweets and more from Trends Pro Members


                  ๐Ÿค– Prompt Refine shared by Jordon McKoy
                  A tool to compare, organize and refine your ChatGPT prompts


                  ๐Ÿงช SaaS Copy Guide shared by Tim Jones
                  A short guide on improving SaaS landing page copy


                  ๐Ÿ’ญ 37signals shared by Christa Clarke
                  A high-signal collection of ideas for founders



                  ๐Ÿ”ง Try This

                  5 Creator Flywheels from Top Creators

                  Creator flywheels are growth loops that will help you build and grow your audience.

                  Here are 5 creator flywheels used by top creators to get more followers, customers and sales.



                  ๐ŸŒŸ Founder of the Week

                  Hamed Mohammadpour

                  โ€œEntrepreneurship is hard and having motivated, ambitious people around is very helpful. The Trends Pro Community and reports are top-notch. Iโ€™m learning a lot from each of them.โ€


                  Hamed is building Dolores. This is an AI tool that makes stunning videos and podcasts at scale with a single prompt.


                  What’s your most important habit?
                  Meditating twice a day for 10-30 minutes.


                  What are you reading right now?
                  $100M Offers by Alex Hormozi

                  Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss

                  The first one is about making irresistible offers and the second one is about communication. Both are crucial for any successful entrepreneur.


                  What product or service do you wish existed?
                  I love drinking tea but the tea brewing experience is subpar compared to coffee. The โ€œNespresso for Teaโ€ (as a company, not tea capsules) is a missing opportunity for the part of the world that consumes tea but still brews it in the traditional way. I have started sketching the product and collecting feedback to see if anyone wants to bring this idea to life.


                  What product are you obsessively using right now?
                  ChatGPT. I use it to learn new things and do my work faster.


                  What are you bullish on?
                  Fusion energy. It has an incredible potential with less radioactive waste. It could provide a nearly limitless and clean energy source for generations to come.

                  A company Iโ€™m following in this space is Helion Energy. It raised funds from Sam Altman and Microsoft, aiming to go into production in 2027.


                  What are you bearish on?
                  Traditional education. It canโ€™t keep up with the tech innovation and relies on outdated teaching methods. A more flexible and innovative education system with lifelong learning and an interdisciplinary approach is key for preparing people for the challenges and opportunities that the future holds. It’s about nurturing creativity, curiosity and skills that go beyond the classroom.


                  What’s your favorite Trends Report?
                  Working on a media generation tool, I canโ€™t help but love the two relevant Trends reports: ๐Ÿ“บ Faceless YouTube Channels and ๐ŸŽ™ Podcasts.


                  Exclusive Deal: Hamed is offering Trends.vc readers pre-launch access to Dolores and 40% off the Pro plan for 6 months. Use the code “TRENDS” in the referral field to claim.



                  ๐Ÿ’ฌ Join the Conversation

                  Hereโ€™s what Trends Pro Members are talking aboutโ€ฆ



                  ๐Ÿ“˜ Read This

                  Expectations Debt

                  Expectations are like a debt that must be repaid before you get any joy out of what youโ€™re doing.

                  Your portfolio surged during a bubble, your company hit a huge valuation or you got a salary that exceeds your skills. It feels great… 

                  But reality will catch up.

                  Expectations debt is repaid in the form of self-doubt and crushed morale. When you understand that, you become careful about what you wish for.

                  • Companies should want the valuation they deserve and not a penny more.
                  • Workers should want a salary that matches their skill and nothing more.
                  • Families should want a lifestyle they can sustain and nothing higher.



                  ๐ŸŽง Listen To

                  3 Quick Ways to Lower Stress at Work

                  Taking a quick break to lower your stress level can boost your productivity.

                  • Drink water: It has natural calming properties
                  • Go for walk: This leads to better mood and relaxation
                  • Look out the window: Natural light will lower eye strain and anxiety



                  ๐Ÿ† Trends Pro Member Wins

                  ๐Ÿ‘ฅ Jordon McKoy unlocked 1:1 Founder Intros by joining daily standups


                  ๐Ÿ“ˆ Katt Risen launched the Build the Trends newsletter


                  ๐Ÿ—บ๏ธ Mac Martine wrote a viral tweet about slowmading with his family


                  โœ๏ธ Marc Fletcher launched Owndraft


                  ๐Ÿค– Eddie Forson launched an AI feature for EnVsion


                  ๐Ÿ› ๏ธ Frank Jones hosted a workshop on Rapid Prototyping AI Tools


                  ๐Ÿง  Frank Jones and Renae Gregoire unlocked Trends.vc Masterminds by reaching 30-day standup streaks


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                    ๐Ÿ“ˆ Unlock Pro Reports, 1:1 Intros and Masterminds

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                    ๐Ÿ“ˆ 100+ Trends Pro Reports โ€ข To make sense of new markets, ideas and business models, check out our research reports.

