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Hey ScorpA\rents!
If you’ve ever felt like the internet is moving at warp speed while you’re juggling work, family, and maybe sneaking in a side hustle after bedtime… you’re not alone. Reddit is shopping for speed, Big Tech is betting billions on AI, and somehow you’re still standing — which means you’re probably doing better than you think.
And speaking of staying organized while everything accelerates… today’s sponsors are basically the grown-up version of “finally getting your life together.”
First up, HubSpot – Connect your teams and data on one CRM, so your ideas, contacts, and follow-ups don’t live in 17 different tabs.
And Attio – Here’s how I use Attio to run my day, because when your brain is full, your CRM should be doing the remembering for you.
Alright, systems in place — now let’s dive into what’s really happening behind the headlines.
🔎 TL;DR
1) STING OF GROW: AI HUSTLES
Platforms Are Buying Speed
Reddit is shopping for adtech and AI to scale faster.
The edge today? Acquire leverage instead of building from scratch.
2) STING OF WEALTH: INVESTING
CapEx Shock, Patience Required
Big Tech is spending aggressively on AI infrastructure.
Short-term margins wobble, but long-term payoffs favor disciplined believers.
3) STING OF SUCCESS: MILLIONAIRE MINDSET
Measure Backward to Move Forward
The Gap and The Gain reminds us progress feels slow only when we look ahead.
Confidence compounds when you recognize how far you’ve already come.
Estimated Reading Time: 5-6 minutes
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Reddit Is Shopping Again — And Adtech Is Just the Beginning
IMAGE CREDIT : AIhustleswithryan
When Scale Becomes a Weapon
Reddit just dropped a quiet hint on its earnings call. More acquisitions are coming. And this time, it’s not just about ads.
Buying Speed Beats Building Slow
Reddit’s CFO said it plainly: buying tech saves 6–12 months. Why wait when you can plug in proven tools? In fast-moving markets, speed wins.
Adtech Was the Warm-Up
Adtech acquisitions helped Reddit monetize faster. Drop-in tools, instant impact, less execution risk. That’s been a “secret weapon” behind its recent growth.
Nothing Is Off the Table
This isn’t just about ads anymore. Reddit wants capabilities that grow with its scale. Think tech that gets stronger when millions use it.
AI Angle – Search, Data, and Smarter Monetization
Reddit is investing heavily in AI, including AI-powered search. That raises a big question: will AI startups be next on the shopping list? History says… very likely.
The Numbers – Momentum Is Real
Q4 revenue hit $726M, with ads doing the heavy lifting. Daily active users jumped 19% YoY to 121M+. Earnings beat expectations — Wall Street noticed.
Pattern Spotting – This Isn’t New
Reddit has done this before. AI moderation, targeting, analytics — all acquired, all integrated. The playbook is clear: buy smart, scale fast.
ScorpA\rents's Quick Strike
Watch companies that buy speed, not just talent
Adtech + AI is a powerful combo
Scale favors platforms that integrate well
Long-term winners build ecosystems, not features
Reddit isn’t just scrolling anymore.
It’s assembling the next growth engine — piece by piece.
💡 Why This Matters for You 💡
Great companies don’t just grow users.
They compound capabilities.
Acquisitions done right accelerate everything.
Big Tech CapEx Shock — Panic or Payoff?
IMAGE CREDIT : AIhustleswithryan
When Spending Broke the Scale
Across Big Tech, 2026 CapEx plans jumped from “huge” to “are we sure this isn’t a typo?” The market flinched. Not because AI is doubted — but because patience is being tested.
The Numbers That Spooked Everyone
Meta Platforms: $115–135B vs $110B consensus. Stock popped, then cooled.
Microsoft: $140–150B vs $109B. Stock fell ~10%.
Alphabet: $175–185B vs $115B. Shares slipped.
Amazon: ~$200B vs $146B. After-hours drop ~11%.
Big money. Big reactions.
Market Anxiety – It’s Not Spend, It’s Timing
Investors can stomach heavy CapEx if revenue re-accelerates clearly. They panic when spending jumps and payback is framed as “later.” Cloud margins blinking — even slightly — makes nerves worse.
