The debate around founder mode has been raging for a while now. On the one hand, there are fans like Jensen Huang (at Nvidia) and Brian Chesky (at Airbnb) who believe leaders should maintain a hands-on approach at every level of business. Taking this to the extreme is Elon Musk, who apparently has access to a “demon mode,” too.

On the other side of the debate are supporters of “manager mode” — those who believe in the power of delegation and rely on their teams to deliver on the founder’s vision.

As the founder of a consumer finance company in a fast-paced industry, I confess that I find founder mode deeply appealing. The approach pushes me to operate at a high level of output, optimize my life and embrace a growth mindset. I love that it solves management clogs and ramps up the speed from decision to action.

Building a number of businesses has taught me, however, that a more nuanced and targeted application of founder mode is vital to avoid certain pitfalls.

It begins with a little psychology: understanding that every founder has a fear of losing control as their company grows. (After all, it’s your painstaking approach that got you to where you are today, right?) But ask yourself: Are employees frozen as they wait for your approvals? Are pipelines clogging up because you’re “the only one who can do it”?

If the answer is yes, it might be time to question the value of the very mindset that served you so well when you launched.

For any founder still figuring out their approach, here are the essential questions that are helping me fine-tune those founder-mode instincts and evolve my role to match my growing company’s needs.

Related: Investing in Your Happiness Is the Path to Success

Am I deeply involved, or am I a micromanager?

The main characteristic of founder mode — the need to be deeply involved in every aspect of the business at all times — is a double-edged sword. The same ability to quickly diagnose problems and “do it all,” which can be critical at the early stage of a venture, can curdle into micromanaging as the business grows.

Sure, the Brian Cheskys of the world will shrug and say micromanaging is actually a good thing. But, generally, micromanaged employees sag under excess meetings; their creativity is stifled; and their productivity plummets.

My antidote? Every morning and every night, I check custom dashboards that chart our core KPIs. If the metrics look healthy, I can have faith that department heads have things covered, and there’s no need to meddle.

I’ll only switch on founder mode and roll up my sleeves if the numbers warrant it.

Related: Founder Mode Can Fail Your Business — Lead This Way Instead

Am I focused, or is this tunnel vision?

During my daily dashboard reviews, I’ll inevitably notice an underperforming KPI. My instinct, of course, is to dive straight in and fix it. Get it done. But I force myself to pause and really ask why those numbers are off.

Is it an external issue? A product issue? (In either case, I will give myself permission to switch to founder mode and tackle the problem myself.) But what if the problem is actually my own assumptions?

If it’s the latter, then founder mode is a losing strategy because the solution lies outside of me. I need external input. Maybe I need advice from department heads. Or maybe I need to tap into the collective wisdom of my board, a tactic that’s had a significant impact at pivotal moments in my business growth.

I remind myself that soliciting feedback will lead to a helpful course correction, not a brick wall.

Related: Founder Mode Means Being a Strategic Micromanager — Here’s Why That’s Actually a Good Thing

Am I enabling a growth mindset, or am I causing burnout?

Like most founders, I’m ruthlessly focused on growth — treading water just isn’t an option, especially in the first few years of your company’s life, when you’re securing market share and establishing your brand. Sometimes, that growth mindset has meant sleeping on the office sofa or skipping weekends.

But all that’s counterproductive if my focus on growth encourages a culture of burnout. Researchers have been clear on this one: when workers are pushed to the edge, it usually backfires for the whole company. Similarly, those who try to “maximize” their productivity through multitasking life hacks often get less done.

Bringing balance to that growth mindset is the only sustainable path. Leaders can encourage their teams to create long-term plans that let them hit a sprint when necessary while pulling back when they can. Letting employees curate their own schedule allows for more productivity in the long run — and it reduces costly turnover, too.

Modeling that balance can go a long way. The truth is, my business would easily survive if I took a three-week vacation, and everyone should feel that way about their own role. We’re all going farther together when we give each other permission to fuel up.

