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Hey Pickle Gang, it’s Rob.
Here's what's in today's issue:
Trump's AI Agenda
Luca Netz: How Pudgy Penguins Went from NFTs to 1.5M Toys Sold
Research Grid Lands $6.48M to Streamline Clinical Trial Admin
And more…
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This Weeks Favourites
Article: ChatGPT rejected 250,000 election deepfake requests (link)
Article: Volvo EV drivers can start using Tesla's Supercharger network this month (link)
Article: OpenAI Scored a Legal Win Over Progressive Publishers—but the Fight’s Not Finished (link)
Interesting: That time when Steve Jobs decided he “didn't do” employment contracts (link)
Book of the Day: Viral Loop - the power of 'pass-it-on' (link)
Fun Stuff: I've never seen anything as useless as a chicken nugget necklace (link)
Today’s Sugar Daddy
MEGA SEO: Your autonomous SEO team
Imagine flipping a switch and having SEO done for you end-to-end. Longtail, low competition keywords are identified. High-quality, SEO-optimized content is generated every day. Articles are published automatically. Low-performers are updated. Technical SEO is handled for you. Traffic rolls in.
That's MEGA SEO, your autonomous SEO team.
To prove it, they'll generate 2 free articles for you. All you need is your blog URL. It's like magic.
News
Trump's AI Agenda: Regulation Light, Innovation Heavy
Following Donald Trump’s recent election victory, U.S. AI regulations are on the brink of change. Trump’s administration, backed by a Republican-majority Senate, is expected to reverse Biden’s 2023 AI Executive Order, which emphasized voluntary safety and security standards. Biden’s approach included measures for reporting model vulnerabilities and biases to ensure AI safety, but Trump’s supporters argue these restrictions curb innovation and threaten trade secrets. Instead, Trump’s team advocates for a hands-off approach, prioritizing free speech and AI growth.
This pivot could open the door for state-level AI laws, with California likely to lead the charge, while Trump’s administration may adopt stricter trade policies, including potential export restrictions to China. Experts caution that this shift could hinder global AI safety efforts and deepen partisan divides on AI governance.
With Musk’s backing of Trump and his potential role as head of the Department of Government Efficiency, Musk could wield unprecedented influence over U.S. policy. This could allow him to streamline regulations that affect his companies directly, from space exploration to getting driverless cars on the road.
Luca Netz: How Pudgy Penguins Went from NFTs to 1.5M Toys Sold
Luca Netz’s started dropshipping at just 18 and later co-founded Gel Blaster, one of North America’s fastest-growing toy brands.
His experience scaling Gel Blaster from zero to $100 million in sales within 15 months proved pivotal when he set his sights on a different goal: transforming the quirky NFT project, Pudgy Penguins, into a billion-dollar IP brand.
Netz saw an opportunity in the NFT project Pudgy Penguins and bought it for $2.5 million. Shortly after, the crypto market tumbled, pushing him to pivot the brand into physical products. Within a year, he sold 1.5 million Pudgy Penguin toys, establishing a model where NFT owners could license their collectibles for royalties—a unique, community-driven approach.
The brand's marketing leverages digital platforms like Instagram and Giphy, racking up billions of views and cementing its place in meme culture. Netz envisions Pudgy Penguins expanding into gaming, TV, and beyond, with its blockchain-based Pudgy World enabling users to interact with their digital assets in new ways. By integrating blockchain into mainstream markets, Netz has positioned Pudgy Penguins as a future-proof IP brand.
Funding
Research Grid Lands $6.48M to Streamline Clinical Trial Admin
Amber Hill, a former medical researcher with 14 years of experience, has always been a problem solver. Frustrated by the inefficiencies in clinical trial administration, she launched Research Grid in 2020 to automate this labor-intensive process. Backed by $6.48 million in fresh funding from Fuel Ventures and others, the startup offers the only software to fully automate back-office tasks in clinical trials.
Research Grid’s dual products, Inclusive and Trial Engine, automate everything from protocol checks to data extraction—tackling the inefficiencies of legacy systems that can slow trials down. The company is also leveraging AI to streamline recruitment, helping trial organizers quickly find diverse participants to meet new FDA diversity standards. Hill’s vision? To make clinical trials faster, more inclusive, and ready for the future of AI-powered precision medicine.
Growth
Are Paywalls Good or Bad?
Paywalls are a hot topic. Last week for instance, I asked you guys whether it was a good idea for me to have a premium tier for the newsletter…in effect, some kind of paywall.
Don't worry, I haven't made any kind of decision…maybe sometime in the far-off future. (I’ll let future Rob deal with that 😉)
For clarification, a paywall restricts access to content, often in the form of a subscription or payment, before someone can access the content.
The main pro is that you can build a reliable stream of revenue….dolla dolla!
But, one of the key drawbacks of paywalls is their impact on SEO & website traffic. Since people can't access paywalled content, even if they land on a page they'll exit it sooner. Google will take that information and rank the article lower in the search engines.
The other main problem is deciding which content is free and which content should go behind the paywall. Ideally, you want your best content to be free, as that gives it the most chance to go viral or get traffic for you. But, you have paying readers/viewers, so really you should be giving them the best content! A catch 22 eh!
Read more on the topic here
Recommendation
Why smart creators invest in building great email courses
🫡 It’s a low risk, easy opt-in
🎁 It’s a package of their best ideas
🏃 It’s speeds up time-to-trust
💸 It simplifies asking for the sale
Meme of the Day
Hope you enjoyed today’s issue!
I won’t lie, it takes me a while to write, so I’d love it if you could give it a share! (just forward it to a friend if you’re lazy like me!)
Cheers,
Rob 🥒
Robert Benson-May, ACA
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