From 0 to $30k MRR in 4 months using Affiliates and FB/IG ads
Eric, an ex-Instagram employee and successful Indie Hacker, already makes $50k/month with his other two tools.
At the start of the year, he decided to build an auto and faceless shorts/reels/TikTok maker. With the rising trend of short faceless videos on these platforms, Eric saw an opportunity. The process without a tool is tedious — writing a good script, generating AI voice, and matching it with a background. Autoshorts simplifies this into a single step: choose the script style, and it takes care of the rest.
Eric launched Autoshorts in the last week of January. By March, he had already reached $2k MRR, thanks to ads and posting his own shorts on TikTok (using his own tool to grow — amazing, right?). The growth was insane; in just 2 weeks, he hit $4k MRR. He shared his FB ads strategy with everyone too; check it out here.
However, Eric learned that relying on one channel is risky (FB blocked his ads for a while). So, he started focusing on affiliate outreach. This strategy paid off, helping his MRR grow to $12k (a 3x jump) with a successful affiliate video.
As of his most recent update, Eric hit $31k MRR on May 9th.
Marketing is all about trying different strategies, being consistent, and doubling down on what works. Now, it’s your turn to give it a shot!
To read more such tips and stories around building on the Internet, consider subscribing to our free Newsletter BuilderOS :)

Hi everyone! 👋
If you're looking to improve your lead acquisition process, we've got just the resource for you! Our latest article breaks down 10 effective strategies to help you capture and convert more leads.
🔍 Learn about the crucial differences between lead generation and lead acquisition, and explore how you can use automation tools like Skylead to streamline your lead generation process. We also share tips on establishing market dominance and qualifying leads effectively.
Lead Acquisition: 10 Strategies To Boost Conversions [2024]
What challenges have you faced with lead acquisition? Have any tools or strategies worked particularly well for you? Let's discuss!

Hey everyone! I want to share the UpWork formula that has helped me secure clients for myself. Through trial and error, investing in multiple courses, and eventually earning over $200k from clients in freelancing, I've developed a system that works consistently.
I don't have a course to sell you; my Social Media Management/UpWork course and community "AgencyGo" are actually free. Just message me on Instagram if you want access. (AkashKunver on Instagram)
Here's a breakdown of the formula I use:

--The Formula

The formula for success on UpWork is a combination of:

• Niched service
• Niched portfolio
• Content (VSL, Video Sales Letter)
• Green flag projects
• A few reviews

Green flag projects are those that show signs of being serious candidates. Completing these projects can bolster your portfolio.

--Niched Service

Specializing in a specific niche makes you more attractive to potential clients who are looking for expertise in a particular area.

Niched Portfolio

Building a portfolio without experience can be challenging. While ads might not be feasible, creating examples of your work is very possible. If you need help, I can help you out on the free discord server (Message me on instagram Akashkunver), or if it’s a simple question just ask here!

--Content (VSL)

Your content should clearly explain what you offer, include proof of your results, and present you in a professional manner.

--Green Flag Projects

Look for projects that show signs of being serious candidates, such as:

• Clients from high-income countries (US, UK, CAN, AUS)
• Working directly with the client, make sure you’re not managed by a middle man agency. (exceptions for celebrity 'portfolio' clients)
• Matching your skill sets with their requirements

--(For newbies!) Getting Your First Reviews

Here are some ways to get your first reviews with no experience:

• Ask a friend to hire you through UpWork
• Request testimonials from previous clients using UpWork's testimonial section
• Offer free work in exchange for a review

By sticking to this formula, I've been able to secure clients consistently. I hope this helps you in your journey to building a successful agency/solo freelancer account on UpWork. If you have any questions or need further assistance, feel free to reach out to my instagram previously mentioned or AMA right here!
I also made an in depth and detailed video on YouTube about this topic as well if interested. (akashkunver on YT.)

Hello! Here are some singles I have for sale. Can take closeups on any cards. Will sell for a discount for bulk or the whole lot purchase.
Base Set Holos: https://imgur.com/gallery/Uw8cYcu
1st Edition Base set non holos: https://imgur.com/gallery/jdb93lb
Non holos, Non 1st, some base set: https://imgur.com/gallery/Lj1UWJR
Wotc trainers some 1st edition, base: https://imgur.com/gallery/0tWKeal
Original 3 and evolutions. Few shadowless, base set 2 squirtle: https://imgur.com/gallery/OZfZpcw
Wants: PayPal GS
ETBs:
Steam Siege
XY furious fists
Phantom forces
Ancient origins
XY base set Red
XY Base Set Blue
Plasma storm
Plasma blast
Generations

I am considering having a mold made of a product we already sell. The product uses a bluetooth keyboard we source off of alibaba. We currently 3d print an adapter that we mount to the keyboard. This works reliably but it'd be nice to simplify our sourcing by having everything handled overseas. We'd be looking to replace our printed parts with parts we have molded.
A problem I see with this is this gives the keyboard manufacturer significant leverage over us. If the keyboard manufacturer was made aware that we invested in a mold on their specific keyboard they could realistically charge us whatever they wanted and unless we wanted to invest in a new mold we'd probably pay whatever they wanted. To an extent at least. Or alternatively they may just change their design without notifying us. They've done this before and, since we 3d printed parts, it was not a big deal, but if we invested in a mold that'd be a larger setback.
For this reason I'm leaning towards 3d printing these or trying to find a way to still 3d print these but perhaps outsourcing the assembly work. We don't do a huge volume of sales to where we need the scaling of injection molding. But it would be nice to not have to pay american wages to have these assembled.
What are people's thoughts on this ? Both on outsourcing a product while not fully controlling the product's ecosystem as well as the idea of trying to only outsource the assembly of a 3d printed product.
Thank you

