Recently, we published a post detailing what JP’s Second Act will entail. Some founders don’t seem to have caught on, so I thought painting a crystal clear picture via JB would be the best way to communicate to the mob what this actually means.
Note: there will be some tough pills to swallow in this JB for most of you, but it’s not personal. It’s just what it is….
So, let’s dive in:
JamPad’s Mission
For context, let’s clarify this:
JP is here to provide infrastructure via an insider cult for the best tech startup founders in & around Tempe, AZ to leverage. That infra is composed of networks:(investors, elites, customers, operators, talent pipelines, top-tier founders, advisors, industry luminaries, and much more; all local & Silicon Valley-based). This all boils down to creating the modern-day PayPal mafia & beyond; we need a Zuck, a Thiel, a PG, a JCal, a YC, a Musk, a Travis, a BChesky, and a plethora more. Whether any of you realize it or not, I & a select few in JP are betting our time, reputations, resources, networks, & more on us & each of you capitalizing to become one of the above for AZ.
JamPad is attempting to cultivate, all-be-it eventually incredibly small, IE 4-8 people, said characters above in Tempe, AZ, as one of the next frontiers for tech, given our Valley is already a frontier for just about everything else. The vision is JP will be a group of Mob Bosses with immense power and reach in the startup world, based in AZ; hence the Mafia terminology (it’s not just b/c I’m a loud, ruthless NYC transplant. Seriously, get with the program & start connecting the dots….)
Pop Off; What Does That Mean?
Getting your company out of the lab & onto the field, FOR REAL:
Securing the funding required to begin
Getting product-market fit
Stacking customers & ARR
Assembling a strong team
Expanding your rolodex & becoming an insider
All within the next 6 months, transforming the potential we see in each one of you to reality.
Now, why 6 months? Markets are taking a turn & a recession seems to be very likely on the horizon. From this point onwards through the EOY, here’s the likely playbook most founders seem to be running that are winning:
Now until EOY: tie up all loose ends (ship product, build the core team, identify scalable distribution networks, stack ARR, and more). Make sure you’ve officially landed
Q1, 2023: secure rocket fuel to begin your expansion & leave earth.
Q2 2023 & onwards: sustainable, profitable, yet break-neck growth. Game-set-match.
Note: pivoting & unknown circumstances obviously are par the course, but you need to be on the field in order to be zigging & zagging, IE approaching a reality that slowly starts to become slightly more linear. Regardless, you need to be on the field making moves.
Act 1 of JP has been identifying who is & isn’t let in its ethos; from characteristics of founders (pirates/mob bosses), company trajectory & ambition (as well as practicality for execution, not pie in the sky), personal network & track record (rolodex/ability to execute & EQ), all leading to a strong pattern-matching filter.
However, it’s time to see who really is capable of being about the action that’s going to achieve the mission stated above. We need to filter out who’s actually building a rocket ship + can play the game, and who’s simply not. I don’t have room for anyone that’s what we call an NPC (non-player character).
Or, Die?
Founders; the next 6 months will weed most of you out.
This means that you are kicked from JP if you can’t execute. Call it ruthless; I don’t care. I’m dead serious about turning this place into a hub given some of the rocket ships & founders we have sprouting here. Either latch onto the rocket via execution or die.
The following startups in JP are on their path to popping off, as well as sprinting to check off the remaining boxes to turn their potential into reality (for those that aren’t or can’t keep up, reference the aforementioned points on popping off).
Sinatra
Seedscout
PersonaFi
Sous
Rosotics
Call Your Friends
Evergreen
Sunbound Homes
Modrinth
That leaves exactly 19 JP founders in a tough, yet exciting (hopefully) spot. Furthermore, don’t take this personally. I’m on a mission & need the right people around me to achieve it; most of you are great individuals who are incredibly smart, but I’m trying to play at Yankee Stadium, not with the Tempe Coyotes…. & some of you might not be cut for the Bronx; no disrespect. Time will tell….
That’s A Wrap
Those names mentioned above, in the context of being on the Mount Rushmore of AZ’s Tech Scene in 20 years, is up for grabs. This is the fastest-growing state in America, yet tech has somehow been left behind or is being pushed by stale startups/founders; so, how could you not pounce?
All I can say until JP10 is that it’s in the air & up for grabs.
Chao.
AL