Related: In the Age of Instant News, a PR Crisis Can Erupt at Any Moment — Here’s How Entrepreneurs Can Stay Ahead

Am I charging forward, or am I forgetting to celebrate past wins?

When I’m “heads down” in founder mode, it’s easy to become solely focused on the next goal. Pausing to recognize what’s already been achieved can feel like a distraction or, worse, a loss of momentum.

But not everyone’s the same. And, at the risk of stating the obvious, Gallup’s researchers have shown how a bit of positive feedback along the way increases profitability, productivity and employee well-being. Company-wide, the drive associated with founder mode will eventually sputter out if we forget to mark those wins.

Always build in time to call out success with the team. Just as important: help the team see how past wins set them up for future wins, too. After all, acknowledging what went right doesn’t mean you’re slowing down; you’re actually just adding more wind to your sails.

It’s not about you — It’s about the goal

Founder mode has so many positives (holistic understanding, lightning decisions, lean org charts), but its main failing — its original sin — is that it’s all about the founder. And — once your startup leaves the garage — no one person can really do it all.

Asking myself those tough questions is what helps me target my finite time and energy toward areas where they’re most needed. And, on the flip side, answering those questions tells me when my founder mode energy may be hurting more than it’s helping.

Here’s what’s truly surprising for those of us who wish we could stay “obsessively” involved with every aspect of the company we created: being judicious about founder mode won’t dilute your impact at all — focusing that superpower on the right moments and the right problems actually makes you more effective than ever.

On Wednesday, March 26th at 3 PM ET, the Founder of SotoMethod, Hilary Hoffman, joins us in our next Entrepreneur+ Subscriber-Only Event!

In this exclusive event, Hilary will reveal the strategies she used to skyrocket her business growth by 1000% in just eight months, and how you too can turn your side hustle into a thriving business.

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This event is only for Entrepreneur+ subscribers, but you can become a member for just $1/week! Sign up and unlock all access to Entrepreneur.com, including our premium content and the ability to participate in our Subscribers-Only Event.

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Subscriber-Only Events are exclusive interviews in which we feature a special guest to help create actionable content for Entrepreneur+ subscribers. We set up events with today’s most prevalent CEOs, entrepreneurs and celebrities — so that we can provide a productive, exclusive experience for our most dedicated readers and entrepreneurs worldwide.

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There are two ways to make sure you don’t miss out on this event. Follow this link for easy setup on your Entrepreneur+ homepage. Or, check your inbox for an email that contains the private link to the event. We will also notify your email as the event goes live to make sure you don’t miss out.

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After nearly a decade in finance, spending her time most notably at Goldman Sachs and Oaktree Capital Management, Hilary Hoffman launched her fitness platform The SOTO Method in 2021. The SOTO Method is a program she initially created for herself; strapped for time, she craved a more efficient burn. The workout needed to reflect her reality: she had only 35 minutes, and every single second needed to count. Through Hilary’s extensive knowledge of isometrics, SOTO delivers approachability, efficiency and results. In class, you will be reminded to stay in the “can” mindset time and time again. This means physical strength starts with believing four words, “I can do this.”

Job searching can be exhausting. The endless cycle of searching, filling out applications, tweaking resumés, and waiting for responses can be tedious and inefficient. Every job seeker has felt the frustration of spending hours applying, only to hear nothing back. But what if you didn’t have to do it all manually?

Imagine a smarter way to job hunt—one that works while you focus on networking and interview prep. A system that scans major job boards like LinkedIn, Indeed, Monster, and Glassdoor, finds the best opportunities, and applies automatically on your behalf.

It’s happening right now, and for a limited time, you can access the LoopCV Premium Plan—a job search automation tool—for just $39 instead of the usual $599.

