Welcome back to StartUp.Club’s November issue! Make sure you subscribe and join the 1 million+ entrepreneurs in this community. 👇

In this newsletter you’ll find:

• 📅 Today’s LIVE Clubhouse Episode

• 📈 Micro Moves, Major Wins [7 Tips]

• 🔥 To Scale or Not to Scale [Free GPT Access]

• 🔍 Who Should You Vote For This Election…

• 🔥 Tech's Newest Favorite AI

Estimated Read Time: 7 minutes 32 seconds

Exciting news… Start. Scale. Exit. Repeat. is offically a BookFest award winner!!

Don’t forget to forward this newsletter to a fellow entrepreneur.

TODAY’S CLUBHOUSE 👇

Friday, Nov. 1st 2pm ET - Stephanie McKenzie, Brand & Leadership Development Expert.

Brand & Leadership strategist Stephanie Mckenzie shows how to build a successful plan to get your business noticed!

🚀 Micro Moves, Major Wins: How Michele Van Tilborg is Flipping the Script at Paw.com

Earlier this year, Michele Van Tilborg took the reins as CEO of Paw.com.

It wasn’t exactly a walk in the park – eCommerce has had a rough ride post-pandemic.

But Michele had a plan. When I asked her how she was going to turn things around, she said: “100 micro moves.”

In Start. Scale. Exit. Repeat., we talk about dozens of small move you can make that

have a major win.

We call them “minor/majors”.

These are the low-key moves that create major ripple effects.

Here are some of my favorite minor/majors that have delivered:

• Leverage Your Customers for Promo: At a school my wife and her business partner run, we printed open house signs and asked parents to post them on their lawns. It worked so well, we never had to do it again.

• Logo Everywhere: Sure, this might embarrass my family, but I slap our logo on everything – from my daily shirts to my car and even my boat. It’s almost free advertising and I can’t tell you how many people say, I saw your Paw.com car.

• Front Row Mentality: I once asked my son where he sat in college on his first day of classes in 3rd year as his first two years were done in zoom. He proudly said, “Front row, right by the professor.” He stayed engaged and surrounded himself with the best. You really are who you surround yourself. One small decision in your life could have major impact on your success. 

• Sit in the Front: I take the same approach at trade shows – front row, merch on. Half the time, the speaker gives us a shoutout, and again, it’s all free.

• Daily Sales Huddles: At one of my companies, we launched an 8-minute daily sales huddle.

Each person answered three questions:

1. What’s your top priority today?

2. What was your victory yesterday?

3. Are you stuck?

 And guess what, the #1 question that changed behavior the most was…

 “What is your victory from yesterday?”

How do I know this because I had to the come to the table every morning with a huge victory to impress the team.

It changed my behavior!

Here’s how Michele’s been making micro moves at Paw.com:

• Embrace Offshore Talent: She outsourced a daily cartoon design after our U.S. based designer left, slashing the cost to 20% of what we’d been paying.

• Renegotiate Everything: From software to shipping, she left no stone unturned. Michele even got our shipping expenses cut by 20%.

• Slash Unnecessary Costs: She combed through every subscription and expense, cutting anything non-essential without impacting quality or customer experience.

• Ask for a Bigger Cut: She even negotiated with one of our vendors to boost our commission from 30% to 50%. Sometimes all it takes is asking.

• Switch a 2% Cash Back Card: One of her smartest moves? She switched our corporate credit card to one that gives 2% back on every dollar. Since we spend millions on ads with companies like Facebook, we make almost $200K in additional profit just by using the right credit card.

• She setup Goal Setting on Rhythm Systems: Rhythm Systems recently setup a goal setting platform for $500 dollars per year to help startups build strategy and set goals for themselves and their employees.

  (insert rhytm systems pic here)

• Setup affiliates: Oh, and if you’re a Startup Club member, Michele set up a 20% discount for you. Just use code STARTUPCLUB.

The best part?

None of these moves hit quality or service.

