James Clift

James Clift's Substack focuses on entrepreneurship, sharing insights on building companies, startup culture, fundraising, product-market fit, and personal growth. It includes practical advice on career development, remote work, and investing, alongside reflections on political opinions, life design, and the importance of community and networking in business success.

Entrepreneurship Startup Culture Fundraising Product-Market Fit Personal Growth Career Development Remote Work Investing Political Opinions Life Design Networking

The hottest Substack posts of James Clift

And their main takeaways

Reflecting on a failure to fundraise

19 implied HN points • 09 Dec 22
  1. Sharing failures in real-time can be hard, but can lead to valuable lessons.
  2. Reflect deeply on your passion for a problem and the right mountain to climb in entrepreneurship.
  3. Consider factors like competition, growth metrics, and product depth carefully when seeking funding.

Should you join the SPC founder fellowship? The 400k question.

4 HN points • 30 Mar 22
  1. The technology industry offers opportunities where small decisions can have huge impacts in a short time.
  2. Taking risks and pushing outside your comfort zone can lead to unexpected successes and personal growth.
  3. Joining a supportive community of peers, mentors, and investors can provide invaluable feedback, guidance, and opportunities.

Product-market fit is a multi-variate equation

0 implied HN points • 24 Aug 22
  1. Product-market fit is crucial for startups and varies in degrees
  2. There is a natural limit to how far product-market fit can take a business
  3. Premature scaling can be detrimental and true product-market fit requires experimentation and customer love

Design the life you want

0 implied HN points • 29 Dec 21
  1. You can create the world you want.
  2. There is a group of people in which you'll fit.
  3. If you work at it long enough, you will succeed.
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Startup bootcamp: 3 months to revenue, growth, or funding

0 implied HN points • 02 Jan 21
  1. Accountability is key to achieving set goals in a business bootcamp program.
  2. Deep-dives and detailed analysis are crucial for solving specific business problems.
  3. Tactical execution with actionable outcomes is more valuable than just feedback.

Building a successful company is fucking hard.

0 implied HN points • 29 Dec 20
  1. Building a successful company is incredibly challenging, not as glamorous as media portrays.
  2. Success requires perseverance through failures and setbacks.
  3. Hard work, talent, and some luck contribute to achieving significant results in entrepreneurship.

Onwards!

0 implied HN points • 09 Jul 20
  1. Started successful product without selling previous startup.
  2. Created profitable business with remote team and no external funding.
  3. Transitioned from successful CEO role to new projects and investments.

How to build a career by avoiding the job market entirely

0 implied HN points • 05 Jun 20
  1. Save money to avoid needing a job.
  2. Avoid falling into status traps like focusing on fancy titles or material possessions.
  3. Don't overplan, leap into opportunities and surround yourself with ambitious people.

The Ultimate Guide to Landing Your Dream Job

0 implied HN points • 11 May 20
  1. To land your dream job, you need more than just a good resume and online presence.
  2. Before applying, know exactly what you want in a job and assess your skills honestly.
  3. Prepare thoroughly by researching the company, tailoring your application, and impressing decision makers during the interview.

7 things I’ve learned after 10 years of trying to make it on the internet

0 implied HN points • 26 Oct 20
  1. Bet on yourself by focusing on learning new skills, meeting great people, making money, and experiencing the world.
  2. Build a tribe of friends with similar ambitions to support you through the ups and downs of entrepreneurship.
  3. Just launch something - sometimes it's the perseverance to launch that sets you apart and leads to success.

How to not get scammed hiring remote freelancers on Upwork

0 implied HN points • 29 Oct 19
  1. Remote work brings great opportunities for hiring talent globally.
  2. Be cautious of scammers on Upwork who outsource work, misrepresent location and skillset.
  3. When hiring on Upwork, watch out for red flags like over-persistence and inconsistencies in online profiles.

How to start a successful company as a business school student

0 implied HN points • 18 Oct 19
  1. Consider switching majors if you're in business school to focus on creating things like software.
  2. Take unique classes that are practical and build relationships with people interested in creating things.
  3. Get involved in activities outside school, start projects, and challenge yourself.

How I decided who to vote for

0 implied HN points • 09 May 17
  1. The political parties had poor email marketing strategies that influenced the author's opinion.
  2. The author found the debate format ineffective for understanding candidates' ideas, except for Andrew Weaver.
  3. The Green Party stood out with innovative housing and technology policies, leading the author to vote for them.

Thanks for the reply Mark.

