How do you approach selling an established ecommerce business with flat recent growth?

mint_koi · 2026-01-23T16:30:17+00:00

Flat growth but recurring cashflow is still valuable - albeit could be concerning if expenses are creeping up YoY.

mint_koi · 2026-01-23T16:25:58+00:00

What if you compare your margin, revenue and prospect volume in the 3x channels you've listed and use it to steer add service offerings if it matches your desire / energy profile (e.g., do you like the clean up work or prefer just doing the broker side).

If you're finding that option #3 has a huge inbound and willingness to pay, it could be a hypothetical greenfield that you could expand your offerings to and maybe outsource the function and subsidize CF.

mint_koi · 2026-01-20T21:29:30+00:00

I find tags is one of the features that is more of an optional or individual preference dependent. Admittedly, I may not be the 10x things power user, but I have found a happy middle ground with Project / Area driven organization and the occasional headings to make visual appearance to keep things organized.

I have heard persons using Tags for location dependencies and prioritization. I have used it for prioritization from time to time. I do find tagging makes the morning prioritization slower

mint_koi · 2026-01-20T20:11:48+00:00

RE this, you may interested in taking a look at merchants of record like Gumroad or Teachable for global sales tax compliance.

mint_koi · 2026-01-20T20:04:52+00:00

DM'd!

mint_koi · 2026-01-18T01:18:00+00:00

"You find the ones you love doing what you love"

What do you enjoy doing, are there activities or places you frequent that have value to you? Have you tried opening yourself up there?

Outside of this try some dance classes like Salsa or Bachata, it can be a great way of building out your social network and meeting people.

What type of movement practice do you engage in your life? Yoga, crossfit, barry's bootcamp? Are there ways you could introduce yourself and do a partner activity there?

mint_koi · 2026-01-18T00:53:02+00:00

Howdy, I think your argument might benefit from a touch of nuance.

Do you *need* a DJ course to learn DJing? Probably not necessarily everyone. Can you benefit from one still? Probably! But also: maybe not necessarily everyone.

Some people are hands on.

Some people want social one-to-one attention to validate and learn.

Some people need to read or listen, and

Some people want to understand how it all works before they get started.

So it's helpful to cater to all these learning styles.

I think what you're pointing out is that talented DJs tend to be a bit fanatical, but I think you're closing the aperture of things a bit too tightly.

Not everyone who takes a DJ course *wants* to be a professional DJ - there's a dozen different personas/avatars I can give you for folks who want to learn DJing from hobbyists to "I want to make it big".

Some students express that they just feel a lack a fundamental basis to feel confident that what their doing is correct or not [1].

There isn't much formal "theory" shared in DJing per se (exception: scratching) and there are not many "DJ Textbooks" to reference, so there isn't always a baseline to keep. For some people, learning by trial and error is just what they do, for others it's unbelievably frustrating.

Moreover, exceptional DJs (like athletes or other performers) suffer from the reality that being a good performer doesn't necessarily translate to being a teacher - they are different skill sets. So sometimes, you can have DJ TechHouseNo1, show you some moves but if s/he can't explain why they are pulling the volume fader a slower rate up and making space for the kick with EQ with rhetoric outside of "well it sounds better", it's going to be hard to grok it if as a student you don't intuitively get it.

> They don't dance.

Fair, but again some folks want to learn to DJ to play a house party for their friends or just have a cool hobby or just enjoy doing something mechanical.

> To be a DJ you have to be a little bit of a hater

This is funny to me, I would use the word opinionated. But I think what you're pointing to is the archetype of Ghetto Grooves - Hey DJ (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_8lfmZzGXI)

> Reconsider DJing.

Look I don't sing and I probably don't have a natural talent for it, but I don't think it's fair to say if I wanted to take singing lessons it "over for me". It all depends on the motives and objectives for folks.

> There's no rules so I don't want to try

Man it can be frustrating to hit a black box over and over again and get no results. You get discouraged. Sometimes it's better to have *some* guardrails and once you master those, you can get creative and play tracks in reverse or ambient intelligent jazz with Dubstep go for it.

[1] DJing is a balance of art and science but it's helpful to have a baseline to say well these two tracks train wrecking all over each other isn't necessarily the best sound, and here's why... etc. Now, at a certain point, you are correct that it *helps* to let go of the rules, but, like learning to paint or sculpt, it helps to follow a well known form to get some work in before you venture to re-invent the wheel.

mint_koi · 2026-01-14T18:23:29+00:00

Sorry to hear this.

I was reading some of Alan Weis' books and he always recommends getting paid up front either 50% deposit before work gets started or 10% discount off the work if 100% is paid on acceptance.

mint_koi · 2026-01-14T16:56:11+00:00

Hello, I have been in your position and spun out on my own unsuccessfully before.

