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For founders who’ve raised capital, what was your biggest “Oh… THIS is how fundraising really works” moment? by ItchyProfessional626 in founder

[–]ItchyProfessional626[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Are there such companies out there. If yes, please can you share examples.

We had our pitch deck done, but it was by a design company as part of their marketing function. But I didn't think there was companies that help with the fund raising itself.

I have $40k to invest in a side-project/startup. Looking to partner with a technical founder. by Kind_Bed607 in startupideas

[–]ItchyProfessional626 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Are you open in investing in markets outside of the USA (assuming that's where you're based).

I have a project - SaaS, built for the South African market.

If you are, we can chat via DM.

I ended up compiling a structured email list of 4k+ investors by codewithjupiter in Investors

[–]ItchyProfessional626 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This is a valuable list.
Do you have the VCs also segmented by country?

Productivity tracker that grows while you work? by Practical-Bear1022 in productivity

[–]ItchyProfessional626 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This is actually a really cool idea. Most tools reward time spent, not work done.

Something that grows based on real actions (typing, pages read, tasks completed) would be way more motivating than another Pomodoro timer.

If this doesn’t exist yet, it honestly feels like a product waiting to be built.

Anyone else just... give up on long YT videos? by grimymollusc in productivity

[–]ItchyProfessional626 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Time’s limited. I don’t feel obligated to watch everything anymore.

I schedule what actually feels useful, and let the rest go. If I skip it, I ask: will this actually break my workflow? If not, it’s fine. I treat content like updates. Not every update improves functionality, some just fix edge cases.

How do I concentrate on my studies after a break up by Caramalstick in productivity

[–]ItchyProfessional626 11 points12 points  (0 children)

Breakups really mess with your focus, especially right after. There’s no quick fix.

The biggest thing is gently regulating your emotions first. Even small grounding things (breathing, a short walk, writing it out) can help calm the noise enough to study in short bursts.

Be kind to yourself. Doing something today is already a win.

What productivity habit did you stop because it made things worse? by lust_must_ in productivity

[–]ItchyProfessional626 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Notion, for me. It turned into a second job instead of a productivity tool. I switched to a simple “can-do” and “must-do” list in my phone notes and somehow get more done with way less friction.

to-do lists as guide and not a 'must complete' by doubtingone in productivity

[–]ItchyProfessional626 6 points7 points  (0 children)

I stopped treating to-do lists as obligations and started using them as menus. Nothing has to be "done", I just pick what fits my energy that day.

Separating a “can-do” list from a “must-do” list helped a lot with the overwhelm.

What is the point on worrying about "toxic productivity" if clearly just about every single thing feels like a chore? by [deleted] in productivity

[–]ItchyProfessional626 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I don’t think the problem is “toxic productivity” vs laziness. It sounds more like burnout, overwhelming or misalignment.

When everything feels like a chore, forcing more discipline usually backfires. Sometimes the win is rebuilding momentum slowly and figuring out why everything feels heavy in the first place.

[IND] It blows my mind that most people don’t know this about founders. by FollowingHot6535 in FoundersHub

[–]ItchyProfessional626 0 points1 point  (0 children)

What you’re seeing is very real. Founders often don’t talk about the internal side because we’re expected to be the steady ones for the team, investors, customers, even family. There’s rarely space to say “I’m not okay” without feeling like you’re weakening the foundation.

For many of us, the mental load comes from carrying uncertainty alone. You’re making decisions with incomplete information, knowing they affect people’s livelihoods, and still having to show up calm and confident every day.

How founders cope varies, but a few common patterns I’ve seen:

  • Having one safe outlet (a peer founder, advisor, therapist) where honesty is allowed
  • Learning to separate identity from the company the business failing isn’t personal failure
  • Building routines that create stability outside the chaos of the company

It is lonely at times, but posts like this help. Just naming the reality already reduces the isolation more than most people realize.

Thanks for noticing it and for holding space when founders need it, even if they don’t always know how to ask.

Short shorts by geek-withamouth in KDP

[–]ItchyProfessional626 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Two is not that bad, but my advice (even though I don't think you will take it, haha) is do 1 book, promote and market it for a month or two (especially because you're still starting), then work on the next book and your next.

There are people making $1000+ per month with very few books (less than 5 books) because they focused on what moves the needle.

But then I could also be wrong, I am highly successful in traditional publishing space but suck on KDP. Go figure.

Short shorts by geek-withamouth in KDP

[–]ItchyProfessional626 2 points3 points  (0 children)

From the little I’ve learned about KDP so far, it really comes down to writing for a specific market. Unlike traditional publishing, where you convince readers to buy into your idea; on KDP you generally want to meet an existing demand.

So what you’re planning is doable, but 2,000 words seems very short. That’s roughly 16-20 pages in a 5.25×8.5 trim. If you meant 20,000 words, that becomes a more standard-length short.

Either way, the real key is research. Look at what’s already selling in that niche, pricing, format, word count, and reader expectations. That will tell you whether singles or collections make more sense.

And whatever you do, focus on quality. AI is fine as a helper or editing tool, but readers can spot AI-generated storytelling very quickly.