The Depreciation Hangover
CapEx doesn’t disappear. It turns into depreciation that hits profits for years. That’s why this feels like a margin optics problem, not an AI-belief problem.
Another Worry – Buybacks Lose Oxygen
Free cash flow funds buybacks. If CapEx stays high, buybacks slow — and that matters for valuations. Example: Amazon FCF down ~71% YoY, Alphabet buybacks down ~65% YoY.
Are Investors Overreacting? Maybe. Here’s Why.
Reason #1 – Big Infrastructure Always Looks Crazy First
AWS was mocked for years before it became a cash machine.
AI infrastructure feels the same today.
Absurd… until it’s inevitable.Reason #2 – AI ROI Is Real, Just Uneven
Cloud growth remains healthy.
Meta’s ads are still throwing off cash.
Demand isn’t vapor — it’s just arriving at different speeds.Reason #3 – The Supply Chain Gets Paid First
When hyperscalers spend tens of billions, suppliers feel it early.
Chips, memory, networking, power — fundamentals improve before margins look pretty.
That gap often becomes “obvious in hindsight.”
Summary – The Real Debate Isn’t AI
Everyone still believes in AI. The fight is over payback speed — how fast CapEx turns into revenue and free cash flow. That timing will decide who wins this cycle.
ScorpA\rents’s Bite of Wealth
Watch revenue vs CapEx gap, not headlines
Track depreciation and FCF, not just growth
Remember: infrastructure pain often comes before payoff
Patience is the real edge in AI investing
Big spending always looks scary in real time.
The question isn’t if AI pays off — it’s how fast.
💡 Why This Matters for You 💡
Short-term volatility punishes impatience.
Long-term compounding rewards those who understand cycles.
AI isn’t cheap — but neither was every great infrastructure shift before it.
The Gap and The Gain — Why You’re Doing Better Than You Think
by Dan Sullivan & Benjamin Hardy
IMAGE CREDIT : AIhustleswithryan
Ever Feel Like You’re Behind?
Working hard, but still feeling “not enough”? That quiet frustration hits many busy parents and builders. This book flips the script — and it’s freeing.
The Gap vs The Gain
The Gap is comparing yourself to an ideal future. The Gain is measuring how far you’ve already come. One creates stress. The other creates confidence.
The Happiness Treadmill
Chasing the next goal feels exciting… briefly. Then joy fades, and the bar moves again. That’s the treadmill most high achievers never step off.
Key Shift – Want vs Need
Wanting is healthy. Needing creates anxiety and pressure. The moment success feels like oxygen, peace disappears.
Be Your Own North Star
Stop outsourcing your worth to outcomes. Your values matter more than metrics. When you define success internally, progress feels lighter.
Choose Better Lenses
Same life. Two perspectives. One sees gaps. The other sees growth. The lens you choose shapes your emotions daily.
A.M.B. Rule – Always Measure Backward
Don’t ask, “Why am I not there yet?”
Ask, “How far have I come?”
That single habit compounds confidence fast.
Rewrite the Past (Yes, Really)
Your past isn’t fixed — its meaning isn’t. Reframing past struggles builds a stronger identity. And identity drives future action.
ScorpA\rents’s Strike of Success
Write 3 wins from the last year
Measure progress backward, not forward
Separate wanting from needing
Let growth fuel gratitude
You’re not behind.
You’re in the Gain — even if you forgot to notice.
💡 Why This Matters for You 💡
Progress feels slow when you only look forward.
Momentum shows up when you look back.
Long games require self-trust, not self-criticism.
TOGETHER WITH OUR PARTNER
Here’s how I use Attio to run my day.
Attio is the AI CRM with conversational AI built directly into your workspace. Every morning, Ask Attio handles my prep:
Surfaces insights from calls and conversations across my entire CRM
Update records and create tasks without manual entry
Answers questions about deals, accounts, and customer signals that used to take hours to find
All in seconds. No searching, no switching tabs, no manual updates.
Ready to scale faster?
“Every exit is an entry somewhere else.”
What's the Sting on Today’s Content? 🦂
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