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Startup & VC Advice for Faith-Driven Founders
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đ SUNDAY STARTUP NEWSLETTER:Â For Faith-Driven Founders & the 1% in the MakingÂ
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Hey Founder,
Wherever you are on your journeyâflawed or fundable, desert or breakthroughâI want to remind you of this:
Every day is a new beginning.Â
Not because you feel like it.
But because God said so.
This weekâs posts were a masterclass in grit, grace, and spiritual warfareâletâs recap the lessons that could unlock your next step đ
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đ The Cycle of Defeat⌠and the Key to Break ItÂ
We started the week with a raw truth:
Defeat isnât always failure. Sometimes itâs discipline.Â
When we disobey, God disciplines. Not to punishâbut to correct.
And if youâre stubborn (been there), the cycle repeats:
1ď¸âŁ Disobedience
2ď¸âŁ Discipline
3ď¸âŁ Despair
4ď¸âŁ Deliverance
Rinse & repeat⌠unless we repent (not just regret)
Obedience is the shortcut to success.
And Godâs grace is always waiting at the next step.
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𦡠Honey Badger Founders: The Startup Survival GuideÂ
If you havenât seen that viral honey badger videoâgo watch it.
Because that wild little creature fending off leopards?
â Thatâs what it takes to survive the founder journey.
In this game, mindset wins.
Relentless > Resourced
Grit > Glamour
Donât just survive. Thrive.Â
Outlast. Outfight. Outfaith.
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đ§Š From Flawed to Viable: The Path to the 1%Â
Every founder starts flawed.
But not every founder wants to admit it.
We broke down the 3 stages:
⢠Problem-Unaware
⢠Problem-Denial
⢠Problem-Aware
Only when you reach awareness can you transform.
Only then can you become fundable.
At CanaGlobal, we donât just coachâwe intervene.Â
We restore founders and rebuild ventures.
Our mission:
Restore the founder. Rebuild the venture. Raise the standard.Â
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đ Dave Portnoy: The Founder is the BrandÂ
âOne bite, everyone knows the rules.â
Thatâs not just pizza. Thatâs branding genius.Â
Dave Portnoy didnât wait for VC.
He built a movement. He became the brand.
And when Barstool sold for $551M⌠then got handed back to him for $1?
That was the proof.
Lesson:
Stop building quiet companies.
Start building loud brands that move people.
The founder is the brand. Own it.
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đĄ Spiritual Warfare in Startups: Youâre in Founder BootcampÂ
Weâre not under attackâweâre in training.Â
God isnât punishing youâHeâs preparing you.
Teaching.
Testing.
Trusting.
That test you keep retaking? Pass it.
Obedience > Discipline.
Spiritual maturity > startup misery.
Letâs grow up in Christâand build something God can bless.Â
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đ° Would You Turn Down $600M?Â
Aaron Levie did.
Six years into building Box, he rejected a $600M buyout.
Why?
Because the vision was bigger than the check.Â
Box is now worth $4.5B.
Thatâs the fruit of conviction-led leadership.
God may test you with an early exitâ
Not to reward you
But to see if youâre ready to carry the real promise.
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đ¤ SI > AI: The Mind of Christ Is Your AdvantageÂ
I use ChatGPT and Grok daily.
But my unfair advantage?
The Holy Spirit.Â
When AI gets it wrong, the Holy Spirit gets it right.
Scripture says: âHis anointing teaches you all things.â (1 John 2:27)
Youâre not alone.
Youâre not limited.
Youâre spiritually equipped.Â
Thatâs why I donât just operate in a different mindsetâŚ
I operate in 4D.Â
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đ Ryan Bartlett Just Set the StandardÂ
From $3K to $781M in five years.
Bootstrapped. No VC until 2025.
And when he finally raisedâhe did it on his terms.Â
Ryanâs playbook:
â Master RevOps
â Nail your offer
â Build a real brand
â Delay capital
â Bake generosity into the DNA
This is the bar for faith-driven founders.
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Final Word: Your Call to ActionÂ
This weekâs posts werenât just inspiration.
They were blueprints.Â
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Youâve got the Holy Spirit.
Youâve got a God-given vision.
Youâve got what it takes.
Now take it.
Repent if needed.
Fight like a honey badger.
Own your brand.
Pass the test.
And lead like the 1%.Â
Spiritual intelligence isnât just your advantageâ
Itâs your assignment.Â
Letâs go.
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See you next Sunday,Â
Gerald Duran, Managing Partner
CanaGlobal
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P.S. If you havenât already, check out the Elevate Startup Incubator. Applications are open for Cohort 7, and this might just be your moment! đą
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