Davender
@coachdavender.bsky.social
Guiding visionary innovators to prosper in unpredictable times #momentumscaling @coachdavender
Thoughts on entrepreneurship, startups, technology, scaling, economics, leadership, writing, books and politics
Opinions are my own.
Thoughts on entrepreneurship, startups, technology, scaling, economics, leadership, writing, books and politics
Opinions are my own.
What are your constraints telling you?
On my Substack: coachdavender.substack.com/p/your-const...
#momentumscaling #growth #strategy #startups
On my Substack: coachdavender.substack.com/p/your-const...
#momentumscaling #growth #strategy #startups
October 14, 2025 at 12:14 PM
What are your constraints telling you?
On my Substack: coachdavender.substack.com/p/your-const...
#momentumscaling #growth #strategy #startups
On my Substack: coachdavender.substack.com/p/your-const...
#momentumscaling #growth #strategy #startups
On my Substack this morning: coachdavender.substack.com/p/the-empath...
September 12, 2025 at 12:46 PM
On my Substack this morning: coachdavender.substack.com/p/the-empath...
Why qualified leads don’t convert: It’s not your pitch or product. Successful conversion needs three conditions to align: Right Time (urgency), Right Place (budget/authority), Right Fit (matches their success criteria). Don’t blame yourself. Diagnose what’s missing.
August 27, 2025 at 1:23 PM
Why qualified leads don’t convert: It’s not your pitch or product. Successful conversion needs three conditions to align: Right Time (urgency), Right Place (budget/authority), Right Fit (matches their success criteria). Don’t blame yourself. Diagnose what’s missing.
Building influence isn’t about better storytelling—it’s about better follow-through. When your actions consistently outpace your story, trust compounds. Real influence grows through underpromising and overdelivering, not hype. #momentumscaling
August 25, 2025 at 1:45 PM
Building influence isn’t about better storytelling—it’s about better follow-through. When your actions consistently outpace your story, trust compounds. Real influence grows through underpromising and overdelivering, not hype. #momentumscaling
What if startup success isn't about moving faster, but building smarter? Startups don't die from lack of product-market fit. They die from fragility: one shock can end everything. Reserve some resources to strengthen your core. Survivors don't grow fastest. They grow strongest.
#momentumscaling
#momentumscaling
August 18, 2025 at 1:45 PM
What if startup success isn't about moving faster, but building smarter? Startups don't die from lack of product-market fit. They die from fragility: one shock can end everything. Reserve some resources to strengthen your core. Survivors don't grow fastest. They grow strongest.
#momentumscaling
#momentumscaling
When projects aren't creating results, persistence can become stubbornness. Sunk costs multiply—adding interest, lost time, missed opportunities. Investors only care what you do next, not what you spent. Ask 'Is this still worth it?' not 'How much have I spent?' Be your own most demanding investor.
August 6, 2025 at 12:50 PM
When projects aren't creating results, persistence can become stubbornness. Sunk costs multiply—adding interest, lost time, missed opportunities. Investors only care what you do next, not what you spent. Ask 'Is this still worth it?' not 'How much have I spent?' Be your own most demanding investor.
"Goodbye to the age of consumer websites and mobile apps. A.I. has ushered in an era of what insiders in the (U.S.) nation’s innovation capital call 'hard tech'”
NYTimes (Gift Link): www.nytimes.com/2025/08/04/t...
NYTimes (Gift Link): www.nytimes.com/2025/08/04/t...
August 5, 2025 at 1:01 PM
"Goodbye to the age of consumer websites and mobile apps. A.I. has ushered in an era of what insiders in the (U.S.) nation’s innovation capital call 'hard tech'”
NYTimes (Gift Link): www.nytimes.com/2025/08/04/t...
NYTimes (Gift Link): www.nytimes.com/2025/08/04/t...
Successful entrepreneurs are arbitrage hunters—they spot market inefficiencies others ignore. Instead of chasing fancy tech, they find real pain points: manual processes, outdated spreadsheets, clunky software. Build solutions for actual problems, not tech for tech's sake. #momentumscaling
August 4, 2025 at 1:45 PM
Successful entrepreneurs are arbitrage hunters—they spot market inefficiencies others ignore. Instead of chasing fancy tech, they find real pain points: manual processes, outdated spreadsheets, clunky software. Build solutions for actual problems, not tech for tech's sake. #momentumscaling
Real scaling looks like a staircase, not a hockey stick. Growth happens in 3 horizons: Credibility ($0-3M), Capability ($5-10M), Cashflow ($20M+). Each takes 3-4 years with preparation, growth, and consolidation phases. Ditch the tired unicorn-or-bust narrative. Scale at a disciplined, human pace.
July 28, 2025 at 1:45 PM
Real scaling looks like a staircase, not a hockey stick. Growth happens in 3 horizons: Credibility ($0-3M), Capability ($5-10M), Cashflow ($20M+). Each takes 3-4 years with preparation, growth, and consolidation phases. Ditch the tired unicorn-or-bust narrative. Scale at a disciplined, human pace.
Startup-corporate partnerships fail more from unmet expectations than bad tech. Success needs: internal champions with real authority, clear decision timelines, risk-appropriate projects, and starting small to build trust before scaling.
coachdavender.substack.com/p/thot-succe...
coachdavender.substack.com/p/thot-succe...
July 7, 2025 at 1:45 PM
Startup-corporate partnerships fail more from unmet expectations than bad tech. Success needs: internal champions with real authority, clear decision timelines, risk-appropriate projects, and starting small to build trust before scaling.
coachdavender.substack.com/p/thot-succe...
coachdavender.substack.com/p/thot-succe...
