Writing
Letters from Substack, posts from LinkedIn, and long-form rabbit holes. Click any of them to read here.
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‘You’re considered homeless by the school district’ she said. Another counselor adult telling me some label that had been applied to me. Moments earlier I had walked down the beaten path of conversation that was ‘my story’.
"This and this happened, but yes I’m ok. No I don’t need anything specific. No I’m not any of those mental health labels.” Really, what I wanted to say was, “thank you but leave me alone.”
She went through her spiel anyway. “Because you’re considered homeless you now get this and this benefit. Are you sure you’re okay? Do others know?” On and on.
She was doing her job, and communicating that I was in the lowest social class possible, and because of that the system was trying to help me.
I was finally left alone when I moved my life to San Diego for what I thought would be college. I knew zero people but I was excited to fend for myself. I still remember pulling a little brown card out of my wallet when I went to get groceries. It felt kind of like magic, but I knew it was food stamps.
It meant I was still apart of the one of the lowest social classes in America even if I was finally ‘free’ and had a place to stay.
I told myself one day I would hang it on my wall alongside my emancipation papers and some honorary degree for being awesome.Since those days, anytime anyone has asked me ‘what matters to you in the world?’ or ‘What are you working towards?’
My answer has been somewhere along the lines of ‘helping my younger self.’
Although I’ve been doing that through mentorship and consulting some, I haven’t felt like I was making a big enough impact.
In fact there’s a saying I have repeated since before I remember that goes like this, — “For me It’s not about changing peoples worlds, It’s about changing THE world.”Recently I was feeling a little lost. I had been traveling around, trying to find work in New York so I could move there, but it just wasn’t clicking. After a while of circling, I bit the bullet and moved anyway. It was time to get focused.
An analogy came to mind from my time building sales teams in San Diego.If you want cookies from a vending machine and you put in 98 cents, you will receive 0 cookies. If you try 99 cents, you will receive 0 cookies. However, if you put in 100 cents you will get your pack of 5 cookies. The same is true with effort.
So 100 cents (and a little more) in, I had arrived to New York, but I still needed to find and commit to a direction for my future. So I did a huge perspective check (a term I got from a Comm 101 class meaning evaluating my own perspective by asking others for theirs).
I interviewed 125 people in 50 locations around New York. I asked them all the same three questions that I was asking myself. (Proof)
1. What is your story?
2. What problem in the world means the most to you?
3. Who is the most impressive person that you’ve met and what about them was impressive to you?Sometimes, people asked the questions back to me. In those moments, especially when thinking about question 2, I found myself drawn to my younger self again.
So I wasn’t hallucinating then.With my confidence built and evidence on my side, I was ready to continue charging forward. The question was, what exactly was I charging forward towards?
It was the point at the beginning of any endeavor where you know too little to understand which way to go. As easy as it would be to return to familiar territory, I knew I needed to dive in. Somehow sometimes going into territory you don’t know helps you find your way.
I knew ‘help my younger self’, but what did that mean? My assumption I had made during the interviews was that ‘education’ is what counted for people looking to be better than their parents.
Despite not enjoying school myself, and actually leaving covid college, I just assumed. Though I felt there was something off about the current education system.
After 13 hour day of studying from imitation and play in the pre-writing times to the first schools called edubas of Mesopotamia and beyond from Greece to now, I couldn’t fall asleep. My mind was turning a question over and over again.
My obsession trait clicking on.
The question was ‘is education what actually creates social mobility?’
Social Mobility meaning kids ending up better off than their parents.
So again I went deep.
I learned all about the history of social classes and mobility. I found basically three buckets that created mobility,
Relationships
Assets
Skills
In that order. For all of history, relationships and assets were passed through inheritance. Skills have been mostly gated to the upper class in one way or another. This meant low social mobility, and this is all becoming true again.
The number of social classes has decreased from Ancient Greece at 5 to 3 now, with a huge split in the middle of the 3. Classes are still done by income the way they were first established in Athens by Solon.
Most know this, but the stat currently is, that the top 10% of people hold 67% of the wealth, while the bottom 50% hold 2.5% of it in the U.S.
Mobility has also fallen back from where it was in the beginning of the U.S. Around 15-20% (near perfect with 5 classes) to around 7.5% top to bottom chances for Millennials. (Likely lower for my generation)
I then looked at the studies of social mobility and my list of three proved accurate. Based on the studies recently today the mobility correlated points are
Family background and parental investment.
Place / neighborhood, often proxied by zip code.
School quality and access.
Early childhood conditions, including prenatal health.
Child self-regulation and cognitive control.
In that order.
The top two are zipcode and parental situation, followed by schools (should create skills and relationships), health (both an asset and skill), and then a skill.
Those top two aren’t controllable for people who are already alive, and neither is number 4. So I put them on my ignore list along with time in the womb correlating to IQ and that the best predictor of if a hockey player will be good is the month they are born in.
For people in the land of the living, as I am, school quality and access becomes the controllable and most valuable point. My hypothesis proved true.
It also comes with the benefits of being fundable, scalable, and able to interact with communities and parents to hopefully improve those ‘uncontrollable’ points as well for a kid.
So where is education at now (US)?
~96% of kids go to some kind of school (.i.e not homeschooled or unregistered).
Every kid going to school goes to a form of school created before women could vote, black people had rights, electricity and cars were invented, and before social media and AI.
In other words the school model hasn’t really been innovated on in ~175 years.
We don’t have schools for this era.
The curriculum may have been updated some, but the model and methods of teaching have not.
I’d say there is room for improvement and the time to improve is now.
So we’ve established that good education is the most powerful controllable variable in social mobility and that the current U.S. (and global) school model is outdated. Let me add one more point.
The U.S. school system (and model) spends $16,000 a year on each student for K-12, and $36,000 a year for higher education. This is in the top 5 of all countries in the world.
However, our results are much below that. We are anywhere from 6th in reading (I suspect worse), to 28th in math, and our colleges have a 60% graduation rate.
Basically we spend ~45% more and get results ~13% below average. (we are reportedly higher in reading, but lower in math, and these are trending down.)
So we are outdated and inefficient.
I intend to change that. That is the frontier of education.
That is where I’m headed because the problems I am most qualified to solve are the ones I have experienced because I know them most intimately.
TLDR:I want to help kids be better than their parents.
In scientific words, I want to create social mobility.
I assumed school was the thing that let kids be better off than their parents..
So I asked: does education actually move mobility, or did I just assume that?
Mobility has a few big drivers. The strongest are things like your zipcode and who your parents know.
You can’t pull those levers. You can’t ethically reassign a kid’s zipcode, and you can’t fund or copy a wealthy family’s network.
Education is a real driver though, and it’s the one you can pay for and scale to many kids.
The school model we run is old and underperforms for what it costs.
So the work is finding a better model. That’s the frontier, and that’s where I’m going.
My overviews on social mobility and education:A History of Education.
Sources:
Mobility Decline and history - (Source - Olivetti and Paserman (income-proxy from occupations, 1850-1940) and Ferrie (occupational mobility since 1850). For the long linked-census trend it’s the 2019 PNAS study (Song, Massey, et al.).)Long and Ferrie, "Intergenerational Occupational Mobility in Great Britain and the United States since 1850," American Economic Review 2013, plus Ferrie's earlier "History Lessons" essay (2005).
Among a lot of querying many different things for the history
And of course - James Floyd for his life stories (Me :) )
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Dear Reader, This is my monthly update email. Just like companies send updates to their investors, I send updates to you.
I am grateful for you.Right now I am sitting in my room after a wild weekend of work and sports, blinking the sleep from my eyes and wandering my way through this reflection. There are flowers made of books in a jar on my desk, and a siren wailing on by.
The contents of this update are:
1. TLDR
2. The month in a story
3. Decisions I made
4. Actions Taken
5. Gratitudes and Reflections
6. Feedback Requests
7. A PoemTLDR: Completed The Sonder Series, Decided What’s Next For Me
My Last Month In A Story
1 month ago I was in sitting in a leather bucket bar stool looking out my window into the green backyards of my neighborhood. The sun was trickling through the leaves of trees, and I felt free.
1 month ago I was at 60/100 people for The Sonder Series. I blew past that goal by changing the goalpost to 100 interviews and ended at 125 people.
I walked 180 miles total, much of it in the first weeks of this month. That’s the length of Manhattan 13 times.
As a cherry on top I did a potluck for everyone I interviewed and gave them cards with all 100 interviews and a poem on them. I spent the week leading up to the potluck editing every single one of the 100 videos.
This weekend I helped project the Knicks first NBA finals win in 53 years on the side of an apartment building.
Then watched people fight on the Front Lawn of the White House while I worked on the launch post for the series.Decisions Made
Continue past 100 people to 100 interviews
To do a potluck for everyone I interviewed
What’s Next: A business in education
Actions Taken
- Interviewed 45 more people
- Transcribed all conversations with 125 people and created a report
- Edited all 100 interviews (uploading all to YT rn for launch later this week)
- Executed a potluck with invites to all 125 people.
- Decided what’s next and did preliminary research on Alpha.SchoolReflections and Gratitudes
- The Stats from the Sonder Series
- “Our point of reference for beauty is nature” - Rick Rubin
- The Tree falls the way it leans. Be Careful which way you lean. - The Lorax
- Awkwardness is an under explored emotion
- “It is not the critic who counts: not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming, but who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself in a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat.”
—Theodore Roosevelt
Speech at the Sorbonne, Paris, April 23, 1910Feedback Requests
Who do you know who’s working in education?
What’s your favorite education innovation?
What else would you like to see in these updates?What’s your favorite experiment you’ve run on your life?
A Poem - Great Trees and Greenspaces
Middle of Manhattan, sunny day buildings surround, windows look down Clouds abound above a spot of green Many people, much to say Dresses, shorts, hats, no-hair Smiles, frowns, boots, flats In a rush, on a walk, single, in a pair Tourists, Locals, all rare, cool dat Flower boxes, book carts This is a city full of art Tattoos, clothes, architecture, orchestra Horns honk, buses brakes squeal You cannot see it all in one very moment Too many things, too few senses but bit by bit it will build like the romans You see barriers are suggestions, and New Yorkers own this Resourceful, focused, diverse, sophisticated Cultured, un-coddled, Can-doers doing Anyone and everyone has been in NY You see, they have just done the dang work Groceries on subway, small room, Living ambitiously, less stuff More character, less doom More zoom, less gloom So off I go into the rough :)
^This is not perfect but I wrote it in one take, hope you enjoyed :")
From my heart,
James Floyd
P.S. I love seeing your responses and am so grateful your here!
P.P.S. I have been very busy with my series so I appreciate follow ups!Past Updates:
The James Update #1
The James Update #2
The James Update #3
The James Update #4
The James Update #5
The James Update #6
The James Update #7
The James Update #8 -
Dear Reader, This is my monthly update email. Just like companies send updates to their investors, I send updates to you.
I am grateful for you.Right now I am sitting in a leather bucket bar stool looking out my window into the green backyards of my neighborhood. The sun trickles through the leaves of trees, and I feel free.
