Why Being Broke Makes You Smarter

Before spending a dollar, ask: "Does this directly solve a customer problem that someone will pay for?" If the answer isn't an immediate yes, cut it. No brand guidelines, no team retreats, no perfect office setup. Just customer problems and solutions.

Talk to 10 potential customers every week. Real conversations where you can hear their actual pain in their voice. Funded teams schedule research. Broke teams live in their customers' world.