In the last post we talk about how the chaquetrix would be upgrade for the future, or at least what I think we would be a good idea for it. In this post we go even father into how the upgrades to the chaquetrix and Ben effects his children and descendants and how they effect the universe. We talk the a new species made by Ben and the chaquetrix girls, the changeling species.
While Azmuth design the chaquetrix to save species by mating so he design that the first genertation made by the chaquetrix, AKA the kids of the wearer, could mate with both the wearer species and the pure species of their chaquetrix parent. This was done making it so the kids would have three forms, the wearer species form, a hybrid form, and pure chaquetrix parent form. He also design that the parents, no matter how the species normally propagate, would have litters of ten at least. However something happen he didn't plan for, something that happen with the chaquetrix 2 being upgrade into the chaquetrix 2.10. The children of the chaquetrix 2.10 and their descendants inhered omnicores as part of their biology, and inhered the some of the abilities of the the chaquetrix. So when Ben and the chaquetrix girls starting having children, and they had a lot of children, they were creating a new and powerful species, and species that comes in three phenotype. And in order to explain what makes this species so powerful we explain the abilities of the three phenotypes first.
Duotrix: The common form of the changelings, call duotrixes because they have three base forms. A human anodite hybrid form like that of Ben himself, a pure alien form which thanks to the nemetrix upgrade could come from non-sapient species, and hybrid form of the two. So they called duotrix because of they two base species forms and a third hybrid form of the two. They can stay any of these base for as long as they wish and as for they their abilities of these forms, well the alien form has powers of whatever that species but incease beyond what is normal for that species thank to the Potis Altiare upgrade the chaquetrix had. In their "human" form, which is also strengthen by the Potis Altiare upgrade, they are able to perform magic if the learn how to, which most do, in way similar to Gwen. While in hybrid form they have accuess to their alien powers and to a lesser extent their magic powers as well. This is due to the fact that thanks to the omnicore functions most changelings are unable to perform magic in full alien form unless that alien form is something like anodite.
However, this isn't all they can do and isn't all their forms, for while they can't fully transform into other species. They can still scan and store genetics of other species and use those genetics in other ways. But in keep in mind all other transformation outside their three based forms can only last a total of ten minutes. Now the first of these alter forms is their fusion forms, they can combine any of their three based for with the genetics of one other species. Now for their human form this just turns into another hybrid form for their other two forms it can have other changes as mix in this other species. Next is their Omni-Enchanced forms which are similar to their fusion forms but instead of a full fusion they only use the third species to enhanced their based forms. Giving them new features and some new abilities based on what species they used to enhanced themselves. There is also their amalgam forms, in which they take their alien form and combine it with nine other species to create a new hybrid, and "alien", that 1/10 the power of ten species combine. And finally the last way they can use the genetics they store in their omnicore is by making use of the slime-biot powers, giving to them thanks to the chaquetrix being upgrade to have them. To put simply they can morph their limbs, grow new ones, and make tools and weapons by using the genetics store in their omnicore as if they had a slime-biot of their own. They can also regenerate by using this feature as if they had a slime-biot (regrow lost body parts, fix damage ones) and in a way even more thanks to the fact that their consciousness is store in their omnicore, so they can even regrow their heads. And while this end of the transformations they get by other species genetics, it isn't the end of their transformations.
Thanks to inhering omnicores, they also inhered omni-naut and omni-kik which simply just allows them to wear either of said armor in any of their based forms. They also have an ultimate that allows their hybrid and alien form to become an ultimate form, and as for their human form. They lose the ability to do magic in this but they can use the powers of any alien species they have store in their omnicore, they don't transform however so can limit these powers in some way. They also have antitrix forms as well, in these state their human form becomes an osmosian form. Their skin turns grey or pale white, their hair becomes tentacle like, they grow four small horns, and they lose their magic but abosd matter instead. So they get Kevin powers basely, and they use these powers in hybrid mode as well. Their alien form and hybrid forms becomes a antitrix version of that form, causing them to be more aggressive. Then there evos forms which came about from the chaquetrix absorbing nanobots, their human become robotic like and they get the power to turn their limbs into kinds of machines as well grow machines from their body (so Rex's powers), their alien from becomes a more monstrous version of their based alien form and their hybrid form is a mix of the two.
Unitrix: A little less common the duotrixs, only one in every ten changelings is born unitrix, these are frankly just a stronger version of Eunice. They have her powers, but they don't have to touch others they can just scan them, they have evo human mode, and osmosian mode, as well as ultimate mode in which they get the ultimate powers of whatever species they using at the moment. They do store the genetics allowing their slime-biot powers to use them both now and latter, and yes this does mean they can use the powers latter as well. They also have omni-naut and omni-kik armor, but they don't have fusion, amalgam, hybrid, or Omni-Enchanced modes. And yes they can the Potis Altiare upgrade as well.
Omnitrix: Based on the name of these changeling, which only one in a hundred are born, it should be clear what they do. They can become any species, or take hybrid form of any species, and stay in based forms as long as they want. They also have fusion forms, ultimate forms, antitrix forms, evo forms, Omni-Enchaced forms, amalgam forms, omni-naut form, omni-kik forms, as well slime-biot powers, that they can freely use with any based alien and hybrid forms. They can also get new forms by scanning, Note, scanning powers can work on changeling in full based alien forms as well true member of the species. They carelt powerful version of the changeling species because of that.
Other Changeling Powers: Now quick list of powers all three types of changelings have that have that simply less obvious then the transformation powers, and has to do with their omnicores. First all changelings can change their at will, second all changelings do have some control over their looks. If they what they can permanently their looks in the same way you may change the looks of character in video game. For example they can give themselves curly hair or red eyes instead of green, and even make themselves a bit taller or shorter. They also all have an universal translator, the ability to surf the extranet, to record video and audio , to send messages including phone calls and video calls. They can generation and change clothes thanks their uniform feature on their omnicores. And finally and possibly more importantly they can store items, people, and themselves within their omnicores. Causing many changelings to see the inside of their omnicores as mix of their bedrooms and homes.
Changeling Reproduction: Where do new changelings come form? Simple, any offspring between a changeling and a non-changeling will be a changeling, and thanks to how powers work they can mate with just about anything. Now as what kind of changeling the kids will, well that depends, first of thanks to them storing genetics in their omnicore the kids could be duotrixs of any species they have in their, if they aren't unitrixs or omnitrixes instead. If two changelings have kids together, which that haven't done yet as they still see each other as family, the kids will also be changelings as well with a higher chance to get omnitrixes then normal.
And that is all I have on the changeling powers and abilities, and just how far have I though of ahead for the changeling species? Not that far, I only thought of to the time of Ben's great-great grandkids. In this future the changelings are mostly on Earth but there are a high number of them found on Galvan Prime and Petropia as well. Plus some living Primus as well, with that be being listed as their official home planet. Many changelings have join the plumbers thanks to family traditions, with a lot also choosing to become explorers to find new species to increase the power of the changeling species over all.
So what do you think of this idea? If you like you are free to use it

