For Starters is the essential weekly briefing for the next generation of small business owners. Inspiration and ideas, every Friday – for free. It’s curated by Danny Giacopelli, formerly of Monocle and Courier magazines.
Hey, starter!
A year ago, For Starters was just an idea. I genuinely had no clue what would happen when I started this newsletter back in January, but I hoped it would light a spark in others who, like me, thought the world needed more inspiring and useful content on how to build dream businesses.
But would I be writing dispatches to a tiny group of friends and family who signed up because they felt bad? Well yes, 100%, but also: more than 9,000 of you have subscribed too, which is just… absolutely wild. 🤯
Thank you for reading, sharing, replying, and trusting this little (k, kinda long) weekly email the past 11 months. There’s so much amazing stuff I’ve got planned for you in 2026. I’m very excited. You will be, too. Seriously. Watch this space… 👀
Some quick housekeeping:
🏕 For Starters is taking a short and rare pause for the holidays. I’ll be traveling, thinking and mega-planning. Look out for a fresh issue on Jan 9th.
📬 As ever, drop me a line at [email protected] and tell me what you’re working on, what business challenges you’re facing, what opportunities you’ve spotted, and what you’re excited about. Or just say hi.
🙏 Plus, if you’ve got a sec, I’d love if you take our subscriber survey.
I hope you have a calm and energizing start to the new year. Take a break, if you can. It’s good for business.
Read on for…
Inspiration ➠ Back to the future
Advice ➠ A well-oiled machine
Ideas ➠ Merry Thriftmas!
Resources ➠ End of year trends
Town Hall ➠ Subscriber shoutouts
➠ Get inspired
Remember this? | Credit
1. Bring back the ring. Cat Goetze was done with screens. The massively popular digital creator, also known as CatGPT online, was on a mission to make tech less distracting and intrusive, so in 2023 she hacked a Bluetooth antenna into a thrifted pink landline handset. Voilà – she soon fell back in love with that forgotten, tactile ritual of pick-up, dial, talk. Fast forward to July this year, when she posted a video of her prototype on IG, and the idea caught fire…
“Hundreds of people commented on the video within hours saying they needed the device. She set up an online shop to collect pre-orders thinking 15 to 20 people would place actual orders and she could make the devices by herself in her apartment. Goetze’s project, Physical Phones, passed $120,000 in sales in its first three days… The business has sold over 3,000 units and made $280,000 in sales by the end of October.”
Physical Phones is tapping into a much bigger craving out there – especially from Gen Z but also, just… everyone – for more human, analogue, intentional tech – and real conversations. Here’s to more of this in 2026 🥂
2. Off the leash. Meanwhile in Chicago, Devon Brown has quit her corporate job and secured a 24,000 square foot warehouse to open an indoor dog park with an absolutely brilliant, pitch-perfect name: Zoomies.
3. Skin in the game. And what happens when a design studio doesn’t just work on a neighborhood bar’s brand identity, but actually co-owns the place? Meet Denver’s Semiprecious.
—
