Hey bootstrappers,

Shrooms. Dr Seuss. The 30-hour workweek.

What would push you to achieve more than you thought possible?

Such motivation or inspiration usually arises from extreme events – a little hallucinogenic introspection, perhaps, or a bout of pneumonia.

Equally, you might find a subtle shift in your company’s cultural dynamics achieves the same goal. Abandoning the “rise and grind”, for example, in favor of a work-life balance. 

Breaking plateaus doesn’t always require radical action but radical thought:

• Might cutting the workweek by 25% result in 25% higher productivity?
• What would Dr Seuss say about evaluating what you want from your career?
• If you treat people like machines, is it fair to expect the best from them?

This week’s founders experimented, suffered, and sacrificed in pursuit of success and now run profitable businesses without a cent of funding.

Next time you’re stuck in a rut, take a break from your circumstances, retreat from those worn-out thought patterns, and evoke a fresh perspective.  

It could be the key to a happy and prosperous year. 🎉 🥂

Rajiv Poddar struggled to scale his business until a controlled hallucinogenic experiment revealed his biggest mistake – and the path to his first million dollars.

Transcription Service Founder Credits Magic Mushrooms With His Startup's $1 Million Breakthrough

“The thought process brought on by the mushrooms made me realize what was preventing Scribie’s growth wasn’t an engineering problem. It was a human problem. I was trying to treat the humans who transcribe as bots.”

Pamela Slim worked 100-hour weeks until a bout of pneumonia knocked her off her feet. Realizing she needed a change, she turned to an unlikely but well-loved author for guidance.

How Love, Pneumonia, and a Dr. Seussian Business Plan Transformed this Finance Director into a Community Builder and Mentor

“I realized that all of those ten years that I was a volunteer executive director, it was super entrepreneurial. I had always told myself this story that I don’t have a business degree but everything I had done was entrepreneurial.”

David Pohlman and Jan Krause have always focused on those that need their help most, and their success-nurturing mentality extends to their company culture, too.

Running a Successful Ecommerce Platform with a 30-Hour Workweek and 100% Remote Team? Here’s How It’s Done

“Most people work five days a week, which comes out to six-hour workdays. We try to schedule all of our meetings on Mondays so that everyone can plan their schedule around it. That way all the other days are flexible and it’s up to them how, when, and where they work.”

 - Rajiv Poddar, Scribie

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