Starve (Resource Denial)

Starve (Resource Denial)

Starve (Resource Denial)

Attack Type

Starve is a pressure tactic that limits your time, money, information, or reach so your work stalls and your judgment wobbles. Instead of fighting you head‑on, it blocks the flow you rely on—payments slow, access closes, files go “missing,” or a single gatekeeper hoards context. The cure is structural: map dependencies, diversify feeders, and protect a Minimum Viable Flow (MVF) so your mission never goes hungry.

Table of Contents

  1. 1. Why Starve Works (and why MVF stops the bleed)
  2. 2. Recognition: Signals & Setups
  3. 3. Field Stories (Creator, Supplier, Team, Client)
  4. 4. Defense Protocol — Map ▶ Diversify ▶ MVF
  5. 5. Boundary Scripts (ready to copy)
  6. 6. Five‑Minute Practice: Feed the Flow
  7. 7. Prevention Structures (Cash, Comms, Access, Assets)
  8. 8. Resource Map & Feeder Map (templates)
  9. 9. Payments & Scope: Sample Clauses
  10. 10. Metrics That Matter (Runway & Resilience)
  11. 11. Tool Allies: Tiger’s Eye & Pyrite
  12. 12. Pitfalls & Edge Cases
  13. 13. Integrations with the Handbook
  14. 14. FAQs
  15. 15. Closing: Feed What Feeds You

1. Why Starve Works (and why MVF stops the bleed)

Starve exploits a simple truth: even apex strength needs supply lines. When your pipelines for time, money, information, or distribution constrict, you’re nudged into panic choices—discounts you regret, “free favors,” or rushed decisions. Establishing your Minimum Viable Flow—the non‑negotiable baseline that keeps your mission alive—lets you pause, protect essentials, and negotiate from stability instead of scarcity.

2. Recognition: Signals & Setups

Common Signals

  • Slow‑rolled payments, “accounting delays,” or moving payout dates.
  • Access bottlenecks: one person guards logins, files, or vendor comms.
  • Platform dependency: one channel drives 80% of leads or revenue.
  • “Lost” files, broken links, or expired credentials at critical moments.
  • You’re always waiting “on someone else,” momentum slipping week by week.

Typical Setups

  • Work begins informally (no deposit, no milestones, no scope doc).
  • Single‑supplier reliance with long lead times and no alternates.
  • All traffic tied to a single social platform or ad account.
  • No off‑platform list; no mirrored assets; weak backup discipline.

3. Field Stories (Creator, Supplier, Team, Client)

Story A — Creator & Platform Squeeze

A wellness creator relies on one platform for 90% of sales; a policy change halves reach overnight. She names it—Starve. Within 48 hours she launches a simple landing page with a lead magnet, emails recent buyers to join her list, and repurposes top posts into a weekly newsletter. Traffic diversifies; revenue stabilizes at 70% within a month and climbs from there. Lesson: own your list, mirror your best assets, and treat platforms as rented land.

Story B — Supplier Jam

A small shop depends on one supplier for a signature product. Delays mount, excuses multiply. The owner builds a Feeder Map with three suppliers (primary, secondary, emergency) and reduces the signature item to 40% of inventory while lifting “evergreen” products to 60%. Cashflow improves; bargaining power returns.

Story C — Team Info Hoard

An internal teammate quietly controls all DNS, hosting, and ad accounts. During a conflict, they “forget to renew.” The leader implements an Access Map (shared vault, role‑based permissions, 2FA on founders), rotates passwords, and documents recovery procedures. Starve attempts fail because no single point of failure remains.

Story D — Slow‑Pay Client

A client pushes scope but drifts on invoices. The practitioner switches to milestone billing (deposit → mid‑project → delivery), adds a pause clause, and stops work respectfully when the MVF threshold (past‑due + time debt) is crossed. The client pays; the relationship resets with structure.

