Hey ScorpA\rents!

Quick question.

Ever notice how the biggest breakthroughs often start in the least glamorous places… like a basement full of GPUs or a scary decision you almost didn’t take? This week is all about those moments — where bold bets, quiet winners, and a little courage collide.

Before we dive in, a quick shoutout to the folks helping make sense of this fast-moving AI world. Gladly helps you see AI in customer experience the way investors do (yes, the numbers actually matter), and Levanta is exploring what happens when AI meets real humans in shopping — spoiler: it’s not just bots talking to bots.

Alright, sponsors thanked, curiosity warmed up. Let’s get into the stories that show why fear isn’t the enemy… standing still is.

🔎 TL;DR

1) STING OF GROW: AI HUSTLES

• From Basement to Breakout
  A scrappy GPU side project turned into a $120M ARR business. Proof that timing + execution beats fancy origins.

2) STING OF WEALTH: INVESTING

• Follow the Real Money
  When Taiwan Semiconductor spends big, the quiet winners are the suppliers powering the entire chip stack. Shovels matter more than gold.

3) STING OF SUCCESS: MILLIONAIRE MINDSET

• Fear Isn’t a Stop Sign
  Growth doesn’t wait for confidence. The people who move with fear are the ones who compound results fastest.

Estimated Reading Time: 5-6 minutes

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From Basement GPUs to $120M ARR

A Reddit Post That Changed Everything

Sometimes the biggest businesses don’t start with pitch decks or cold emails. They start with a simple post on Reddit and a problem so annoying you have to fix it. That’s exactly how Runpod went from basement GPUs to $120M in ARR.

The Pain That Sparked It All

Mining Was Boring. GPUs Were Expensive. Wives Were Watching.
The founders were ex-Comcast developers mining Ethereum in their basements. The returns were meh, “The Merge” was coming, and the software stack was… painful.
So they asked a better question: What if these GPUs powered AI instead?

Devs Deserve Better Tools

AI Infrastructure Shouldn’t Feel Like Hot Garbage
Before ChatGPT was even a thing, they noticed something obvious. Developing on GPUs was slow, clunky, and frustrating.
Runpod wasn’t built to chase hype — it was built because devs were suffering.

The Growth Hack Nobody Talks About

No Marketing Team. Just Reddit.
As first-time founders, they had no clue how to launch. So they posted on Reddit offering free access for feedback.
That one move turned beta users into paying customers — fast.

Bootstrapped, Not Spoiled

No Free Tier. No Debt. No Safety Net.
Within nine months, they hit $1M ARR and quit their jobs. But instead of raising cash, they partnered with data centers and grew carefully.
Stressful? Yes. Disciplined? Absolutely.

When Investors Come to You

VCs, Angels, and a Support Chat Surprise
A partner from Dell Technologies Capital spotted them on Reddit and reached out.
Even wilder? Hugging Face co-founder Julien Chaumond became an angel because he was already using the product.

The AI Wave Hits at the Perfect Time

ChatGPT Launches. Everything Accelerates.
By 2024, Runpod had 100,000 developers and landed a $20M seed round backed by Dell and Intel.
Today? Over 500,000 developers, Fortune 500 customers, and global infrastructure across 31 regions.

Competing With Giants (Without Becoming One)

AWS Isn’t the Enemy — Being Dev-Centric Is the Edge
Yes, they compete with Amazon Web Services, Microsoft, and Google.
But Runpod’s bet is different: developers aren’t disappearing — they’re becoming AI agent operators.

ScorpA\rents's Quick Strike

If you’re building a side hustle, SaaS, or digital product, this story is a reminder.
You don’t need perfect timing, massive funding, or fancy marketing. You need a real problem, a simple distribution channel, and the courage to ship.

• Start where your audience already hangs out (forums > funnels).

• Solve one painful problem really well.

• Don’t wait for permission — momentum attracts capital.

Sometimes, the smartest businesses don’t shout.
They just quietly compound.

Who Really Wins When Taiwan Semiconductor Spends Big?

CapEx Is Back (Quietly)

TSMC just signaled higher capital expenditure.
That’s not just a TSMC story — it’s a supply chain payday.
If you want to ride AI without chasing hype, this is where you look.

Follow the Shovels

When TSMC builds, equipment and materials firms get paid first.
Think less “who designs chips” and more “who sells the tools.”
This cycle favors precision, not buzzwords.