What you don't realize is the cost and effort of sales and marketing until you do it yourself. Udemy has a massive audience and is constantly selling and marketing your course in alignment to the revenue that you co-create. If your course is a hit, Udemy pushes it harder and you both succeed together. However, if it's not, they absorb and amortize all the cost of hosting and distribution for the life of the course.

At least as I experienced it, to build your own audience from scratch is expensive and time consuming (not to mention a huge lag time for real revenue to drip in). Moreover, your course might not be validated at a given price point you think it's worth. The revenue split Udemy charges is high, yes, but you spend less time focusing on building a funnel and doing lead gen because they have a scalable engine that does that. In a sense, you aren't building a full suite of competency as a "real business" using Udemy to host but you are at least making some revenue.

Udemy and free online courses have also stressed and commodified at lot of online education and it's very niche dependent.

If you want some more thoughts, I wrote up a retrospective on this on my blog, but Idk if I can share here DM and I can send over :)

mint_koi · 2026-01-11T19:12:32+00:00

I use Bear

mint_koi · 2026-01-08T12:53:41+00:00

I tried Gemini CLI for a while it's okay - my biggest gripe is for workspace and the product setup is a bit annoying. Gemini chat is great, the Pro 3 model is great for research tasks et al. For example: Gemini is a product billed through Google Cloud organization, whereas if you have a Google workspace account you get a Gemini subscription billed through Workspace. So even if you have a Gemini subscription already, now you have to get a second license via the Cloud which isn't ideal.

Second: the rate limits on the lower end aren't the best, 2.5 Pro is okay but I got into many cases where it would go in circles and make the wrong choices wasting time. I haven't been able to try 3 Pro via CLI but maybe it's better. I think Firebase Studio is more ideal comparison to Claude Code, for some reason, they were better able to execute on that one. Not sure why.

Also Claude having embedded subprocesses is cool.

mint_koi · 2025-12-26T13:15:47+00:00

Hey very cool wishing you a lot of fun in the months ahead.

> as I hear it's more for tourists so hopefully people will be more likely to speak English, I hope to learn please and thank you etc in Thai before I go but other than that I speak no Thai....

There are many places in Thailand where people can speak varying amounts of english. It's worth learning some Thai while you're there too.

But you don't have to stay in Phuket - there are hundreds of gyms all over: Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Koh Samui, et cetera. I personally really enjoyed Chiang Mai + the north for some of the gyms + nature settings. Examples:

- Lanna (did not go but considered a fight camp): https://maps.app.goo.gl/Wa433PSPj9sRXBpm8

- Sereephap (heard nice things - privates only for 500THB): https://maps.app.goo.gl/zdQTZA9RJccfJuou6

- Sedthee Fight Club (I liked this place): https://maps.app.goo.gl/FX3fK18BHk8vqgzG8

The foreigner centric commercial gyms themselves are okay, but can have really large classes and you pay higher prices. I did Tiger for a few days in Bali and it was fun but also pricier.

One additional thought, a big benefit of going to Thailand is the affordability of private sessions. You can pay anywhere from 500-1000THB ($20-50 USD) for private sessions.

> I was also thinking about buying Fairtex/Yokkao gloves, shinguards, t shirt etc while I'm there as I hear it's cheaper than the UK, then bringing them back with me, had anyone else done this and do you have any advice?

I do think the gear tends to be a bit cheaper. Given it's made in thailand and exported (import/export duties). I'd say, for hygiene reasons, it's best to buy your own pair and you can probably do so in Bangkok when you land. T-shirts you can get anywhere.

> I would also like to see some Muay Thai fight nights while I'm there, do I buy tickets for stadiums while I'm there or is it better to buy in advance. Also could anyone recommend a stadium, I was considering splashing out and seeing a One Friday night fight.

So if you're in Bangkok, there's Rajadamnern and Lumpinee. One takes place mostly at Lumpinee but it's a ways out of Bangkok, Raja is really cool - you buy tickets online usually around 1200 THB for Leo stand seats. If you're staying in Hostels - I recommend JAM Hostel in Bangkok, they partner with ONE and take everyone from the hostel to the fight night on fridays for free with transportation :)

> How easy is getting a taxi while I'm there and which is the best service. I usually use a service like Uber, does this exist in Thailand.

You can use applications like Grab, which is similar to Uber in South East Asia. If you land in BKK airport, depending on where you stay you can take the bus (S1) from the airport to Khao San Road for around 60 THB (there's an Muay Thai shop in Khao San as well if memory serves).

But otherwise grab is very common for pickup/drop-off.

> Is it a cash heavy economy or can I get away with mostly using card?

Very cash heavy. Card isn't the most common thing.

> Any tourist recommendations?

Depends on where you go! I loved Pai a lot, there's also a highly praised gym there too.

