u/startupsavant

What’s one thing you want to make real progress on before November?

It could be a launch, getting your first few customers, figuring out why something isn’t working, making a decision you’ve been sitting on, or anything else that’s taking up most of your attention right now.

Share what you’re working on and what you’re hoping to get unstuck on.

If you want, include your startup name or link too.

And if someone else posts something you’ve dealt with before, jump in. A useful answer or second opinion is always welcome.

We’ll be paying attention to what comes up here, too, especially the problems that seem to keep showing up across the community.

September’s here. What are you building, testing, fixing, or trying to figure out this month?

Share a quick update below:

Name / URL:

What it does (one sentence):

Stage: Idea / Building / Launched / Growing

One thing I need right now:

One win or lesson from August (optional):

No big milestone required. Sometimes the most useful update is simply what you’re still working through.

Missed August’s thread? Catch up here.

Just wanted to share this free resource for aspiring and current business owners! This free business center has tools like a business plan generator, operating agreement creator, name generator, small business courses, free legal forms, and more!

Competition can make it harder to stand out, but no competition isn’t always a good sign either.

Which would you choose, and why?

August check-in: What moved forward last month, and what are you focused on now?

Share a quick snapshot using the template below:

Name / URL:

What it does (one sentence):

Stage: Idea / Building / Launched / Growing

One thing I need right now:

One win or lesson from July (optional):

See a startup you’re curious about or someone you can help? Start a conversation in the replies.

Missed the last check-in? Here’s the July Startup Snapshot.

Most AI products we hear about are writing tools or workplace software.

CuspAI is doing something different. It uses AI to search for new materials that could lead to better batteries, advances in semiconductors, and more effective carbon capture.

Had you heard of CuspAI before?

Which sounds more promising to you: AI that helps us work faster, or AI that helps scientists make discoveries faster?

Happy July! It's time for another Startup Snapshot.

What's going on with your startup this month?

Use the template below to share a quick update. If you've posted here before, let us know what's changed since your last update. A win, a lesson, a pivot, or even a challenge you're trying to work through.

Name / URL:

What it does (one sentence):

Stage: Idea / Building / Launched / Growing

One thing I need right now:

One win or lesson from June (optional):

If you spot someone you can help, leave them a comment.

Missed last month's thread? Catch up here: June Startup Snapshot.

Having a good elevator pitch ready and on stand-by is always a good idea. I’m curious how other founders actually distilled their company down when they had 30 seconds with an investor.

Was it a clean one-liner? A problem-first hook? Did you lead with traction, the market, or the team? And looking back, would you pitch it the same way now, or completely rewrite it?

Drop yours below if you're up for sharing or any tips you have for others who are in the process of perfecting theirs!

Happy Monday! Time for our third Startup Snapshot. You know the drill: tell us what you're working on right now.

Drop a quick rundown below. If you've posted before, tell us what's moved since then. A win, a lesson, a pivot, whatever's real for you right now.

Here's the template:

Name / URL:

What it does (one sentence):

Stage: idea / building / launched / growing

One thing I need right now:

A win or lesson from May (optional):

Same as always: this is a two-way street, so if you scroll through and spot someone you can help, jump in.

See you in the comments 👋

P.S. Want to see what folks shared last month? Here's May's thread.

A few of you have asked how we make money, so here's the honest version.

Startup Savant is free to read and we don't run display ads, which usually leads to the obvious question of how this thing stays alive. Fair question.

Most of our revenue comes from affiliate partnerships. When we recommend tools or services in our guides (LLC formation, business banking, that kind of thing) and a reader signs up, we get a cut. That's been the model for years and it's why we spend so much time on the comparison and review content. If we recommend something bad, we lose trust and the whole thing falls apart, so being useful is kind of the whole job.

AI is changing how people find stuff online, and leaning on one revenue stream is starting to feel risky. Traffic is weird, search is weird, and we'd rather try something new now than wait until we have to. Consider this our own little entrepreneurial side quest.

What's new in 2026: we're opening up a sponsored content program for startups that want to get in front of our audience. Two formats:

• Branded Guide: our team writes an educational article on a topic your customers care about, and we mention your brand where it fits. Good for companies that have something to teach or a product that fits the topic.
• Spotlight Feature: a profile-style piece about you, your company, or your founder journey. We interview you, then write it. Good for founders, CEOs, and startups who want a real profile piece, written by someone who isn't them.

It's gonna be a learning curve, and we'll probably get some things wrong before we get them right. But we wanted to start something that still lines up with our values and mission, just evolved for where the internet is going.

Everything sponsored will be clearly labeled. We're being picky about who we work with because if the content sucks, nobody reads it and the whole thing is pointless.

A few things we won't do:

• Run sponsored content that isn't labeled
• Take money to change a review or ranking
• Promote anything we wouldn't recommend to a friend starting a business

If you're a founder curious about the program, the page is here: https://startupsavant.com/advertise. If you have feedback on any of this, what you'd want to see, what would make you trust it more, what would make you bounce, drop it in the comments. We're still figuring some of this out and would rather get it right than guess.

Happy Monday! Time for our second Startup Snapshot. We want to hear what you're working on right now.

Drop a quick rundown below, and if you've been around since April, tell us what shifted in the last 30 days. Win, lesson, pivot, whatever's real.

Please use this template:

Name / URL: What it does (one sentence):

Stage: idea / building / launched / growing

One thing I need right now:

A win or lesson from April (optional):

Same deal as last time. This is a two-way conversation, so if you scroll through and see someone you can help, jump in.

See you in the comments 👋