The TEDI model, hard-working summer, security & sports startups

The TEDI model, hard-working summer, security & sports startups

May 31, 2023

Wrapping up May and preparing for a warmer summer - but not a slower one for now. I'll expand in the email further.

I brought up a couple of topics in the previous issue: 20 years of WordPress and my personalized TEDI model. 

The WordPress celebration was strong and is still ongoing - with WordCamp Europe coming up in Athens in a week and local meetups ahead in the weeks after. A significant (monumental even) gathering of the two co-founders of WordPress along with Dries (founder of Drupal) was a worthy watch in terms of open source. 

As for TEDI,

is what it looks like.

It's the cross-section of technology, eCommerce, data, and investing.

Combined with business strategy and advisory, and intertwined with the current dynamics of the macroeconomy, this shapes the goal and vision behind the newsletter.

And when it comes to macro news - the stock market is slightly up, and work velocity isn't going down. Layoffs and the uncertainty of the future have contributed to stronger prospectus of a summer, fewer breaks, and a more dynamic - and active - summer season, at least coming in June.

So don't expect a slower summer just yet - at least for the time being.

Here's what else we've got in stock.

Thanks in advance,

Mario

 ✍️ My Take 

Planning a new web design project or a redesign is a tough exercise growing organizations go through. And in the era of $59 premium templates, understanding the rationale behind spending months in conceptualization, mockups, and prototypes requires some business insight.

 Business Strategy 

The "Artificial Intelligence (AI) Text Generator Market - Forecasts from 2023 to 2028" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The AI text generator market was valued at US$430.925 million in 2021. AI text generator is an artificial intelligence application tool with the ability to create text paragraphs and written content. These tools assist in the generation of a variety of content ranging from formal text content to be included in emails to casual content to be posted on social media and blogs.

In the past year, ChatGPT, created by OpenAI, set the record for the fastest app to reach 100 million users. Among those are thousands of businesses looking to jump on the AI bandwagon in order to streamline their work processes,

and create new and exciting ideas. While there is a lot of power and benefit that can come from using ChatGPT or other AI-powered programs (as I wrote about recently), there are legal ramifications users may face if they aren’t careful.

Looking for your next job? Make sure your social media profiles are safe for work because employers are screening candidates' presence online. Your personal social media profiles can potentially seriously affect your professional life.

In the fiercely competitive world of B2B marketing, businesses are constantly seeking the most effective strategies to reach their target audience and drive growth. Among the myriad marketing channels available, it may be hard to decipher which will be the most impactful for your B2B enterprise.

In today’s fast-paced and competitive business environment, operational efficiency and profitability have become key drivers of success. Companies are constantly seeking innovative ways to improve their bottom lines while minimizing expenses. 

 Featured Story of the Week 🧑‍🏫 LinkedIn: Bigger Pictures For Bigger Businesses

🧑‍🏫 You've heard this among different business mantras: "Work ON the business, not IN the business." "A goal without a plan is just a wish." "The essence of strategy is choosing what not to do." Bigger picture thinking is integral to building long-lasting businesses. 📈 Starting scrappy and not building processes along the way will cause an endless loop of chaotic choices. Prioritizing urgency over importance. Putting off short-term fires instead of building a stronger foundation.  

Here's how…

Global News 🚨The usage of AI in various industries has boomed in the last year. Let's have a look at which industries use ChatGPT the most.

  • Technical: 251 companies

  • Education: 209 companies

  • Business Services: 98 companies

  • Manufacturing: 89 companies

  • Finance: 44 companies

 * Taken from Statista's "Amount of companies using ChatGPT in their business function" March 2023" *

The layoff-verse seems to have missed the US this week. However, the same can't be said for companies like Taxfix, Brainly, and Flink, who laid off about 20% of their staff these weeks. 

  • 2023 Companies with layoffs: 718

  • 200,039 Employees were laid off in 2023

  • Q2 2023 Layoffs: 33,112

* Statistic was taken from layoffs.fyi as of May 31st * 

  • President Biden and Speaker McCarthy reach a tentative deal to raise the debt ceiling

  • The Jan. 6 rioter who put his feet on a desk in then-Speaker Pelosi’s office has been sentenced to 4.5 years in prison.

  • The Crew Dragon spacecraft is expected to splash down off Florida’s coast around 11:04 p.m. ET Tuesday, capping off a historic weeklong mission

The global economy hasn't moved drastically since last week.

  • DOW: 33,042 (-0.16%)

  • NASDAQ: 13,017 (+0.32%)

  • S&P: 4,205 (+0.00%)

*Economy numbers as of May 30th close*

Investing Updates 📈 

Several angel investing opportunities were listed on SeedBlink at the time:

  • FlowX.AI -  an AI-powered enterprise application modernization platform. Enterprises use FlowX.ai to take control of their digital transformation, modernize applications and infrastructure, launch complex products rapidly, and reduce costs.

  • Dronamics:Changing the perception of cargo delivery and building an air cargo ecosystem for global trade.

  • Procesio: All-in-One Toolbox: Custom actions, webhooks, cloud/on-premise deployment options, document designer for templates, API integrations, and scheduled processes.

 

Special features!

  • Mindset Design - Innovative Training for Athletes

  • SoCyber - Automating Cybersecurity through Machine Learning

Need my Help? 🦸I'm involved with a number of initiatives - here's what I can do to help you:

  • Scalable and secure WordPress? DevriX provides WordPress retainers to SMEs, publishers, eCommerce, SaaS, and more. Our plans start from $1,200/mo to $40K/mo for anything from support through engineering, CRO, performance, security, to fractional CXO services and managing the data stacks of large corps.

  • Running on Shopify? Set up Rush now and increase your revenue with post-purchase orders automatically!

  • Want to scale and optimize your business? Growth Shuttle offers personalized advisory plans starting at $350/hr. Tap into my personal pool of business know-how and my data warehouse of industry data.

  • Want access to my blueprints/books and a weekly Slack planning session? Join my Community and grab my Entrepreneurship book. 

  • Looking for investment opportunities? Check out SeedBlink.

  • Eager to incorporate my recommended solutions? Track my angel investments. Sharing, applying for open roles, or writing reviews helps a ton.  

And anything else I try to publish on my blog and my courses here!