Sunday Startup Newsletter: When What You’re Doing Isn’t Working 

Hey Founders,

This week at Startup Church, we dug into some powerful truths:

 1. When What You’re Doing Isn’t Working

 2. How to Have the Desires of Your Heart 

 3. How God Multiplies What We Have

This Week on LinkedIn 

🚨 The Fentanyl of Startups: How VC Chasing is Destroying Founders 

I shared a hard truth: Venture capital can be the fentanyl of the startup world—highly addictive and often destructive. Founders get hooked on funding instead of focusing on building real businesses with real customers. Instead of chasing unicorn fantasies, what if we obsessed over our customers and built ventures on solid ground?

💡 The #1 Reason Founders Stay Broke (And How to Fix It) 

Prosperity isn’t about hoarding wealth; it’s about flow. When we focus on being a distribution center for God’s work—blessing others, stewarding resources—God multiplies what we have. Hoarding caps our capacity, but letting it flow scales us with God.

🎯 Founders, Unfocused Priority is Killing You 

I talked about how knowing what to hit now and what to prep for later is the difference between winning and wandering. Many founders get stuck in busy work—perfecting an MVP with no customers or pitching investors without proof. The antidote? Priority wins wars. Focus on what sustains you today, and don’t confuse activity with progress.

🤔 Solo-Founders vs. Co-Founders 

We busted the myth that you need a co-founder to succeed. Sometimes, finding a co-founder is like an arranged marriage—it might bring funding but also disaster. 65% of startup failures are due to co-founder disagreements. It’s better to have vision, resilience, and a strong foundation than a bad partnership.

🛠️ The DIY Startup Founder & The Denial Game 

I shared the danger of self-delusion among founders. Just like a golfer who never gets coaching, founders who avoid real mentorship often find themselves in a loop of failure. Instead of hacking your way to $10M, get real help, learn from those who’ve been there, and apply the lessons.

💪 I Love Founders Who Bet on Themselves 

Henry Schuck’s story with ZoomInfo was a perfect example of this. He put $25K on his credit card and bootstrapped his way to a $4.11 billion company. He bet on himself, let his customers become his investors, and is still betting on himself today. At CanaGlobal, we bet on founders who bet on themselves.

An Encouraging Close 

Founders, God never wastes a step. Even when it feels like you’re wandering, He is leading. If what you’re doing isn’t working, it might be time to get quiet and listen. Ask Him, “Am I on the right path, or do I need to change direction?”

The desires of your heart are not meant to be out of reach—they are the breadcrumbs that lead you deeper into His purpose. But the secret is this: when you make His Kingdom your priority, He makes your desires His priority.

And remember, God multiplies what we have. What seems small in your hand becomes mighty when you let Him move. Your role is to bring what you have; His role is to make it more than enough.

Let’s go out this week with renewed focus, big faith, and the courage to act on what He’s calling us to do.

With faith and strategy, 

Gerald Duran, Managing Partner
CanaGlobal

P.S. If you haven’t already, check out the Elevate Startup Incubator. Applications are open for Cohort 6, and this might just be your moment! 🌱

Our Conversation From Startup Church

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