Individually, they might seem small, but together, they’re turning Paw.com around.

My All-Time Favorite Minor Major… AI for Growth.

There are so many AI tools that can supercharge your business, helping with contracts, marketing, strategy, and more.

Think of it like Tony Stark strapping on the Ironman suit suddenly, you’re supercharged.

Minor/majors – whether it’s using cashback cards, getting a free shoutout, or optimizing every part of the business – these moves add up.

And when you start locking these down, you’re setting your business on the fast track to scaling up and staying competitive.

Enjoy the rest of the newsletter.

— Colin C. Campbell

🔍 WHO WILL SUPPORT YOUR STARTUP THIS ELECTION? 5 REASONS TO VOTE FOR EACH CANDIDATE 

Whether you are Democrat, Republican or Independent you might consider voting. If you do here are five reasons to support each of the two candidates running for president:

Reasons to Vote for Vice President Kamala Harris

1. Funding for Startups: Harris supports increased access to grants and loans, particularly for underrepresented founders, fostering a more inclusive startup ecosystem.

2. Affordable Healthcare: Plans to lower healthcare costs can benefit small businesses by reducing the financial strain on employee benefits.

3. Climate Tech Support: Her environmental policies include incentives for green tech startups, promoting innovation in sustainable industries.

4. Broadband Expansion: Proposals to expand internet access could open markets and boost remote operations for digital startups.

5. Tax Incentives for Innovation: Harris supports tax breaks for R&D, making it more affordable for tech-focused startups to innovate.

Reasons to Vote for Former President Donald Trump

1. Deregulation: Trump advocates for reducing regulations, which can simplify compliance and lower costs for startups.

2. Lower Corporate Taxes: Aiming to cut taxes, Trump’s policies could increase cash flow for early-stage businesses reinvesting profits.

3. Infrastructure Investment: Planned investments in U.S. infrastructure may open opportunities for startups in construction, tech, and logistics.

4. Skilled Immigration: Supports expanded work visas, potentially aiding startups in accessing top talent from around the world.

5. Energy Independence: Trump’s focus on U.S. energy could reduce operational costs for energy-intensive startups, especially in manufacturing.

At startup club we are neutral and will not endorse either candidate.

We do however, believe it is important that all founders and those working for startups get out and vote to support a strong startup environment.

Live, Work, and Play at Sea: Fast Internet Revolutionizes Cruise Life

The world changed dramatically in 2020 with the pandemic. Suddenly, working from home became the norm, “Zoom meetings” took over, and we all traded business attire for comfortable loungewear.

Fast-forward a few years, and that flexible work-life has become something many of us appreciate: working wherever and whenever we want.

Last year, while cruising on Royal Caribbean’s Jewel of the Seas in the North Atlantic, I was amazed to find high-speed internet, courtesy of SpaceX’s Starlink—a low-orbit satellite network that’s as fast as it is revolutionary.

For those of us used to struggling with frustratingly slow, unreliable satellite internet, Starlink is a game-changer.

With high-speed connectivity now spreading across cruise lines, Royal Caribbean’s Chief Information Officer says they’re “all in” on high-speed connectivity to keep guests connected no matter where they are.

This shift brings up an intriguing question: could this be the start of a new era where anyone can work “wherever” and “whenever”—even in the remote North Atlantic?

The idea aligns with the mission of Start Scale Exit Repeat, which explores how tech shifts reshape our world.

From internet access in the 90s to the cloud era, every shift has transformed our work and lives.

Today, the rise of high-speed global internet and AI are poised to unleash the next big shift—enabling us to “Live, Work, and Play” anywhere in the world.

My recent experience got me thinking about the future of workspaces at sea.

Imagine cruise ships equipped with private offices and coworking spaces, allowing guests to tackle their workday amid incredible views.

In fact, my wife and I took the plunge and invested in a condo on the upcoming Storylines MV Narrative, a unique residential ship designed for full-time global living and working.