0 implied HN points • 01 Jun 16
  1. Consider buying a house if it makes financial sense, and rent if it doesn't.
  2. Question why you want to buy a house, especially if it's unaffordable.
  3. Real estate can be a good investment historically, but current circumstances may vary.

Fair play

0 implied HN points • 01 Jun 16
  1. The post is about fair play.
  2. The author is James Clift.
  3. The post was shared on June 1, 2016.

No worries!

0 implied HN points • 01 Jun 16
  1. The author is not knowledgeable or passionate about the subject
  2. Appreciation for the thoughts and valid points raised by others
  3. The author ends the post with a casual 'No worries!'

The best I consumed in 2015

0 implied HN points • 18 Feb 16
  1. The importance of working hard and creating a snowball of money, skills, and friendships in your 20s
  2. Being aware of the false narratives we create around our public images and the dangers of comparing ourselves to unrealistic standards
  3. The significance of understanding that our minds shape our experiences and relationships, and the benefits of meditation

How to actually get a job.

0 implied HN points • 23 Oct 15
  1. Apply for the right job that you want and are qualified for.
  2. Don't be lazy - tailor your application with a custom cover letter and research the company.
  3. Network: Get introductions through LinkedIn, and if not possible, email the hiring manager directly.

10 pieces of career advice that aren’t totally cliché

0 implied HN points • 10 Jun 15
  1. Be genuinely interested in people you meet to open up career opportunities.
  2. Have interests that make conversations easier and more engaging.
  3. Practice the art of opening a conversation and learn to handle rejection for career growth.

How to find a job opportunity you’ll love

0 implied HN points • 30 Apr 15
  1. Know what you want in a job and go after it with passion and determination.
  2. Evaluate your skills and experience to find the best job that aligns with your goals.
  3. Focus on finding a company that fits your values and will help you grow in your career.

Keep the hate to yourself

0 implied HN points • 11 Apr 15
  1. Hating is never productive.
  2. Earn your stripes to be critical.
  3. Focus energy on more important matters.

On the 2014 list! Great read.

0 implied HN points • 19 Feb 16
  1. The post is about the 2014 list
  2. It is considered a great read
  3. The link provided leads to the full article

Top 5 of 2014

0 implied HN points • 23 Jan 15
  1. Writing is hard but can lead to personal growth and clarity.
  2. Seek inspiration beyond your usual interests to gain new perspectives.
  3. Focus on adding value, being honest, and pursuing growth in all aspects of life.

Is your business degree Worthless? It needs steroids.

0 implied HN points • 20 Mar 14
  1. Real world experience is essential for a business degree
  2. Learning to make things like coding and designing is valuable
  3. Getting better at understanding and selling things can give you an edge

Top 5 of 2013

0 implied HN points • 05 Jan 14
  1. Top career advice: Make a commitment to reach the top in today's economy.
  2. Successful people focus on getting big things done, not on procrastination.
  3. Think in systems rather than just goals to create habits that lead to success.

Should you start a startup?

0 implied HN points • 21 Nov 22
  1. Consider if you are okay with financial uncertainty and taking a pay cut for 5-10 years if you start a startup.
  2. Prepare yourself for the constant underlying anxiety and challenges of running a startup.
  3. Build a supportive network around you when starting a startup, as going solo is extremely challenging.

The 4 Hour Growth Hack

0 implied HN points • 05 Feb 15
  1. Having a successful growth hack requires a product that is exciting and captivating.
  2. Utilize product distribution channels like Product Hunt, Hackernews, Reddit, and Google Chrome Store.
  3. Effective content creation and distribution, including slideshare, infographics, guest blogging, and social media, can drive traffic to a website.

Building personal financial systems that don’t suck

0 implied HN points • 19 Sep 14
  1. Personal finance education is lacking, even for business school graduates
  2. Financial goals should focus on saving, investing, and personal growth
  3. Creating a financial system that works for individual needs leads to increased savings and enjoyment

Most suffering is self-inflicted.

0 implied HN points • 02 Mar 21
  1. Most suffering is self-inflicted due to over-optimizing for outcomes.
  2. Taking time to relax and chill out can lead to increased productivity.
  3. Focusing on enjoying the process rather than constant worry can improve mental well-being.

HELP WANTED! Technical co-founder for a remote work tool with 166 registered companies

0 implied HN points • 24 Mar 20
  1. Holopod is seeking a technical co-founder to help the tool transition from beta to revenue, with potential for partnership or contract work.
  2. The tool automatically updates Slack status based on work state, aiming to improve communication and reduce interruptions.
  3. Current roadmap includes UI updates, custom statuses, time zone management, team dashboard view, and desktop clients.