Operator Memo

I’ve run startups, led major turnarounds, and now own and operate small businesses. Operator Memo is where I write what actually matters when you’re responsible for outcomes.

@wearenotretards @FoxNews @grok Actually not a single DHS funding bill this year has had every single Repuublican vote...closest was 47 (missing 3). So maybe you are retards

@OperatorMemoHQ @FoxNews @grok You should ask why DHS funding bills can't pass the Senate even though every single Republican voted in favor of them. It's not rocket science and we're not fucking retards.

‘THIS IS WILD’: Airports across the country are seeing long TSA lines and travel disruptions as staffing strains during the shutdown, with some waits stretching for hours. At Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport, travelers were seen standing in long lines snaking across the terminal. “They are sending the line out into the parking garage,” one traveler said.

@mattvanswol Never had this issue with Biden in office...Trump has destroyed the transportation system...fucking idiots

🚨#BREAKING: ABSOLUTE PANDAMONIUM at the New Orleans airport this morning where the TSA security line stretched... ...ALL THE WAY OUT INTO THE PARKING GARAGE!!!! WE SHOULDN'T HAVE TO DEAL WITH THIS JUST TO GET ON AN AIRPLANE!!!!

@mattvanswol Damn!! Fucking Trump's america...what a mess

🚨HOLY CRAP!!! The Atlanta TSA line has now stretched to a stunning 153 minute-wait-time... AT 6AM IN THE MORNING!!!! The line is WRAPPING AROUND BAGGAGE CLAIM!!! THIS IS PURE INSANITY!!!!!!

@TomiLahren Eliminates TSA (sure all those agents that get fired will be happy), kills tourism, kills airlines revenue and further damages the economy....great idea

This is an absolutely genius idea.

@EricLDaugh @united @AmericanAir @SouthwestAir Love to hear how you feel about this....

🚨 HOLY SMOKES. President Trump just announced he will SURGE ICE AGENTS to perform security with TSA at our airports if Democrats refuse to fund DHS and pay federal employees CHECK MATE, Chuck Schumer! "If the Radical Left Democrats don’t immediately sign an agreement to let our Country, in particular, our Airports, be FREE and SAFE again, I will move our brilliant and patriotic ICE Agents to the Airports where they will do Security like no one has ever seen before, including the immediate arrest of all Illegal Immigrants who have come into our Country, with heavy emphasis on those from Somalia, who have totally destroyed, with the approval of a corrupt Governor, Attorney General, and Congresswoman, Ilhan Omar, the once Great State of Minnesota." "I look forward to seeing ICE in action at our Airports. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!"

@SpencerHakimian I'm sure the major airlines will have this idea sqaushed in 10 minutes...the man is an idiot

🚨BREAKING: TRUMP IS SENDING ICE AGENTS TO US AIRPORTS

@mhp_guy Wow...giving Top Golf (a failing business) a run for thier money...great

I just talked with a guy who's buying old driving ranges and turning them into cash cows. And giving Top Golf a run for their money. - 8000 members across multiple locations - $20/mo membership (not including food and bevs) - 12 million balls hit per year in each location This guy Is completely reinventing driving ranges. Move over self-storage bros, theres a new asset in town. Completely blown away. Check this out

@Acyn Indonesia will be sending support

Reporter: Can you tell us which countries are on their way? Trump: I rather not say yet. We have some that are really enthusiastic, they're coming already, they've already started to get there. It takes a little while to get there

@MAGAVoice @grok How long should this take to build and open and how much does a large refinery like this cost to build?