                    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1:1 Founder Intros โ€ข Make new friends, share lessons and find ways to help each other. Keep life interesting by meeting new founders each week.

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                    ๐Ÿ’ฒ 100k+ Startup Discounts โ€ข Get access to $100k+ in startup discounts on AWS, Twilio, Webflow, ClickUp and more.

                    Online Events: Validating Demand, Lead Magnets, Hybrid Events

                    “Find a group of people who challenge and inspire you, spend a lot of time with them, and it will change your life.” – Amy Poehler

                    Get Full Access to Trends Pro


                    โ“ What You’ll Learn

                    • How to offer hands-on experience in online events?
                    • What are examples of successful metaverse concerts?
                    • How to validate demand?
                    • How to get early revenue?
                    • How to find qualified prospects with online events?
                    • What are hybrid events?
                    • Whoโ€™s building online events for AR/VR headsets?
                    • How will open startups use online events?
                    • How to break the ice in your online event?


                    ๐Ÿ’Ž Why It Matters

                    Online events are borderless.

                    They are a cost-effective and scalable way to spread your message.


                    ๐Ÿ” Problem

                    We want to connect, learn and be entertained without leaving home.


                    ๐Ÿ’ก Solution

                    Online events have lower friction.

                    Anyone with web access can join.


                    ๐Ÿ Players

                    Online Events

                    Online Event Tools

                    • Zoom โ€ข Connect with video, audio, phone and chat
                    • HeySummit โ€ข Build, grow and monetize online and hybrid events
                    • Livestorm โ€ข Simple meeting and webinar platform
                    • Gather โ€ข Build 2D online conference spaces
                    • Podia โ€ข Sell workshops, classes and webinars
                    • StreamYard โ€ข Live streaming and recording studio in your browser
                    • BigMarker โ€ข Platform for webinars, virtual and hybrid events


                    ๐Ÿ”ฎ Predictions


                    โ˜๏ธ Opportunities

                    • Presell your online event to validate demand and get early revenue.
                      • IRE21 is a virtual event for journalists that offers a 25% discount for early tickets. 
                      • SHARP is an event for authors, readers and publishers that offers a 33% discount for early booking.
                      • ATOMICON is a hybrid sales and marketing event for small businesses. It offers early tickets with a 55% discount.


                    ๐Ÿ”๏ธ Risks

                    • Connectivity Issues โ€ข Internet disruptions, slow speeds and lag spikes can lead to missed content, poor peer interaction and frustration.
                    • Coordination Risk โ€ข Failure to manage groups can lead to poor attendee experience.
                    • Reputation Risk โ€ข Misbehavior such as Zoom Bombing can lead to negative experiences and a lack of interest in future events.


                    ๐Ÿ”‘ Key Lessons

                    • Online events have higher margins. Lower costs and wider reach make it easier to make a profit.
                    • Hybrid events are a โ€œtwo-sided medalโ€. Balancing in-person and online aspects of the same event requires 2x much effort.
                    • Have a backup plan. You should be able to switch platforms when having technical issues.


                    ๐Ÿ”ฅ Hot Takes

                    • Online events with hundreds of attendees make it hard for each member to share value. This makes it more appealing to watch the recording on-demand than attending a live event.
                    • Weโ€™ll see online events built for specific AR/VR headsets. Connect is a virtual event on virtual, mixed and augmented realities. You need a Quest device to attend the event.
                    • Open startups will host public board meetings with past achievements and future plans. Gumroad shares its board meetings on YouTube.


                    ๐Ÿ˜  Haters

                    โ€œIt is hard to engage remote audiences. They can get distracted by their friends, family and pets.โ€
                    Host the event over a few days. Break down content into shorter portions. Add interactive activities such as polls and Q&As. Change the pace of the event with videos and quick discussions. This can help attendees stay focused and to not get bored.

                    โ€œIn-person events have higher-fidelity interactions than online events.โ€
                    True. In-person events also have more friction since everyone needs to attend in person. Online events are more inclusive while in-person events have higher fidelity.

                    โ€œHybrid events have the best of both worlds.โ€
                    Hybrid events are complex. You need to solve logistics, catering and security problems for in-person attendees. As well as connectivity, engagement and moderation issues for online attendees.

