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Ctrl+S, Cry

So…I’m writing another book.

Which is exciting. But also kind of a terrible idea.

Because books have the slowest feedback loops on the planet.

You research. You write. You rewrite. You edit. You cite. Your editor says “great job,” your friend skims chapter one, and that’s about it.

You don’t get real customer feedback until you publish it, ship it, market it, and sell it.

By then you’re 3 years and 1000+ hours in.

If I did that in a startup, I’d be bankrupt, bald, and bitter.

Good thing I have this newsletter. Here’s my request:

Occasionally, I’ll drop rough cuts in here. It’ll be a way for me to workshop some material and a way for you to get a sneak peek.

All I ask is that you give me feedback by:

• Directly replying to the emails and let me know.

• Responding via the poll at the bottom.

• Continuing to read them.

We’ll also be discussing these topics in depth in the community.

Below is a topic I want to start with ↓

The spicy stuff.

Are you even cofounder material?

I’ve gotten 3M+ views and all of my most viral posts had something to do with

The usual suspects get the blame:

• Bad idea

• Can’t communicate vision

• Unreasonable tech expectations

But really, it all comes down to this:

You’re not cofounder-worthy.

Yet.

And that’s the good news.

Because being cofounder-worthy isn’t a fixed trait. It’s a skill set you can build.

The first part of the book is about you.

Why knowing if you’re truly ready to be a cofounder matters more than you think, how to tell if you are, and how to become the kind of person someone wants to build with.

Someone who:

• Communicates a compelling vision that inspires others

• Owns their weaknesses and actively works to grow

• Builds trust by being transparent and dependable

• Can handle uncertainty without losing their mind

• Balances big-picture strategy with day-to-day execution

• Respects expertise without expecting miracles

(And of course, I want it to be funny. No boring business books).

Anyway thanks for coming along with me on this journey.

One more thing, Ben Lang just published an article on building founding teams.

That’s all for now,

BTW — The Cherrytree cofounder community is now open. Join here →

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