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You Don't Need to Do It All

All entrepreneurs know that there is always more we can do.

More customers. More products. More ideas. More opportunities.

The challenge is figuring out what actually matters.

Early on in our career as software entrepreneurs, we needed to attract developers and raise enough money to cover our operating expenses. Those became our priorities, and we put our resources behind them.

That taught us something we carried forward: focus isn’t about having less to do. It’s about knowing what matters most and making sure everyone knows it.

Why This Matters

If everything is a priority, nothing is.

A founder can chase a new opportunity while the product team works on a new feature and sales focuses somewhere else.

Everyone is busy. But they are not moving in the same direction.

I (Mike) have always said: you need to be able to name your top priorities. If the founder can’t, the organization won’t know what to focus on either.

Focus the Company

Our priorities changed as Buddy Media changed. What mattered when we were getting the company off the ground was different from what mattered as we grew.

The point was not to follow the same plan forever. It was to keep asking: What do we need to accomplish now?

I (Mike) have always had a lot of ideas. My natural state is pretty unfocused. Having a short list of priorities gave me something to come back to when everything else started competing for attention.

I (Kass) was focused on making sure we actually got those priorities done.

You don’t need to do everything.

You need to know what matters most and go after it.

A Question to Sit With

What are you doing right now that is taking you away from what matters most?

Love,

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INSIGHT

💬 Own Your Voice — Women are often taught to soften their opinions, apologize, and make themselves smaller. Small shifts in how you communicate can change how you show up at work.

🧠 Take Care of Yourself First — Your mental and physical health affect how you lead. Making time for yourself helps you show up stronger for your business.

🙅 Don’t Let No Stop You — You’re going to hear no. Keep going, keep asking, and keep moving until you get to yes.

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FOUR FAVORITE FINDS

🌴 Tropical Smoothie Blends Things Up — Tropical Smoothie Cafe is getting a new look as it pushes toward 1,800 locations and sets its sights on 3,000.

🔬 AI Hits the Lab — Anthropic has set up a wet lab as it expands its AI work into physical biology and preclinical research.

📦 Amazon Speeds Up — Amazon is considering adding more than 1,000 same-day fulfillment centers by 2031 to compete with Walmart on local delivery.

🧸 Toys “R” Us Is Back — After liquidating its U.S. stores in 2018, Toys “R” Us is opening 120 new standalone locations this holiday season, bringing its U.S. total to 160.

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AROUND THE FARM

↗️ Starting Up, The Real Way — Harlan Cohen came to our home to talk to us about entrepreneurial mindset, selling yourself, and leaning into discomfort.

🎙 Scaling, Exits, and the AI Era — Mike joined Paul Morris to talk about building companies from golf.com to Buddy Media, and why timing and storytelling matter more than technology alone.

🤑 Money Mindset Deep Dive — We got real with Kareen Zahr about how we think about money, risk, and building wealth as entrepreneurs.

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FINALLY, WANNA GET INVOLVED?

🌾 Harvest Mentorship — Stuck? Get 1:1 mentorship with Kass & Mike and start moving. Reserve Your Spot

🚜 Farm Council — Bring your hardest problem. Leave with a plan from Kass, Mike & 4 sharp peers. Grab a Seat

📖 Bulk Orders for Your Team — Want to get the book into the hands of your whole crew? We've got you. Order Bulk Copies

⏰ Book Us to Speak — We'd love to bring the shoveling mindset to your next event. Invite Us

🤯 Join the Conversation — Share your thoughts on social using #FoundersFarm

⏩ Spread the Word — Know 3 entrepreneurs who should be getting this? [url=mailto:?subject=Thinking%20of%20you&body=I%20was%20thinking%20of%20you%20while%20reading%20Kass%20and%20Mike%20Lazerow%27s%20newsletter.%20It%20is%20an%20awesome%20resource%20for%20entrepreneurs%20and%20execs.%0A%0AYou%20can%20read%20the%20latest%20issue%20here:%20https://kassandmike.com/newsletters]Forward[/url] it to them!

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NEW MERCH

For people too busy building to do their hair. The new hats are here.

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STAY CONNECTED!

info@kassandmike.com

Follow us on LinkedIn:

Kass Lazerow | Mike Lazerow

Kass & Mike
1350 Avenue of the Americas, Floor 2, #1043
New York, NY 10019