Once you upload your resumé and set your job preferences, it takes over, sending out applications daily based on your criteria. There’s no need to spend hours scrolling through job listings or copying and pasting the same information repeatedly.

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Approximately $734 billion was spent on devices like computers and peripherals in 2024, according to data from Statista. If you feel like you spent a big chunk of that as an entrepreneur, it may be time to evaluate refurbished products to help lower that budget.

This new-to-you Apple MacBook Air is a great example, setting you back just $229.97 (reg. $999) through March 30 while supplies last.

A power-packed Apple laptop for less than $250

Packed with the technology entrepreneurs know and love from Apple, this particular MacBook Air is ready to tag along with you anywhere.

Answer emails from bed, the kitchen table, or your next vacation without straining your back, thanks to this MacBook Air’s less than three-pound weight. The Wi-Fi connectivity lets you hop on and answer emails from anywhere.

Don’t let this lightweight, portable laptop’s thin casing deceive you. Its impressive 13.3″ widescreen display lets you tackle work tasks or unwind with a good binge session. Intel HD Graphics 6000 ensures you have high-quality images and smooth streaming for either occasion. And the 12 hours of battery life let you do it all in a day.

Equipped with a 1.8GHz Intel Core i5 processor, this MacBook Air is speedy. 128GB of flash storage lets you keep essential files right on the device, and if you need to transfer any of them, Bluetooth capability makes that easier than ever.

This MacBook Air model from 2017 comes with a grade A refurbished rating, so there’s virtually no sign it has ever been used. You can take advantage of the deep discount and start working as soon as it lands on your doorstep.

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For entrepreneurs, coming up with a great idea is, unfortunately, the easy part. Even after you’ve had your lightbulb moment, conducted market research and created a business plan, you still have to figure out how to attract your first customers.

The harsh reality is that an amazing idea isn’t actually amazing if you have no way to get it in front of people. It’s called a “cold start problem” — the challenge of building momentum when a business, product or platform has no initial user base or activity. It’s especially relevant for companies relying on network effects — think Airbnb or eBay — where the value of the product or service increases as more people use it.

While the cold start problem may be extra tricky for two-sided platforms, it’s something every entrepreneur should be thinking about.

Related: The Step-By-Step Guide to Finding Your Niche and Target Market

Build a minimum viable product (MVP)

The advice I find myself sharing again and again? Build an MVP.

I borrowed the idea of MVPs from thought leader Eric Ries, who defines the term as a version of a new product that allows a team to collect the maximum amount of validated learning about customers with the least amount of effort. The purpose, in other words, is to test an idea at a minimal cost that will elicit a response from the target audience, which can help pave the way for future iterations.

Once you’ve built your MVP, making it free is the best way to gain traction. Even if you only get a few people visiting your website, some will likely become users. These users will provide valuable information: How active are they? Are they continuously using the product for a long time? If not, why?

The great thing about MVPs is that they’re quick to build and provide a lot of essential data. But even better, building a cheap, imperfect version gives founders a chance to try their hands at all sorts of new skills they’re going to need as their business grows, like design. Without the pressure of getting it just right the first time, you’ll have a chance to experiment, collect feedback and improve so that every future version is that much better.

Another hard truth: If you’re not having any luck with your MVP, you’re probably not going to with a more souped-up version, either. I had lots of startup ideas before I landed on Jotform, the form-building company I’ve run for the past two decades. But if after six months of trying, it hadn’t taken off? I would have tossed it in the dustbin with the other ideas and started on something else.

Build in a hot market

Timing is everything, and the success of a startup often hinges on it. Take Instagram, for example: Released in 2010, it capitalized on the enhanced photo capabilities of the iPhone 4 and the growing demand for instant photo sharing. Contrast that with the 2013 debut of Google Glass: Wearable technology hadn’t yet become mainstream, and many saw the idea of strapping a computer to your face as creepy and dystopian. While other factors contributed to Glass’s failure, a major issue was the lack of a market primed for that product at that time.