Welcome back to my running series of WWF PPV Reviews from a ‘blind’ perspective (I have no idea what’s going to happen; the results, the feuds or how good any of the matches will be). I have always heard stories of the attitude era and golden age but never watched it myself so I set myself to watching every single PPV event chronologically. I am also watching Wrestling Bios ‘reliving the war’ series to keep me updated inbetween the events with the feuds, and to get excited about upcoming matches.
Before I review the matches, based on the past few episodes of raw and last PPVs I’ll let you know, going into the event, which match I’m most excited for and which feud I’m most excited to see.
The match and feud I’m most excited to see is Shawn vs undertaker. I mean what needs to be said their feud is absolutely legendary, and with my favourite match of all time coming in the future between these two I cant wait to see how they perform together in these early years.
WWF In Your House - Ground Zero 1997 Match Ratings
Goldust vs Brian Pillman 2/5
Scott putski vs Brian Christopher 1/5
Savio vega vs Faarooq vs Crush 0.25/5
El torito vs Max Mini 1.5/5
Tag Fatal 4 way elimination match 1.75/5
The patriot vs Bret Hart 3.25/5
Shawn Michaels vs Undertaker 4.75/5
I cannot believe they pulled the “she’s my love child” story it’s so funny to look back on these storylines. Goldust and Pillman are set to fight and there’s a huge grudge for Goldust here so I’m hoping to see a physical bout.
Which it wasn’t… while it was a good bout with no botched or anything, and it was better than their Summerslam match. I saw pillman was limited due to an ankle problem he had, which is kinda weird with the amount of running around he did, but they still had a decent match. Honestly though this draw of this match was where the story was going and it definitely went 😂 Pillman managed to win the match by whacking Goldust with a brick concealed in marlenas bag, and literally drags marlena to his car where he drove off with her. Classic wwf is so hilarious.
The next match was the first time I’m seeing putski and Christopher wrestle and it was actually going well until that ending. I thought they pulled off some very clean looking spots but the crowd was completely dead for almost all of this match, especially after the match, just no one seemed to care. I didn’t really care for this Brian Christopher he was laughing like a clown or something, not even a figure of speech it was literally like a clown. He might’ve been trying to impersonate Lawler but it was just weird. I’m not sure if putski was actually injured or not it was pretty hard to tell but this match seemed like it was 3 or 4 minutes long of pretty dull action.
Going into the next match and honestly I’m pretty bored of these pointless gang wars but let’s see if it can deliver. Maybe rock will get involved and liven it up but all three competitors in this triple threat have yet to put on a good show during my journey through the new gen/attitude era. Also I feel like this is the first triple threat match I’ve seen since KOTR 1996 so there’s some level of excitement for me as it can make for a really entertaining match when done right.
I was surprised to see crush get a pop as I hadn’t heard one before when he made his entrance, but a big biker dude coming in on a massive Harley will get an American crowd going I suppose 😂. But oh man once the match got going there was actually boos going throughout the stadium for the last 1/3 of it. They were trying some weird thing where they played on the fact that they both used to be part of the NOD in which they’d team with farooq on sadio vega but oh my lord it didn’t work at all, it just came off like they had no idea what they were doing. There were no highlights at all, and the last 5 minutes was crush throwing vega out the ring to use moves solo on farooq to which he’d come back in the ring, break the pin and repeat the process. Then he randomly wants to team with crush after all that?? It made no sense at all and was just a bad match, the crowd wasn’t into it and booed during quite a bit of the match, big miss.
I’m just gunna call it a ‘mini-match’ and I’m sure you’ll know what I’m talking about but it ended up being entertaining for what it was in all fairness, much better than the match I’d just seen anyway. It was more of a funny performance than a match; they both end up biting everyone’s asses? Including the referee, and mini goes and steals lawyers crown too. El torito is bloody nuts, his character is basically to act like a bull so he chases refs and officials around trying to headbutt them, fu**ing nuts 😂. I do think it went on a little too long though, if they’re going to book this kind of match then it should be short and sweet filler rather than dragging it on. There was however a pretty good looking springboard move close to the end so that was cool. There were some impressive moves and the crowd was getting involved but It’s just some filler while the show gets going in the end.
Very good idea having dude love and Austin come out inbetween the matches to relinquish the titles as this crowd REALLY needed some livening up after the past hour of the show. And when Steve starts his promo the crowd eats up every second of it and it’s no surprise because he kills it as usual, what a breath of fresh air SCSA is in the WWF during this era. He’s throwing insults to Vince, to the sergeant to JR and it’s f***ing brilliant. It’s cool seeing dude love backing him up as well I think they actually make a really cool looking tag team. And then out of god damn nowhere he delivers a stunner to JR and the crowd absolutely loses it. I would say at this point he is truly the face of the WWF and it really does suck that he suffered that neck injury and couldn’t wrestle properly for a while, having to change his entire wrestling style because of it, but it was never to his detriment, we’re truly in the stone cold era now.
Before the fatal four way, while the LOD get interviewed I couldn’t help but notice how young Michael Cole looks, I mean obviously it’s over 25 years ago but still cool seeing how long he’s been involved.
I really don’t understand these fatal four way tag matches, they always come off weirdly as you can have two people from the same team in the ring that have to wrestle… but it makes no sense because why not just tag someone else in? I don’t know it’s a weird dynamic and I’m not surprised they dropped this type of match in the future.
It’s a shame LOD was the first to be eliminated because they randomly started beating the godwinns with a metal bucket? It makes 0 sense for them to blindly DQ themselves from getting the tag titles since they were crowd favourites, but okay you do you Vince. I wanted them to win too. I know a few people don’t care for LOD but they’re top 2 tag teams in the wwf right now beside Owen and bulldog. The godwinns get eliminated next (thank god), and they just feel like the most filler tag team I’ve ever seen they’re SOOO bland and basic, they don’t even play up to their hillbilly characters anymore which is a new level of bad I won’t lie. I was really REALLY surprised that headbangers took away the belts though, with the massive push of the hart foundation I thought it was a no brainer. It was awesome seeing Austin come in and disrupt the match, he absolutely brings the whole arena completely alive whenever he does anything. Overall though the match was bad and it went on far too long even with four teams. I think the ending was pretty fun but that was only about 2 minutes of the match that was entertaining the rest just felt veryyyy slow.
Man this event has really gotta pull out some f***ing 5/5 main events for it to be worth watching because we’re 1 hour 45 minutes in without a match over 2/5 at most.
When I hear Kurt angles theme playing I was so happy, excited, confused, and then disappointed when I realised it was 3 or 4 years too early. I had no idea they kept this theme and used it for Kurt angle as well as patriot.
I have a small inkling that Bret hart didn’t perform as well as he could’ve in this match because he was annoyed about Shawn getting the top spot after everything that’s gone down and him working more regularly recently than Shawn. Patriot wasn’t a bad wrestler but his character was extremely bland, what would happen after this feud? He’d just be a guy that’s proud to be from America that looks like a Mexican wrestler… in the time of big characters making the main events he unfortunately doesn’t really fit in that well. His in ring ability was good though, no botches or anything but I just couldn’t really feel myself getting into this match. I didn’t really know if they’d book patriot in to take the wwf title as I was pretty sure they wouldn’t want hart to lose his title being such a huge name in the business right now. It was pretty fun when Vader and bulldog came out for some extra drama with them interfering with each of the wrestlers but it’s not a good sign when a match needs drama like that to elevate it. It’s better than what we’ve seen tonight but not particularly worth watching. If you love Bret hart give it a watch as he was his usual fantastic in ring performer but it’s not one of his best for sure. The crowd was really into it, making the hard camera shake chanting “USA USA”, so that was cool, but I’m not entirely sure if it’s because of the crowd or because it was such a small venue. Also worth noting Bret hart is a perfect heel character, he’s a massive star with a character that works perfectly as a heel because he sprinkles some IRL elements into everything he does. The move of breaking the American flag pole and the strangling patriot with the flag is just brilliant, makes it that extra bit more believable and I love it, Americans however must’ve hated it!
Shawn Michaels entrance was so hilarious, he gets hit by a… idk what that even was, a brown cabbage? He makes BJ notions to the crowd, his pyro doesn’t go off properly in the ring like it usually does, and he still pulled it off because he’s HBK, fantastic. This FEELS like main event material though and I’m really excited for it. Sometimes main events don’t really build up properly and just haven’t got that hype behind it but this match should be great. The first of many times we’d see these legends in the ring together.
Starting off the match right too with undertaker taking out the referee and allowing undertaker to take it to the outside and absolutely lay into Michael’s without a count out. I absolutely loved Shawn’s selling during this match too, it’s so over the top that it’s brilliant, with one of his famous vertical presses while he gets kicked in the belly whilst in the corner, love it. Him begging to the ref to dq undertaker, trying to escape through the door of the set and banging on the door, it all works really well and he plays up undertakers character perfectly. I hate when wrestlers forget they’re supposed to play up this undertaker being very scary it really takes away immersion but Shawn does it perfectly. The boos for undertaker seem to be from the women only and the cheers for Shawn seem to be from the women only, of course 😂. I also love seeing the origins of d generation x, one of my all time favourite tag teams as I’m sure is the same with everyone else. HHH makes his way down to the ring with a referee to replace the numerous ones that have been taken out during this match, and they are just the perfect team together I love it.
The actual match I thought was really really fun. It was absolute chaos and maybe not a wrestling masterclass but you can’t deny it was fun. From start to finish we go through 3 referees, we get strangling with power chords, we get triple H and HBK telling the crowd to suck it, and an amazing back and forth showcase from Michael’s and undertaker. I think this match did an absolutely fantastic job and reinstating the undertaker as the most intimidating wrestler in the wwf. The poor referees during this match though, they got absolutely abused. The only thing I didn’t like about this match was the ending. Another random referee comes to the ring to end the match as a DQ, which is a really stupid ending because illegal stuff had already happened when the other referees came to the ring so why wouldn’t they have ended it then? The action continues after the match with undertaker almost soloing Michael’s and HHH. More officials come to the ring as Michael’s beats the hell out of them. And then other wrestlers are forced to come to the ring to try and break the two up which was awesome to see. This really sets up further matches between the two, and I think that’s was the whole idea of the match which worked well, it’s just that I hate these random DQ endings to main events. We see the undertaker flying over the top rope for… I think the first time? Correct me if I’m wrong but I’m pretty sure that’s the first time I’ve seen it in this era which was of course AWESOME!! Overall a really fun match that sets up for further main events but it’s held back by its weird and stupid decision. It’s still well worth a watch if you enjoy this feud however.
Overall, whilst the main event hit all the right places for me I just don’t think the WWF was ready for a 3 hour event yet. They simply didn’t have the roster for it to be enjoyable and so many of these matches went way longer than they had any business doing. I think Bret hart is always gunna deliver so he was fun to watch but it just want one of his best but the main event hit in every single way apart from the finish which I understand is setting up for further matches but ughhhh it was done weirdly and poorly. If you’re gunna watch this event, skip everything but the main event it’s just not worth sitting through everything else.
Overall rating 2.75/5

Hey everyone I have been selling on Etsy since 2022 but it was low effort digital downloads and made about 30 sales from that, just some context so it doesn’t look like I have more sales than I actually do 😆
——————-
I am a graphic design student at university and in my free time I love to make posters and have been uploading them to Etsy, I have my own printer and create, produce and distribute all the designs independently!
I have really been trying hard with it all since late February and I’m very happy with the results so far I have made 20 sales and £165 with a 1.8% conversion rate. These are all things I want to try really hard to improve on, this has been one of the most enjoyable hobbies for me and I love the feeling of people wanting to pay and hang up art that I have created!
I have done lots of experiment with different forms of advertising and ultimately been breaking even, which for now is something I am totally okay with as it’s not losing money and giving me valuable information.
Things I need help with -
• my seo, I am doing the best that I can but it’s something I am really struggling with, I feel like there are only so many different tags and keywords I can use for posters. My silly goose poster is by far my best seller
• I believe that I stand out from my competition as I am offering physical products that I have printed myself as opposed to purely digital stores
Sorry this is a lot of words, if anyone can help out my shop is called TCOgraphics
(https://tcographics.etsy.com)

I ordered a "new sealed" Xbox Series X, but the seals were cut with different masking tape applied to reseal. The inside of the Xbox looks brand new, and this was the sellers response:
"Hi!
Really sorry i have verified with the warehouse. We had one unit that had been opened to verify content. The tapes were slit and the box opened but the xbox itself and its accessories were not even taken out. It was mixed up with the other ones. Sorry for this we can offer you a 25$ refund since it was not fully as advertised. You are safe to open and use the device as it is exactly the same device same condition as all the other ones we had for sale.
Thank you!"
What would you all do?

Nestle is launching a new frozen-food brand, Vital Pursuit, aimed at the growing market of consumers who are using GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy.
Over the last year, the buzzy weight loss and diabetes drugs have taken off as more options hit the market and as celebrities like Oprah Winfrey and Elon Musk endorse them.
Roughly one in eight adults in the U.S. reported using a GLP-1 drug at some point, according to a recent survey from health policy research organization KFF. Roughly half of those Americans, or around 6% of U.S. adults, are currently using one of the treatments.
The total number of U.S. consumers taking the medication could soar to 31.5 million, or 9% of the total population, by 2035, according to research from Morgan Stanley.
As the drugs’ popularity has soared, investors have grown concerned about what their rise means for food and beverage companies and fast-food chains. People who take the medication typically eat less frequently because they have fewer cravings and desire more protein and less sugary and fatty foods. In October, Walmart U.S. CEO John Furner told Bloomberg that people who pick up GLP-1 drugs from its pharmacies are buying less food, typically with fewer calories.
But Nestle sees an opportunity to cater to those consumers through Vital Pursuit.
“The reality is, for the last 25 years, the diet has been dying, in a sense. ... For me, what we’ve done is actually given consumers a new tool that actually gives them confidence and success on this journey,” Nestle’s North America CEO Steve Presley told CNBC.
The new brand’s initial lineup of 12 items will include frozen bowls with whole grains or protein-packed pasta, along with sandwich melts and pizzas. The products will include one or more essential nutrients, like protein, calcium or iron. The company plans to sell Vital Pursuit items for $4.99 or under and offer gluten-free options.
Vital Pursuit’s packaging won’t include mentions of GLP-1 medications, but Nestle said the company will more directly connect the brand to the drugs on social media.
The new line will hit the freezer aisle by the fourth quarter.
In recent years, Nestle has also tried to focus more on health-conscious consumers. In 2018, it sold its U.S. candy business, which includes brands like Butterfinger, Crunch and Laffy Taffy, to Ferrero for $2.8 billion. Nestle’s food business, which includes brands like Stouffer’s and Toll House, only accounts for 14.5% of its U.S. sales.
Nestle already owns Lean Cuisine, which was founded in 1981 as a healthier alternative to other frozen meals. The company chose to create a new brand to reach GLP-1 users because Lean’s branding focuses on consumers looking to limit their calories. However, people who take GLP-1 medications may want to consume more nutrients, such as protein, which can help with the muscle loss associated with the drugs.
“The consumer research shows that there are certain nutrients and certain macros that need to be delivered to actually help the consumers stay healthy along the journey of the GLP-1 treatment,” Presley said.
Shares of Swiss-based Nestle have fallen 16% this year, dragging its market value down to $278 billion. The food company expects that its global growth will slow this year as inflation-weary consumers buy less of its products.
Source: https://www.cnbc.com/2024/05/21/nestle-to-launch-vital-pursuit-frozen-food-for-glp-1-users.html