BREAKING 🚨 President Trump stuns the World by announcing a $300 Billion dollar deal. For the first time in 50 years, we are opening a US Oil refinery IT WILL BE IN BROWNSVILLE TEXAS THIS IS HUGE 🔥

@misfitpatriot_ @AmericaMaximal You might be the dumbest person on X

@AmericaMaximal If they’re American companies why are they importing into America? Yes, this is rhetorical

Let’s debunk the whole “tariffs are a tax on Americans” talking point. A tariff is a “tax” on the IMPORTER of goods to the U.S. which means by definition, it is NOT a tax on Americans, its an additional fee in the form of a percentage added on to the cost of the product being shipped into this country. Essentially, it’s the cost of doing business. As stated in the latest SCOTUS ruling, the president has the authority to impose tariffs on goods through multiple avenues. This authority was given to him by congress in 1922, 1934, and 1974 through different pieces of legislation. Tariffs are paid to the U.S. by the country importing the goods, and they are collected by customs and border protection. The money then goes into the treasury, and is added to the general pool Congress uses to allocate for funding the military, Medicare, etc. In 2025, Trumps tariffs brought in 287 BILLION dollars. So, why do people say they’re a tax on Americans when they’re clearly a tax on other countries who import goods into America? The answer is simple, they’re lying to you. What these liars are implying is because the cost of goods will go up for a country like China, THEY will raise their prices and charge American companies who buy the product more, which they will then roll over to the consumer, and they claim that is essentially you being “taxed”. This is like calling the rise in price of a lobster based on season a “tax”. When in reality it’s just market value fluctuating due to mitigating factor. The part none of these talking heads will tell you is tariffs hurt the importer way more than it will ever affect the consumer. If we charge China a 15% mark up, and they try and recoup 100% of that by passing it to the receiver in America, they’ll just find a new supplier that isn’t so expensive or make their product in America and avoid tariffs all together. Retailers will never raise prices to the point where they lose customers. Nobody is gonna pay 15% more for something that was 15% cheaper the day before. What most businesses will do when we start imposing tariffs on other countries is build their product in America. That creates jobs, manufacturing, and over time, LOWERS the cost of goods across the board because now we have a competitive market instead of a market reliant on cheap shit from countries with no quality control and slave labor. Tariffs aren’t a tax on Americans, they’re a tool to incentivize American exceptionalism, and put America first over the countries who have been ripping us off by stealing our production, innovation, and manufacturing, and then selling it back to us for 10 cents on the dollar.

@grok @elonmusk @grok Does this include defense contracts and if not what would be the estimated value of those over the next 10 years

Based on 2025 analyses from Washington Post and Good Jobs First, Elon Musk's companies have received at least $38B in government contracts, loans, subsidies, and tax credits since 2003. Breakdown: SpaceX ~$22.5B (mostly NASA/DoD), Tesla ~$13.9B (incl. regulatory credits/loans). No major 2026 updates found.

I will probably end up paying over $500B in taxes, inclusive of death

Most founders don’t need more ideas. They need fewer distractions.

The business doesn’t care how hard you’re trying. It only cares whether the math works.

@DearS_o_n Make the next small decision correctly. Rock bottom improves when you stop trying to fix everything and just fix what’s in front of you. Small wins turn into change

Businesses rarely fail overnight. They fail slowly — in the gap between “almost working” and reality.

@RealAnnieBlack Discount pressure is usually a signal. Sometimes it’s a bad client. Sometimes it’s unclear positioning or pricing strategy.

The best business advice I could give myself: Nobody in the world will devour more of your time, spirit and life force than a person who wants… a discount. Stay far FAR away from these people. They cost too much. I wonder if I’ll ever take my own advice🤔

@ConnorAbene Speed is powerful. But clarity under pressure is what separates operators from reactors.

The smartest founders I work with rarely rush. They slow the game down until it’s obvious what to do.

@SahilBloom True. But when you run a business, people do care — your team, your customers, your family. That responsibility is what sharpens you.

Best advice I got in my 20s: Nobody cares. When you’re winning, nobody cares. When you’re losing, nobody cares. It doesn’t mean nobody loves you, it just means nobody cares about your life as much as you do. You are in control. It’s on you. Nobody cares. Go do the thing.