Set to launch in 2027, this ship offers shared workspaces, a recording studio, and at-home connectivity, combining luxury travel with a remote work-friendly environment.

Storylines’ CEO explains their commitment to high-speed internet, with plans for Starlink to ensure “at-home, at-work levels of connection.”

Are we witnessing the next leap in remote work culture?

Imagine closing a deal while sipping cocktails overlooking Alaskan icebergs.

With this new way of living, it’s clear the 9-to-5 office has transformed forever.

Want to see how Starlink and global connectivity could change your lifestyle?

Check out the full story here to learn how to work from anywhere—even at sea!

Tech's Newest Favorite AI – Notebook LM

Recently, I did a video on custom GPTs, which I think is another game-changer, another massive opportunity.

And today, I’m here to tell you about something new from Google. It’s called Notebook LM.

Notebook LM is incredible.

You just go into it with your Google account, and it lets you create notebooks for personal use or even for broadcasting on podcasts or other channels.

Here’s a quick example—I took one of my chapters from Start Scale Exit Repeat, uploaded it in just 10 seconds, and then clicked “generate.”

That’s it. In no time, it created an entire podcast.

So if you’ve got any proprietary data, this could be huge.

To give you a little more context, we’re planning to take all 58 chapters from Start Scale Exit Repeat and make them available as Notebook LM deep dives.

You’ll be able to read a chapter, then click for a podcast version of that content if you want to go deeper. Imagine getting all those startup hacks, tips, and tricks delivered as audio.

Want to see what Notebook LM can do for your startup?

Watch the full video here and explore how you can make AI work for you.

🔥 TO SCALE OR NOT TO SCALE [FREE GPT INCLUDED]

Do you keep running your startup as a lifestyle business or do you scale it?

Most companies in America fail to scale, but let me tell you this.

There is a formula to scale.

I've done it dozens of times, but it's very different than starting your business.

Your instincts may have got you through starting your business, but they're not going to get you through scaling.

You need to operate very differently at scale versus start.

Your story needs to change.

Your people need to change.

Your funding needs to change.

And it's time to let systems help scale your business.

There are dozens of strategies we outline in the book Start, Scale, Exit, Repeat.

From finding what makes you unique and different with your X Factor, to transforming you into a sales driven organization, to funding the company the right way.

 🚨 Grab the free GPT to rate your scalabilty here 🚨

📅 THIS MONTH’S CLUBHOUSE SCHEDULE!

Friday, Nov. 8th 2pm ET - Jose Moreno, Founder and CEO of Neulight.

What you’ll learn:

Join us as we dive into the journey of Jose Moreno, Founder and CEO of Neulight, exploring his insights on innovation, leadership, and building a successful company from the ground up.

Friday, Nov. 15th 2pm ET - Randy Bast, FocalPoint Business & Executive Coach.

What you’ll learn:

Tune in as we chat with Randy Bast, Certified FocalPoint Business & Executive Coach, uncovering his expert strategies for empowering leaders and accelerating business growth.

Friday, Nov. 22nd 2pm ET - Ewell Smith — Founder ‘Close the Deal’.

What you’ll learn:

In this episode, we speak with Ewell Smith, founder of Close the Deal, to uncover his proven techniques for driving sales success and closing deals with confidence.

🚀 SUPPORTING STARTUP.CLUB

Thank you for reading along for another issue of the StartUp Club newsletter! I hope you genuinely look forward to opening the StartUp.Club newsletter every week. You can further support StartUp.Club by:

1. Sharing it with a friend or fellow entrepreneur!

2. Responding to this email and letting me know what you think. We love feedback around here! What do you want to see more of? What are you not interested in?

3. Picking up your copy of Start. Scale. Exit. Repeat.

And if you made it this far, thank you for reading.

I hope you enjoyed this edition of the StartUp.Club Newsletter.

Do you have a topic you’d like me to dive into? Reply back to this email and I’ll see what I can do.

— Colin C. Campbell