⚙️ PROMPT #531 Branding in Digital
In the dynamic landscape of the digital era, a robust branding strategy is indispensable for maintaining visibility and relevance. Please generate a comprehensive branding strategy tailored for a [Your Industry] company in the digital sphere, ensuring it includes the following elements:

1. Identify the core brand message that resonates with the digital audience of [Your Industry].
2. Develop a digital-first brand identity including logo, color scheme, and typeface that aligns with current online trends and user experience expectations.
3. Construct a content marketing strategy focused on [Your Target Audience], integrating SEO practices to improve organic reach.
4. Outline social media tactics using platforms like Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter, fitting for [Your Brand Personality].
5. Recommend strategies for leveraging customer reviews, testimonials, and user-generated content to build trust and authenticity online.
6. Describe innovative ways to engage with customers in a two-way conversation utilizing chatbots, live streams, or webinars.
7. Propose metrics for tracking brand performance in the digital space, including social media analytics, website traffic, and conversion rates.

This strategy should strike a balance between consistency, which builds brand recognition, and adaptability, which ensures the brand remains current and engaging.
'copy and paste this prompt' 📋

What’s the #1 thing every founder needs to know?

I’ll give you a few minutes to make a list — top of mind might include sales, marketing, technology, product management (especially product-market fit), technical skills, fundraising, team building, leadership, management, finance, and planning/executing strategic growth and scaling.
Sure… but, sorry, none of that is the correct answer. Because, of course, you know that founders typically are expected to be jacks of all trades. So yes, to all of the above, but that’s not the secret sauce.
The #1 thing every founder needs to know is… themself.
Here’s the truth: founders start companies, and entrepreneurs build them. While not every entrepreneur is a founder (think franchise owners), every founder is an entrepreneur (at least initially).
If you’re like me, you are a forward-obsessed founder. That means where you are now is always building toward where you want to go. That person is always an entrepreneur. Once the company is started, you’ll do what it takes — including relinquishing control — to keep it growing.
Does that sting? We founders think of our companies as our babies, but statistics say we’re likely to be the ones kicked out of the nest. Also, research shows that in the US, only 14 out of the top selling 500 companies still have the original founder running the company. And the Harvard Business Review reports that most founders relinquish control long before their companies go public — and that four out of five are forced to step down as CEO.
It doesn’t have to be that way if you have one critical attribute: self-awareness. That way, you can decide as your company grows how you want to evolve your role in the overall day-to-day running of the company (i.e., learn, delegate, hire, move on). And ultimately, you can make better choices at critical growth junctures in your business progression.
So, to help you become more self-aware, it’s helpful to understand the different types of founders. Let’s dive in.

The Types of Founders

A couple of notes before we get into specifics:

• Much like any other classification, there are gray areas, so you (and many of the examples I share in this article) may fit into more than one category.
• Some traits are common to all founders, such as being open to innovation, passionate about their project, risk-takers, etc. But some founders excel or even over-index in certain attributes, so that’s what you’ll see in the different types.

The bottom line: knowing your strongest/weakest points is a critical piece of the self-awareness pie. That way, you can conduct your business in what I call the Green Zone — aka the Genius Zone, where you have both high passion and high competence — and make the best choices for you and your company.

1. The Solo Founder

Traits:

• Fiercely independent
• Self-assured
• Strong belief in their vision/idea
• Business strongly tied to skill set and experience
• Resilient (i.e., can withstand feelings of loneliness)

Benefits:

• Freedom
• Complete control
• Learn a lot

Pitfalls:

• Solo-founded companies statistically have a higher failure rate
• Harder to raise money/VCs are more reticent
• Health impacts: burnout, loneliness, etc.
• Attention is divided because you wear all the hats (marketing, sales, building your product, finances, fundraising, prospecting for new customers, etc.)
• Complete responsibility for all aspects of the business

Example: Sara Blakely, Spanx Founder
Ten years ago, in 2012, when she was just 38, Sara Blakely became the world’s youngest self-made female billionaire. Her business, built on a significant industry gap (the lack of comfortable, effective shapewear) and her incredible sales hustle, also benefited greatly from Blakely’s abundant self-awareness. Here’s her advice to solo founders at a 2020 business conference:

“I tell people as soon as you can afford to hire your weaknesses, do it… As soon as I could afford to hire someone to do more of the operations side of the business, I did. As an entrepreneur, one of the biggest gifts you can give yourself is to stay in your lane.”

In other words, know what your Green Zone is and play there.
If you’re like Blakely, it’s usually big ideas and sales ability (she could easily qualify as a Visionary Founder, too) or operations and execution (what Blakely realized she needed help with).
Pro tip: If you’re a solo founder, you’ll likely want to lean into an entrepreneurial framework like the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) to help you define and settle into which side you skew toward.

2. The Visionary Founder (or Co-founders)

Traits:

• Driven by a big idea
• Disruptive — recognizes opportunities to upend traditional norms
• Focused and clear
• Persistent
• Natural salesperson
• Can see the big picture
• Collaborative (esp. In co-founder scenario)
• Motivated by the impact they have — more than $$ alone

Benefits:

• Passionate about their work
• Aren’t easily derailed — failures are expected, and mistakes are not made twice
• Inspired leadership

Pitfalls:

• So focused on the big picture that they may miss important details
• A visionary idea doesn’t automatically = visionary leadership
• Disconnected from reality at times
• Easily bored when the mundane takes priority
• May not plan succession well
• Unrealistic expectations
• Poor communication

Example: Steve Jobs & Steve Wozniak
Considering that Steve Jobs’ name is pretty much synonymous with “visionary,” I don’t think I need to list more than the products and industries Jobs’ revolutionized at Apple and beyond — Apple Computers, iPod (iTunes), iPad, iPhone, Pixar, iCloud — with many products and points in between. George Lucas, from whom Jobs bought the Graphics Group at Lucasfilm and renamed it “Pixar,” perfectly summarizes his superpower:

“The magic of Steve was that while others simply accepted the status quo, he saw the true potential in everything he touched and never compromised on that vision.”

Steve Wozniak was the technological yin to Jobs’ sales and marketing yang, bringing the vision of a computer with a graphic interface to life. From the visionary files, “Woz” also invented the first programmable universal remote and was an early innovator of wireless GPS (thanks to his clever dogs who routinely evaded electronic fences).

3. The Serial Disruptor

Traits:

• Varied interests & capabilities
• Easily bored — desires variety and change
• Optimistic
• Extremely innovative
• High threshold for pain
• Accepting of failure
• Self-reliant
• Diverse capabilities
• Bold vision
• Motivated by the impact they have — more than $$ alone

Benefits:

• Variety of experiences
• Flexibility and freedom
• Diversification
• Tons of opportunities for creative expression
• Greater earning opportunities
• Disrupts industries
• Attracts high-quality talent

Pitfalls:

• High risk
• Difficulties finding trustworthy partners/can get stuck helming something when you want to move on
• Multitudes of people reliant on you
• Divided focus
• Ego-driven pursuits

Example: Elon Musk
Like him or loathe him, Elon Musk is perhaps the most prolific (and successful) serial founder of all time with startups including Tesla, SpaceX, The Boring Company, and Neuralink, among others. His drive to design opportunities to evolve humanity has redefined both hustle culture and the art of serial entrepreneurship.
For serial founders, having a set of principles is key to their success. In Musk’s case, his use of “first principles” — reducing a process to its essential parts — has served him well, from helping him figure out how to make rockets cheaper and reusable (SpaceX) to shifting the narrative of electric vehicles (Tesla).