                    โ€œOnline events are exhausting. Zoom fatigue is real.โ€
                    Short breaks, chit-chatting and letting attendees turn off video can help to lower online fatigue.

                    โ€œWhat if I want to go to two sessions that happen at the same time because of tracks?โ€
                    This is a tradeoff for having a focused experience. Most online events share recordings that you can watch later.


                    ๐Ÿ”— Links

                    1. Building a Report on How to Grow and Monetize Online Events โ€ข The Tweet behind this report.
                    2. 35 Ice Breaker Games for Virtual and Hybrid Events โ€ข Ways to lighten the mood at the start of an event.
                    3. Hybrid Events Are Essential โ€ข Learn the 10 benefits of hybrid events.


                    ๐Ÿ“ Related Reports

                    • โ€‹โ€‹โ€‹โ€‹โ€‹Audience-First Products โ€ข Validate products, build distribution and stay accountable
                    • Gamification โ€ข Boost engagement with missions and rewards
                    • Presales โ€ข Validate demand before investing time and money into building new products
                    • Influencer Marketing โ€ข Borrow audiencesโ€™ attention to build awareness and find customers
                    • Freemium โ€ข Lower your customer acquisition costs with a free version of your product


                    ๐Ÿ™ Thanks

                    Thanks to Frank Jones, Mark Todd and Stewart Townsend. We had a great time jamming on this report.

                    โœ๏ธ Emin researched and wrote this report. Dru researched and edited this report.


                    ๐Ÿ“ˆ What else?

                    Trends PRO #0127 โ€” Online Events has more insights.

                    What youโ€™ll get:

                    • 20 Online Event Examples (186% More)
                    • 14 Online Event Tools (100% More)
                    • 12 Predictions (300% More)
                    • 15 Opportunities (400% More)
                    • 7 Risks (133% More)
                    • 12 Key Lessons (300% More)
                    • 7 Hot Takes (133% More)
                    • 9 Links (200% More)

                    With Trends Pro youโ€™ll learn:

                    • (๐Ÿ“ˆ Pro) How can artists make live concerts more accessible?
                    • (๐Ÿ“ˆ Pro) What are token-gated online events?
                    • (๐Ÿ“ˆ Pro) How to help team members feel closer when they are miles apart?
                    • (๐Ÿ“ˆ Pro) What are VR business meetings?
                    • (๐Ÿ“ˆ Pro) What are virtual workspaces?
                    • (๐Ÿ“ˆ Pro) How can companies help employees fight loneliness?
                    • (๐Ÿ“ˆ Pro) How to handle traffic spikes during online events?
                    • (๐Ÿ“ˆ Pro) How to build an immersive online event?
                    • (๐Ÿ“ˆ Pro) How to lower competition?
                    • (๐Ÿ“ˆ Pro) How to use online events to onboard SaaS users?
                    • (๐Ÿ“ˆ Pro) How to boost engagement?
                    • (๐Ÿ“ˆ Pro) How to boost brand loyalty?
                    • (๐Ÿ“ˆ Pro) What are breakout rooms?
                    • (๐Ÿ“ˆ Pro) What are online event tracks?
                    • (๐Ÿ“ˆ Pro) How to maximize reach?
                    • (๐Ÿ“ˆ Pro) How to help attendees build personal connections?
                    • (๐Ÿ“ˆ Pro) Why should you vet attendees?
                    • (๐Ÿ“ˆ Pro) How to boost the attendance rate?
                    • (๐Ÿ“ˆ Pro) Why should you offer virtual gifts?
                    • (๐Ÿ“ˆ Pro) What is NFT ticketing?
                    • (๐Ÿ“ˆ Pro) Who has built an online event for 5,000 people with no-code?
                    • And much moreโ€ฆ

                    Get Weekly Reports

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                      ๐Ÿ“ˆ Unlock Pro Reports, 1:1 Intros and Masterminds

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                      ๐Ÿง  Founder Mastermind Groups โ€ข To share goals, progress and solve problems together, each group is made up of 6 members who meet for 1 hour each Monday.

                      ๐Ÿ“ˆ 100+ Trends Pro Reports โ€ข To make sense of new markets, ideas and business models, check out our research reports.

                      ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1:1 Founder Intros โ€ข Make new friends, share lessons and find ways to help each other. Keep life interesting by meeting new founders each week.

                      ๐Ÿง Daily Standups โ€ข Stay productive and accountable with daily, async standups. Unlock access to 1:1 chats, masterminds and more by building standup streaks.

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