By building in a hot market, you boost your product’s chances of attracting users. Right now, AI is everywhere, and people are actively looking to adopt AI products and services. Paying close attention to trends pays off: I launched Jotform amid a surge of interest in online products, driven in part by the impressive debut of Gmail.

Of course, launching in such a market also comes with risk. Competition can be stiff, so you have to have a unique value proposition to stand out. There’s also the risk of market saturation. Neither of these things are deal breakers, however — Google entered the forms ring shortly after I launched Jotform, and we survived. The key is to make an excellent product, one that people will still choose to use even in the face of alternatives. After all, if many similar products have roughly similar functions, but none have taken off, it means none are doing it all that well.

Related: 8 Winning Strategies for Succeeding in a Hyper-Competitive Market

Learn to love the 50/50 rule

One principle that I live by is called the 50/50 rule, which dictates that startups spend half their time on product development and the other half on marketing. As a developer, this was a painful revelation since I preferred to focus on building alone. But if an idea is a product plus marketing, you absolutely can’t neglect either variable.

Attracting and converting users can be done through targeted marketing, which involves knowing your target audience, their pain points, what messaging will resonate with them and how to reach them. At Jotform, we’ve had a lot of success reaching users through blogs, which we strategically post on platforms that they frequent. Feedback is your best friend — there’s no better way to learn whether you’re successfully implementing the 50/50 rule than communicating with the people you want to use your product.

Attracting — and keeping — users requires strategic thinking: build an MVP to test your idea, launch in a market that’s ripe with opportunity and iterate based on real-world feedback. Timing, persistence and adaptability are key. Even if your first attempt doesn’t take off, it’s a stepping stone toward finding something that works.

Did you know that only around 6% of the world’s population are native English speakers (according to the Cochrane Institute)? This is your gentle nudge to level up. Whether you’re pitching to internal clients, dreaming of a career abroad, or trying to avoid embarrassing Google Translate fails in your email threads, learning a new language can be your golden ticket.

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Picture this: You’re walking into an investor meeting knowing your pitch is airtight. No second-guessing, no fumbling through slides—only pure confidence. It sounds like a dream, but that’s the new reality with this pitch deck creator powered by artificial intelligence (AI).

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Grandma calls them “role models.” Politicians call them “DEI hires.” We call them “rebel archetypes” — rogue, defiant and unstoppable pioneers revolutionizing systems, defining power and building the queendom for all.

In the mind’s eye of these entrepreneurs, investors and leaders, every month is a celebration of Black history; every day is a fresh opportunity to elevate the voices of powerful women around the world. Below are 10 wild and unruly tips from global legends to challenge all rebels, underdogs and allies to flip traditional business narratives and make every day International Women’s Day.

Related: Being Daring and Disruptive is How Great Pioneers Conquer Their Industry

Wild and unruly way #1: Embrace the hot mess

Entrepreneurs who embrace imperfections and remain flexible are better equipped to navigate an ever-changing business landscape. By accepting that not everything will be flawless from the outset, you can focus on iterative improvements and adapt more quickly to market feedback. This mindset allows for greater creativity, resilience and, ultimately, sustainable growth.

One rebel archetype I personally admire, Máirín Murray, CEO of TechFoundHer, says that her team is championing a new way of innovating. “One of the biggest shifts we’ve embraced is the bold call to ‘F*ck Perfection.’ Instead of getting trapped in impossible standards, we encourage women to jump in, create something real and learn on the fly — setting their own rules as tech entrepreneurs.”

Wild and unruly way #2: Follow the path of the unicorn

As an entrepreneur building the empire, you must spend time with rebel archetypes who have already been where you are going. Seasoned mentors can offer firsthand perspectives on navigating challenges and reducing potentially expensive errors. With this invaluable support, you’ll receive advice, networking opportunities and resources to effectively manage the intricacies of developing a prosperous enterprise.