4. Defense Protocol — Map ▶ Diversify ▶ MVF

Summary: Name it → Map dependencies → Diversify feeders → Enforce MVF → Activate alternates → Pause/renegotiate until flow is restored.
  1. Name it: “This is Starve.” Recognition calms urgency and cues structure.
  2. Map dependencies (15–30 min): list your critical flows under four headings:
    • Time: focus blocks, support hours, calendaring.
    • Money: deposits, milestones, buffers, payment rails.
    • Information/Access: ads, CRM, files, passwords, vendor contacts.
    • Reach/Distribution: email list, SEO, direct partnerships, social, marketplaces.
    Mark single points of failure (SPOF) with SPOF.
  3. Diversify feeders (choose 1–2, do them now):
    • Spin up a basic email capture (off‑platform list).
    • Mirror key assets (product pages, FAQs, lead magnets) on your site.
    • Add a second payment processor/sales channel.
    • Identify a backup supplier or print‑on‑demand fallback.
  4. Enforce MVF (Minimum Viable Flow): define non‑negotiables for operations. Examples:
    • Cash: ≥ 30 days runway; invoices auto‑pause if >7 days past due.
    • Time: 2 focus blocks/day protected; no same‑day scope changes.
    • Access: 2FA + shared vault; at least two admins per system.
    • Reach: weekly newsletter shipped even if all else pauses.
  5. Activate alternates: swap to backup channels/suppliers; route communications through your owned list; post a PSA with clear timelines and next steps.
  6. Pause or renegotiate: stop non‑essential work respectfully; propose revised scope/timeline tied to specific prerequisites (payment received, access restored, materials delivered).
  7. Rebuild slack: once flow returns, rebuild buffers (cash, inventory, scheduled content) before taking on new risk.

5. Boundary Scripts (ready to copy)

Payments & Work Continuation

  • “Work resumes once [prerequisite] is restored.”
  • “Release milestone X → payment Y. Then we proceed to phase 2.”
  • “To protect delivery quality, I pause here and will re‑start within 24h of payment/access.”

Access & Information

  • “Please add [role email] as admin and share credentials via our vault. I’ll proceed once confirmed.”
  • “Decisions and files live in the shared folder; I don’t execute based on DMs.”

Platform & Distribution

  • “We’re shifting updates to our email list; subscribe at [your URL] for continuity.”
  • “This channel is temporarily limited; orders continue via our site.”

6. Five‑Minute Practice: Feed the Flow

  1. Exhale fully (10s) — soften belly, drop shoulders.
  2. Name it (10s): “This is Starve.”
  3. Write top 3 feeders (90s): e.g., Email list, Supplier A, Payment processor.
  4. Choose one redundancy (90s): add backup processor, alternate supplier, emergency list export.
  5. Micro‑move now (90s): create the account, draft the PSA, export the list, or order sample from new supplier.
  6. Water + pinch of salt (20s) and stand up; walk to the door and back—signal to your body that flow resumes.

7. Prevention Structures (Cash, Comms, Access, Assets)

Cash & Terms

  • Deposits (20–50%) before start; milestone billing thereafter.
  • Auto‑pause clause: work halts if invoices >7 days past due.
  • 30–90 days operating buffer; separate tax/operating accounts.

Comms & Reach

  • Own your list (weekly send cadence); export monthly backups.
  • At least two traffic sources (SEO + email, partnerships, or events).
  • Public status page/PSA template for outages or supplier delays.

Access & Security

  • 2FA on mission‑critical systems; two admins per system.
  • Shared password vault; quarterly access review.
  • Documented recovery procedures.

Assets & Suppliers

  • Mirrored copies of key pages/files; version control.
  • Primary/secondary/emergency supplier list with MOQs & lead times.
  • Inventory balance: 60% evergreen, 40% signature/high risk.

8. Resource Map & Feeder Map (templates)

Resource Map (fill this)

Resource Primary Backup MVF Threshold Check Frequency
Payments Processor A Processor B Invoices ≤7 days; daily capture >95% Weekly
Email list ESP X ESP Y (cold standby) Send 1×/week Weekly
Supplier Vendor 1 Vendor 2 / POD Stock ≥30 days Bi‑weekly
Key files Drive A Drive B / Offline Mirror updated <24h Weekly

Feeder Map (traffic & revenue)

Feeder % Today Target Mix Next Action
Email newsletter 15% 30% Launch weekly “Field Notes”; add site opt‑in
Organic search (SEO) 25% 30% Publish 2 pillar posts/month
Social platform A 50% 25% Repurpose best posts into email + blog
Partnerships 10% 15% Pitch 3 aligned partners

9. Payments & Scope: Sample Clauses

Milestones: “Project phases: (1) Deposit [X%] → (2) Mid‑project deliverable → (3) Final delivery. Each phase begins on receipt of the prior milestone payment.”

