I will let you in on a little secret...

Taking something from nothing is 1,000 times harder than growing another 20% on something already converting at decent volumes.

In the former, we have to discover the GCT (Goals, Content, Targeting) that works, an arduous, painful, expensive effort.

In the latter, we can apply known optimization techniques, as we already have a working signal to amplify.

To participate in a startup that doesn’t have clear market demand is to be a founder, so you better not be paid like a contractor or be expected to deliver results as if it was already a successful business.

Trying to grow just one startup is super, super hard. So trying to grow more than one is an exercise in near futility.

I’d rather work on 20 healthy companies grow than tackle just one startup that hasn’t found its GCT (goals, content, targeting), which we also call “strategy”.

This is a warning to all entrepreneurs and agencies.

Dennis Yu

Dennis Yu is co-author of the #1 best selling book on Amazon in social media, The Definitive Guide to TikTok Ads. He has spent a billion dollars on Facebook ads across his agencies and agencies he advises. Mr. Yu is the "million jobs" guy-- on a mission to create one million jobs via hands-on social media training, partnering with universities and professional organizations. You can find him quoted in major publications and on television such as CNN, the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, NPR, and LA Times. Clients have included Nike, Red Bull, the Golden State Warriors, Ashley Furniture, Quiznos-- down to local service businesses like real estate agents and dentists. He's spoken at over 750 conferences in 20 countries, having flown over 6 million miles in the last 30 years to train up young adults and business owners. He speaks for free as long as the organization believes in the job-creation mission and covers business class travel. You can find him hiking tall mountains, eating chicken wings, and taking Kaqun oxygen baths-- likely in a city near you.

Dennis Yu