Another rebel archetype I admire is Shelin David, CEO of Shebacks.me, who says, “Find mentors who are already where you want to be. Experience is an underestimated asset, and learning from those who have walked the path before you — whether in business, career transitions or navigating complex challenges — can accelerate your own journey.”

Wild and unruly way #3: Sleep your way to the top

We’re talking about REM here, so get your mind out of the gutter. Entrepreneurs must prioritize self-care activities, particularly sleep, to sustain the energy, focus and resilience required to succeed. Research consistently shows that adequate sleep enhances cognitive function, decision-making and creativity — critical skills for navigating the complexities of running a business. By making self-care a non-negotiable part of your routine, you will avoid burnout, maintain peak performance and ensure you are physically and mentally equipped to lead your ventures effectively over the long term.

Flossie Hall, CEO of Stella Foundation, is another rebel archetype I admire. Hall says that strategic rest is a leadership skill, not a weakness. “I used to glorify burnout, believing that constant hustle equated to success. Now, I fiercely protect time for activities that reset my mind — whether it’s playing golf, stepping away for a walk or unplugging for deep thinking. Ironically, stepping away often leads to my biggest breakthroughs.”

Wild and unruly way #4: Strategically hob-nob

First, do your research. Then, only accept meetings and participate in educational programs with investors and partners who have shown a proven interest in companies like yours (e.g., the stage of the company, the geographical location and, very importantly, the gender and race of the founder matches well with what the investor or partner historically supports). Next, interact daily on LinkedIn. Virtual networking will open doors and help you build long-lasting relationships vital to your entrepreneurial success.

Another rebel archetype I admire, Joy Fairbanks, the founder and Managing Principal at Fairbanks Venture Advisors, says she has seen tech serve as an equalizer for diverse founders and investors. “Technology may be leveraged to boost what you know, who you know and increase the chance of success for people who have been on the fringes of tightly knit relationship networks.”

Related: 7 Entrepreneurial Ways to Celebrate International Women’s Day

Wild and unruly way #5: Become a serial entrepreneur

By engaging in a dynamic cycle of starting, scaling, exiting and recreating multiple ventures, you can build business empires on your own terms. Statistics show that serial entrepreneurs have a higher likelihood of success in subsequent ventures. With this approach, you’ll leverage your accumulated experience, network and resources to forge a golden path to financial freedom.

I also admire Mirela Sula, another rebel archetype who’s the founder and CEO of Global Woman Club. Sula says they are witnessing a powerful shift — more and more women are starting their own businesses, scaling them, exiting and then creating and recreating again — building empires on their own terms. “We are living in a time of massive transformation, and women everywhere are stepping up, taking control of their financial futures and making bold, strategic moves. By embracing equity, we are building a future where women don’t just participate in the economy; they lead it.”

Wild and unruly way #6: Manifest winning

Dwelling on issues and constraints can lead to a self-fulfilling prophecy of failure. Smart business owners spot problems and quickly focus on solutions, leveraging their resources to build the queendom for all. Stay focused, constantly learn, and remain flexible, and you will unlock your full potential to achieve incredible success despite all odds.

One rebel archetype I personally admire, Amy Wagner, CEO of American Financial Partners, says the next generation of leaders — women and men — are shifting the conversation from barriers to results. “True success comes from surrounding yourself with people who share your relentless drive. You don’t break barriers by seeing them — you break them by charging past them, again and again, together.”

Wild and unruly way #7: Talk incessantly about cash

As a kid who grew up in a small town in Pennsylvania, I met people who viewed wealth as inherently bad. It was as if they were proud of their self-imposed lack, judging and complaining about anyone who dared to express a commitment to financial freedom. This is a backward and limiting approach. The most successful business minds talk openly about finances and frequently discuss investment opportunities to build wealth.