4. The Engineer

Traits:

• Engineer by experience and nature
• Technically savvy
• Able to problem-solve technology-driven issues (not just with the product but also operations-wise)
• Strong desire to not just innovate but also to accelerate progress
• Expansive vision of how technology can solve common problems
• Level-headed
• Agile, fast learners
• Focused on execution

Benefits:

• Pragmatic approach
• Own technology
• Problems are solved quickly
• Able to employ technology to reduce time to market
• Solutions for products can become new products in their own right

Pitfalls:

• Not well versed in other crucial areas (i.e., sales, marketing)
• Over-index on having lower Emotional Intelligence (EQ)
• Because they can learn quickly, so may get stuck playing outside of the green zone

Example: Mark Zuckerberg
Much like the other examples I’m sharing, Mark Zuckerberg’s story has been widely told, so you probably know about his development of Facebook. But at his core, Zuckerberg is an engineering prodigy and geek. At just 13 in 1997, he built “ZuckNet,” which enabled the family’s home computers to communicate via Ping (a precursor of AOL’s Instant Messenger) with his father’s dental office computers. He was using AI in his senior year in high school, so the roots of his Meta(verse) focus today are apparent.
A common weakness for engineers is they tend to have a lower EQ, which has been well-researched. As a former engineer, I understand how logic and technology come easier than understanding human behavior. This is why tech founders should seek out mentors early and bring in competent leaders with high EQ and leadership skills — for example, Zuckerberg credits his former COO of 14 years, Sheryl Sandberg, for turning the company into a multi-billion dollar company.

5. The Personality Founder

Traits:

• Charismatic and gregarious
• Attracts a vast audience
• Influential
• Ambitious
• Forward-thinking
• Inwardly motivated (responds to a “calling”)
• Excellent storytellers
• Authentic and honest (ideally 😉)

Benefits:

• Has a built-in audience and established social platforms
• Likely has pre-existing wealth (can help fund the business/mitigate startup money woes)
• Can use their power for good; disruptive in a positive way

Pitfalls:

• Needs to find the right people to trust
• Can’t just be the “face” of the business; needs to accrue real business chops
• Celebrity and influence status don’t equal quality products
• Difficult or impossible for the founder to leave

Example: Oprah
I’m using Oprah as an example, as her products are an outgrowth of her — her eponymous talk show, which ran for 25 years, the OWN network, O Magazine, her book club, and a variety of charitable endeavors comprise her vast empire. But of course, we know plenty of other personality brands that have racked up billions in sales and even transformed, from the Kardashians/Jenners, to Bethany Frankel and Ryan Reynolds (just watch Deadpool 3 to see his brands — coming in 2023).
In today’s age of influence, we’ve seen a surge of personality brands and founders who leverage built-in audiences and communities to scale quickly. All these names are business mavericks in their own right, but many didn’t start out this way — they deftly utilize their charisma and ability to entertain to shape their brands and pave the way to success.

6. The Accidental Founder

Traits:

• Independent
• Resourceful
• Necessity-driven
• Follow their desire/passion
• Creative
• Willing to take risks

Benefits:

• A deep belief in what they’re doing
• Solves real-world problems based on personal experience
• Discover they’re much happier running their own show
• Turns skills, vocation, or avocation into a profitable business

Pitfalls:

• May not have the business chops
• Reluctant business person — may not actually want to run their own business
• Needs to find the right people to trust
• Overwhelm

Example: Yvon Chouinard
Patagonia founder Yvon Chouinard has been in the news lately for giving away his company to fight climate change. He’s an OG accidental entrepreneur whose passion for rock climbing led him to develop reusable pitons (rock climbing spikes) and, later, heavy-duty shirts. Famously Chouinard called himself a “dirtbag climber” and didn’t want to become a business mogul. Sixty-five years later, this accidental founder’s company is valued at $3 billion, and his latest innovation is a way of giving away the profits of a company to continue his contribution to society — protecting and preserving the natural world.
As I always say, there are riches in the niches, and accidental entrepreneurs are the leading type of founders to discover a marketplace with little or no competition.

7. The Intentional Founder

Traits:

• Purpose-driven
• Strong ideals and values
• Passionate about the bigger picture impacts
• Socially conscious
• Clear and focused on the brand mission

Benefits:

• An empathetic approach to the product/the company
• Can educate, empower, and motivate others (i.e., team, customers)
• Employees are statistically more satisfied and likely to stay
• Commitment to a higher ideal engenders more loyalty and trust with the general public (customers)

Pitfalls:

• Moving from individual ideals to a group effort is tricky
• Difficult to find employees with perfectly aligned values
• Might not have the business experience to set the organization up for long-term success
• Purpose-driven (belief) isn’t the same as purpose-enabled (capability)
• Might be challenging for the company to survive the loss of the founder

Example: Jessica Alba
While Jessica Alba does have some touches of a Personality Founder (she is an actor) and an Accidental Founder (an allergic reaction to detergent made her worry about her new baby’s sensitive skin), she is an excellent example of an intentional founder. Back in 2008, when Alba had that allergic reaction, influencer marketing wasn’t what it is today — plus, she had some success but was by no means a household name. Ditto for eco-conscious consumer packaged goods — a plus, sure, but didn’t have the same urgency and importance it does today. Alba then spent years researching ingredients in everyday products and even went to DC to lobby for updates to the 1976 Toxic Substances Control Act. Convinced that consumers need safe, affordable, environmentally friendly products for kids and home, Alba launched The Honest Company in 2011.
Now, she did have seasoned co-founders, her own wealth to use out the gates, and VC support shortly after that, but it has always been Alba’s commitment to and alignment with the brand’s core principles that have kept the brand growing and thriving — today, as a publicly traded company with a 2021 $412.8 IPO.
What type of founder are you? Definitely feel free to share in the comments.

Hey! 3-time Subaru owner here (02 Outback, 16 Impreza, 24 Forester)
I've long been a proponent of buying the best tires you can afford, as they're kind of important in my mind, but I've never bought a NEW new car before so it was always easier to negotiate the older tires into the sale prices and slap on some nice tires 10 minutes after the sale.
I know that the stock Ecopias aren't bad by any means, but they're also not that great. Wet, dry, road noise, longevity: all pretty average if not just below. I've also only ever had "nice" new tires put on a used car that previously had worn, likely cheaper tires.
Driving from Oregon to Illinois so there will be a chance of rain (and maybe even a little snow through the rockies) anytime during the first half of the trip for the most part but storms can pop up randomly in the plains too. The reviews for the Ecopia aren't terrible in wet weather but also not great.
I haven't been able to find anyone who's really passionate about the Ecopias, but I do hear a lot of "the first place you should go after buying a new car is a tire shop" (not specifically about Foresters but just generally speaking) so just wanted to see what to Forester crew thinks!
Thanks!!!

I've been applying to remote job listings constantly for about 2 weeks. So far the only interviews I got were for sales positions that weren't remote at all (asking to travel to other businesses to promote their services). And my husband keeps pointing out that he thinks all the jobs I've applied for are scams...
For those of you working from home: what websites did you use to find your job? How do you know if it's real vs some kind of MLM or something?
I've been unable to work at my current job more than 1 day a week lately. I've been so stressed there that I'm in the worst mental and physical health decline I've experienced in years.
I need help. Every attempt to get help has failed (disability denied me again, affordable health care isn't affordable, constant micro aggressions and harassment at work despite management promising to address the situation, $2900 bill for IV saline at the ER treating a week long migraine, etc...)

I just got both of these cameras yesterday from a yard sale, and have been trying to search online for hours on comparisons and differences, etc.. however I can't really find anything, and almost every search is about a Cliq+2, where as mine is just the Cliq 2. So, does anybody have experience with these two cameras? Which one has better quality? Which one is better battery life? Which is just overall better to be using daily? Thank you so much in advance.