What I'm reading on this 4th of July... 🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦
#notthe51ststate
#notthe51ststate
July 4, 2025 at 12:13 PM
What I'm reading on this 4th of July... 🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦
#notthe51ststate
#notthe51ststate
Too many founders mistake traction for momentum. Traction proves people want what you’re building. Momentum is your ability to deliver it reliably at scale. Build systems where today’s growth makes tomorrow’s growth easier. 🚀
#momentumscaling
#momentumscaling
June 30, 2025 at 1:45 PM
Too many founders mistake traction for momentum. Traction proves people want what you’re building. Momentum is your ability to deliver it reliably at scale. Build systems where today’s growth makes tomorrow’s growth easier. 🚀
#momentumscaling
#momentumscaling
Don't compete with giants—find the Edges they ignore. Incumbents have resources & distribution, but startups have agility. Look for underserved niches too small for big players to care about. Own the Edge—that's where the future gets made. 📈
June 27, 2025 at 1:48 PM
Don't compete with giants—find the Edges they ignore. Incumbents have resources & distribution, but startups have agility. Look for underserved niches too small for big players to care about. Own the Edge—that's where the future gets made. 📈
A SWOT analysis can create false confidence by listing predictable threats or opportunities. However, predictions hold little value in an unpredictable world. Analysis only provides the illusion of control. The most valuable opportunities lie beyond what you think you know.
#momentumscaling
#momentumscaling
June 25, 2025 at 1:50 PM
A SWOT analysis can create false confidence by listing predictable threats or opportunities. However, predictions hold little value in an unpredictable world. Analysis only provides the illusion of control. The most valuable opportunities lie beyond what you think you know.
#momentumscaling
#momentumscaling
What decision are you putting off? Analysis paralysis kills more ventures than bad decisions. Understand uncertainty by mapping your hypotheses, assumptions, risks, and dependencies. Control only those things that you can. Build confidence through action, not perfection. #momentumscaling #leadership
June 23, 2025 at 1:45 PM
What decision are you putting off? Analysis paralysis kills more ventures than bad decisions. Understand uncertainty by mapping your hypotheses, assumptions, risks, and dependencies. Control only those things that you can. Build confidence through action, not perfection. #momentumscaling #leadership
I would assume Annual is cheaper than Monthly... but do they think that I'm too lazy to do simple arithmetic? (No, I did not resubscribe) #darkpatterns
May 21, 2025 at 1:48 AM
I would assume Annual is cheaper than Monthly... but do they think that I'm too lazy to do simple arithmetic? (No, I did not resubscribe) #darkpatterns
SMART goals create an illusion of control in an unpredictable world. What you discover while executing matters more than hitting arbitrary targets.
Flexible direction beats fixed targets when uncertainty is the only thing that is certain.
Flexible direction beats fixed targets when uncertainty is the only thing that is certain.
April 28, 2025 at 1:45 PM
SMART goals create an illusion of control in an unpredictable world. What you discover while executing matters more than hitting arbitrary targets.
Flexible direction beats fixed targets when uncertainty is the only thing that is certain.
Flexible direction beats fixed targets when uncertainty is the only thing that is certain.
The stories surrounding Tesla's financial difficulties illustrate that scaling a company that builds with atoms is very different than building with bits. Software has near-zero marginal costs, while hardware must focus on efficiency and sustainable unit economics. The success metrics are distinct.
April 25, 2025 at 1:48 PM
The stories surrounding Tesla's financial difficulties illustrate that scaling a company that builds with atoms is very different than building with bits. Software has near-zero marginal costs, while hardware must focus on efficiency and sustainable unit economics. The success metrics are distinct.
Remember when "going global" meant launching a website? The interconnected world is fracturing fast, forcing hard choices. Hypergrowth is out. Today, success is building anti-fragile ventures that work with constraints, not against them. Stop chasing those obsolete 2010s startup playbooks.
April 23, 2025 at 8:22 PM
Remember when "going global" meant launching a website? The interconnected world is fracturing fast, forcing hard choices. Hypergrowth is out. Today, success is building anti-fragile ventures that work with constraints, not against them. Stop chasing those obsolete 2010s startup playbooks.
Happy Canada Flag Day! Joyeuse fête du drapeau canadien!
www.canada.ca/en/canadian-...
#notthe51ststate
www.canada.ca/en/canadian-...
#notthe51ststate
February 15, 2025 at 5:58 PM
Happy Canada Flag Day! Joyeuse fête du drapeau canadien!
www.canada.ca/en/canadian-...
#notthe51ststate
www.canada.ca/en/canadian-...
#notthe51ststate
I joined Facebook in Feb 2005, accumulating 9000 followers. I enjoyed the conversations. By 2020, I lost interest. When I logged in the other day, my feed had become 90% ads and somewhat NSFW AI-generated images of actresses. I decided to quit FB and delete my account. Buh Bye. #enshittification
February 9, 2025 at 1:52 PM
I joined Facebook in Feb 2005, accumulating 9000 followers. I enjoyed the conversations. By 2020, I lost interest. When I logged in the other day, my feed had become 90% ads and somewhat NSFW AI-generated images of actresses. I decided to quit FB and delete my account. Buh Bye. #enshittification
I will just leave this here...
February 5, 2025 at 2:27 AM
I will just leave this here...
Uh oh. I was exploring Copilot to make some images for a future blog post, and I started wondering about the carbon impact. Copilot says that creating an AI image uses as much energy as fully charging a smartphone...
January 14, 2025 at 3:19 AM
Uh oh. I was exploring Copilot to make some images for a future blog post, and I started wondering about the carbon impact. Copilot says that creating an AI image uses as much energy as fully charging a smartphone...