Your word choice, e.g. "bets", implies that your mental model for life is gambling.

While very popular today, it's a losing game that you are playing.

Read/study about better, more empowering mental models, for instance, check the writings of Shane Parrish.

Can you elaborate more on this topic, what is your mental model and why do you think its the best ? I will check out Shave Parrish

*Shane Perish

The Genie is now out of the bottle.

Chop Wood Carry Water.

> A lot of startup advice is vague.

Sure, but in an ocean of quantity you need to know where to look for quality:

1. https://www.startupschool.org/

2. Book: The Lean Startup.

Those 2 resources address everything you need to know and then some, with concrete advice.

> What channels worked?

You have it all wrong.

Same here (US East)

1) Blue Ocean Strategy (again)

2) Scrum: The Art of Doing Twice the Work in Half the Time

I've lived "Scrum: How to get work done secretly despite the process that everyone is wasting their time on and running themselves ragged"

There is. You get to write it yourself; you get to be your own master/leader.

Critical thinking skills are the most essential tools, so is studying philosophy. You have agency, use it.

Of course you could always abdicate your agency to religion (pick one), or politicians, or influencers, or money/consumerism.

No matter how you dice it, the choice is always yours, and yours only,

1. Always negotiate

2. Read this book: Never Split the Difference

NOTE: Understand the difference between negotiations and bluffing.

Thanks for the book recommendation! Heard about it a few times now so I'll check it out.

is that the one by the FBI hostage guy?