The 6D Thinking Framework + Diversify To Survive

A single course won't teach you everything you need to know.

Instant gratification is a myth. Studying the night before an exam will get you through the exam - but evaporates 3 days later. Building on mental models is what builds on the sustainable way to build knowledge.

However, the real question is, does learning stop after graduation?

Introducing the "5-hour rule".

As a learnaholic myself, I'm deeply saddened by consistently growing valuations and engagement times on TikTok, games, gambling, meme sites at the cost of learning.

It's not about IQ or learning capacity, either. Jim Kwik is the living proof - the author of Limitless is a world expert on memory improvement and brain optimization, known as "the boy with the broken brain" as a kid who faced a traumatic brain injury.

Here's what sets inspiring leaders apart:

1. Infinite Devotion - allotting time continuously forever, uncovering core motivation and personal values in an area of purpose, passion, and curiosity that evolves for decades to come.

2. Polymathy - Renaissance heroes like da Vinci or Michelangelo specialized in multiple disciplines and leveraged insights and learnings across each segment.

3. Mental Models - building upon First Principles, the ability to mind-map knowledge into buckets and categories, and store the core foundational knowledge in the permanent memory, effectively creates powerful patterns that retain knowledge and build upon.

4. Long Game - leaders do not plan for the quarter or the year. What Amazon, Microsoft, Google, Tesla plan today will reach market adoption in 5, 10, 15 years from now. Space exploration or neuron implants felt foreign and impossible back in the day - and we see the results of big picture thinking and devotion over time.

5. Experimentation - repeating the same thing over and over and expecting a different result is a faulty premise unless we talk about learning or training. Successful businesses and initiatives survive and grow by adapting. Consumer behavior, personal preferences, and market trends shift too quickly - and A/B testing paves the way to success.

6. Integrative Complexity - a multi-dimensional thinking expanding one's horizons past two opposing ideas and principles. Big picture and micro zoom-in abilities. Vision and execution. Confidence and humility. Tactical execution weekly while maintaining long-term goals.

^ This, and other bits on wisdom, going daily on my LinkedIn profile. Hit “Follow” and ring the bell to keep in touch with the daily updates. Continuing this line of thought, in today's edition of The Growth Blueprint you may come to notice that OpenAI's progress once again would come to the expense of businesses, that are heavily focused on a single service.

So when I talk about diversification, I don't just talk strategy - I'm talking survival for your business.

I've seen single-revenue-stream businesses fold overnight. Every revenue increase? Toss 10% into a new, experimental channel. Trust me on this one.

Let's say you're making a killing on Amazon FBA then one day they suspend your account. At least you have the Facebook store, right? Wrong, their algorithm updated, and your organic reach is gone. Now what?

You want to have:

• Multiple channels for products/services

• Multiple streams within those channels

• Investments in totally different markets

At any give moment, and entire industry can collapse for months. Don't let it be you. Or your clients.

If you're basing your wealth primarily on your work as an employee, you're taking a huge risk. I'm not telling you to quit your job and start investing, or turn into an entrepreneur overnight. All I'm saying is to put 10-20% of your time/money into something different.

It could be:

• Buying stocks

• Teaching courses

• Starting a small business

• Creating a product

It's a simple principle: The more plates you have spinning, the less risk for you.

What's your current breakdown? If it's 100% in one area, it's time to start experimenting.

Be safe, not sorry.

Yours, Mario

My Take

✍️ Revealing Reputational And Legal Risks For Businesses - Evolving regulations for handling personal data and responding to cybersecurity breaches impact every company that collects and utilizes data, and more scrutiny is being given to the ethical use of artificial intelligence.

✍️ Ways AI Can Benefit Your Content and Marketing - AI-powered tools and techniques can add invaluable assistance to your content and marketing work. But you first must understand the possibilities before you can benefit from them.

✍️ Stacked Marketer’s New Platform - The new platform for professional marketers providing daily insights and in-depth data reviews and courses.  Today, the newsletter network is transforming into a new holistic platform for marketers. This includes a complete revamp of their Stacked Marketer Pro platform - a course library containing guides and resources on copywriting, newsletters, ads, email marketing, client acquisition and more.

Business Strategy

📄OpenAI shows off first examples of third-party creators using Sora - OpenAI has been releasing a steady drip of videos generated by its new highly realistic AI model, Sora, but the text-to-video (and image-to-video) tool remains out of reach to the public still. Now, for the first time, the generative AI startup is showing off Sora creations made by a select group of outside filmmakers, artists, advertising agencies, and musicians that have been given access to the model.

📄EU launches mass DMA violation probes against Apple, Google, and Meta -Using its new powers under the Digital Markets Act, the European Union has announced sweeping probes into US Big Tech, including multiple investigations of Apple. As of early March 2024, Apple has enabled the creation of third-party rivals to its own App Store, specifically and solely because it has been forced to under the EU's Digital Markets Act (DMA).