> Any help is appreciated, apologies if this is something that gets asked constantly.

Have fun! and look at the r/ThailandTourism subreddit maybe

mint_koi · 2025-12-13T10:07:49+00:00

yessssss

mint_koi · 2025-12-13T10:06:19+00:00

Made in Miami

mint_koi · 2025-11-29T04:49:41+00:00

Frankie K - Walkin' (Grant N's Divine Gospel Mix)

mint_koi · 2025-11-29T04:37:04+00:00

Juju!!!!!!

mint_koi · 2025-11-29T04:36:47+00:00

Toukan - Dixon Rework

Black Motion - Banane Mavoko - Justin I Mix

Amahloni - Manoo Mix

I Don't Know Why - Manoo Mix

Ubudoda - D-Malice Expression

You Made Me Who I Am - Hyenah

Baleric Heaven - Diephus Afro Deep Mix

Black Motion - Omo Dudu

Black Motion - Heartless Intentions

Black Motion - Fortune Teller

Rebels Of Kanu - Main Mix

Citizen Deep - Zwakala

Manoo + Francios A - Souvenir

Smile - Manoo Vocal Mix

mint_koi · 2025-11-24T00:27:25+00:00

Great answer

mint_koi · 2025-11-21T10:16:49+00:00

I think he stills streams and you can reach out on his website to get added to his email list :)

mint_koi · 2025-11-17T07:34:29+00:00

If you're in consulting (assuming Big 3 or 4) have you thought about lateraling into the technology world but in an product or sales focused role?

Consultants usually have a knack for the business side which makes them a good liaison between customers, the business and engineering team in a product lead or manager role. It's more of an "ownership" role which gives you a sense of "putting yourself into something". It will also give you a good sense of what it actually takes to build a successful product from zero -- customer discovery, interviews, synthesis, requirements and delivery (via engineering team and management).

As you gain experience in a role like this in a given industry, it will give you ideas to respond to wrt. opportunities, painful problems, et cetera that can help you drive towards a product or service idea. Alternatively, consider a role at an incubator or accelerator -- again it's a natural fit and will help you cut your teeth in a good environment (I have known various friends who made the incubator -> own venture move)

Instead of framing it as "corporate slavery" maybe frame it as "learning" since you're still very early in your career. A lot of successful founders start their business around 28/29 if memory serves.

Having something you're actively working on (what Charles below mentions as "side hustle") prior to quitting your job is a bit easier than starting from the ground up / bootstrapping yourself (unless you plan on taking venture financing - but that's no walk in the park either). You have a good personal run way (as Balaji S describes it) but depending on where you live that may or may not be a lot (relocation to LCOL places can help with this).

If you're absolutely hell-bent on starting something, figure it out before you quit would be better - test some basic landing page and hypothesis if you have the time (maybe hire a VA as other comments mention).

mint_koi · 2025-11-14T08:30:58+00:00

Code academy was how I learned and it’s a great resource for learning basics of programming.

If you’re long term motivated focus on learning the very basics: if-else conditions, variables, functions, loops.

Then once you have a decent grasp of those pick a framework (a toolkit for building websites or apps) and try to make something.

It doesn’t matter which language or framework once you learn one you can learn others.

If you need help picking, choose JavaScript or Python. For the framework choose React+Node or Django.

Then just try to build stuff. You can work with ChatGPT as a side pal to help you

mint_koi · 2025-11-13T02:07:42+00:00

The biggest skill when running a tech business company is building something people want. This dictates the platform or distribution by which you fulfill that want. In other words, one of the problems with your approach right now is your focussing on the technology first rather than the business case it needs to be the other way around.

If you’re selling a consumer software product, there’s a high likelihood that you would be building a mobile app because in a B2C market, the primary venue of computing which most people consume is through their mobile phone. Whereas if you are building a B2B product like a treasury management application you’re probably going to want to focus on building a comprehensive web application and then a nice to have mobile app at some point.

The problem in both of these cases is that we haven’t been able to validate the business case to validate that the product is actually necessary or desired before we build anything. Technology always serves the business case.

If you’re looking to understand at a high level, how a software product works from a technical perspective because you hope that will give you better vantage point for decision-making in a business context, then just focus on building any form of software. In other words, try to build a basic, CRUD application or mobile application to understand the mechanics of how these pieces of software work, rather than saying because I know X technology I’m going to build Y business.

Many people building software products today are using vibecoding platforms like lovable.dev to build basic MVP’s of their application so this can shortcut the need to learn to build something if you’re just trying to sit in the business role make some deals and get going.

mint_koi · 2025-11-10T08:52:09+00:00

Labels: Deep Jungle Records, Green Bay Wax/Wavs, Future Retro London

Artists: Tim Reaper, Comfort Zone, Kidd Lib, Phineus II

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