Silvia Mah, PhD, the founder of Stella and CEO of SheInvests! is another rebel archetype I admire. Mah says that many people who become accredited investors, for example, after successfully exiting a startup, “have not had the opportunity to ‘sit around the dinner table’ and openly discuss finances — let alone portfolios, exits and failures. One of the most valuable ways investors can support each other is by intentionally carving out time to share experiences and lessons learned.” In other words, talk straight and talk often about money!

Wild and unruly way #8: Wear the blindfold

As a female founder, I’ve been advised that my red jacket makes me look unapproachable, my T-shirt, jacket and jeans are too informal for a pitch day and I look “cute” in my lawyer suit. Brilliant ecosystem builders focused on profitability should employ creative strategies to eliminate bias so that businesses are evaluated based on factors other than how a female founder looks.

Another rebel archetype I personally admire, Naseem Sayani, Venture Partner at How Women Invest, says adjustments can be made to directly affect unconscious bias and expand discussions so that deep-seated pattern recognition doesn’t drive decision-making. She suggests “removing team pages from pitch decks before kicking off a screening process so that bias can’t interfere with assessing quality of the business idea, setting up red team/green team exercises on deal flow so that reviews are forced to take sides to fully test the merits from two points of view before making decisions and bringing diverse Limited Partners into deal reviews to expand the range of experience looking at deal opportunities.”

Wild and unruly way #9: Shout, “Eureka!” when spotting a gold mine

A significant portion of high-net-worth individuals are not actively engaged in startup investing due to a lack of awareness. By sharing investment opportunities with friends, you can potentially secure funding for your new venture while helping people learn to diversify their investment portfolios by supporting the growth of innovative businesses, creating a win-win for everyone building the queendom.

Julie Castro Abrams, Managing Partner at How Women Invest and CEO at How Women Lead, is another rebel archetype I admire. She says she hears, “No one ever invited me,” on a regular basis. “Women themselves, fully occupied in their own powerful operational roles, aren’t always aware of the huge opportunities available to them in the early-stage sector. Our community members are excited to learn about the ways they can change the trajectory of a company as investors, advisors and strategic connectors, so we never stop telling them what a difference it makes for them to join in.”

Wild and unruly way #10: Aggressively build the queendom

Business leaders must stop waiting for traditional systems to change and start building new ecosystems, bypassing the old guard entirely. Take charge and begin raising capital on your own terms.

Another rebel archetype I admire, Kelly Ann Winget, the founder and CEO of Alternative Wealth Partners, says we have to stop playing defense. Women, LGBTQ+ founders and diverse entrepreneurs often feel like they have to prove why they deserve capital when some of the worst business ideas in history have been funded without question — just because the founder looked the part. “So instead of trying to justify our existence, we should be thinking bigger and being more aggressive in where we raise capital from and how we structure deals. Embrace the reality that the money isn’t going to move itself. If we want change, we have to build it ourselves. And that’s exactly what we’re doing.”

Related: The Challenges in Getting Funding for Women and Minority-Owned Businesses, And How to Solve Them

Wild card tip: If you want to change the world, make a movie

Creating movies, even short films, is a powerful way for entrepreneurs to connect with audiences, build brand loyalty and share deep insights into a company’s values and mission beyond products and services. You can hone your storytelling skills, improve your ability to communicate complex ideas and develop a memorable brand identity through filmmaking that sets you apart in a crowded marketplace, ultimately driving engagement and fostering business growth.

Another rebel archetype I admire, Catherine Gray, General Partner at Silicon Valley Women Founders Fund and Producer on the International award-winning documentary film, Show Her the Money, says she leverages filmmaking to create a positive impact in both entrepreneurship and investing. “It encourages more women to invest in venture capital and encourages more men to invest in women.”

Gray’s film shares a powerful message on a global scale: Women tend to be more profitable and thus make a good investment, and having women build wealth through venture capital helps the economy at large, positively impacting future generations.