I started making maps in cs2 about 3 months ago, but suddenly ran into an issue when compiling maps. I already had a blockout of another map, but when compiling it just said Error: 3 compiled, 1 failed, 1 skipped. So I tried on a test map and it worked fine. Because i couldnt solve it on the old map, i just thought it is just a blockout and i can make another fairly quickly. So i made another and compiled it midway without problem. Then when i was finished it stopped working. So i made another one yet again. Compiling worked fine at first, but after a few small changes it stopped properly compiling yet again. Compile log is below.
VIS3: Build partitioned PVS! Voxelize (8 units) took 0.18 seconds (21,513 nodes) Outside detection took 0.09 seconds Generated clusters for 7640 regions in 8.72 seconds 34429 clusters generated Distance merged regions (639 merged to 608) pre-merged to 34398 clusters Merged to 583 clusters in first pass Merged to 457 clusters in second pass Merged cluster lists in 9.32 seconds [457 clusters] Compacted to 29043 regions (457 clusters) in 0.00 seconds [target 510 clusters] Assigned 457 clusters in 0.00 seconds 636.79 KB bytes tree size Sample vis for 457 clusters Creating thread pool with 11 threads CLOSRayGenerator rays complete. CLOSRayGenerator rays complete. AxialRays rays complete. AxialRays rays complete. AxialRays rays complete. ClusterView rays complete. 1.7s::Finished 11,088 valid LOS Main thread clear batches. Traced 20,971,520 rays in 1.873 seconds [11,198,504 rays per second] 5.207 cpu s cast, 13.614 cpu s rasterize Target 512 clusters, clamped to 510, grid size 8.0 Built 457 clusters in 0.0s 457 clusters, 1 steps Merge vis clusters:0...1...2...3...4...5...6...7...8...9...10 Merged to 459 clusters in 0.0s (0.0s recompute, 0 passes) 0.0s total merge time Adaptive border clusters (0s) Initial regions 29043, collapsed to 17251 748 unique masks (of 17,251 regions) Compute enclosed cluster lists 2774 cluster lists, 14339 elements (0.0105s) (1 zeros) Computed 449 clusters visible to sky Skipping solid voxels in sunlight visibility Raytraced sun visibility in 26.048ms (400 visible clusters) Wrote 11088 LOS hints for next time c:\program files (x86)\steam\steamapps\common\counter-strike global offensive\game\csgo_addons\cs2\maps\map1.los! Wrote vis resource 395.05 KB bytes Visibility complete in 20.62s. Collecting Mesh Edges [] Done (0.00 seconds) Fixing T-junction Edge Cracks [] Done (0.00 seconds)
Bake Lighting Build: pc64 May 7 2024 11:40:20 Preprocessing 8 meshes and computing charts [] Done (0.00 seconds) Packing 68 UV charts onto atlas... Pass 1 of 7 ->[] Done (0.02 seconds) - (0.459297) Pass 2 of 7 ->[] Done (0.01 seconds) + (0.229649) Pass 3 of 7 ->[] Done (0.02 seconds) + (0.344473) Pass 4 of 7 ->[] Done (0.02 seconds) - (0.401885) Pass 5 of 7 ->[] Done (0.02 seconds) - (0.373179) Pass 6 of 7 ->[] Done (0.02 seconds) - (0.358826) Pass 7 of 7 ->[] Done (0.02 seconds) - (0.351650) Mesh with material materials/liquids/overpasswater.vmat is extremely large in lightmap (3.2%), 532x63 World Bounds -1024.000000,720.000000,208.000000 -> 512.000000,896.000000,240.000000 Mesh with material materials/dev/dev_measuregeneric01c.vmat is extremely large in lightmap (40.0%), 540x776 World Bounds -1024.000000,-256.000000,208.000000 -> 896.000000,1792.000000,256.000000 Mesh with material materials/dev/dev_measuregeneric01.vmat is extremely large in lightmap (7.1%), 548x135 World Bounds -1024.000000,-256.000000,208.000000 -> 896.000000,1792.000000,640.000000 LPV Atlas Size: 36x24x24 Size Increase: 292.80% ==== Baking 1024 x 1024 lightmap ==== SetupTexels [0....1....2....3....4....5....6....7....8....9....] Done (0.01 seconds) VRAD3-GPU VRAD3 - Distributed Lighting Tool Copyright (c) Valve Corporation, All rights reserved. Build: pc64 May 7 2024 11:36:39 WD: c:\program files (x86)\steam\steamapps\common\counter-strike global offensive\game\csgo_addons\cs2\_vrad3 Command: vrad3.exe -map maps/map1.vmap -script script-gpu.vrad3 -vulkan -gpuraytracing -allthreads -unbufferedio -noassert Enabling instance extension: VK_KHR_get_physical_device_properties2. Fossilize ERROR: Failed to parse ApplicationInfoFilter, letting recording go through. Using VK_EXT_memory_budget set texture memory budget to 7379 MB. HLSL SM6.0 level subgroup wave ops supported, subgroup size = 64 Vulkan physical device (0): supports shader clip distance: true ConVar r_low_latency has multiple help strings: parent (wins): "NVIDIA Low Latency (0 = off, 1 = on, 2 = on + boost)" child: "NVIDIA Low Latency/AMD Anti-Lag 2 (0 = off, 1 = on, 2 = NV-only, on + boost)" Vulkan Physical Device: AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT Initializing streaming texture manager. Vulkan extension enabled: VK_KHR_swapchain Vulkan extension enabled: VK_KHR_dedicated_allocation Vulkan extension enabled: VK_KHR_descriptor_update_template Vulkan extension enabled: VK_KHR_image_format_list Vulkan extension enabled: VK_KHR_maintenance1 Vulkan extension enabled: VK_KHR_maintenance2 Vulkan extension enabled: VK_EXT_separate_stencil_usage Vulkan extension enabled: VK_KHR_swapchain_mutable_format Vulkan extension enabled: VK_EXT_load_store_op_none Vulkan extension enabled: VK_KHR_pipeline_library Vulkan extension enabled: VK_EXT_extended_dynamic_state Vulkan extension enabled: VK_EXT_extended_dynamic_state2 Vulkan extension enabled: VK_KHR_dynamic_rendering Vulkan extension enabled: VK_KHR_depth_stencil_resolve Vulkan extension enabled: VK_KHR_create_renderpass2 Vulkan extension enabled: VK_EXT_graphics_pipeline_library Vulkan extension enabled: VK_EXT_extended_dynamic_state3 Vulkan extension enabled: VK_EXT_memory_priority Vulkan extension enabled: VK_AMD_memory_overallocation_behavior Vulkan extension enabled: VK_KHR_shader_float16_int8 Vulkan extension enabled: VK_KHR_separate_depth_stencil_layouts Vulkan extension enabled: VK_EXT_pipeline_creation_cache_control Vulkan extension enabled: VK_KHR_buffer_device_address Vulkan extension enabled: VK_KHR_shader_clock Vulkan extension enabled: VK_KHR_acceleration_structure Vulkan extension enabled: VK_KHR_ray_tracing_pipeline Vulkan extension enabled: VK_KHR_ray_query Vulkan extension enabled: VK_KHR_get_memory_requirements2 Vulkan extension enabled: VK_EXT_descriptor_indexing Vulkan extension enabled: VK_KHR_deferred_host_operations Vulkan extension enabled: VK_KHR_pipeline_library Vulkan extension enabled: VK_KHR_maintenance3 Vulkan extension enabled: VK_EXT_memory_budget Vulkan extension enabled: VK_EXT_pageable_device_local_memory Vulkan extension enabled: VK_KHR_draw_indirect_count Vulkan extension enabled: VK_EXT_subgroup_size_control VK_EXT_extended_dynamic_state_2 does not support extendedDynamicState2PatchControlPoints, disabling. Fossilize INFO: Overriding serialization path: "C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\shadercache\730\fozpipelinesv6\steamapprun_pipeline_cache". VK_EXT_graphics_pipeline_library and dependent extensions enabled. Vulkan Command Buffer Pool Threshold(1500) Unable to open Vulkan pipeline cache shadercache\vulkan\shaders.cache file - might not exist yet. Vulkan driver version: 2.0.299.0 Vulkan driver version Major = 2, Minor = 0, Patch = 19595264 Num Threads: 12 Loading 5 resources... Done (0.06 seconds) Creating VB/IB/BLAS for 8 meshes... Done (0.01 seconds) Creating ray trace scene world with 8 instances... returning error texture in CTextureManagerVulkan::GetTextureResource returning error texture in CTextureManagerVulkan::GetTextureResource returning error texture in CTextureManagerVulkan::GetTextureResource Done (0.00 seconds)
--------------------------------------------------------- Encountered accessviolation. Wrote minidump to vrad3_2024_0518_173821_0_accessviolation.mdmp ---------------------------------------------------------
0....1....2....3....4....5....6....7....8....9....] FAILED (1.97 seconds) Error running "vrad3.exe -map maps/map1.vmap -script script-gpu.vrad3 -vulkan -gpuraytracing -allthreads -unbufferedio -noassert" VRAD3 - Distributed Lighting Tool Copyright (c) Valve Corporation, All rights reserved. Build: pc64 May 7 2024 11:36:39 WD: c:\program files (x86)\steam\steamapps\common\counter-strike global offensive\game\csgo_addons\cs2\_vrad3 Command: vrad3.exe -map maps/map1.vmap -script script-gpu.vrad3 -vulkan -gpuraytracing -allthreads -unbufferedio -noassert Enabling instance extension: VK_KHR_get_physical_device_properties2. Fossilize ERROR: Failed to parse ApplicationInfoFilter, letting recording go through. Using VK_EXT_memory_budget set texture memory budget to 7379 MB. HLSL SM6.0 level subgroup wave ops supported, subgroup size = 64 Vulkan physical device (0): supports shader clip distance: true ConVar r_low_latency has multiple help strings: parent (wins): "NVIDIA Low Latency (0 = off, 1 = on, 2 = on + boost)" child: "NVIDIA Low Latency/AMD Anti-Lag 2 (0 = off, 1 = on, 2 = NV-only, on + boost)" Vulkan Physical Device: AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT Initializing streaming texture manager. Vulkan extension enabled: VK_KHR_swapchain Vulkan extension enabled: VK_KHR_dedicated_allocation Vulkan extension enabled: VK_KHR_descriptor_update_template Vulkan extension enabled: VK_KHR_image_format_list Vulkan extension enabled: VK_KHR_maintenance1 Vulkan extension enabled: VK_KHR_maintenance2 Vulkan extension enabled: VK_EXT_separate_stencil_usage Vulkan extension enabled: VK_KHR_swapchain_mutable_format Vulkan extension enabled: VK_EXT_load_store_op_none Vulkan extension enabled: VK_KHR_pipeline_library Vulkan extension enabled: VK_EXT_extended_dynamic_state Vulkan extension enabled: VK_EXT_extended_dynamic_state2 Vulkan extension enabled: VK_KHR_dynamic_rendering Vulkan extension enabled: VK_KHR_depth_stencil_resolve Vulkan extension enabled: VK_KHR_create_renderpass2 Vulkan extension enabled: VK_EXT_graphics_pipeline_library Vulkan extension enabled: VK_EXT_extended_dynamic_state3 Vulkan extension enabled: VK_EXT_memory_priority Vulkan extension enabled: VK_AMD_memory_overallocation_behavior Vulkan extension enabled: VK_KHR_shader_float16_int8 Vulkan extension enabled: VK_KHR_separate_depth_stencil_layouts Vulkan extension enabled: VK_EXT_pipeline_creation_cache_control Vulkan extension enabled: VK_KHR_buffer_device_address Vulkan extension enabled: VK_KHR_shader_clock Vulkan extension enabled: VK_KHR_acceleration_structure Vulkan extension enabled: VK_KHR_ray_tracing_pipeline Vulkan extension enabled: VK_KHR_ray_query Vulkan extension enabled: VK_KHR_get_memory_requirements2 Vulkan extension enabled: VK_EXT_descriptor_indexing Vulkan extension enabled: VK_KHR_deferred_host_operations Vulkan extension enabled: VK_KHR_pipeline_library Vulkan extension enabled: VK_KHR_maintenance3 Vulkan extension enabled: VK_EXT_memory_budget Vulkan extension enabled: VK_EXT_pageable_device_local_memory Vulkan extension enabled: VK_KHR_draw_indirect_count Vulkan extension enabled: VK_EXT_subgroup_size_control VK_EXT_extended_dynamic_state_2 does not support extendedDynamicState2PatchControlPoints, disabling. Fossilize INFO: Overriding serialization path: "C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\shadercache\730\fozpipelinesv6\steamapprun_pipeline_cache". VK_EXT_graphics_pipeline_library and dependent extensions enabled. Vulkan Command Buffer Pool Threshold(1500) Unable to open Vulkan pipeline cache shadercache\vulkan\shaders.cache file - might not exist yet. Vulkan driver version: 2.0.299.0 Vulkan driver version Major = 2, Minor = 0, Patch = 19595264 Num Threads: 12 Loading 5 resources... Done (0.06 seconds) Creating VB/IB/BLAS for 8 meshes... Done (0.01 seconds) Creating ray trace scene world with 8 instances... returning error texture in CTextureManagerVulkan::GetTextureResource returning error texture in CTextureManagerVulkan::GetTextureResource returning error texture in CTextureManagerVulkan::GetTextureResource Done (0.00 seconds)
--------------------------------------------------------- Encountered accessviolation. Wrote minidump to vrad3_2024_0518_173821_0_accessviolation.mdmp ---------------------------------------------------------
Unable to run Vrad3. Light mapper didn't return valid triangles: failing. Map build FAILED. [FAIL] 0/ 1 (elapsed 23.180): c:\program files (x86)\steam\steamapps\common\counter-strike global offensive\content\csgo_addons\cs2\maps\map1.vmap Compile of 1 file(s) matching nonrecursive specification "c:/program files (x86)/steam/steamapps/common/counter-strike global offensive/content/csgo_addons/cs2/maps/map1.vmap" took 23.180 seconds
----------------------------------------------------------------- ERROR: 3 compiled, 1 failed, 1 skipped, 0m:24s -----------------------------------------------------------------End build: 2024-05-18T17:38:22, elapsed time