The contents of this update are:
1. TLDR
2. The month in a story
3. Decisions I made
4. Actions Taken
5. Gratitudes and Reflections
6. Goal Completion
7. Feedback RequestsTLDR: Got an apartment in NYC, I’m interviewing 100 people in New York, 60/100 done
My Last Month In A Story
1 month ago I was in sitting on my girlfriend’s flower comforter. In her cozy Brooklyn apartment, my stomach is full of stir fry and salmon, and we had just enjoyed the evening air in our hair on the rooftop.
I had just moved to NYC and didn’t even have an apartment, let alone an attack plan.
The problem was, I almost immediately had to leave NYC, but for good reason.
I surprised my sister, and I flew to Kansas City to do an event with a community I’ve helped build called Quarter Life Crisis.
Once I returned from that I was elated to have no flights anywhere planned, and my focus shifted to NYC. But I still had no action plan.
I had moved, but I needed to choose something big, stake my name on it, and send it.
From some polls I ran to people on LinkedIn and some sharpening from friends I landed on interviewing 100 people in NYC.
The age old strategy of meeting my neighbors, in public (at parks/places), in public (building it in public online).
I’m now at 60/100 people. I’m calling it The Sonder Series.Decisions Made
Where to move
Interview 100 People In NYC
Joining a Business > Starting My Own
Actions Taken
- Moved into new apartment
- Still avg-ing at least one LinkedIn post a day
- Pre-Read 100,000 words in 10 days to vet others books.
- Interviewed 60 People in NYC in 15 days
- I’ve also written 10 poems towards my 100 Page poetry book. I believe I’m close to 70 poems for that book now.
- Changed my website to be more simple.Reflections and Gratitudes
𝗙𝗼𝗿𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝘂𝗻𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 Once you have established that you will do what you say you’ll do, bite off more than you can chew.
Said differently, change only happens as adaptation. Adaptation only happens as survival.
“𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲” Martin Scorsese said it. The greatest creations, and the most simple ones, pour out of people. “They are compulsions.”- David Senra
𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘁 > 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻 (𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆) The heart’s electromagnetic field is 5000x stronger than the brain’s. Your heart’s energy affects the world around you more than your brain’s.
𝗞𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 Being kind is better business than being rude or scarce minded.
The energy inside of you will change the energy you perceive externally, and sometimes literally what happens.
𝗧𝘄𝗼 𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵𝗲𝘁𝘆𝗽𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘀𝘂𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 Craftsmen and missionaries. Rick Rubin, Steve Jobs — obsess over specific frontiers of technology and skills. Michelin Brothers, Elon Musk — obsess over specific problems and solution sets.
𝗧𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗱 People so desperately want depth. With so much abundance, depth makes the difference.
𝗔𝗿𝘁.
/ärt/ 𝘯𝘰𝘶𝘯
the conscious use of skill and creative imagination, skill acquired by experience, study, or observation.
Artists win through science. Science directed by heart.
There are also patterns I’ve seen in my interviews I will write a separate analysis of, but here are a few.
“𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁’𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆?”
→ No one starts at birth. Everyone starts when they moved to NYC.
→ Almost no one has it thought out. They figure it out as they speak. The people that do are more grounded and successful.
“𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺 𝗶𝘀 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝘁𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂?”
→ Division. Lack of empathy. People not listening.
→ Finding community. Not just finding people—finding depth. → Education, young people’s potential not watered well.
“𝗪𝗵𝗼’𝘀 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂?”
→ Rarely the people with accolades, more often its resilience that’s admired. → The ones who know themselves well. The ones with strong “no” muscles. → Those that have parents often answer about them
The meta-pattern: Many people react with surprise to my questions. “Wow, that’s deep.” “I wasn’t prepared for that.” People are not used to being asked meaningful questions.Lastly, I am so grateful for the great outdoors that heals soul, mind, and body.
Goal Complete
To summarize: A report on starting a business vs joining a business + plan
The report: I talked to smart people from A16z, the Forbes list, professional sports, and composers to others that know me well. I concluded the following.
1. Specialist > Generalist. Possible to specialize in 2 ways. First, Domain expertise, second being great at a specific skill.
2. If you don’t know what to build, build distribution. I have done this in a smaller way with my network through giving, and am now approaching this is a bigger way through content.
I think that going into a job where I can focus on a specific domain and skill will be the best suited opportunity for me to succeed long term.
Even if I become a CoS again I will choose wisely the domain to consume knowledge on.
After The Sonder Series is done I’ll have data on the problems that mean a lot to the world, and choose meaningful to me.
In addition, I will have established myself in NYC in a big way.
From there I will make content UP towards the positions/people I want to work in and with. This will both create assets for me, practice skills, and get me a job. Just like Casey Rickey made art for his heroes.
Feedback Requests
What frontiers of technology do you see right now?
What problem in the world is most meaningful to you?
What else would you like to see in these updates?
What’s your favorite experiment you’ve run on your life?
Still the biggest stretch ever. Thank you for walking alongside me.
From my heart,
James Floyd
P.S. I love seeing your responses and am so grateful your here!
Past Updates:
The James Update #1
The James Update #2
The James Update #3
The James Update #4
The James Update #5
The James Update #6
The James Update #7 -
Dear Reader,
This is my monthly update email. Just like companies send updates to their investors, I send updates to you. (Past updates linked)
If you are reading this, it is because I am grateful for you.
I’ve moved this to Substack for transparency, sexy-ness, and ease of use for you and me.Right now I am sitting on my girlfriend’s flower comforter in her cozy apartment in Brooklyn, my stomach is full of stir fry and salmon, and we’ve just enjoyed the evening air in our hair on the rooftop.
The contents of this update are:1. TLDR
2. The month in a story
3. Decisions I made
4. Actions Taken
5. Gratitudes and Reflections
7. Plans and goal for this month
8. Feedback Requests
TLDR:
I sold my car, mattress, computer set up, and moved to NYC.UPDATE: I’ve decided that listing the events I attend or people I meet is not helpful in representing progress towards my goals. The lessons or actions that come from each will still be represented here.
Short Story
1 month ago right now I was in Austin, Texas cleaning up trash with a cardboard waiter tray I made with zipties.
That was me showing out and giving my effort to build relationships towards NYC, and it worked.
I got back to Nashville on Thursday the 19th and had some big decisions to make. My lease was ending April 9th, and although I could extend, I felt like my time had come to leave Nashville and take a risk, but how and where and when?
I gathered info, did my financials, and the path became clear. It was time.
So I sold almost everything and moved here to NYC (Looking for a place to rent as we speak).Decisions Made
-I decided to show my heart to a guy and his team at the company Fibe. They host tech events around the country, especially in NYC.
- Decided to sell everything and move to NYC
- Decided to follow through on a commitment, and separately to visit family. (Once I am back in NYC on the 19th I am entirely focused on one goal, starting a business, or getting a job in 3 months or less in NYC)
- Potentially staying in a Co-Living place (like a long-term hostel) in BrooklynActions Taken
- Put 100% effort into pulling off the volunteering at the event stunt. (Cold emails, intros, gift and letter, and volunteering at the event + follow up)
- Posted every day on LinkedIn this month (~40k impressions, avg of 200 words per post)
- Sold car and PC for 12k, plus found a family in need for the rest of my things
- Set up conversations and events for the week of the 20th to hit the ground running, plus did a content series announcing my move to NY
- Dm’ed, Emailed, and Called 50 apartment and Coliving options in the area im looking for
- Escaped an escape room in record time for a friends’ birthday- Read 4 books (Mans search for meaning, Never Enough, Sam Waltons Biography, and Old Charlie’s Almanack | Not including the 2 i’m pre-reading)
Gratitudes and Reflections
Ever since I started exploring next steps from Nashville, and certainly since my girlfriend (9 months ago today), I have thought about moving to NYC. Now I have. There is much emotion in a leap like this, and I am grateful for that depth.
I am grateful for the freedom I enjoy in this season to read and write obsessively. (Two people even invited me to pre-read their books!)
I feel in my heart so much love from the people around me who have been apart of my journey and are now. I am grateful for those that hold me accountable, give me advice, and support me.
(I would not be here, or the man I am, without you.)
- The question I have guided myself with this month is, ‘what is my gut telling me?’- The most personal is the most creative - Martin Scorcese
- Words are magic, and so they matter. That’s why it’s called spelling - Bruce Lee
- He who has a why to live for can bear almost any how - Niethze
This coming month
- Today or Tomorrow I move into a place in NYC
- Thursday I fly to Kansas City to do an event with a community I am helping with.
- Sunday I get back to NYC and all of my focus is finally entirely on my success here
- I will be doing events, coffee chats, stunts, and contentMy goal
is that in the next email I write to you, I will have a report on whether I am starting a business or getting a job, and a specific plan on exactly how that will happen. By then I will have completed all of my commitments to pre-reading books, the community, and established a foundational routine to propel me into this bright future.
Feedback Requests
I have 8.7 months of savings at a $3,400/mo burn rate, not including tapping into some acorns I have tucked away to start a business with - Is that enough or should I fast track a job?
Is there anyone I NEED to know in NYC?What things do you wish you did differently when you took big risks?
I feel this is my biggest stretch ever. Thank you for walking alongside me.
From my heart,James Floyd
Past Updates:
The James Update #1
The James Update #2
The James Update #3
The James Update #4
The James Update #5
The James Update #6 -
My emotions rise at your name, I feel my stomach fill with energy, and my mind races with possibilities. I remember the first time I met you coming out of that long tunnel from New Jersey. The many people, wide streets, and honking cars filled my mind with stimulation. I remember the many buttons on building doors, and the thin wooden-floored hallway to where my sister lived.
As I’ve grown into this business world, I’ve come to respect your prowess and excellence. The kind of respect that your name brings, and the personality you give to your inhabitants. I often think of a customs agent at one of your airports a few years ago, and how he oozed confidence, class, and calm. A lesson in how you sharpen people.
More recently we reconnected on an adventure of mine to attend an event in your heart. The rush of it still fills my memory. The criss-crossing roadways of your airport, the drive over that white bridge as the lights in millions of windows twinkled, and how your traffic at 11pm couldn’t discourage me. As I entered my friend’s room he had nothing but a bed, metal stand-up closet, and empty walls, I was struck by how small it was. I slept on the floor that night, giving him space and thinking about how you must either crush people into their rooms or shoot them out into the world.
My day began early as I walked away from your buildings that scrape the sky and into the splotch of green that is your heart. The fresher air, quieter noise, and my friends faces that Saturday morning energized me. As the event began I met a woman and in the corners of your cafe’s, subways, and under the sun’s rays I got to know her. At 2am on Monday I walked her back to her apartment and said ‘see you later’.
On the plane I was full of emotion unlocked by a conversation about letting down walls and I had to get those feelings out of me. I wrote a poem as I looked out over your skyline wondering how I would indeed see you and her again. I couldn’t get the emotion out of me fast enough, and even when I did, my gut told me ‘go for her’. Despite some logic, and many miles, in the last 264 days she and I have shown that when there is a why strong enough, you can achieve any how.Now, that how is a move to you.
However, there are other gravities that have pulled me to you. There is an essence of excellence that enters my mind when I think of you. The layers of art, innovation, diversity, and history that make up your jungle tell me ‘this is the melting pot to jump into.’ Like a kiln I know some people explode when heated by you, others crack under your pressure, but some will be hardened into art.