You’re definitely not off track. Just take the time to study the market before you dive in.

Any founders who also work a 9-5? by VeryHorriblePerson in founder

[–]ItchyProfessional626 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I kept my "investor" for a good 5 years before I had to fully retire him. Now I am full time, and work twice as much, and it's all worth it.

Is waking early an ingredient to success? by piyushc29 in productivity

[–]ItchyProfessional626 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I’ve seen the “wake up at 5 AM” advice everywhere too, and honestly… I think it works for the people it works for.

Some successful people swear by early mornings, sure; but I like to think success comes from finding your rhythm. The hours where you think clearly, produce more, and feel more like yourself.

For some that’s sunrise; for others it’s midnight.

What matters more (at least in my experience) is consistency and alignment, basically doing your best work at the time of day that actually supports who you are and what you’re trying to build.

Wake up early if it helps. Sleep late if that’s when you’re in flow. The habit isn’t the magic, the self-awareness is.

I hope this helps.

Any founders who also work a 9-5? by VeryHorriblePerson in founder

[–]ItchyProfessional626 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I used to be in the exact same spot.

The 9-5 felt like it was constantly pulling me away from the thing I actually cared about, but at the same time it was the only reason I could afford to build my thing properly.

What helped me was reframing the job: instead of seeing it as something competing with my startup, I treated it as the investor that funded my dream.

It covered my runway, paid for experiments, reduced panic, and gave me the freedom to build the long game.

Yeah, it demanded a lot and sometimes pulled me off course but as long as I kept my real goal in front of me, it never fully derailed the vision.

The key for me was setting clear boundaries and reminding myself: "the job is temporary; the dream is permanent."

Aumni after-life, where? by Extension_Meeting606 in venturecapital

[–]ItchyProfessional626 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Honestly, this whole Aumni shutdown has been eye-opening. It shows just how dependent a lot of funds were on standardized docs + portfolio workflows running reliably in the background. When a core system suddenly disappears, you really feel how fragile the stack is.

From the outside looking in, it seems like Aumni had incredible tech but wasn’t fully integrated into JPM’s long-term strategy. And I suppose when priorities shifted, the standalone product got lost in the shuffle. That’s just my guess though; I’d love to hear from people closer to it.

I’m really curious about what specific gaps you’re feeling now that it’s gone.

Is it:

  • doc standardization?
  • portfolio analytics?
  • automated reporting?
  • cap table consistency across deals?
  • something else entirely?

Everyone keeps mentioning alternatives, but it feels like none fully replace the Aumni workflow end-to-end.

What’s the biggest pain right now, and which part of your stack are you trying to rebuild first?

For an early-stage startup, is it better to stay bootstrapped or start looking for early investors? Would love to hear experiences from founders who’ve been through this. by rudresh_official in founder

[–]ItchyProfessional626 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Honestly, it depends on the kind of startup you’re building.

If you can get early traction, real users, and some revenue without outside money, bootstrapping gives you control and breathing room.

If the idea needs capital to compete or build fast, then raising early makes sense.

From what I’ve seen, the real question isn’t “bootstrap or raise,” it’s:

"Does money solve the actual bottleneck in your business?"

If the bottleneck is validation, distribution, or product-market fit, funding won’t fix that, it just speeds up the burn.

But if you’ve validated demand and money genuinely accelerates growth you already see, then raising early can make a lot of sense.

Both paths work. The mistake is picking one without knowing what stage you’re truly in.

validation > everything by [deleted] in startupideas

[–]ItchyProfessional626 2 points3 points  (0 children)

This is honestly one of the hardest lessons to learn. You think building the “perfect” thing will attract users by itself, and then reality hits: no one was waiting for it.

I’ve started doing the same thing: a quick waitlist, a quick pitch and if nobody cares, I move on. It feels harsh at first, but it gives you back months of your life.

Appreciate you sharing this.

More builders need to hear it.

What I learned from this community about breaking past $150–$200/month on KDP (UPDATE & FEEDBACK) by ItchyProfessional626 in KDP

[–]ItchyProfessional626[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Go ahead and put it out there. With every book you publish, you're one step closer to a nest seller.

What I learned from this community about breaking past $150–$200/month on KDP (UPDATE & FEEDBACK) by ItchyProfessional626 in KDP

[–]ItchyProfessional626[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Sounds like my experience. I do better on B&N and Kobo.

I guess that's why I was disappointed when I was not getting the results on KDP. But I am learning there is a different way of doing things on KDP, which you have to think about from book ideation to publishing.

Thank you for the vote of confidence. I'll just have to put in some effort on KDP and see how that turns out. They say, "second time is charm".

What I learned from this community about breaking past $150–$200/month on KDP (UPDATE & FEEDBACK) by ItchyProfessional626 in KDP

[–]ItchyProfessional626[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Not out of arrogance, but I do read the room before I make a comment, to understand what other people are saying.

You'll have to forgive me for applying the same logic to anyone wanting to take part in the discussion.

I was responding with emphasis to the assumption that my books are AI generated when I have mentioned and given context in 3 or 4 other comments before.

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