Hey y’all - Founders love fancy decks and pitch days.
But what markets crave desperately are simple, working fixes for everyday chaos.

We don’t need another slick app that solves problems that don’t exist.
We need more unsexy, high-retention solutions for real life the kinds of ideas people quietly use every week without bragging about it on Twitter.

This week’s Sprint is your reminder: stop worrying about how big an idea can get first ask if it works. Does it save someone time? Ease a pain point? Remove awkwardness?

Solve something small, prove it works, build trust then scale it.
Many “overnight” unicorns did exactly that. They won trust in one block, one group, one niche before they poured on the fuel.

This edition brings you one overlooked opportunity, a sticky retention test, a fresh trend, and a simple truth from Sam Altman to keep you building.

Here’s today at a glance:

PS - Become a member to get access to my founder membership including an engaged community, fundraising support, fireside chats and more.

🔗 Mohit’s Picks

My favourite finds of the week 

• Steve Jobs On How Being Worth $100 Million At 25 Didn’t Affect Him Much [Link]

• How India’s Favorite Chai Brand Makes Money [Link]

• Karun and I left MIT in 2023 to build an AI compliance startup. [Link]

• How Businesses Are Building Full Apps with Chat-Based Platforms [Link]

• India’s top tech professors are turning into deep-tech entrepreneurs, backed by VCs & IP-friendly campus policies. [Link]

• The Rise of One of the World's Most Self-Reliant Business Groups [Link]

• Siblings Behind a Self-Funded 8-Figure Brand Reveal 3 Secrets Aspiring Entrepreneurs Should Know About Growth and Success [Link]

💡Opportunity: Micro-Accounts for Family Helpers

There’s a daily-life problem hiding in plain sight in millions of urban Indian households.

Domestic helpers housemaids, drivers, babysitters, gardeners keep entire cities running. But their payments? Still chaotic. Cash under the fridge magnet. Handwritten scraps. Forgotten festival bonuses. Awkward disputes about “Didn’t I pay you last week?”

The quiet gold: build a simple micro-pay + ledger app designed just for families to manage helper payments.

What it does:

• Add helpers by name and phone number.

• Log daily, weekly, or monthly payments whether it’s cash, UPI, or bank.

• Get reminders for salary due dates, advance loans, festival tips.

• Helpers get an instant SMS or WhatsApp ping “Received ₹2,500 from Ramesh Ji, balance cleared.”

Why it sticks:

• It saves awkward conversations that strain trust.

• It builds a clear record for both sides.

• Families feel more organized, helpers feel respected.

Bonus? Plug in micro-insurance or prepaid cards for helpers later. Tie up with housing societies for easy onboarding.

A small fix for a real mess. That’s how you solve before you scale.

🧠 Framework: F.E.E.L. for Testing Retention Hooks

Shipping an MVP is easy. Getting users to come back is the real test.

Before you pat yourself on the back for early sign-ups, run your product through the F.E.E.L. Filter a simple gut check to see if you’re building a one-off gimmick or something habit-forming.

F - Frequency:
Does the user naturally return daily, weekly, or monthly?
If you have to send desperate reminders, your loop is weak.

E - Ease:
Is using your product easier than the old way?
If your user feels like they need a manual, they’ll ghost you fast.

E - Emotional:
Does it solve something socially awkward or stressful?
Products that remove awkwardness stick think Venmo split bills, or a helper ledger that avoids salary fights.

L - Loop:
Does using it once lead to a next action?
KhataBook, Cred, Google Docs all build loops that keep the user coming back because finishing one task creates the next.

Features get you applause at Demo Day.
Retention loops get you revenue in year three.
Always test: does my MVP F.E.E.L. right?

🛠️ Tool: Grain

Grain helps you record Zoom calls & clip out shareable video snippets instantly.

Founders use it for:

• Sharing real customer quotes with teams

• Making async product update videos

• Clipping investor Q&A gold for decks

Small teams love Grain because it turns boring calls into proof.

📈 Trend: Hyperlocal Trust Networks for Everyday Services

Forget big flashy marketplaces the next trust battleground is happening in quiet WhatsApp groups and apartment Telegram channels.

Post-pandemic, people trust people not random Google listings. Need a good plumber, yoga teacher, piano tutor? Most city dwellers now check their apartment WhatsApp first, not JustDial.

This hyperlocal trust loop is only growing:

• Neighbours share verified vendor contacts.

• Gated societies curate shortlists for repeat services pest control, AC maintenance, kids’ classes.

• People prefer a contact who’s “done work for 5 other flats here” over the best SEO result.

Smart founders are building tools that productize these invisible trust networks:

• Private, invite-only micro directories for societies.

• Verified reviews that neighbors actually care about.

• One-click booking with shared payment splits so 4 families can book the same tutor at once.

Tomorrow’s big service brands may look less like massive apps and more like micro-community marketplaces that people actually trust.

💬 Quote: Sam Altman

This one hits harder the longer you build.

Most founders think the secret to big outcomes is being right the first time. But the real moat is shipping again after you’re wrong the second, third, or fifth time.

The first version won’t stick? Fine. The next one will.
You’ll lose a big customer? Okay. Get back in the ring.
A feature flops? Kill it, ship another.

The difference between someone who “almost made it” and someone who does is who’s still standing when everyone else quits.

Good founders launch.
Great founders relaunch relentlessly, without losing momentum or belief in the bigger picture.

When your back’s against the wall, remember: your willingness to ship again is your real competitive advantage.