Without a shadow of a doubt, President Donald Trump’s return to the White House marks the most polarizing shift of political power this century. Trump’s reappointment was followed by multiple eerily timed aviation tragedies, promises of mass deportations and some controversial mandates from Elon Musk. Musk, who heads up the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), has called for a return to office for all government employees — a move that some have questioned as a non-legally enforceable scare tactic to reduce headcount.

So, all things considered, the first weeks of Trump’s second presidency have been eventful. To say the least.

As the dust settles on Trump’s reappointment, the President’s new ‘America First’ tariffs have been a source of controversy — with many considering them to hold the greatest ramifications for U.S. and global economies, especially at this juncture.

Related: What Tax Strategies to Use for Bitcoin & Crypto Trading

Per President Trump’s orders, the U.S. will be imposing a 25% tax on goods from Canada and Mexico. There’ll be a further 10% tax on goods from China in hopes of curtailing the exploitation of America by its biggest trading partners. The alleged goal of Trump’s tariffs is to thwart the seemingly uncontrollable flow of narcotics and migrants into the U.S. The idea is that containment of the above may reduce economic waste, crime and inflation in the short and long term, respectively.

The introduction of tariffs might shake things up now, but tariffs are a tool to achieve specific, longer-term objectives. As we move forward, it’s important to remember that we can’t always take things at face value.

Setting the stage for Bitcoin

Contrary to popular opinion, tariffs don’t always equate to net economic losses like most economists claim. While consumer goods will likely increase in price on average, that doesn’t always coincide with a 1:1 loss in sales simply because models can’t account for the complexities of reality.

More specifically, many factors besides price influence one’s decision-making – i.e., build quality, customer service and social signaling. What if Trump is able to deliver on his promise of making America great again, and the incentivized consumption of domestic products and services results in economic surpluses? Models simply don’t account for this.

Few realize that Trump’s tariffs go far beyond merely economic instruments; they are part of a more sophisticated geopolitical strategy. If these measures force a global migration toward quality assets, like gold and Bitcoin, prices will briefly inflate. This is a calculated measure to ensure a more stable economic future grounded in U.S. supremacy.

As a provocation, these tariffs might incentivize countries to better confront the issues regarding the migrant crisis for the U.S. while also putting their trade links into disarray such that they might be more amenable toward adopting currencies like Bitcoin. The real end game here is to foster market conditions that will induce policymakers to create more accommodative monetary policies that ultimately benefit domestic markets and risk assets.

In the short term, we should expect extreme market volatility, soaring credit defaults and disrupted operations for many U.S. companies. In the medium, Powell turns on the money printer to rescue U.S. markets and everyday Americans, all while quietly setting the stage for Bitcoin to emerge as the world’s unexpected savior of global markets and trade.

At present, the move has been disruptive to the crypto market (with some market analysts suggesting the price could fall back to $75,000 by the end of March). The implication in this analysis is that investors may turn bearish on crypto markets as inflation rises — but the reality is that BTC has weathered a lot, come back from worse, and historically proven to be a strong hedge against inflation.

Related: Why Not Owning Bitcoin is Making You Poor

When “strength” is your greatest weakness

America rose to become the undisputed global superpower through a perfectly executed socioeconomic conquest. With the U.S. dollar being the world’s reserve currency, the U.S. not only dominates global mindshare, but it’s also the reason we can borrow cheaply from foreign allies for further economic expansion.

But there’s a problem. The growth we’ve seen stateside and the “all-time highs” we have witnessed are the result of record-breaking consumer debt. The geopolitical benefits of the dollar being recognized as the global tender that propelled America to current heights is the source of its destruction 80 years later. A strong dollar counterintuitively weighs on export-heavy states by weighing on the U.S. trade deficit and lost jobs due to company outsourcing.

