Not everyone likes you

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Happy Sunday everyone. Did you know, you probably don’t have more than 150 relationships.

Anthropologist Robin Dunbar found that humans can only manage about 150 stable relationships. It’s called Dunbar’s Number, and it comes from the social limits hardwired into our brains back in our hunter-gatherer days.

It’s also why companies start investing in “culture” once they grow past this number, because it stops happening on its own.

In today’s email:

1. Some People Don’t Like You & why that’s a good thing.

2. Why Being Yourself will attract the right kind of people.

3. Why US Small Businesses Are Optimistic & how they plan to fight tariffs.

POWER SURGE

Some People Don’t Like You

It took me years to realise not everyone will like me—and that’s fine.

I used to see it as a problem I had to fix. If someone pulled away, I’d try to win them over.

Be nicer. Say the right thing. Change how I came across.

I thought if I worked hard enough, I could get a yes from everyone. I thought being liked meant I was doing life right.

But trying to win everyone over is a waste of time. It drains you. You become a watered-down version of yourself. And no one can see the real you buried 6 feet under social masking.

The truth is, not everyone will like you. And that’s how it should be. You’re not here to win votes.

You’re here to be yourself. As you are. No filter.

Think about it. You don’t like everyone you meet. So why expect it in return?

Some people won’t get you. That doesn’t mean you need to change. It means they’re not your people. You’re not wrong. You’re just not for them.

When you stop chasing approval, you make space for people who want the real you. But if you keep playing a part, those people can’t see you.

You don’t need to say yes when you want to say no. You don’t need to hide the parts of you that don’t fit. The people who matter won’t ask you to.

If you like who you are, the rest will fall into place. If someone else doesn’t see your worth, it’s not your job to convince them.

Next time you feel the urge to explain yourself or smooth things over, pause. Ask yourself: “Am I being real, or am I trying to be liked?”

You already know the answer.

Not everyone will like you.

Good.

LOOK INTO THE LIGHT

Here’s 3 great things you may have missed this week:

#1 VC Confidence Endures: Startups Score Big Funding Across Sectors

• Last week saw a surge of venture investment into startups, signalling optimism in tech and science-driven businesses despite broader economic concerns.

• Highlights included a $65 million Series A for HAYA Therapeutics (developing RNA therapies for heart failure), $20 million for Koala Health (U.S. digital pet care), and a $16 million raise to bring real-world assets on-chain—all announced on the same day.

• The flurry of deals suggests a renewed appetite for innovation, offering entrepreneurs ample opportunity to secure growth capital.

#2 Small Businesses Are Optimistic About 2025 Growth

• According to a recent GoDaddy survey, two-thirds of small business owners have positive revenue expectations for the year ahead, and only 9% foresee a sales drop.

• While about half do anticipate a weaker overall economy due to issues like tariffs, most entrepreneurs plan to adapt rather than retreat.

• “Small business owners believe in themselves,” noted GoDaddy’s CEO, highlighting that founders are forging ahead with determination.

#3 FDA Approves First At-Home Cervical Cancer Screening Kit

• The FDA has approved the Teal Wand, a prescription at-home test kit that allows women to self-collect samples for cervical cancer screening (HPV testing).

• By enabling convenient, private screening outside of clinics, this innovation could significantly increase early detection and help save lives.

• Healthcare experts hail the move as ushering in a new era of patient-empowering medical technology, while entrepreneurs see it as validation for developing user-friendly diagnostic tools that bring preventive care into the home.

The Innovation Station (sponsored)

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