Elon’s semi timeline, Tim’s $100B manufacturing push, and Sam’s AMA drama

Hi ,

It started as a running joke.

Over the past few months, in conversations with founders, the same theme kept surfacing:

We’re all chasing something. For some, it's exits, growth, and market share, but the real race is against the clock.

It’s a stoic truth: life is short, and most of us act like it’s not.

What if we could actually see the time we have left?
So I made the clock.

DEATHWATCH - a countdown to the day you die.

No steps, no sleep tracking, no dopamine badges. Just a cold, hard number ticking away the seconds until your final curtain.

It’s not morbid. It’s motivating.

Founders know better than most: the clock is always running. The only question is what you’ll do before it hits zero. Check your DEATHWATCH, here.

Let’s dive in.

This week from the podcast on Spotify:

They said “thanks but no thanks”, now they’re your next hire. LINK
Katie Clark Fortunato (Co-Founder of JobStream) reveals how her modular AI engine reengages previously rejected candidates, turning past misses into hires or even new revenue, without losing the human touch.

A crying baby turned into 300 million streams. LINK
Brandon Reed tells how a desperate dad moment sparked Dwellspring’s rise, creating the massively streamed 12 Hour Sound Machines podcast (over 300M downloads), and how he leveraged content-first strategies to bootstrap and expand into apps, physical products, and B2B licensing.

Tip of the spear:

AOL Retires Dial-Up Internet After 34 Years LINK
A nostalgic chapter of the web officially closes.

Apple’s New Siri Could Run Apps Entirely by Voice LINK
Hands-free might soon mean screen-free, too.

Ford Plans $30K Electric Midsize Pickup LINK
An EV option designed to be both practical and affordable.

Apple Patent Hints at All-Glass iPhone LINK
A sleek new design could be on the horizon.

Tesla Semi Mass Production Set for 2026 LINK
Elon Musk confirms the electric truck’s production timeline.

GPT-5 Faces Criticism on Reddit During Sam Altman AMA LINK
The latest AI release gets mixed feedback from the online community.

Apple Reportedly Developing AI Search Tool to Rival ChatGPT LINK
A next-gen search experience could be on the way.

Musk’s $29 Billion Tesla Stock Award Moves Forward LINK
A major payout tied to the company’s growth targets.

Prompt of the week:

Create a 45-minute outdoor workout that uses only bodyweight exercises I can do at a park. Include a 5-minute warm-up, 30 minutes of mixed cardio and strength training, and a 10-minute cooldown/stretch. Use exercises that require no equipment (though a park bench, playground bars, or open space is okay). Make it scalable for beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels by including modifications. Present it in a clear table format with columns for exercise name, duration/reps, instructions, and modifications.

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Keep it moving

CrowdStrike Targeted by North Korean Hackers LINK
Officials warn of ongoing cyber threats from state-backed groups.

Amazon Denies Wondery Podcast Studio Shutdown Rumor LINK
The podcast network says it’s still business as usual.

Engadget’s Morning After Recap LINK
A quick look at the stories making tech headlines.

iOS 26 to Include ChatGPT-5 in Apple Intelligence LINK
Apple deepens its AI integration for iPhone users.

Trump Signs Order Ending Banking Discrimination Against Crypto LINK
The move could expand financial access for digital asset companies.

Airbnb CEO: AI Agents Won’t Replace Search Engines LINK
Hospitality leaders weigh in on the future of AI discovery tools.

Apple to Invest $100B in US Manufacturing With Trump LINK
A significant boost for domestic tech production.

Instagram Launches New Content Discovery Feature LINK
The update encourages exploring posts from outside your feed.

Code Story Podcast: It’s like therapy for startup founders, except the therapist is a microphone and everyone’s listening. Code, chaos, and confessions served weekly.

What I’m thinking about:

• The illusion we opt into Interview

• Are podcast transcripts training the next generation of AI? Blog

• Podcast Interviews Are Feeding the Machine Blog

• This Daily Practice Made My Digital Life 10x Better Blog

• AI and the spectrum of consciousness YouTube

Uncover the AI tools (here) you didn’t ask for, but now you’re weirdly into.

Thanks for being here.

-Ryan

p.s. When you are ready, here’s how I can help.

We have successfully booked podcast interviews for over 800 funded startup founders, entrepreneurs with exits, and C-suite executives. If you're ready to lead your company from the front, let Kitcaster handle your podcast scheduling and create a powerful stream of content for you and your brand.

I write about Revops, Product, and Founder-led marketing on Linkedin, Twitter, and my blog.