The Chipmaking Stack (Plain English Edition)

1. Photolithography – Drawing the Brain

   This is the most complex and expensive step.
   Only ASML can deliver cutting-edge EUV machines.
   With A14 capacity coming, EUV shipments for 2026–2027 just got revised up.
   

2. Deposition – Building Layers

   This step stacks ultra-thin materials to form 3D structures.
   Key players: Tokyo Electron, Lam Research, Applied Materials.
   More advanced nodes = more layers = more machines.
   

3. Etching – Carving the Circuits

   Here’s where unwanted material gets removed.
   Leader? Lam Research.
   Memory chips rely heavily on etching, giving Lam extra momentum.
   

4. Cleaning – Precision Matters

   After etching, everything must be spotless.
   Players include ACM Research and Screen Holdings.
   As nodes shrink, cleanliness becomes non-negotiable.
   

5. Ion Implantation – Wiring the Transistor

   This step controls how transistors switch on and off.
   Specialist here: Axcelis Technologies.
   Less flashy, but mission-critical.
   

6. Inspection – Catching the Invisible

   At 2nm, sampling isn’t enough — everything must be checked.
   That’s why KLA dominates.
   Higher costs = higher inspection demand = strong margins.
   

7. Packaging – Protecting the Chip

   Bare chips are fragile. Packaging makes them usable.
   Advanced packaging matters more as AI chips grow complex.
   This step is quietly becoming strategic.

Final Testing – Pass or Scrap

Every chip gets tested before shipping.
Key players: Teradyne, Advantest, Onto Innovation.
AI chips fail less often — but only after intense testing.

The Unsung Heroes: Materials

Chips burn through wafers, photoresist, gases, and chemicals nonstop.
Leaders include Shin-Etsu Chemical, Tokyo Ohka Kogyo, Photronics.
Also watch MKS Instruments, Air Liquide, Entegris, and Cabot.

ScorpA\rents’s Bite of Wealth

You don’t need to outguess the next AI model.
You just need to know who gets paid every time capacity expands.
TSMC’s capex tells you where the money flows — quietly, consistently.

• Look beyond chip designers.

• Study equipment + materials exposure.

• Remember: in every gold rush, shovels win first.

Sometimes the smartest AI play…
doesn’t even look like AI.

Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway
By Susan Jeffers, PhD

Fear Isn’t the Enemy

Ever feel fear right before trying something new?
Good news: that fear isn’t here to stop you — it’s here to teach you.
Susan Jeffers’ core message is simple: growth starts the moment you move with fear, not after it disappears.

Fear Is a Skill Issue

Fear shows up on three levels: surface worries, deeper self-doubt, and core beliefs about your ability to cope.
The real problem isn’t fear itself — it’s how you respond to it.
Handle fear better, and suddenly life feels more manageable.

Responsibility = Freedom

Taking responsibility for your choices boosts confidence fast.
When you stop waiting for fear to go away, you gain emotional muscle.
Ask yourself: “Even if this goes wrong, can I handle it?” (Hint: yes.)

Mindset Shift – Become a Buoyant Optimist

Optimism isn’t denial — it’s resilience.
You learn to extract meaning even from setbacks.
Fear loses power when you trust yourself to recover.

Decision-Making – The No-Lose Rule

Jeffers introduces the idea of “no-lose decisions.”
Either it works — or you learn.
Once you see every outcome as growth, paralysis disappears.

Action Bias – Say Yes More Often

Saying “yes” doesn’t remove fear — it shrinks it.
Each brave step rewires your confidence system.
Momentum beats overthinking every time.

ScorpA\rents’s Strike of Success

Whether it’s investing, starting a side hustle, or learning new tech — fear shows up first.
Jeffers reminds us that courage isn’t loud or dramatic.
It’s simply showing up… again and again.

• Fear = signal, not stop sign

• Responsibility builds confidence

• Action reduces anxiety

• Progress beats perfection

Fear doesn’t mean you’re unready.
It usually means you’re right on time.

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The Future of Shopping? AI + Actual Humans.

AI has changed how consumers shop, but people still drive decisions. Levanta’s research shows affiliate and creator content continues to influence conversions, plus it now shapes the product recommendations AI delivers. Affiliate marketing isn’t being replaced by AI, it’s being amplified.

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