For that reason, I am coming to you as clay comes to a kiln. I have some substance, I have some shape, and now look for the heat that solidifies me, glaze that makes me glisten, and upper shelves reserved for work crafted with deep love.
I do not wait for heat, nor do I use hope as a strategy, but if you will humor me for a moment, let me pray and visualize.
Let this experience not add layers on top of me, but rather add to me. I dream that your long blocks, strong people, and boundless action sharpen me further into a formidable man. I dream that I will become more direct, more loving, deeper, more specific, and more wise to the ways of the world.
I see my bias to action growing stronger still, and my taste sharpening from your diverse cultures, smart people, and innovative products. I see my climb up in this world to be from building my own ladder rather than playing some status game. Know that I will stay strong in this pursuit should you tempt me. Let craft, thrift, and love be my compass towards the crowds, my name spelled loud in the papers, and my past self wow-ed.
I set no expectations for when I leave other than that I have created constantly and loved fully. I will compete only against myself and my abilities, for those are the pursuits that are most creative and valuable.
From my soul,
James Floyd
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Abundance is the belief between Yes and no. A vote for faith in the powers that be while internally "there's not enough" may crow. instead of the illusion of choice it is the choice of delusion. To say, there is a way to be wealthy and stealthy, fatherly and healthy, kind and calm, a killer and monster, AND on and on it goes. A ship manned by conviction towards land that is paradise. A place more than nice but may feel like rolling the dice. Not to worry, that is just the price. Because if you believe There is no chess the answer is Yes. Where there is fame or a money rain remember this givers gain.
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I like the little moments like laying on the ground and looking up at the sky... looking at the stars. You like danger Danger, adrenaline, excitement, energy They are why I live Energy when I wake up and think about my day Live hard, die old Days spent resting are filled with thoughts Old mistakes constantly examined Thoughts, dreams, problems, solutions Examine then action, to war! Solutions to this are none, kill or die war I am designed for die if my thoughts consume me For I am a madman Me, I smile at danger Madman I chose and was given Danger is to others what is exciting to me Given a little moment, I am lost in memories Me? Me - oh my craziness is fun Memories remember madmen Fun is created by them Madmen are few Them. The others. The comfortable? Are many. Few are necessary Many are not Necessary to moving a species forward Not by luck, but by toil Forward we march Toil tirelessly until we finally rest March on Madman Hard lie the quest ahead.
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The woes of the wanderer are many and few After all we get life with a view Over mountains, through muck Under water, over clouds our adventures are countless but sometimes we join the crowds For connection or Kindness Longing or Lust it is rare times that we get So recharging is a must The highs and hellos Smiles and hugs are bittersweet and feel like drugs For awhile we float, just like the rest a beautiful memory created but the world nags like a pest Movement begins a slow roll at first and it doesn't come alone. Loss to be nursed as new friends ask for your phone New place, old pain, same ache, new take, and it all begins again.
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I saw a weary woman the other day sandals on as she hobbled along Her shoes scraped the rough asphalt, as she thought about where she had went wrong Even her thank you for letting her cross half-raised and full of pain, face cringing at the next step. I continued on heading to train, but my mind remained on the emotions I'd met It was a gift of perspective, a lesson of some kind It happens always, when you least expect it For me it was a chance to find gratitude a gentle reminder to breathe and reflect There is much hardship in this world the weight of which you need kinship to hold A hug, an ear, a gift or some soft words small actions that say “I see you” Empathy that breaks the pattern, picks them out of the herds a special skill, one to be honed like a color mixed to a hue An artist you are in the painting of reality Sweeping that way and then the other Pulling from your palette is the key a little love, some peace, and then sometimes further Share your hunger and stories too Because in the end what makes a difference is this They are you and you are them so reach out a limb and be true
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Aimless in this whirlpool of distractions, but what do they distract from? Stuck in the wind of wondering Achieving only a fraction of my potential, a refraction Floundering in the muddy puddles of pondering, not great at anything? So 'follow your gut' they say, and towards that I am swayed, except, towards what is my gut even casting it's ray? Although I'm sure I did play, I'm not sure I was able accept an obsession when my childhood was in session What is the lesson? Do I need to seek out some kind of regression? To go back to a day where I indeed did play? Or seek out what people from my childhood may say? Really my question is always will I be okay? No. Will I be great? I refuse to resign myself to some mediocre fate, but even as I write this, the night gets ever so late. At this rate of thoughts there is no possible way I go hit the hay. So instead I must adapt my gait, as a goat does climbing a mountain. I daydream of soaring, yet I can't see on what. It's as though I am God looking down, saying 'put it all around him' I am surrounded and trapped by 'success', I know the way out is my gut I am lashed by the flames inside me. These fantasies crash with feelings in jarring flashes. The reason I believe is solely in evidence I have given myself. In my mad dashes towards the top shelf, away from the 'normalcy' I hate Small windows into a world where I am unmatched. Where onto me others latch as I shoulder the weight. I believe somehow someway THAT is my fate. Actions will take me towards a world I want. Towards wealth I will not flaunt, and evil I will taunt. Towards moments I will haunt the darkness, and many a jaunt. At the least I will write my story in my own font, and have a life not gaunt.
From my heart and soul,
James Floyd
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Howdy,
This is my monthly update email. Just like companies send updates to their investors, I send updates to you. (Past updates linked) If we met recently, consider this a follow up!
If you are reading this, it is because I am grateful for you.
I’ve moved this to Substack for transparency, sexy-ness, and ease of use for you and me.The contents:
1. TLDR
2. People I met
3. Events I attended/Did
4. Lessons/Patterns
5. Projects
6. This coming month
7. Problems I have, Feedback RequestsTLDR:
SF→Arizona→Austin, Tx. People, people, and more people. Sedona, Grand Canyon, SXSW, and much reading and writing.
Thinking about moving to NYC even if there is no A+ opportunity I’ve accepted.Some people I got to talk to/work with:
Bill Gurley - GP @ Benchmark, Author
John Hu - Built Stan in public
Andrew Yeung - Gatsby of tech
Owen Loh - Oxford Physicist, Founder
Katya Marchenko - Founders Run Club, Interactive Game Founder
Andres Concha - Leaders of Tomorrow podcast, Founder
Pablo Casilimas - Managing partner at OneSixOne Ventures
Angela Mascarenas - Founder of Furnace Group
Many other amazing people!Lessons/Patterns:
Find creation that feels like play
Rather than giving advice, give challenges
‘Let nerds keep their money and you rule the world’ - Paul Graham
Take wisely and you do not become less - I am the Grand Canyon
Strangers are just friends you haven’t met yet
A strong enough why makes the how happen no matter what
Projects:
1. Reference list is built, and I am updating it as people compliment me
2. Videos for my future kids about my life now - Instagram
3. Still posting every day on LinkedIn
4. A substack article on how to answer the question of ‘What’s Next’This coming month:
I am at SXSW in Austin, Texas for another week, then I will likely head back to Nashville (unless I pop to NYC quickly before back to Nashville).
In mid April I’m going to Kansas city for a summit, then Phoenix for Forbes 30u30.
After that I might roadtrip my car to NYC and find a place to stay.
(BIG SWINGS)Would love your feedback on these problems:
1. Should I move to NYC, before accepting an A+ opportunity?
2. What do you think of my current approach to finding opportunities in NYC? (Content, Connections, Caring)
3. At what point should I hone in on third door-ing specific people instead of finding intros to them or having them be inbound?
4. What’s your process of answering the question of ‘what’s next?’Events:
ImagineArt Launch night in SF
Corgi Cafe Launch in SF
SXSW in Austin (So 10+ or more)
A beautiful weddingIf you think of someone I can help or should meet!
Here is a forwardable blurb!
James Floyd is a digital nomad I know who has run events all over the country. He’s super connected and obsessed with making people smile. He’s an experienced Chief of Staff who you can give a problem and he’ll find the best solution.Highlights:
• Helped run Jets & Capital events in Vegas, Miami, SF, and New York.
bringing together founders, investors, and family offices managing trillions in AUM.
• Directed and Implemented BetterWealth’s website site, funnels, and analytics — raising site health from 33 to 99 (top 3% globally) and doubling SEO visibility. (Ahrefs, G-Suite Analytics, Webflow)
• Designed AI workflows that now save 30+ hours a week and link Organic YouTube traffic directly to booked calls. (N8N, many AIs and APIs)
• Built studios and content systems that accelerated BetterWealth’s audience growth.
• Active network across Family offices, Content Creators, and Operators.Focus: He’s now looking to work more deeply inside connection-driven environments — events, communities, or high-growth teams that bring ambitious people together and make things happen in NY!
As always, please follow-up with me and ask me for anything I can help with!
( I want to help! )My Socials (No not my SSN) + Website
Instagram | LinkedIn | JamesFloyds.WorldPast Updates:
The James Update #1
The James Update #2
The James Update #3
The James Update #4
The James Update #5 -
Howdy,
This is my monthly update email. Just like companies send updates to their investors, I send updates to you. (Past updates linked) If we met recently, consider this a follow up!
If you are reading this, it is because I am grateful for you.
I’ve moved this to Substack for transparency, sexy-ness, and ease of use for you and me.The contents:
1. TLDR
2. People I met
3. Events I attended/Did
4. Lessons/Patterns
5. Projects
6. This coming month
7. Problems I have, Feedback RequestsTLDR:
Produced some sick events, strengthened and started some awesome relationships, lived in 5 cities, read 2 books, posted everyday on LinkedIn (42.2k views)
Some people I got to talk to/work with:
Michael Phelps - Most Gold Medals ever earned.
Kyle Forgeard - Star of NELK Boys, top podcaster, and co-founder of Happy Dad
Said Zewar Shah Saddat - Former Governor in Afghanistan of 1 million people
Rich Sedmak - EIR and Sr.Fellow @ UPenn, Founder of Clarity, Director of a MFO
Lloyd Nimetz - Exited first startup to Kaplan, Stanford MBA, Building Snow.Day
Alex Hansen - Exited Marketing Agency, now partner at a PE firm
James Kimmorley - Broker of Private Assets and an awesome Australian
Migena Agaraj - Connector Extraordinaire
Ilias Anwar - CMO of Cliqk, 20k on LinkedIn, A modern founder through and through
Among many others!Lessons/Patterns:
- Orcas are the #1 predator of moose in coastal regions. (This is just a crazy fact) -AH
- Your unconscious mind is yelling to be seen - Flavio
- Compete against yourself. Energy is lost any other way.
- Zoom out, patterns are found in the entirety.
- When it’s easy is the best time to go hard.
- You can’t solve a problem from the same level of consciousness that created it - AE
+ Infinitely more
Projects:
1. Reference list of credible people who will vouch for me and have (will be live on my site when its finished under /reference)
2. Personal Poetry Book ~65/100 poems written
3. LinkedIn Posts every dayThis coming month:
- Will be in Arizona for the rest of February at least.
- Meeting with the CMO of VaynerX, Mike Ibe, Maria Wlolinska, and some others. I will also be working to catch up on messages and follow ups from my travel.
- What recommendations do you have?Would love your feedback on these problems:
1. I currently have 719 unread messages on my phone from people. Has anyone figured out any good solutions/systems to mitigate this and allow more intentionality?
