What Problem Is Worth 10x?


Weekly 40 Hour Kit by Fabiano Abreu Ott

The journey of growing your business without grinding 24/7.


40 Hour Kit: What Problem Is Worth 10x?

(Here for the subject line? Find it in the❓ Question for you to ask another Entrepreneur section)

Hey Reader,

This weekend I visited my family. We did a short day trip to a beautiful little city in the Black Forest. As we passed a wonderful villa one family member noted: "that's my dream house". She added that usually when she says this, people respond with: "you should be grateful for what you have". But she insisted that you can do both: dream big while being satisfied with what you already have.
I thought that's also a valuable compass for the journey of being a founder.

Let's dive into your 40 Hour Kit:


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πŸ’‘ Entrepreneurial Insight

Most founders believe lower prices attract 'easier' customers. But low-paying clients usually complain the most. Raising your prices often decreases your support workload while increasing your revenue.

Based on the 'Charge More' philosophy of bootstrapped founder and advisor to Stripe, Patrick McKenzie.


βš–οΈ Balance Hack

Clearly separate 'planning' and 'doing' to gain flow.
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Be the pilot for the first 30 minutes of your day. Set the course (priorities), check the weather (metrics) and lock in the flight plan (schedule).
Then, become the plane. The plane does not argue with the pilot. It just flies (executes).

Why? Separating your decision-making brain from your execution brain will boost your productivity.

Based on a productivity concept by content-creator and 7-figure entrepreneur Ali Abdaal.​


πŸš€ Challenge

Write a one-page document titled 'How to Work with Reader'.
What to include?

  • Your preferred communication channels
  • Your peak focus hours (when not to disturb)
  • Your blind spots / weaknesses (e.g. I am bad at celebrating wins, because I already focus on the next problem)
  • What annoys you (e.g. people being 5 min late)
  • How to give you feedback (e.g. direct vs. soft)

Sharing this doc moves your team or collaboration dynamics from guessing to understanding.

Inspired by Claire Hughes Johnson (Former COO of Stripe) on the Tim Ferriss Show.


✨ Recommendation

A practice we used during my time at Google and that is also highly recommended by bootstrapped SaaS founder Tamara Ilic: Personalize your solution for potential customers.

  • Incorporate their corporate design into your demo.
  • Use industry-specific keywords in your pitch.
  • Show them calculations that exactly match their context.

Why? To visualize your product's impact on their own business (even before they buy it).

Inspired by a conversation I had with Tamara Ilic, co-founder of the bootstrapped startup Solarise that powers 5000+ solar projects.


❓ Question for you to ask another Entrepreneur

If you were forced to charge 10x your current price, what is the one problem you would solve for your customer to make them happily pay it?


Have a nice week!

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Best,

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Fabiano

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P.S: Oliver, one of the founders within the 40HE Club, is running a nice initiative. His design studio gifts a full visual identity to one startup doing genuinely meaningful work. You can apply for it here.
I can personally confirm that they are doing exceptional design work! (I'm actually considering applying as well.)

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Stop Carrying the Weight of Your Business Solo in 2026.

​Join the Priority List for the 40 Hour Entrepreneur Club.​

40 Hour Entrepreneur
Fabiano Abreu Ott
Berlin, Germany
fabiano@40hourentrepreneur.com

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40 Hour Entrepreneur Kit

The newsletter for bootstrapped and entrepreneurs who are highly-driven while valuing a balanced & fulfilled life. Get 1 Entrepreneurial Insight, 1 Balance Hack, 1 Challenge, 1 Recommendation and 1 Community Update every week.

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