Sharran Srivatsaa

CEO at • VC @ ACQ Ventures • 5 exits • 100+ Investments • Substack

[Sharran Srivatsaa @sharran]

26 predictions for 2026:

1. Gemini will be the most used AI model because it’s baked into Google and people will use whatever shows up by default.

2. Substack will become the YouTube of writing, where a small group of writers get most of the attention.

3. LinkedIn will be full of AI slop, which will make real human writing way easier to spot.

4. Hyper-local creators will become mini celebrities in their cities and drive real business locally.

5. Facebook’s organic reach will be wildly underpriced compared to every other social platform.

6. Meta’s AI glasses will start going mainstream because they don’t ask people to change how they live. Even my wife has one.

7. YouTube will be the number one place for views, brand building, and growing a business.

8. Amazon will keep winning retail because people say they want Etsy but click Amazon when it’s time to buy.

9. Zillow will fight the entire real estate industry to assert its dominance and own more of the home buying and selling process.

10. Email will beat paid social ads for most small and mid-size businesses.

11. Direct mail will grow again as a marketing channel because email inboxes are full and physical mailboxes are mostly empty.

12. PDFs will stop working as lead magnets and get replaced by free tools and simple apps.

13. Investors will stop caring about boring 15-slide pitch decks and pay more attention to live demos and real working products.

14. Small niche creators will build tools and apps because they have distribution, but most will never get SaaS-level valuations.

15. AI that brings in customers and revenue will beat AI that saves time and costs for small and medium businesses.

16, Platforms like Coinbase, DraftKings, FanDuel, and prediction markets will grow in 2026 even as most users lose money.

17. More people will put new money into index funds than into buying homes in 2026.

18. Bitcoin will be owned by fewer people, but those people will own a lot more of it.

19. Private credit will be the biggest winner among boring asset classes and will attract retail investors who have never had access before.

20. When SpaceX goes public, it will make people remember why they liked investing in the first place.

21. Tesla will keep dominating while Elon Musk becomes so rich that even people who hate him will have to admit he won.

22. Avengers: Doomsday and The Odyssey will carry the box office and make the business of Hollywood look healthier than it really is.

23. Interest rates will come down a bit, but borrowing money will still feel expensive.

24. Lawyers will stay busy cleaning up dumb mistakes AI puts into contracts.

25. People will watch phone-style content on their TVs while using their phones as a second screen.

26. Comedy creators will dominate watch time because they give people a quick break from being online and overwhelmed all day.

[Sharran Srivatsaa @sharran]

This simple rule helped me build a network of billion-dollar relationships.

I call it the Rule of 33.

Here’s how it works…

Divide your network into 3 equal groups:

• 33% Mentors (above your level)
• 33% Peers (at your level)
• 33% Mentees (below your level)

MENTORS: They've made the mistakes you're about to make and save you years of trial and error.

PEERS: They hold you accountable. They're the ones who call you out when you've been "planning" that career move for 6 months without taking action.

MENTEES: They force you to refine your thinking. They're the ones who ask "simple" questions that help you clarify what you know vs. what you think you know. When you can teach something you’ve mastered it.

Surround yourself with the right people and growth becomes inevitable.

[Sharran Srivatsaa @sharran]

Nobody taught you how to actually speak. But a kindergarten teacher cracked the code on how to explain anything to anyone.

And it’s the same framework I use in every pitch deck, keynote, and presentation:

[Sharran Srivatsaa @sharran]

https://t.co/0GxOUG3DvI

[Sharran Srivatsaa @sharran]

Hot take: The riskiest career move you can make right now is playing it safe. Go after what you actually want. It isn't reckless anymore. In this job market, it's the only safe play.

[Sharran Srivatsaa @sharran]

The older I get, the more I realize that I've never met a person who regretted going all in on something they truly believed in.

[Sharran Srivatsaa @sharran]

This single question will change how you make decisions forever: “What would make this a waste of my time?”

It forces you to define what failure looks like, so you can do the opposite.

[Sharran Srivatsaa @sharran]

If you liked this, I break down business lessons every week in The Next Billion, my free newsletter on building our next billion-dollar business. Join 65,000+ entrepreneurs here: https://t.co/F1v4hUjYCs

[Sharran Srivatsaa @sharran]

Hot take: The riskiest career move you can make right now is playing it safe. Go after what you actually want. It isn't reckless anymore. In this job market, it's the only safe play.

[Sharran Srivatsaa @sharran]

How to get ahead of 99% of people: Show up with small, daily actions, and momentum builds without you noticing. Wait for the big moment, and years pass by while you're still standing at the edge and everyone else has taken the leap.

[Sharran Srivatsaa @sharran]

The older I get, the more I realize that I've never met a person who regretted going all in on something they truly believed in.

[Sharran Srivatsaa @sharran]

Want a deeper breakdown? I share everything I know inside my free weekly newsletter followed by 65,000+ founders. Join The Next Billion here: https://t.co/F1v4hUjYCs

[Sharran Srivatsaa @sharran]

It took me too many years to learn this, but learning how to speak well isn’t a skill… it’s an asset. It compounds every time you open your mouth to deliver a speech, pitch, or just a conversation.

[Sharran Srivatsaa @sharran]

https://t.co/0GxOUG3DvI

[Sharran Srivatsaa @sharran]

Brutal truth: An asset puts money in your pocket. A liability rips it out. Most people today can't tell the difference between the two.

[Sharran Srivatsaa @sharran]

This single question will change how you make decisions forever: “What would make this a waste of my time?”

It forces you to define what failure looks like, so you can do the opposite.

[Sharran Srivatsaa @sharran]

One of the best investments you can make today: Buying access to experience you don't have enough time to gather yourself. 10 calls with a great partner, mentor, or advisor can save you 10 years of learning and mistakes.

[Sharran Srivatsaa @sharran]

Want a deeper breakdown? I share everything I know inside my free weekly newsletter followed by 65,000+ founders. Join The Next Billion here: https://t.co/F1v4hUjYCs

[Sharran Srivatsaa @sharran]

My exact plan to scale a services business in 5 minutes:

[Sharran Srivatsaa @sharran]

Harsh truth: your decisions reflect who you are today, not who you want to become tomorrow. If your decisions don’t change, the person never will.

[Sharran Srivatsaa @sharran]

At 10 years old, my father sat me down on a bench and said something that would change my life forever.

He had an expression I had never seen before…

His forehead was creased with the weight of what he was about to say, but his eyes had a hint of hope:

"Your mother and I don't think this is the right country for you. We want to give you a bigger future, and India may not be the right fit for you.

We need to find you a skill where you can shine on your own.

Something good enough to earn a scholarship or some kind of interest. Your mother and I will find a way to get you to America.”

He paused…

He motioned forward…

"Can you cut it?" he asked.

When I looked up, I realized we were sitting in front of a tennis court.

He was asking if I would commit to playing tennis and seeing if that could become my skill-based ticket out of India.

And so, for the next six years my family and I lived and breathed tennis.

That fateful day on the bench, my father saw something in me that I couldn't see in myself.

He made a bet that most parents wouldn't make. He told me to stop doing what everyone else said mattered and focus on the one thing that could change my life.

Sometimes the people who love you see your future before you do.

They make bets on you that you would never make on yourself. They see potential before it's proven. They make uncomfortable calls.

So if you're in a position to see someone's future before they do, tell them. Make the bet.

It might change everything…