2. What do you think of my current approach to finding opportunities in NYC? (Content, Connections, Caring)
3. At what point should I hone in on third door-ing specific people instead of finding intros to them or having them be inbound?Events:
Players Impact Superbowl Edition
Jets and Capital SF
Family Office Dinner
Dignifi event @ a secret burning man spot
Fast Start Forum 26’
ImagineArt Launch Night
Also did some dinners!
If you think of someone I can help or should meet!
Here is a forwardable blurb!
James Floyd builds in a way that connect people, capital, and makes ideas reality.Highlights:
• Helped run Jets & Capital events in Vegas, Miami, SF, and New York.
bringing together founders, investors, and family offices managing trillions in AUM.
• Directed and Implemented BetterWealth’s website site, funnels, and analytics — raising site health from 33 to 99 (top 3% globally) and doubling SEO visibility. (Ahrefs, G-Suite Analytics, Webflow)
• Designed AI workflows that now save 30+ hours a week and link Organic YouTube traffic directly to booked calls. (N8N, many AIs and APIs)
• Built studios and content systems that accelerated BetterWealth’s audience growth.
• Active network across Family offices, Content Creators, and Operators.Focus: He’s now looking to work more deeply inside connection-driven environments — events, communities, or high-growth teams that bring ambitious people together and make things happen.
As always, please follow-up with me and ask me for anything I can help with!
( I want to help! )Past Updates:
The James Update #1
The James Update #2
The James Update #3
The James Update #4 -
Howdy,
I’m going to keep this one short.
This is my monthly update email. Just like companies send updates to their investors, I send updates to you all. (Past updates attached)
If you are reading this, it is because I am grateful for you.
In short, I left BetterWealth officially, got 30k views on LinkedIn, published a 100 page poetry book, kept talking to high-level humans, got dinner with strangers in NY, updated my personal site, so I got some things done.
Honestly, I feel a compulsion to create, to get after it and to build, but at the end of last year I had the privilege to show up for someone I care about deeply. I chose to be present there.I am now catching up on many messages (I love follow ups!), posting everyday on LinkedIn, researching skills that are defensible against AI, and FINDING THE BEST WAY INTO NYC.
Will be in Miami/Palm Beach next 2 weeks, then SF for Jets and Capital + Superbowl, then Phoenix. May be back briefly to Nashville. If you are going to be in one of those places LMK!
If any ideas, people, asks, feedback, etc popped up while reading this - hit reply!
Much love.--
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Howdy,
This is my monthly update email. Just like companies send updates to their investors, I send updates to you all.
If you are reading this it is because, in some form, I have met you on my path.
I am grateful for you.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Contents:
Wisdoms Collected
Accountability
My future
____________________________________________
First, as always, please let me know what connections, deals, etc would be valuable to you.
Now without further ado:
Wisdoms Collected:
- ‘There are years where weeks happen, and weeks where years happen’ - It’s never an equation of time, and always an equation of Input/time.
- My definition of success is internal peace
- Pain -> Perspective -> Gratitude -> Peace
- Your Internal is your external, but does not have to be vice versa
- The only thing impressive is character.
- I need little to live.
Accountability that I am taking action:
People I had the privilege of talking to:
(Each of these people impressed me with their character, and then their achievements)
Dr. Bailey - Former President of Exxon Arabian Gulf
Xiaochen Zhang - Executive Director of AI 2030
Jessica Greenwalt - Founder of Nice.Industries, Ex Creative Director at Vayner3
Patricia Mangialini - One of the world’s Youngest Diplomats, now a CoS @ an FO
Arielle Shih - Curated Experiences, IR, World Traveler
Hector Djibaou - Founder of Globalpolitan, Ex-Deloitte, US Intelligence Services
Austin Moss - Founder of Capital Collab, Connector/Investor Extraordinaire
Anoop Kansupada - Advises families on emerging technology and ecosystems
Alicia Long - Connector on BIG deals, Shark Tank Season 14, IR at Artest Mgmt
Daniel Puder - Ex-WWE, UFC Fighter building schools, Partnered with Tony Robbins
Among other royalty, storied families, etc who I’m not sure of character.
Events I attended:
Las Vegas F1 - Capital on Track, F1 suite viewing party
Art Basel - Scarface Mansion, Bit Basel, Family Office Forum, Robb Report, Venture Investor Forum x Art Basel
Grant Cardone 10X Hangar Party
Notable Projects completed on top of main work + travel:
- JamesFloyds.World Updated to a new, classier experience.
- Crossed 100 poems written. (Lmk if you would like to see one!)
- Gave a talk on The Third Door
- Created an art piece for an auction {see video on instagram (@ end)}
- Continued Building in Public on Instagram (3 more videos posted)
The next step for me:
- Join a team of the best. I’m interested in experiential marketing, community building, events, chief-of-staff, and other roles well suited for an intrapreneur.
- Starting a Scalable Startup. Some options I’m looking into. - Schools, Portfolio Management tool, Connection Management tool, and some others.
- Deal-Making: I am connecting investors to investments in all kinds of asset classes like Sports Teams, CRE, Energy, etc, and more lifestyle things like jets.
How you can help:
Intros to:
- People who design or host extraordinary experiences (events, retreats, gatherings)
- Chief-of-Staffs and operators inside fast-growing, healthy culture companies.
- Family Offices/Investors @ $100M+ deal size (sports, energy, CRE, Infrastructure, etc)
If you think of anyone I should meet, feel free to forward the short intro below:
Especially in NY!
--
James Floyd builds systems that connect people, capital, and make ideas reality.
Highlights:• Helped run Jets & Capital events in Vegas, Miami, and New York, bringing together founders, investors, and family offices managing trillions in AUM.
• Directed and Implemented BetterWealth’s website site, funnels, and analytics — raising site health from 33 to 99 (top 3% globally) and doubling SEO visibility. (Ahrefs, G-Suite Analytics, Webflow)
• Designed AI workflows that now save 30+ hours a week and link Organic YouTube traffic directly to booked calls. (N8N, many AIs and APIs)
• Built studios and content systems that accelerated BetterWealth’s audience growth.
• Active network across Family offices, Content Creators, and Operators.Focus: He’s now looking to work more deeply inside connection-driven environments — events, communities, or high-growth teams that bring ambitious people together and make things happen.
--
I’d love your honest feedback or introductions — even one sentence would mean a lot.
James Floyd
LinkedIn | Website | Instagram
P.S. I do not ask without being willing to give, if there’s something I can give you, let’s have a conversation.
P.P.S. If you’d rather receive this a different way, or not at all just reply - ‘Not my jam’ or ‘too busy’.
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Howdy,
This is my monthly update email. It’s where I hold myself accountable to the people in my network.
If you are reading this, it is because I have met you on my path. I am grateful for you.
~~~~
Contents:
TLDR
Decisions made
Accountability
My future
How you can help
_________________________________
TLDR: Moving to NY Asap, narrowed in on a couple options of how, talked to many high-level humans, would be honored by your support.
_________________________________Decisions made in the last month:
I will work as hard as I possibly can to make moving to NY ASAP possible.
Not interested in Agency or Consulting Model, or starting my own events/experience business yet.
I do not want to try and make money from connecting people personally, I would rather have a different place where cash-flow comes from.
Per Founders Podcast: I want to work with the highest level humans I can, I want to take a lot of asymmetric risk, I want to watch my costs, I want to learn from those who have done it before me.
What follows is accountability:
Here’s who I’ve talked to since my last email:
- Michael Burcham - Partner @ Shore Capital, Vanderbilt Entrepreneurship Center Director, Author
- Max Rattner - Head of Short Form Content @ Mr.Beast
- Yousuf Idris - Builds AI automations for companies like Walmart and Lyft
- Aelia Kos - Private Club Curator, Connector
- Nicholas Ingate - Exited Founder now running Sabbatical Travel
- Jessica Sophia Wong - Founder of Yorkseed
- Mussa Qader- Founding Engineer at GCP, Private Aviation
- Trey Natherson - Next Gen FO, Founder
- Vivek Pandit - Forbes 30u30, TedX speaker, Founder of PeduL
Among many others!
Here are the events I’ve attended:
- Yorkseed NYC Capital Connections Event
- Upstate NY Fall trip with friends who happen to work at Mckinsey, Microsoft, etc
- QLC - call with Forbes 30u30 founders
- Keiretsu and 601 Club Investor Events
The career options I see ahead of me:
- Join a team of the best. Through the 2nd interview from joinhampton.com about an events manager role, looking for similar CoS or events/experience design roles in NY. Looking for Support here!
- Scalable Startup. Some options, Video Card Company, Fundraise Wire Payment Processing, some others. All in the customer discovery phase with smart people, or start my own.
- Deal-Making: I am already connecting people for Lifestyle things like Jets, and Investments in all kinds of assets like Sports Teams, CRE, Energy, etc
How you can help:
- People who design or host extraordinary experiences (events, retreats, gatherings)
- Chief-of-Staffs and operators inside fast-growing, healthy culture companies.
- Family Offices/Investors @ $100M+ deal size (sports, energy, CRE, etc)
If you think of anyone I should meet, feel free to forward the short intro below:
Especially in NY!
--
James Floyd builds systems that connect people, capital, and make ideas reality.
Highlights:• Helped run Jets & Capital events in Vegas, Miami, and New York, bringing together founders, investors, and family offices managing trillions in AUM.
• Directed and Implemented BetterWealth’s website site, funnels, and analytics — raising site health from 33 to 97 (top 7% globally) and doubling SEO visibility. (Ahrefs, G-Suite Analytics, Webflow)
• Designed AI workflows that now save 30+ hours a week and link Organic YouTube traffic directly to booked calls. (N8N, many AIs and APIs)
• Built studios and content systems that accelerated BetterWealth’s audience growth.
• Active network across Family offices, Content Creators, and Operators.Focus: He’s now looking to work more deeply inside connection-driven environments — events, communities, or high-growth teams that bring ambitious people together and make things happen.
--
I’d love your honest feedback or introductions — even one sentence would mean a lot.
James Floyd
LinkedIn | Website | jamesfloydbiz@gmail.com |
P.S. I really do try to lead with my heart, please let me know any and all things I can do better!
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Howdy,
You’re getting this because I’ve met you on my path and I am grateful for it.
I want to share with you what I’ve built this year, where I’m headed, and invite your feedback or introductions as I narrow my focus towards my next chapter.
————————————————————————
So whats been built?
Events:
I helped run gatherings like Jets & Capital (Vegas, Miami, New York), and The Life Insurance Summit. Rooms that contained the best of their industry, and still had a culture of generosity and kindness.Systems:
At BetterWealth, I rebuilt* of our digital foundation — new site, analytics, and SEO.
- Site Health went from 33% to 97% health (top 9% globally) and users are up 300% (Ahrefs, Search Console, Bing Webmaster)
- Built a dashboard that tracks organic youtube vids to revenue
- I’ve built a network of AI agents + automations that now save me 30+ hours a week.
Most (did not rebuild our socials)Content + Media:
Learned production from the ground up cameras, lights, studio design, editing, storytelling, and helped double the subscribers for BetterWealth. AI goodness here too!On a personal side:
Created - JamesFloyds.World, did a side experiment that got 30k views, wrote many poems, and have been seeing the world!
