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If you want to change the world, pick up a piece of trash. (Part 2)
Sometimes you see other founders, hear what they’re working on, and then look back at your own "simple widget that does a thing" and think you should be doing something more impactful, wishing your thing was world changing.
It's really tough when watching hero p'rn on TEDx. We think changing the world requires a manifesto, this big, beautiful vision of a better world, led by you.
But maybe... changing the world is just solving one real problem better than anyone else.
We like the manifesto because it feels important.
Big vision. Big volume. Big impact. Scale as a proxy for importance.
We’ve convinced ourselves that changing the world requires a sweeping vision, a massive TAM, a deep disruption.
I'd argue that many of us make the error of confusing volume with value.
You don’t need to disrupt an industry. You need to move one person meaningfully.
Or to restate: I can’t wait for you to change the world, I want your visionary manifesto, I want that massive TAM, but the first step to changing the world starts by changing someone’s day.
We like the manifesto because it aligns to the founder expectation. Am I really a founder if I am not deeply rooted into this vision, with a looking off into the sunset with a curious mind LinkedIn profile photo?
But maybe... your first customers give zero f'cks about your vision. They give f'cks that it works, fixes what's broken, makes their day suck less. They care about their problems. Like they should.
We like the manifesto because it's loud intention. And that's not as cool or doesn't feel the same as your quiet traction. Talking your way into something important is not a thing. What is a thing? Making it real. Delivering your way into being indispensable through... wait for it... value.
The key message, is that tangible is a f'ck ton better than aspirational.
Tangible allows you to point to a before-you and after-you moment for your user, a moment in time, when you changed their world, even for a minute.
Why not be the founder who knows that to change the world, you have to do it quietly, tangibly, and it starts by making Julie's day a touch better.
If you want to change the world. Pick one thing. One person. One moment. Solve it so thoroughly it no longer exists. That’s how the world changes.
Solving one real problem better than anyone else. Find me your Julie.
Most of you are already doing it. You're grinding on that one customer, solving that specific, annoying problem. And you're probably wondering if that's enough to change the world.
Yes. This isn't about a lack of ambition. It's not about abandoning your North Star or shrinking your big vision. It’s precisely how you achieve that vision.
This is the true power of "niching down." It's not about staying small; it's about establishing undeniable Product-Market Fit, proving unit economics, and building deep user understanding in a contained, defensible space. You don't get to disrupt an industry by being vague. You do it by delivering undeniable value for a specific few, then using that success as the blueprint for scaling your impact.
This isn't just a strategy for getting started; it's for sustained, compounding impact. Those seemingly small wins. Changing Julie's Tuesday, solving one annoying problem completely aren't just one-off victories. It has bigger meaning.
Build unseen leverage: Each solved problem, each delighted user, is a micro-testament to your value. This quietly compounds into reputation, a deep understanding of your niche, and a loyal base that no amount of loud "manifesto" can replicate.
Attack founder burnout: The biggest burnout isn't from overwork, but from feeling like your efforts don't matter. (The Dip) Tangible, undeniable wins, even small ones, provide a constant feedback loop of impact. It's the needed dopamine that keeps you going when the big vision feels so far off.
Gain an unfair advantage: Founders who quietly and tangibly solve real problems have an unparalleled edge. They build stronger foundations, foster deeper loyalty, and create products that truly become indispensable.
The trap is you get so wrapped up in the manifesto. You build into the hype, sell the hype, focus on the grand plan, the big vision, but you skip the small, shitty, hard work steps of actually building something truly useful and provable (the tangible). It's your website that solves everything for everybody because it could, but has no customers because it doesn't solve that one thing for the one person.
Manifesto doesn’t make you a founder. Usage does. You don’t need to be visionary to be valuable.
This whole newsletter could have been a text message:
"You want to change the world? Start by making your bed, then changing Julie’s Tuesday. Not by shouting your vision louder. But by delivering the solution better."
...and it's not optional, because moats aren't magic, moats don't come from manifestos. Moats are just momentum that you have worked out how to encode into your system. Win because you built something defensible.
Solve something so completely it disappears.
If I can be of service, feel free to grab time.
LFG.
-- James
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