Brief executives on the dated change, the decision it affects, the company evidence and the trigger for revisiting it.
Keep the briefing to one decision note with a source date and an owner. State what changed externally, whether it changes the company plan, and the business evidence required before acting.
Conditions are Cloudy and worsening since Sep 30; revisit decisions made on the Sep 30 reading.
Separate the external market reading from the cash, customer and delivery evidence behind management decisions. For a portfolio review, use the same questions across companies but keep each company’s runway and commitments separate. Historical reconstructions provide context; published weekly briefs document what was actually recorded.
| Area | This week | Pause line | Resume line |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roadmap | Keep the core roadmap on schedule, and ship what customers can use this quarter first. | Pause linePause long-payback bets if risk appetite falls below 44 or two weekly readings in a row come in weaker.11 pts away | Resume lineResume the paused bets when risk appetite is above 54 and the weekly reading holds or improves. Risk appetite is 55 now.nothing to resume |
| Fundraising | If you're planning to raise, get your materials ready now so you decide when to go out. | Pause linePause the raise if risk appetite falls below 44 or funding pressure is above 76. Funding pressure is 90 now.past the line | Resume lineResume the full process when risk appetite is above 54 and funding pressure falls below 66. Risk appetite is 55 and funding pressure is 90 now.24 pts away |
| Spending | Before you approve any optional spend, work out how long it takes to pay back. 6 months is the bar. | Pause linePause new discretionary spend if funding pressure is above 76. Funding pressure is 90 now.past the line | Resume lineResume new spend when funding pressure falls below 66 and the payback figures still hold.24 pts away |
Conditions change if: Funding pressure falls 20 pts from 90 to 70 or below, or risk appetite falls 5 pts from 55 to 50 or below.
Change line 70
0 = easier funding · 100 = harder funding
On this signal alone: Money is tight — conserve cash, extend runway, defer big bets. Fundraising windows are narrow.
Change line 50
0 = risk-averse investors · 100 = risk-hungry investors
On this signal alone: Markets are selectively open — prove traction before scaling; get customer evidence before making large commitments.
As of [date], [external change] affects [decision]. Our company evidence is [cash, customer or delivery result]. We propose [action] within [limit]. Revisit if [trigger]. Owner: [name]. Source: [dated link].
Fill in the company inputs before using it as an approval.
Whether Weekly Brief — 2026-10-28 Conditions: Cloudy (money is available but pricey) Room before a change: clear of the line (how far the scores sit from the line where conditions change) Source note: https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/DGS1MO Full brief: https://whether.work/brief/2026-w44
Data date: Oct 28, 2026 · freshness: Oct 30, 2026, 2:00 AM UTC.