__________________________________________
So where do I go from here?
As David Senra of the Founders Podcast says, ‘Focus’ is the one word description of all the learnings he’s had. So:
My next chapter is about focus - combining connection and systems inside high-speed environments.
_________________________________So, here’s what I’m curious about:
- People who design or host extraordinary experiences (events, retreats, gatherings)
- Chief-of-Staffs and operators inside fast-growing, crazy culture companies
- Founders and Family Offices for their perspective on this pursuit.
Anything from:
Amex Black Card or Imagination to smaller, high-growth companies or intimate communities.
If you think of anyone I should meet, feel free to forward the short intro below:
--
James Floyd builds systems that connect people, capital, and make ideas reality.
Highlights:• Helped run Jets & Capital events in Vegas, Miami, and New York, bringing together founders, investors, and family offices managing trillions in AUM.
• Rebuilt BetterWealth’s digital foundation — new site, funnels, and analytics — raising site health from 33 to 97% (top 7% globally) and doubling SEO visibility.
• Designed AI workflows that now save 30+ hours a week and link Organic YouTube traffic directly to booked calls.
• Built studios and content systems that accelerated BetterWealth’s audience growth.
• Active network across Family offices, Content Creators, and Operators.Focus: He’s now looking to work more deeply inside connection-driven environments — events, communities, or high-growth teams that bring ambitious people together and make things happen.
--
I’d love your honest feedback or introductions — even one sentence would mean a lot.
-
I got fired for giving away 300 bobas.
worth it.
This story begins on the come up in 2023.
I worked at an AI catering startup that served big tech clients. For one company, every Friday was boba Friday, they would order 500 bobas, but only 200 people would show up.
~300 bobas sitting there staring at me, and I stared back.
I saw an opportunity, so I negotiated for the staff to put them beside the dumpster instead of in it.
After work I peeled off the company labels, put them in my car, grabbed some cardboard from the dumpster (for signs), and set up a table in downtown Bellevue.
' Hey stranger! Want some free boba?' Come talk to me.
I wasn't trying to start a business, I just was overflowing with agency. I just wanted to meet people. I was young, ambitious, and figured: why let this go to waste when I could use it to connect?
People stopped. We chatted. It was working. So many smiles created.
Eventually I had a system for the left over food during the week to go to homeless people or the hospital, and the boba on Fridays was for me (or my future friends).
All was well, or so I thought.
A coworker who had been taking the food to homeless people grabbed something an employee had actually ordered.
She was on the chopping block. When they sniffed around and learned I was repurposing bobas they signed me up for a call with the big boss.
We talked, I learned they wanted to show out for the client so I told them fire me!
And they did.
So remember kids
1. 'Waste' is opportunity -I.e. (Leather, Whey Protein, Gasoline)
2. Resourcefulness beats resources
3. If you take the risk, take the fall.
What waste do you see?
-
Yesterday I was reminded of my 'Why'. My heart feels full writing about it. Today I'll tell you.
I've sold 90% of my things in the last week. Including my mattress yesterday.
The lady that bought it said she would be here at 6 to pick it up. But 6 came and went. So I texted her - 'Are you on your way?'
She said 'yes.'
So I waited, and waited. Eventually, she showed up at 6:35 in a beaten, scratched up old Chevy.
As she stepped out of the car I noticed her shirt was wrinkled, and greeted her as she looked at me with tired but warm eyes.
Then a kid got out of the car, and another, and another, and another. The oldest was maybe 13 or 14.
I was taken aback, but also reminded - You never know someones story fully. Four times over, actually, as each kid hopped out of the car I remembered.
The kids were curious, but wary.
As I welcomed them into my house to grab the mattress, they asked if I was selling my mirror and table too. Their eyes were so hopeful and open, I said 'sure!' take that too.
The little ones followed me and the older boy as we moved the mattress, so I started giving them jobs. 'Open that door', 'move that box', 'take this mirror'.
Then I realized, they had WAY more use for some of my clothes, pans, water bottles, and toaster. As I offered the items to the little girl her eyes widened.
So I followed my gut and went through my house looking for things to give them.
Pull-up bar, backpacks, the broom, plates, all of it was theirs.
As the kids excitedly ran to the car with each mission I gave them, I found more and remembered my younger self.
I was that little kid. I wanted to ask for things and have responsibility. I wanted to hang out with the older kids. I took care of the people around me.
That's why I write. That's why I'm ambitious.
Because I can't send a ladder down if I'm not up.
It made me think about something the best companies do.
They give a name and face to the person they're building for. Alan Cooper called her "Stacy." HubSpot called her "Marketing Mary." They define every detail so they can love that person as deeply as possible.
I must remember always I'm doing it for that little girl in the unicorn shirt and the boy watching me warily from the doorway.
That's my why.
That's why I'm taking the risk of moving to New York tomorrow.
Who are you building for?
____ T-minus 1 day. Follow to see what happens.
From the heart, James Floyd
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A 1200 lbs stage was set up wrong, and KJ Wright was about to go on. So I moved it with kid's toys.
His Wright Way foundation launch was in a few hours, but the stage was wrong. It was set up in the middle of the room like a boxing ring. It could ruin the whole flow of the room.
I stroll in on this scene: the event designers and producers gathered around, discussing what to do. (They are awesome)
The problem was, the vendor couldn't come back and move it, and the stage was ~1200 pounds.
'Good news! We are in a boys and girls club!' I exclaimed,
'But why is that good news James?' the event designers asked.
In my head I knew there were kids toys with wheels, in a closet, not far from where we were.
I grabbed them, and when they weren't looking I dove under the stage (Sorry event planners), and put each support leg on a scooter, and....
success!
Later that night I changed a soap dispenser with a pen and scissors.
The moral of this story is 2x: 1. If you're convicted, send it. 2. Design intent does not apply to utility.
_____ Repost if your network needs a good story :)
If you need a James-of-all-trades in NYC. Dm me.
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Alicia Long sent me this picture. I went and found her.
How?
I flew to Vegas for F1 on a whim (thx Arielle). Everyone was in town, my phone was blowing up.
No ticket to the race. But then Alicia texted me a photo from somewhere across the track, watching from a suite.
Adventure time brain: activated.
The starting gun cracked through the air. Clock's ticking.
I power walked toward where the picture came from (cause angles), using Maps 3D to figure out which hotel. Found it.
Walked up to the doorman. "Hey, I've got a handwritten note for a friend. She sent me this picture from a suite around here. The bar? A different suite?"
He leaned in, working with me.
Tried the bar. No dice. (But this was good.) Now I knew it had to be a suite.
Back to the lobby. Checked my bag, and shared the quest. They pointed me to a special elevator with event staff.
With my suit, the note, and a dream, I told them I was here to deliver something to an awesome human being.
My energy was undeniable.
Walked past private security. Found Alicia. (Surprise!)
I was turning to leave when she invited me to stay and meet some incredible people.
Here's the thing:
The idea was so crazy there was no downside. Anything going right was a win.
I didn't see failure as an option. I just knew it was going to happen.
Get to that place in your mind where you KNOW it's going to happen.
Where your mind bends reality to its will.
____ Alicia Long is a awesome, if you're in the investment world check her out
James Floyd is headed to NYC to make more stories like this happen for your company. Message him!
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I spent a day with the leader of an Amazonian Tribe
She was 94 and leading 300 people
Her name was Mama Aurora, and I want to tell you about how she changed my life.
The story begins with deciding to go deep. I choose the jungle over touristing in the galapagos.
and hopped on a bus at midnight in Quito. (Midnight in Quito is its own story)
10 hours of driving, 4 hours by boat. We made it, no sleep, but also no noise except for the bugs and birds.
On Day 2, we headed to a village and immediately I broke out the Spanish. We were introduced to the leader of the tribe.
I got down on my knees to work with her, and spoke with her.
She immediately started delegating tasks to me and we worked side by side to harvest the yuca root we were to eat. (Action together builds stronger bonds)
As we chatted and worked, we moved from the farm to the stove where we began preparing the food together.
She coached patiently how to use their hot stones to cook, and was ever so calm.
But it didn't dawn on me until we had sat down to eat, that's when I realized why I had even started talking with her at all. I had reached over to brush a bee that was crawling around her foot, and she had just looked deep into my eyes and said 'why'?
She is still the most at peace person I've ever met. Every action, and word that poured out of her was full of love and kindness. Her laughter a pure mirth.
This experience finally defined 'success' for me. Internal peace.
I do not do anything that will detract from my internal peace and delete beliefs that do the same.
What has taken your peace recently?
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This isn't a LinkedIn post, it's a letter. Dear New York,
My emotions rise at your name. I feel my stomach fill with energy, and my mind races with possibilities.
I remember the first time I met you coming out of that long tunnel from New Jersey. The many people, wide streets, and honking cars filled my mind with stimulation. I remember the many buttons on building doors, and the thin wooden-floored hallway to where my sister lived.
As I've grown into this business world, I've come to respect your prowess and excellence. The kind of respect that your name brings, and the personality you give to your inhabitants. I often think of a customs agent at one of your airports a few years ago, and how he oozed confidence, class, and calm. A lesson in how you sharpen people.
More recently, we reconnected on an adventure of mine to attend an event in your heart. When I got to NY and entered my friend's room, he had nothing but a bed, metal stand-up closet, and empty walls. I was struck by how small it was.
I slept on the floor that night, thinking about how you must either crush people into their rooms or shoot them out into the world.
There is an essence of excellence this creates that enters my mind when I think of you. The layers of art, innovation, diversity, and history that make up your jungle tell me "this is the melting pot to jump into."
Like a kiln I know some people explode when heated by you, others crack under your pressure, but some will be hardened into art.
For that reason, I am coming to you as clay comes to a kiln.
—
Find the rest at jamesfloyd.substack(.)com Or comment "Letter" and I'll send it to you.
T-minus 5 days until I move to NY.
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On our first day, we raided the gas stations.
I showed up to my first Jets and Capital Events as a volunteer. We were in the calm before the storm, but I could not stand around.
It was hot, the air hung in the hanger, people were starting to arrive for the VIP lunch, and I mozied my way around looking for work.
I checked if the security and check-in people needed water, then I went to the bar.
As I got to know the bar staff, I realized, they had no ice. Nobody knew. They had expected to be brought 20 bags of ice. Miscommunication.
500 people were coming in an hour, and they'd cook in that hanger without cold drinks.
I found ALEX (who I’d met that day), gave him a credit card, and said something like 'raid the gas stations'.
As people started arriving, I felt strangely calm, I trusted this random stranger I had just met.
A minute later, ALEX came through with bags and bags of ice, the drinks flowed and the people smiled.
Notably there are some patterns here: 1. The 'wall-flowers' bear fruit. Talk to the invisible people (security, bartenders, etc) 2. Surround yourself with quality. (ALEX rocks. If you’re allocating to PE, msg him) 3. Movement and momentum win.
_____ Need a James in NYC? DM me.
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A drop of water hit my hand. I jerked it away instinctively. 47 interviews done. I wanted 50 today. But it was starting to rain.
Another drop. Then another.