I started making maps in cs2 about 3 months ago, but suddenly ran into an issue when compiling maps. I already had a blockout of another map, but when compiling it just said Error: 3 compiled, 1 failed, 1 skipped. So I tried on a test map and it worked fine. Because i couldnt solve it on the old map, i just thought it is just a blockout and i can make another fairly quickly. So i made another and compiled it midway without problem. Then when i was finished it stopped working. So i made another one yet again. Compiling worked fine at first, but after a few small changes it stopped properly compiling yet again. Compile log is below.
VIS3: Build partitioned PVS! Voxelize (8 units) took 0.18 seconds (21,513 nodes) Outside detection took 0.09 seconds Generated clusters for 7640 regions in 8.72 seconds 34429 clusters generated Distance merged regions (639 merged to 608) pre-merged to 34398 clusters Merged to 583 clusters in first pass Merged to 457 clusters in second pass Merged cluster lists in 9.32 seconds [457 clusters] Compacted to 29043 regions (457 clusters) in 0.00 seconds [target 510 clusters] Assigned 457 clusters in 0.00 seconds 636.79 KB bytes tree size Sample vis for 457 clusters Creating thread pool with 11 threads CLOSRayGenerator rays complete. CLOSRayGenerator rays complete. AxialRays rays complete. AxialRays rays complete. AxialRays rays complete. ClusterView rays complete. 1.7s::Finished 11,088 valid LOS Main thread clear batches. Traced 20,971,520 rays in 1.873 seconds [11,198,504 rays per second] 5.207 cpu s cast, 13.614 cpu s rasterize Target 512 clusters, clamped to 510, grid size 8.0 Built 457 clusters in 0.0s 457 clusters, 1 steps Merge vis clusters:0...1...2...3...4...5...6...7...8...9...10 Merged to 459 clusters in 0.0s (0.0s recompute, 0 passes) 0.0s total merge time Adaptive border clusters (0s) Initial regions 29043, collapsed to 17251 748 unique masks (of 17,251 regions) Compute enclosed cluster lists 2774 cluster lists, 14339 elements (0.0105s) (1 zeros) Computed 449 clusters visible to sky Skipping solid voxels in sunlight visibility Raytraced sun visibility in 26.048ms (400 visible clusters) Wrote 11088 LOS hints for next time c:\program files (x86)\steam\steamapps\common\counter-strike global offensive\game\csgo_addons\cs2\maps\map1.los! Wrote vis resource 395.05 KB bytes Visibility complete in 20.62s. Collecting Mesh Edges [] Done (0.00 seconds) Fixing T-junction Edge Cracks [] Done (0.00 seconds)
Bake Lighting Build: pc64 May 7 2024 11:40:20 Preprocessing 8 meshes and computing charts [] Done (0.00 seconds) Packing 68 UV charts onto atlas... Pass 1 of 7 ->[] Done (0.02 seconds) - (0.459297) Pass 2 of 7 ->[] Done (0.01 seconds) + (0.229649) Pass 3 of 7 ->[] Done (0.02 seconds) + (0.344473) Pass 4 of 7 ->[] Done (0.02 seconds) - (0.401885) Pass 5 of 7 ->[] Done (0.02 seconds) - (0.373179) Pass 6 of 7 ->[] Done (0.02 seconds) - (0.358826) Pass 7 of 7 ->[] Done (0.02 seconds) - (0.351650) Mesh with material materials/liquids/overpasswater.vmat is extremely large in lightmap (3.2%), 532x63 World Bounds -1024.000000,720.000000,208.000000 -> 512.000000,896.000000,240.000000 Mesh with material materials/dev/dev_measuregeneric01c.vmat is extremely large in lightmap (40.0%), 540x776 World Bounds -1024.000000,-256.000000,208.000000 -> 896.000000,1792.000000,256.000000 Mesh with material materials/dev/dev_measuregeneric01.vmat is extremely large in lightmap (7.1%), 548x135 World Bounds -1024.000000,-256.000000,208.000000 -> 896.000000,1792.000000,640.000000 LPV Atlas Size: 36x24x24 Size Increase: 292.80% ==== Baking 1024 x 1024 lightmap ==== SetupTexels [0....1....2....3....4....5....6....7....8....9....] Done (0.01 seconds) VRAD3-GPU VRAD3 - Distributed Lighting Tool Copyright (c) Valve Corporation, All rights reserved. Build: pc64 May 7 2024 11:36:39 WD: c:\program files (x86)\steam\steamapps\common\counter-strike global offensive\game\csgo_addons\cs2\_vrad3 Command: vrad3.exe -map maps/map1.vmap -script script-gpu.vrad3 -vulkan -gpuraytracing -allthreads -unbufferedio -noassert Enabling instance extension: VK_KHR_get_physical_device_properties2. Fossilize ERROR: Failed to parse ApplicationInfoFilter, letting recording go through. Using VK_EXT_memory_budget set texture memory budget to 7379 MB. HLSL SM6.0 level subgroup wave ops supported, subgroup size = 64 Vulkan physical device (0): supports shader clip distance: true ConVar r_low_latency has multiple help strings: parent (wins): "NVIDIA Low Latency (0 = off, 1 = on, 2 = on + boost)" child: "NVIDIA Low Latency/AMD Anti-Lag 2 (0 = off, 1 = on, 2 = NV-only, on + boost)" Vulkan Physical Device: AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT Initializing streaming texture manager. Vulkan extension enabled: VK_KHR_swapchain Vulkan extension enabled: VK_KHR_dedicated_allocation Vulkan extension enabled: VK_KHR_descriptor_update_template Vulkan extension enabled: VK_KHR_image_format_list Vulkan extension enabled: VK_KHR_maintenance1 Vulkan extension enabled: VK_KHR_maintenance2 Vulkan extension enabled: VK_EXT_separate_stencil_usage Vulkan extension enabled: VK_KHR_swapchain_mutable_format Vulkan extension enabled: VK_EXT_load_store_op_none Vulkan extension enabled: VK_KHR_pipeline_library Vulkan extension enabled: VK_EXT_extended_dynamic_state Vulkan extension enabled: VK_EXT_extended_dynamic_state2 Vulkan extension enabled: VK_KHR_dynamic_rendering Vulkan extension enabled: VK_KHR_depth_stencil_resolve Vulkan extension enabled: VK_KHR_create_renderpass2 Vulkan extension enabled: VK_EXT_graphics_pipeline_library Vulkan extension enabled: VK_EXT_extended_dynamic_state3 Vulkan extension enabled: VK_EXT_memory_priority Vulkan extension enabled: VK_AMD_memory_overallocation_behavior Vulkan extension enabled: VK_KHR_shader_float16_int8 Vulkan extension enabled: VK_KHR_separate_depth_stencil_layouts Vulkan extension enabled: VK_EXT_pipeline_creation_cache_control Vulkan extension enabled: VK_KHR_buffer_device_address Vulkan extension enabled: VK_KHR_shader_clock Vulkan extension enabled: VK_KHR_acceleration_structure Vulkan extension enabled: VK_KHR_ray_tracing_pipeline Vulkan extension enabled: VK_KHR_ray_query Vulkan extension enabled: VK_KHR_get_memory_requirements2 Vulkan extension enabled: VK_EXT_descriptor_indexing Vulkan extension enabled: VK_KHR_deferred_host_operations Vulkan extension enabled: VK_KHR_pipeline_library Vulkan extension enabled: VK_KHR_maintenance3 Vulkan extension enabled: VK_EXT_memory_budget Vulkan extension enabled: VK_EXT_pageable_device_local_memory Vulkan extension enabled: VK_KHR_draw_indirect_count Vulkan extension enabled: VK_EXT_subgroup_size_control VK_EXT_extended_dynamic_state_2 does not support extendedDynamicState2PatchControlPoints, disabling. Fossilize INFO: Overriding serialization path: "C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\shadercache\730\fozpipelinesv6\steamapprun_pipeline_cache". VK_EXT_graphics_pipeline_library and dependent extensions enabled. Vulkan Command Buffer Pool Threshold(1500) Unable to open Vulkan pipeline cache shadercache\vulkan\shaders.cache file - might not exist yet. Vulkan driver version: 2.0.299.0 Vulkan driver version Major = 2, Minor = 0, Patch = 19595264 Num Threads: 12 Loading 5 resources... Done (0.06 seconds) Creating VB/IB/BLAS for 8 meshes... Done (0.01 seconds) Creating ray trace scene world with 8 instances... returning error texture in CTextureManagerVulkan::GetTextureResource returning error texture in CTextureManagerVulkan::GetTextureResource returning error texture in CTextureManagerVulkan::GetTextureResource Done (0.00 seconds)