Pause Clause: “If an invoice remains unpaid after [7] days or required access/materials are not provided, work pauses until resolved. Dates shift accordingly.”

Scope Edges: “Requests outside scope are quoted separately; work commences on written approval and deposit.”

Note: These are educational examples, not legal advice. Adapt with professional counsel where appropriate.

10. Metrics That Matter (Runway & Resilience)

Signal Green Yellow Red
Cash runway ≥ 60–90 days 30–59 days < 30 days
Revenue concentration (top channel) < 40% 40–60% > 60%
Single‑point‑of‑failure count 0–1 2–3 4+
Admin coverage per system ≥ 2 admins 1 admin + backup plan 1 admin, no backup
Backups verified Within 7 days 8–30 days > 30 days

11. Tool Allies: Tiger’s Eye & Pyrite

  • Tiger’s Eye (Resolve): steady courage to enforce MVF and say “not until.” Keep near your invoicing or scheduling tool; touch it before sending firm boundaries.
  • Pyrite (Structure/Abundance Mindset): reminds you to build systems, not scramble. Place on your desk as you map feeders and backups.

These are symbolic anchors for practice and intention—supportive, not medical or financial devices.

12. Pitfalls & Edge Cases

  • Over‑diversifying too fast: spinning up five new channels at once creates Exhaust. Add one redundancy at a time.
  • Hoarding inventory/cash without flow: buffers help, but MVF is about movement, not storage. Keep the river moving.
  • “Soft promises” from powerful partners: until an access token, PO, or deposit lands, treat it as zero.
  • Team member as SPOF: make it kind and policy‑based: “Two‑admin standard on all systems” rather than personal accusations.

13. Integrations with the Handbook

  • Module 5 (Protective Protocols): run the 12‑Minute Shield & Clear before tough renegotiations.
  • Module 8 (Communication): use PSA and slow‑time scripts for platform outages or supplier delays.
  • Module 9 (Resilient Ops): install SLAs, milestone billing, backups, and access standards.

14. FAQs

What if a platform bans or throttles me suddenly?

Post a concise PSA directing people to your email list and site, republish your best content there, and activate partnerships for immediate reach. Treat platforms as rented land—your list is home.

What if there’s only one viable supplier?

Reduce dependence by lowering that product’s share of revenue, negotiate minimum stock commitments, and prototype a comparable “evergreen” offer that you do control.

How do I pause without burning bridges?

Be calm and specific: “To protect quality, I pause until [prerequisite] is met. New target date is [date] upon receipt.” Follow with a checklist of what’s needed.

15. Closing: Feed What Feeds You

Rivers carve canyons not by force, but by flow. Protect your flow, and your work will shape the world.

Starve tries to make you chase scraps. Instead, you choose structure: name the pattern, protect MVF, diversify feeders, and build buffers. You’re not at the mercy of scarcity—you are the steward of a living system. Feed what feeds you, and your mission will keep feeding others.

Quick Reference (Copy & Pin)

  • Name it: “This is Starve.”
  • Map dependencies: Time • Money • Access • Reach (mark SPOFs).
  • Diversify feeders: own your list • mirror assets • backup supplier • second payment rail.
  • MVF: define cash, time, access, reach baselines; enforce them.
  • Activate alternates and pause/renegotiate until flow is restored.
  • Scripts: “Work resumes once prerequisite is restored.” • “Milestone X → payment Y.”
  • 5‑min practice: list top 3 feeders; add one redundancy; water + pinch of salt; walk 1 minute.
  • Tool allies: tiger’s eye (resolve) • pyrite (structure).

Educational content only. This does not replace professional medical, psychological, legal, or security advice. Practice within your scope; consult qualified professionals for specific contracts, finance, or security needs.

↑ Back to top  |  ← Previous: 11.02 — Divide  |  Next: 11.04 — Ambush →

Back to blog