I left my sign up but started packing. Notebook, pen, bag under the bench. Tech tucked into the ziplock I brought for this exact moment.
I looked up to see if anyone curious was walking by.
Just then a family passed - a couple moms and a couple behind.
"You up for it?" I asked, smiling at the mom closest to me.
"Are you really at 47?" She turned to explain my sign to her family.
Yes! It's just three questions!
The rain was picking up. Where would they sit? Would my camera catch everyone? Later problems.
They were walking over as I chatted, keeping them in.
They were riding high from meeting the mayor earlier that day.
The people on the edge of the bench got up. The rain kept coming. We got the conversation in anyway.
50/100.
Sometimes things happen in the nick of time. Finish through the line.
50 down. 50 to go.
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My Uber driver used to have 110,000 employees.
His name is Said. He lived in Afghanistan and governed over 1M citizens.
Let me take you back to the beginning of meeting him though.
Despite being a normal uber, he offered me water, had carpets and a clean car. He took care of the little details like the smell of my food in the car for the next passenger.
These details reminded me of a pattern I've been learning recently.
'The way you do one thing is the way you do everything'.
This has shown up for me in the habits like doing pushups every day, folding napkins, and pushing chairs in. It's why hygiene is important, first impressions, and last impressions. (recency bias)
This is the same with events, experiences, and people. The details make the magic, but this post isn't for that purpose.
It's to help Said, and tell his story. —— Said worked with the US military for 20 years and is now trying to bring his 8 kids here to the US if you have any connections, experience, or ideas for him I can put you in contact.
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This is my pocket podcast set-up.
Mics, phone, pizzaz. 30 seconds and I'm filming.
The last three rigs I built were Sonys and Canons. XLR cables. Big tripods. Triple redundancy. Twenty minutes to set up and we used them less.
This kit, two days ago: A big smiley guy breaks out of a conversation and heads home a few steps ahead of me. That awkward distance where you're going the same speed.
"Yo man!" He keeps walking.
"YOOO, what up!" I speed up beside him. He turns.
Sees my face.
BIG SMILE.
A minute later we're in a liquor store. He's getting wine for his lady. I ask if I can interview him. He says yes, wants to help me out.
I step outside. 30 seconds later I'm set up on the sidewalk.
He walks out and we run it.
His name is Jahim. He played D1 basketball at Michigan, but is from Brooklyn.
When I asked him 'Who the most impressive person you've ever met?"
He said, "my baby boy".
_______ This is Day 133 of exploring in public
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I used feel lonely. Then a friend taught me I had earned it.
I wasn't a partier, or in one tight friend group.
I felt distant from most of my peers, and was just reading books alone on my bed.
But then I went on a trip. I lived in Ecuador playing soccer, climbing mountains, and exploring the jungle.
I met a fellow American there. A guy named Jake. A deep, thoughtful dude who loved basketball and was studying to be a lawyer. Jake was awesome.
On our goodbye he handed me an envelope.
Inside was a letter. When I read it, A line went straight to my heart.
Your solitude has been earned.
That stuck in my mind.
Maybe I was solo, but that didn't have to mean I was lonely. I'd rather be myself alone than be different around others.
In fact, when I went back to Seattle, my life became a pair of black sweatpants and big hoodie. A Weight vest. And miles and miles of walking and running alone at night.
In my life since then whenever I've felt lonely, I've come back to the fact that I earned it.
Recently this move to NYC, and 100 interviews has felt lonely.
Pack up alone. Find a spot alone.
Even between the interviews I've felt so aware that this is a challenge I'm taking on alone. I have no help or fallback.
But I know I've earned that. That it is a priviledge.
As a reminder of that for the last few weeks I've been taking videos of my shadow stretching along alone on the sidewalk to celebrate.
Is solitude a privilege to you? ___
This is Day 135 of exploring in public
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These are the patterns from 100 interviews
For context I asked the same three questions every time: 1. What's your story? 2. What problem means the most to you? 3. Who's the most impressive person you've met?
What came after them, I didn't expect:
People said "I think"(780x) and "you know"(781x) the most. As if they hadn't thought in this depth in a while.
From that came candid answers like:
When Renata said "Every human killed is an enormous universe in itself."
But patterns.. that's why you're here.
Surprisingly to me, for the problem question, lack of connection showed up in almost 1/4 of answers. Although we know loneliness is a problem.
The solutions aren't creating more homies...
Another surprise waiting at the last question was that most people don't have role models outside their parents.
In fact, about half named their mom as the most impressive person they had met.
But that's just a taste. There's a lot more where that came from so treat this comment section as a Q + A.
What do you want to know?
I'll break down each question in future posts.
_____ Have edited the first 10. Will begin releases soon.
-
I worked Andrew Yeung's Extravaganza. 7 people asked me why I was there.
So let me explain. When I say "working," I mean:
- Raiding two Staples on a Citi bike to get name tags (James > Prime Delivery) - Ziptie-ing things to fences so they don't fall on guests - Lighting the stairs so nobody dies in the dark - Taping down floor vinyl so nobody trips - Noticing the staff were wiped, and running them cold water - Being the best dressed janitor in the building - Guarding Bricks with my life
People asked - Why are you stooping to pick things off the floor? Are you here to network? What do you get out of this?
Here's the honest answer.
I learn my theory from books and solutions from fires.
- Dark stairs that could crush someone tipsy and distracted. - Staff are tired, so I get them cups of water - No name tags, and colored name tags are Andrew's brand.
Each one a fire.
None of it was mine. Not my event, not my liability. Nobody asked me do solve most of those.
I did it anyway. 2pm to midnight.
When I walked out, people were still on the sidewalk talking and smiling. None the wiser.
Some people go to Stanford University, Google, or Goldman Sachs.
I put out business and event fires. And I like it.
What fires do you like putting out?
___ Thank you Andrew for the fun!
So good to see you again Vitoria and John. (Check out Stanley people!)
Nice to meet you Maks, Sangavi, Jacob, Edward, dr, Tiffany Xia, Tiina, and Vitalii!
-
I like the advice 'leave on top' So I'm leaving LinkedIn
A few weeks ago a friend greeted me at an event, already laughing about a story I'd posted that morning.
Last week a stranger walked up with a big smile, like we'd already met.
More people than I can count have commented that they saw one of my posts.
But this just started as an experiment like any other.
Before it, I posted every day on Instagram and YouTube. Got about 70k views. It was cool, but it didn't sit well with me for some reason.
So I switched to writing. I asked some OGs for advice.
Then figured maybe telling stories like this would feel better.
I didn't know what I was doing but I figured it'd be an adventure.
and it has. From a hiring post for an employer, to stories from Japan, to 100 strangers on park benches.
I'm now editing the Sonder Series episodes, and I want to be fully present for it and the reflection on my next chapter.
That means deleting anything that doesn't feel like freedom. Right now, that's being locked to posting everyday.
I still want to write from my soul to the world and so sometimes I'll do that. Who knows, maybe I come back. But for now, space and reflection.
Thanks for being my adventure buddy and Thanks for investing in me.
If you want to keep following along, I will still write a monthly update email.
Link in comments. ___ Stats for the nerds: 150 days. ~1.2 posts/day. 161,223 impressions. 63,649 people reached. 2,956 engagements. 700 new followers. And the best stat: a bunch of smiles
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3 days ago I set out to interview 100 New Yorkers.
Today I got to 27/100. These are the patterns:
"𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁'𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆?" → No one starts at birth. Everyone starts when they moved to NYC. → Almost no one has it thought out. They figure it out as they speak.
"𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺 𝗶𝘀 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝘁𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂?" → Division. Lack of empathy. People not listening. → Finding community. Not just finding people—finding depth.
"𝗪𝗵𝗼'𝘀 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂?" → Rarely the people with accolades, more often its resilience that's admired. → The ones who know themselves well. The ones with strong "no" muscles.
The meta-pattern:
Almost everyone reacts with surprise to my questions. "Wow, that's deep." "I wasn't prepared for that."
We're not used to being asked meaningful questions.
These patterns are hard won. I spent 9 hours in Prospect Park today. And with pain comes perspective.
That perspective is this: The greatest insights come from inside oneself.
Is there better questions I should ask?
-
I went to Corgi's cafe last week, and realized:
Corgi's not doing anything new in marketing.
But it's still genius. Let me explain:
Corgi opened a 24/7 cafe where people work during all hours Sony opened a showroom with no sales people in Tokyo where people could explore their tech. (Shout out Akio)
Corgi has an office corgi named Trudy Google had dedicated dogs like Yoshka living at Googleplex
Corgi Bought a bus instead of spending the money on bus ads OSCAR MAYER FOODS has a hot dog mobile that's a staple of their advertising
All smart. All on-brand. But wait, there's more: Corgi also buys mattresses from Costco Wholesale for employees, gives them fresh honey from owned hives, employs a private chef, has a huge inflatable corgi, and hosted a Super Bowl party. Among other things I'm sure.
Just cause I love marketing like this, I figured I'd practice with some experiential ideas for their brand.
Corgi here's some more ideas, love your work: - Orange flood: corgi handlers helping grandmas cross streets, covering graffiti, filling potholes - Fake orange fine tickets - Corgi murals everywhere - Vending machine where people pay with their problems and Corgi distributes meeting slips to them - Public smashing demo: uninsured cash vs Corgi-insured cash - Podcast where guests are surrounded by corgis the whole time, or a hot ones except racing corgis or something - Flying Corgi blimp
And my favorite one: a Corgi statue next to the Dewey Monument. Plaque reads: "We're not here to protect empires. We're here to protect you."
What's an idea crazier than what I came up with?
-
The boats are burning…
I booked my flight. I am selling my car. Sold my desktop pc.
In 7 days, I'm moving to NYC.
For 6 months I've been telling people this was going to happen. 6 update emails. 107 LinkedIn posts. Countless conversations.
And now it's real.
But this wasn't the plan all along.
I tried to dip my toes in the water first, visits to the city, having hiring conversations virtually, but the 100% wasn’t there. So it didn’t happen.
Through all of this, three lessons keep coming back:
1. Follow your gut. That's why it's called guts. 2. The work you do privately and the risks you take publicly will reward you. 3. The only way in is all in.
So I'm in, all the way.
To you, dear reader - thank you for being on this journey with me.
As promised I'll be posting every day.
You'll see what I'm leaving and what I'm taking, what I'm looking forward to, and the behind the scenes of the biggest move of my life.
Please drop advice, people I should meet, and adventures I should go on.
See you in New York.
From my heart, James Floyd —— P.S. if you want to leave me a review as a person, comment or go to jamesfloyds(.)world/references
My promise is that I will always be changing for the better.
-
I surprised my friends with myself at SXSW by stalking them
Last Friday at SXSW, after working at an event, I got a moment to take a breath in between activities.
I checked my phone and saw that Andrés had shared his location with me, then I realized I had other peoples locations too. The idea accelerated.
There were 3 people in a 5 block radius of downtown Austin. I didn't know what floors, what events, with who, but I knew where.
Like business, with a good concept, but low context, audacity is the ticket to more.
First I walked towards Annie (a close friend doing RE in Austin).
As I made progress towards her I got more committed to the idea.
I got to the area and immediately started looking for her, not that blonde, or that one.