Encountered accessviolation.

Wrote minidump to vrad3_2024_0518_173821_0_accessviolation.mdmp

0....1....2....3....4....5....6....7....8....9....] FAILED (1.97 seconds) Error running "vrad3.exe -map maps/map1.vmap -script script-gpu.vrad3 -vulkan -gpuraytracing -allthreads -unbufferedio -noassert" VRAD3 - Distributed Lighting Tool Copyright (c) Valve Corporation, All rights reserved. Build: pc64 May 7 2024 11:36:39 WD: c:\program files (x86)\steam\steamapps\common\counter-strike global offensive\game\csgo_addons\cs2\_vrad3 Command: vrad3.exe -map maps/map1.vmap -script script-gpu.vrad3 -vulkan -gpuraytracing -allthreads -unbufferedio -noassert Enabling instance extension: VK_KHR_get_physical_device_properties2. Fossilize ERROR: Failed to parse ApplicationInfoFilter, letting recording go through. Using VK_EXT_memory_budget set texture memory budget to 7379 MB. HLSL SM6.0 level subgroup wave ops supported, subgroup size = 64 Vulkan physical device (0): supports shader clip distance: true ConVar r_low_latency has multiple help strings: parent (wins): "NVIDIA Low Latency (0 = off, 1 = on, 2 = on + boost)" child: "NVIDIA Low Latency/AMD Anti-Lag 2 (0 = off, 1 = on, 2 = NV-only, on + boost)" Vulkan Physical Device: AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT Initializing streaming texture manager. Vulkan extension enabled: VK_KHR_swapchain Vulkan extension enabled: VK_KHR_dedicated_allocation Vulkan extension enabled: VK_KHR_descriptor_update_template Vulkan extension enabled: VK_KHR_image_format_list Vulkan extension enabled: VK_KHR_maintenance1 Vulkan extension enabled: VK_KHR_maintenance2 Vulkan extension enabled: VK_EXT_separate_stencil_usage Vulkan extension enabled: VK_KHR_swapchain_mutable_format Vulkan extension enabled: VK_EXT_load_store_op_none Vulkan extension enabled: VK_KHR_pipeline_library Vulkan extension enabled: VK_EXT_extended_dynamic_state Vulkan extension enabled: VK_EXT_extended_dynamic_state2 Vulkan extension enabled: VK_KHR_dynamic_rendering Vulkan extension enabled: VK_KHR_depth_stencil_resolve Vulkan extension enabled: VK_KHR_create_renderpass2 Vulkan extension enabled: VK_EXT_graphics_pipeline_library Vulkan extension enabled: VK_EXT_extended_dynamic_state3 Vulkan extension enabled: VK_EXT_memory_priority Vulkan extension enabled: VK_AMD_memory_overallocation_behavior Vulkan extension enabled: VK_KHR_shader_float16_int8 Vulkan extension enabled: VK_KHR_separate_depth_stencil_layouts Vulkan extension enabled: VK_EXT_pipeline_creation_cache_control Vulkan extension enabled: VK_KHR_buffer_device_address Vulkan extension enabled: VK_KHR_shader_clock Vulkan extension enabled: VK_KHR_acceleration_structure Vulkan extension enabled: VK_KHR_ray_tracing_pipeline Vulkan extension enabled: VK_KHR_ray_query Vulkan extension enabled: VK_KHR_get_memory_requirements2 Vulkan extension enabled: VK_EXT_descriptor_indexing Vulkan extension enabled: VK_KHR_deferred_host_operations Vulkan extension enabled: VK_KHR_pipeline_library Vulkan extension enabled: VK_KHR_maintenance3 Vulkan extension enabled: VK_EXT_memory_budget Vulkan extension enabled: VK_EXT_pageable_device_local_memory Vulkan extension enabled: VK_KHR_draw_indirect_count Vulkan extension enabled: VK_EXT_subgroup_size_control VK_EXT_extended_dynamic_state_2 does not support extendedDynamicState2PatchControlPoints, disabling. Fossilize INFO: Overriding serialization path: "C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\shadercache\730\fozpipelinesv6\steamapprun_pipeline_cache". VK_EXT_graphics_pipeline_library and dependent extensions enabled. Vulkan Command Buffer Pool Threshold(1500) Unable to open Vulkan pipeline cache shadercache\vulkan\shaders.cache file - might not exist yet. Vulkan driver version: 2.0.299.0 Vulkan driver version Major = 2, Minor = 0, Patch = 19595264 Num Threads: 12 Loading 5 resources... Done (0.06 seconds) Creating VB/IB/BLAS for 8 meshes... Done (0.01 seconds) Creating ray trace scene world with 8 instances... returning error texture in CTextureManagerVulkan::GetTextureResource returning error texture in CTextureManagerVulkan::GetTextureResource returning error texture in CTextureManagerVulkan::GetTextureResource Done (0.00 seconds)

Encountered accessviolation.

Wrote minidump to vrad3_2024_0518_173821_0_accessviolation.mdmp

Unable to run Vrad3. Light mapper didn't return valid triangles: failing. Map build FAILED. [FAIL] 0/ 1 (elapsed 23.180): c:\program files (x86)\steam\steamapps\common\counter-strike global offensive\content\csgo_addons\cs2\maps\map1.vmap Compile of 1 file(s) matching nonrecursive specification "c:/program files (x86)/steam/steamapps/common/counter-strike global offensive/content/csgo_addons/cs2/maps/map1.vmap" took 23.180 seconds
ERROR: 3 compiled, 1 failed, 1 skipped, 0m:24s -----------------------------------------------------------------End build: 2024-05-18T17:38:22, elapsed time

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Like I was just starting to open myself up to dating but when I did I realized that I don't think I can trust anyone...everyone's getting cheated on, lied to, used....
Idk this is really sad...really depressing. And I hate that I had to realize this in my late 20s because I wasn't open to dating when I was younger (for completely different reasons).
This generation just has me feeling hopeless when it comes to dating. Wtf happened to everyone. I wish I could experience a good relationship but I feel like I won't be able to because it's like everyone is being cheated on nowadays. No one has respect for themselves or others anymore...this is so fcking depressing.