Ahoy,

Just a quick note to mention that I’ve started a new newsletter focused on startups. I’ve been out of the game for too long and I miss watching cool people build cool stuff so I decided to dump my agita and advice out onto the world. I’ll also be supporting startups by writing profiles of them every Monday so feel free to submit.

Here’s the first issue if you’d like to check it out. Thanks!

Best,

JB

I’m sick of startup bros.

“Just do it. Get ‘er done. Hustle harder. It’s your own fault you’re not growing. Work harder than the next startup and you’ll succeed. Your failure is a “you” problem. You suck.”

You see these assholes everywhere now. They show up to crypto conferences in order to convince others to hold their bags of shitcoins. They pop up on YouTube and TikTok to offer advice from the seats of their rented supercars. They lie to you, fake skill and wisdom, and can ruin people’s lives.

I’ve been in the startup game as a journalist and maker for 20 years. I’ve written multiple books on startups and I’ve written 11,000 posts for TechCrunch about startups. I’ve seen thousands of pitches and watched hundreds of people go from zero to million-dollar run rates.

I’ve failed. Multiple times. I’ve pitched. I’ve struck out. I’ve succeeded in a few things, messed up in more.

And I’m honestly sick at what passes for startup content these days. The glorification of the sociopathic founder. The massive A round raises while the little guys, the folks just starting out, are ignored. The refusal to admit that SF is no longer the locus of power in the startup world.

In this newsletter, I plan on writing about startups so I’ll need your help. If you’d like to be featured in the newsletter, please fill out this form. I’ll contact you with my standard set of questions and I’ll write you up and send your info out to all my subscribers. This service is free. The startup community has given me a lot. I’ve always tried to give back. 

Further, I’ll rail against the mess that is modern startup coverage. I’ll do independent reporting when I can and offer the advice I have to early entrepreneurs. If you have any questions you’d like answered please email me at john@biggs.cc. 

I’ll also be building a podcast that will allow you to pitch to an audience of investors and successful entrepreneurs who will help me coach you through the growth process. Watch this space for more on that shortly.

Building a startup is painful. It’s hard. It’s not fun. I’d like to help and I’d love to hear what you’re building. Nobody tells you this but you’re likely to fail. You’re likely to get sick, get suicidal, get hurt. But if you’re one of the few who succeed you can escape the cubicle warrens of the damned and build something amazing. 

Let’s do this.

Subscribe here.