The new World of AI has changed investor expectations for startups and that is making survival more and more binary. So, if you have massive growth, great but what should you do if you don't?

1. Profitable

If you don't have insane metrics, then you have to be profitable. It's that simple because startup investors are interested in growth and you're not competitive so you can't rely on more cash being invested.

2. Better Margins Won't Work

Some founders take a hybrid approach, they try to improve the businesses margins while still maintaining some growth, at the expense of being profitable. This is a mistake, as investors won't be interested, because again they want to see growth.

3. Take the Pain Early

If you're trying for profitability, cut your costs and take the pain once. Nobody wants to do multiple rounds of layoffs and it's terrible for team morale. Cut deep, so it's only once. Trust me, you'll feel much better once it's done.

Best of luck out there.