Boom, there she was laughing with her family, so I just waltzed in and sat down. Smiles all around, we shared stories, laughed, and connected in a new memory. After we caught up quickly, it was time for quest #2.
Andrés was somewhere south of me, but I had way less info.
Audacity.
When I got to the area I listened for music and looked for security, those are good signs something is hopping.
I identified a roof that looked promising and skipped the line to show the check-in lady (don't ask security) my Find My iPhone. "I'm trying to find my friend, can I take a look?" (big smile)
She was swayed by my excitement and I was in, no invite.
Then it was just a matter of looking for his handsome face. As I tapped his shoulder and he looked up his face went from confusion to shock, to happiness. Immediately we were swapping updates (His podcast is popping!), and catching up.
Also saw Vivek (Charisma coach) surprise! and met Pablo (Awesome VC, always smiling).
Now, these adventures made me realize a few things:
1. Just show up. And show up fast. Don't text when you can call. Don't call when you can fly there.
2. You don't need permission to love people. Just audacity. I didn't ask "hey is it cool if I come find you?" I just showed up.
3. Proximity creates serendipity. The best moments of my week weren't planned. They happened because I put myself within a 2-block radius of people I wanted to see.
The world rewards people who move.
When's the last time you surprised someone?
-
Yesterday I sent an email that may change my life
An investor update, but I don't own a company. To who then? The people who have been a part of my climb.
To understand this, I've got to start with Angie Parker.
I told her I was on the hunt for a dream job again, and she gave me this BANGER idea of writing an update to all the awesome people I appreciate.
Yesterday I sent my 6th one. 182 days of living, and 6 recaps. Half a year.
The past ones have allowed me to: - Re-connect with people I haven't seen in a long time (<3) - Get introductions to 20+ people - Mark time passing in a meaningful way
These 'investor updates' have also taught me:
1. Relationships are a responsibility, and communication is how you water them.
2. Content leverage is free. More people know about my work than just those directly affected by it.
3. Pronoia — people are plotting my good fortune. And this update reminds me of that every month.
Thank you to those of you who read it and support me like Caleb, Parker, Andrés, Sonali, Silas (and the rest of you less on LinkedIn <3)
Am I weird for sending investor updates to the homies?
-
Here's a list of ways to the top:
Andrew Yeung made events that attracted the people he wanted to meet Alex Banayan cold emailed and cold called his way to interviews with greats Sam Parr hosted party to get tenants for an apartment he found on craigslist Corgi Just bought a bus cause it was cheaper than ads on buses Jimmy Donaldson counted to 100,000 to go viral Tony Robbins got into Jim Rohn events by volunteering to help Georgia Gibson slept on couches and created content for others to grow her old startup Andrew Fine and Jimmy Johnson made a newspaper to pitch their content company Bill Gates used his dad's lawyer letterheads to seem more official James Floyd flew across the country to produce Jets and Capital Events for free after a cold email.
The only pattern I see is 1. Find an idea that's crazy enough it requires your best self. 2. Believe through action. 3. Act through doors that others aren't taking.
Here’s more doors to consider when you've found that idea:
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No one taught me taste so I'm teaching myself
This story begins in Yolo County. I lived with 7 families, bouncing around too much to pick up passed down lessons on life.
One day in the summer of 2020, I was sitting on the hood of my old subaru, looking out over the farm fields, and my life changed.
I was reflecting on leaving my whole life I had built behind for college, when I noticed something I hadn't before.
The trees were green. Then I saw the lavender in the fields popping purple, and how blue the hue of the sky was.
It was like TV in early 1954 turning to color from greyscale.
The emotions of that time I realized were all beautiful, the hard ones and the easy ones, but this was only the beginning.
That beauty, that energy that I got from being in the moment so presently found a way into my soul and now is the muscle I've been training by the regimen of the greats.
You see
Steve Jobs audited calligraphy at Reed
Sara Blakely sold fax machines door-to-door for seven years and did comedy
Sam Parr collected ads before starting Hampton
Andrew Yeung did product at Google and Meta
Ryan Glick trained his eye in fashion
Craig Waldman has done 20 years of events
Michael Ovitz loves art.
And me? I'm just getting started. I've read three books in the last week, written ~150 poems in the last 7 months, and have gone to 70 events in the last year.
The lesson here is reps x conviction = taste
T-minus 2 days until my next growth move is announced.
What tastes good to you?
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Tonight my feet ache. It's the kind of night where I sigh getting into bed.
Today I walked 21,078 steps looking for interviews. (~10.5 miles)
It all started with a long train ride up to the New York Botanical Garden in the Bronx. Page after page of Ol' Sam Walton and his simple country wisdom.
I was raring to go, but when I got to the garden, the paths were empty.
Honestly, I muttered to myself, and then I got my legs cranking. I followed my gut into the forest. But saw no hikers.
So I followed my gut to the Rockefeller Rose garden, but when I bent down to talk to the gardeners pulling weeds, they weren't up for it.
On and on I trudged.
Step after step, I pondered podcast after podcast. Sam Walton's biography mixing with the depth of Dee Hock (Founder of Visa).
Even the garden reminded me of the conquest and kindness of the Rockefellers.
Today is the kind of day that reminds me of my compulsion. Of the compulsion of greats.
Sam Walton put 5 dogs in his plane and flew them around for quail hunting, while stopping to look at stores.
Dee Hock quit Visa, after the biggest IPO of all time, to subsistence farm.
Today my compulsion pulled me 10.5 miles towards interview after interview in the Bronx.
I did not fit in, but it didn't matter. 7 people left to interview, and 72 episodes complete.
What has been pulling you recently?
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My definition of success changed when
I met ‘Mama Aurora’ in the jungle of Ecuador.
She runs a tribe of 300 people. When I met her she was 94.
At one point in our conversation I reached over to brush a bee off of her foot.
A considerate thing to do where I came from.
She brushed me off, calm and content.
That made me realize.
A better measure of success even than trophies, is internal peace.
If you win, but hurt others. You feel remorse.
If you make money, but lose health. You stress.
Today I make all my decisions based mostly on my peace.
I thought of this the other day when 3 people canceled meetings on me.
My peace was not taken away. Why?
Because I have built skills that let me feel confident I’ll figure it out.
And if I can figure it out, no peace lost.
Where do you find your peace?
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Trump flew into Vegas and killed our Friday event. (Cause it was in a hanger)
24 hours to pivot. 500 guests to call.
I wrote a cold calling script, shared it with the Jets and Capital Events team, and we started dialing.
The pitch: Trump is coming, we're pushing the event back a day. Here's how this is good for you! Two events, one the day you expected and the hanger event a day later!
Meanwhile, the rest of the team was designing a whole new experience for VIPs and guests, for the next day.
By noon I was picking people up from the airport, while making calls and logging them at stoplights (shhh)
By 7pm that night we had booked two venues, and ordered the supplies we needed. By 8pm every guest had been contacted (peep me calling in a closet below)
That day I learned: There is a way EVERYTHING can be spun into a positive. For this? 'Double the fun' was my motto.
If you want tickets to our Superbowl event with many months of planning by the same amazing team go to the Jets and Capital .com website!
Today is the last day to get tickets at current price.
Make it a great day.
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Volunteering is better than networking. Andrew Yeung's secret garden party proved that again.
2000 people showed up. I was the guy with the zip ties.
No zip ties? Asked a stranger who worked there. He hooked me up. Signs falling over? Zip ties. Trash everywhere? Made trays out of cardboard and zip ties. The Hustle flags needed fixing? You guessed it. (Zip-ties)
At a dinner later, I opened a locked door with a nail.
Most problems have simple solutions. Zip ties, cardboard, tape, a nail. 2 things make them solvable. 1. Audacity. 2. Relentless execution.
Shoutout to the people who made this possible:
Andrew Yeung, Danielle Raskin , Vitoria Okuyama - for letting me work alongside you Paige Blankenship , Ivan o for helping me and your agency! Lauren Giovannetti - Long way since Davis! AWESOME to see you again. Emily Talas - Glad I got ya'll checked in and that we could chat! John Hu - Your grace and calm is impressive, I appreciate how you show up. Alejandro Allen and Inn Cahoots - incredible venue, incredible staff
Showing up to help is one of the best ways to give. And when you give first, good things tend to follow.
What do you think is the zipties for the internet world?
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I filmed a podcast in a baby crib. and there's an important lesson
ALEX and I had an idea at 11pm after a long day.
There was a baby crib in our bnb, and he had mics. So the one and only episode of 'Welcome to our crib' was born
But there's something deeper here.
The majority of people have ideas, few actually end up creating. So what puts people in the creative minority?
Audacity.
Jesse Itzler started a private jet company with no jets and no aviation experience.
Nike paid fines every game for Jordan's "banned" shoes
Arturo Di Modica spent $360k of his own money to create the Charging Bull, then dropped it in front of the NYSE at midnight. No permits. No permission. Now it's one of NYC's most visited landmarks.
My friend Aurora got us into 5 Art Basel parties by skipping lines and asking. (Bet on her.)
And Alex and I? We filmed a podcast in a baby crib. ( baby steps, amIright? )
Regardless of how they performed, its an asset. Something created.
None of these people achieved alone, but often they began that way. It takes less energy to draft than to lead.
So just do things. Practice audacity. As you improve, so will your ideas and execution.
What's your crib moment? I know one of Mason Johnston’s is a ponzi scheme.
_____ Follow along for lessons and learnings on my way to NYC and beyond
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100,000 people have seen my name on LinkedIn but nobody knows why I started Today I will tell you.
In January, it was time for me to answer the question of 'What's Next'. I knew that answering this question is easier done than said. So I started doing.
My thesis? If you don't know what to build, build an audience.
So how do you build an audience? Trust. How do you build trust? Transparency and consistency. How do you build those? Posting honest stories from your life, answering questions, and showing up every single day.
87 days, 100+ posts, and 1,732 engagements later, 100k people have seen my name.
Despite my network I'm realizing it matters more who and how people know ME , than who I know.
People come up to me at events, friends mention my posts, and hundreds of people try to connect with me on here.
There have been many kind internet strangers and friends IRL who have helped me. Some that come to mind: Kaia Tham, Lane Spurlock, Vitoria Okuyama, Silas Mähner 🌎🔍, John Ciannello 🦁, Mason Johnston, Gavin DeFord, Daniel Greenberg, Cooper Swanson, Jay Yang.
Thank you for your comments, advice, and energy.
To you dear reader here's my promise: In this journey of answering "What's Next?", I'm taking you along for all the stunts and stories. Those of you here early get front row seats.
T-minus 4 days until I'm in NY.
What stunts would you like to see?
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I just sold my car to a vending machine company.
This is the story.
~10 days ago I decided to move to NY. The problem was I still owned a car.
I needed to sell it quick, or I would be leaving it to rust, and losing an asset.
So I called every dealer I could find, put it on Facebook Marketplace, and went to CarMax . Just when I thought I had done my reps, I saw Carvana on maps and figured, might as well try them too.
When I showed up, I saw the first ever car vending machine. Complete with showrooms, robots, and lights.
They offered me 22% more than Kelley Blue Book. Not only that, but they offered to pick it up when I was ready.