📄 More Than $500 Million for WeWork - Adam Neumann and several partners submitted an offer to buy WeWork out of bankruptcy for more than $500 million, putting one of the tech world’s most controversial founders a step closer to regaining control of his long-troubled startup.

📄 Florida Law Bans Social Media for Minors Under 14 - Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed legislation Monday that prohibits people under 14 years of age from having social-media accounts, regardless of parental consent, one of the most restrictive laws aimed at curbing social-media access for minors.

📄 Baidu Shares Rise - Shares of Baidu rose sharply in Hong Kong after reports of possible collaboration involving artificial intelligence between the Chinese tech giant and smartphone giant Apple. Last week Apple had held preliminary talks about using Baidu’s AI tech. Chinese regulators have to approve generative AI models before they can be launched to the public.

Global News

📈 Bitcoin is up 69% this year, so even if it falls to Citi’s multi-factor model target of $58,100, in the next six months, it should easily clear either of those bars in 2024.

• S&P 500: $5,220(+0.32%)

📈 “Where the 10-Year Treasury yield goes, mortgage rates will follow,” says Ken Johnson of Florida Atlantic University. “In roughly the last two months, the 10-year Treasury yield is up 50 basis points. Depending on the source, the 30-year mortgage rate is up 48 basis points. Treasurys’ path remains a coin toss at this point.”

• 30-year mortgage rate: 6.98%(+0.10)

• 15-year mortgage rate: 6.47%(+0.06)

📈  Americans hamstrung by high borrowing costs on car loans, mortgages and credit cards shouldn’t expect much of a break this year. That’s because some Federal Reserve officials are reconsidering forecasts they made three months ago that called for three rate cuts this year.

Currently, the Fed’s target interest rate is between 5.25% and 5.5%, a 23-year high. Four of the 19 officials on the rate-setting committee now see rates staying above 5% this year, implying one or no rate cuts, according to new economic projections from last week’s meeting.

Meanwhile, in December, three officials saw rates staying above 5%. On the opposite end, just one official — compared to five previously — sees rates dipping below 4.5%, implying four cuts.

📰 Here are some of the most prominent headlines this week:

• Jailed WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange staves off immediate extradition on espionage charges as UK court demands assurances from US.

• Sean "Diddy" Combs' homes in California and Florida raided as part of an ongoing investigation, Homeland Security.

• The UN Security Council passes a resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza after the US abstains.

Investing Updates

• Paket Concierge - raising €3M to simplify last-mile delivery via Out-of-Home pickup hubs. 

• MindAhead - raising €1M to scale its digital therapy solutions that slow the progression of dementia. 

• Curiera - raising €400,000 to upgrade the courier industry in Romania by providing eco-friendly and efficient delivery solutions. 

Note: Got a round going that you want to feature - your own business or a portfolio company? Get in touch.

Now let’s have a look at the latest top Flippa offers

AI-Powered Forex Trading SaaS - This SaaS tool platform automates and manages trades for Forex traders.

• Monthly profit: $15K

• ARR: $232K

• Business age: 3 years

No-Login Token Creation SaaS - This SaaS platform simplifies the token-creation process for businesses and individuals.

• Monthly profit: $10.8K

• Profit margin: 99%+

• Business age: 2 years

Kids Costumes & Dresses Amazon FBA - This business was established in 1999 and sells childrenswear, Halloween costumes, and gifts.

• Monthly profit: $23K

• Average order value: $35

• Business age: 24 years

Need My Help?

I'm involved with a number of initiatives - here's what I can do to help you:

🌐 Scalable and secure WordPress? DevriX provides WordPress retainers to SMEs, publishers, eCommerce, SaaS, and more. Our plans start from $1,200/mo to $40K/mo for anything from support through engineering, CRO, performance, security, to fractional CXO services and managing the data stacks of large corps.

🚀 Want to scale and optimize your business? Growth Shuttle offers personalized advisory plans starting at $600/hr. Tap into my personal pool of business know-how and my data warehouse of industry data.

👥 Want access to my blueprints/books and a weekly Slack planning session? Join my Community and grab my Entrepreneurship book. 

📈 Looking to start a US company? Check out doola and their “Business in a Box” model. Suitable for both foreigners and US citizens and both for residents and non-residents.

📊 Have you tried buying and selling digital property? Have a look at Flippa’s marketplace. They offer a vast variety of online businesses for any buyer’s interests. Or if you’re ready for an exit, Flippa provides you with the necessary tools to list your business and close the deal.

💼 Looking for investment opportunities? Check out SeedBlink and use Nimity to manage it.

💡 Eager to incorporate my recommended solutions? Track my angel investments. Sharing, applying for open roles, or writing reviews helps a ton.  And anything else I try to publish on my blog and my courses here!