Understand that the impact of tariffs far exceeds what meets the eye. There are a lot of factors at play when assessing the health of markets. Price, no pun intended, is probably the most sensitive lever to tug in the eyes of the average American; it’s also the case that markets are due for a correction altogether if we wish to improve affordability. Quantitative Easing (QE) post-crisis lasted entirely too long, leading to historic inflation, and unfortunately, tariffs are Trump’s most effective way to manifest change.

Introducing: The Bitcoin standard

Despite being unofficially dubbed the “Bitcoin President,” the crypto community’s feelings about Trump’s presidency are mixed. While some remain hopeful that the U.S. will establish the Strategic Digital Asset Stockpile, there’s a growing crowd of mentally exhausted degens unsure what to think.

On one hand, it’s good to know that builders in the space no longer have to face frivolous lawsuits enacted by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). However, the temptation remains to question this administration’s understanding and commitment to our industry. Trump has been vocal about supporting Bitcoin’s price, but during what appears to be Bitcoin’s make-or-break moment, Trump incites market hysteria.

I wouldn’t hold my breath for the U.S. government purchases of Bitcoin to be the major upside catalyst this cycle. There’s quite a bit of legislation required to make that happen; however, with a scarce, reflexive asset like Bitcoin, the fear of missing out is what causes its price to skyrocket. Of note, Trump signed an executive order to establish a sovereign wealth fund that will almost certainly be exposed to artificial intelligence (AI) and blockchain.

The key takeaway is that Trump’s words alone validate Bitcoin in a way that history couldn’t have ever predicted. All the while, his actions suggest America’s preparing to confidently stamp its mark on the evolving ‘New World Order’ of global trade and commerce. Given the anticipated duress that lies ahead for the dollar, I wouldn’t be surprised if other countries, particularly smaller nation-states, follow the likes of El Salvador and establish country reserves, ultimately catapulting the asset to new heights.

It’s likely to be underreported, but the fact is that the tribulations that await the average American in 2025 are the result of the U.S. government spectacularly failing its people.

Related: A Bitcoin Hot Girl Summer — Will Bitcoin’s Success Continue?

Irresponsible government spending and the mismanagement of interest rates left Americans more distraught than ever, while the “system” seemed to work equally spectacularly for the elite. It’s unjust, given the sacrifices of the American people are what makes America great. And yet again, here lies the crypto bros being left holding the bag. It’s un-American.

However, whether you like it or not, Trump has kept his promises. He has signed multiple EOs and granted Ross Ulbricht his freedom, ushering in a new era of liberty and transparency. Yes, it’s too early to tell if Trump’s moves are truly intentional or just a ploy to gain the popular vote. Either way, it’s going to be a bumpy ride, so I suggest you find cover and hold on tight to your bags. It’s almost time.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk has seen his net worth tank by around $102 billion in the last couple of months, mostly due to Tesla’s share price dropping around 35% this year (from around $404 to $263). The company’s market value has dropped by almost $400 billion, and about 60% of Musk’s wealth is from Tesla shares and options.

U.S. sales of Tesla vehicles dropped 16% in the U.S. in December 2024 and January 2025, according to Cox Automotive, while sales in China fell 29% during January and February, per CNN.

Musk is still the richest person in the world, though, with a net worth of $330 billion, according to Bloomberg. And some analysts are optimistic that Tesla will turn around despite its massive drop in value.

“While the DOGE/Trump Musk iron-clad partnership has created major brand worries for Tesla … we estimate less than 5% of Tesla sales globally are at risk from these issues,” Wedbush analyst Dan Ives said in a note on Friday, per Barron’s. “We expect Musk will better balance his time between DOGE and Tesla/SpaceX over the course of 2025.”

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg are currently tied for the No. 2 spot with $222 billion each. (It’s worth noting the tie is due to Bezos’s wealth being down $16 billion year-to-date and Zuckerberg’s up $14 billion.)

Related: Want to Work for DOGE? Elon Musk Is Looking for ‘Super High-IQ’ Hires — But There’s a Catch