1. It was SICK 2. My business nerd side lit up
So I followed my curiosity about Carvana and Perplexity-ed while a nice southern lady drove my car around. (inspecting it I think)
- They pick cars up from people's houses - Sell cars through vending machines - Have an entirely online experience (unless you drop off or pick up car) - Grew 58% last year - Profit $6400 per car to CarMax's $2250
Optimizing for experience is winning.
I'm moving to New York to live just like this - follow my curiosity and build the best products by focusing on experience.
What business/experience should I check out next? (especially in NYC)
____ T-minus 2 days until I move to NY
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Stanley asked 'What did you almost quit?'
I thought of when I visited Elliott Bisnow on an island.
It was beautiful, a peak Orcas Island day. Pine trees, cold water, and good present people.
My time on that island brought me again to the present, where my feet were. Reminded me of how most of the billionaires Elliot has met, and many I have, were never on their phones in front of either of us.
In fact! The best events are also where people are deeply present.
It was tempting though, so many times I've dreamed of just leaving society, quitting phones, and living immersed in nature with no messages to answer.
In fact, just last week I was overwhelmed with the red bubbles all over the apps on my phone. 104 texts, 436 WhatsApps, and more across other apps.
It was noisy in my head, so I turned it all off and went on a walk with just my notebook in a trashbag (cause SF's rain).
Each step I took away from my phone, the brighter colors were, the more peace I felt.
And it's not only me. The University of Texas at Austin showed that people are dumber (memory and intelligence) the closer they are to their phones.
But, although I am so much better off with the wonderful messages people are sending me, I must always battle to be closer to where my feet are.
To be present. (I will also fight for this in the experiences I create)
This is what I plan to do: - Phone stays in my bag or on a counter (never on my person) - Black and white mode (kills the dopamine) - Wear a watch so I don't need phone for time - Turn off every notification that doesn't move me forward - Get to being a billionaire so I can have 6 assistants who check it for me - Be like Ed Sheeran eventually and go email only
What's one habit you would add?
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Flying from India to Japan, no sleep, my eyes heavy, I knew the best option was buying a grandpa.
I was going to have about 17 hours in Tokyo, before I had to board my flight to LA.
but I hadn't been before, I wanted to use my time their wisely, so I went searching online for a grandpa to rent. Grandpas know best.
The time was ticking closer.
I found the man himself just 10 hours before I was in Japan. He was awesome. Flowered shirt, gray hair, eye crinkles.
Ka-Ching! My Apple Pay went through and I was going to walk out of the terminal to the waiting smile of a stranger.
but I had never met him before.
When he arrived he greeted me like a grandpa would, warmth and welcome.
He took me all over Tokyo. I got to smell the incense at a temple. I crossed Shibuya Crossing. I sat next to him on the train and talked about how Japan is 9x older than the USA.
My time was filled with a memory I won't forget.
That's why I'm starting the Sonder Series. To fill my first weeks in NYC with memories like my Japanese grandpa. To learn stories and talk histories. To fill the city I've moved to with warmth.
Because leading with warmth will find me the best next step.
Would you rent a grandpa?
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5 years ago I had social anxiety that made my stomach do flips Now I’m interviewing 4 new people a day.
In early 2021 I’d been socially beaten, trying to talk to anyone. Social distancing was in full effect, social shaming even more so.
I was in my head.
Then I failed out of college.
I hadn’t been doing my homework. I’d been taking care of my roommate instead.
It came as a shock. That’s how out of it I was.
Laying on that floor, I clicked apply-all on LinkedIn easy apply jobs.
The first people that called me were looking for an account executive. I had no idea what that meant.
But I pitched myself as best I could.
They told me to talk to 250 strangers a day.
I talked to 500. If anything, I was the danger.
To be clear: I had never done sales, I was scared of talking to people, and I had layed on the floor of my room for most of the last.
This contrast between action and feeling reminds me that the ‘game’ is just reps.
That’s it. Reps.
If you want to be great. Do reps.
If you want to be confident. Do reps.
If you want to run events. Do reps.
If you want to ____. Do reps.
This diabolical picture is me taking dumb frat merch pictures. I helped grow the frat from 30 members to 120 members in two semesters.
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I've realized I don't care anymore. This latest update is case in point.
Jason Fried described something in a recent podcast that made it click. He talked about how he's not an "envelope guy."
How businesses are just an envelope that holds the "letter" - the product.
*Smack* My hand hit my forehead.
With The Sonder Series I'm sitting on park benches with my phone clipped to a fence and a whiteboard.
My Fibe application video? My phone was stuffed in a mug to film it.
My most recent update email? The thumbnail was a blooper picture of me.
The whole not caring is the pattern I'm seeing in the answers to "who's the most impressive person you've met?"
so...
I don't care about the filming angle, or that my phone's just clipped to something. Or that I'm filming with my phone.
I don't care that I stacked protein oatmeal and a mug on a rolling chair as my tripod. It did the job.
I don't care that this semi-embarrassing picture of me is on the internet now. It's a solid update.
Tag a friend and what they should stop caring about
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Unpopular opinion: People don't change
Yes I'm serious. Yes I'm an optimistic person.
Think about it like this -
Story 1: You want to go walk around a track, or play soccer on a field. You get on the subway/get in your car, get all the way there and its fenced off.
Frustrated you turn around and head home.
Story 2: You want to go walk around a track, or play soccer on a field. You pack your bag, get on the subway/get in your car, get all the way there and its fenced off.
Frustrated you turn around and see me just in time to watch me take your bag and throw it over the fence and run away cackling.
Now what?
Well... you adapt. That's what.
You figure it tf out and climb the fence.
Oh and while you're there you might as well do what you came there to do in the first place.
This is what I call a forcing function.
Other examples include: Saying yes before you know exactly what you're signing up for, sending a $400 flight with an hour before I leave because I told people I was coming, committing to pre-reading two books at the same time, committing to 100 interviews publicly, talking to 500 strangers a day for a sales job. (I didn't know anything about sales)
So next time you want a change remember:
change doesnt happen, adaptation does. (and you can force it :) )
Pic: A house show I committed to helping with, without knowing what that entailed. S/o Lauren Sawyer ☀️
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32 days ago I set out to do 100 interviews in New York.
Today I completed that.
From April 29th until right now, I walked 377,090 steps to make it happen.
That's 180 miles. Or the length of Manhattan, 13 times. Including the days I stayed home, that's 5.6 miles a day.
I interviewed people in all 5 boroughs. 30+ unique locations. 20 different parks.
Ages ranged from 11 to 86. 61 women, 64 men. Professions galore.
In 26 days of filming, I recorded 29 hours, 37 minutes, and 11 seconds of footage.
I averaged 5 people a day, and 17m 46s per conversation.
People like Jay Yang, Will MacLeod, Lauren Sawyer ☀️, and Matthew Gamero all were a part of it.
And as cool as the numbers are, right now I'm going back to my quinoa, ground beef, and veggies.
I'll share my feelings and the patterns later. I plan to transcribe all of them and write up a summary.
The last to-do's on the list for this project: Interview the Mayor on top of the Empire State Building as Ep 100 * Interview a nun.
Both are in the works.
Anything I missed?
___ *I offered this slot to the Mayor first and am holding it for him. I have an Extra Credit episode with an awesome man named Jason that makes the 100 interviews true. I refuse to wait for anyone to complete the project.
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I told Brendon "Race cars cool down by moving forwards." Then he did his last 100 pushups to hit 1000.
I was in my coaching bag. Even pulled out an Ol' Teddy Roosevelt quote.
2 weeks ago I took him to the park for calisthenics for the first time, then interviewed him. (Episode 004 of the Sonder Series.)
He'd been a gym guy. Eats healthy, lifts heavy.
There he met a maniac who streams 9 to 12 every day. 1000 reps a day. 10,000 once a month.
He challenged Brendon to 1000.
"I'm just going for an hour," Brendon told me.
An hour in, he was at 600. So we kept the momentum rolling.
He just did pushups, I cooled him off, got him water. Whatever was needed.
He didn't do 1000 straight. It took him doing sets. 5x40, 5x30, 5x20, 5x10, 10-1, 1-10, 10xmany.
The path to success is paved with bricks. Not paved the whole damn way in one chunk.
Do a little. Get some momentum. Then keep it rolling.
What are you rolling towards?
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Poetry is the method to my madness.
Believe it or not, 1.5 years ago I could not have told you what I liked. Let alone why or why not I liked it.
I was traveling around the U.S. going to different events and meeting people I thought were cool. In other words I had no point B from my point A.
When I moved to Nashville I had no idea what was coming.
I knew no one, so I spent a lot of time alone.
One nights in my empty apartment I decided to try just putting my thoughts into a poem.
I felt like one of the blind mice. But I tried again.
and again.
I'm 200 agains in and the lesson I've learned is this:
Logic gets you to a point B you can already define. Your gut is how you find point B in the first place.
Now, my friends will be the first to tell you, I speak my heart.
Bluntly.
but the only way that's possible is because I found my intuition.
From feeling my way through 200+ Poems.
Take these pictures of things I like, collected compulsively, as proof.
What do you collect compulsively?
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This is everything I own. In 3 days, half of it will be gone.
By now you get it, I'm moving to NY. What you might not get is what I'm bringing with me and why it's important.
Clothes - It's socially unacceptable to not wear clothes in NY, also illegal
Go Bag - I can take over the world with that black duffel in the top right. Backpack, zipties, lighters, a knife or two, first aid, because being prepared is never lame.
Books - That guy with the Lamborghini and garage isn't the only one who says knowledge is important, so does the Bible, Charlie Munger, and my mom (except they're not swindlers)
Besides myself, that's it
Am I forgetting anything? ___ Thanks for having fun with me :) T-Minus 3 days until I move to NY.
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I didn't go to college. Here's my 'college' experience:
'Freshman Year': Joined a sales org and talked to 400 people a day, built 5 teams of ~10 people,
learned that to scale you must also scale self-care
'Sophomore Year': Recovered, read 25 books, went to South America and Asia, volunteered at galas to meet movers and shakers, ran a 5 minute mile, was king of the kids
learned there are no limits
'Junior Year': Worked at an angel group, did events, gained 20 pounds (And a lot of googling finance terms)
learned that nobody is special
'Senior Year': 'Graduated' and left angel group to travel around the country. Cold emailed, wrote letters, worked for free, and then drove across the country to take a leap
learned that extraordinary relationships create exponential returns
my life resume poppin fr
imo - learn what you need + a couple passions for spice
Pic: no college things with the @Praxis boys
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Today I pitched Carlos Ponce on a LinkedIn beef. He said he'll get back to me. So I'm pitching you.
Kaia Tham and Caden Knebel had beef. They both grew.
So did John Ciannello 🦁 and Gavin DeFord. They both grew.
More importantly, they had fun. So I'm looking for beef.
Who wants the smoke?
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Have you ever realized you're not the center of someone else's universe?
That the stranger next to you has a life as vivid and complex as yours AND it's happening right now, without you in it?
That feeling has a name: Sonder.
And Sonder is the title of my next challenge.
The Sonder Series: 100 conversations with strangers in NYC.
Why? I just moved to the city. I'm itching for adventure. I'm hungry to find meaningful problems and creative solutions to them, whether that's a job, starting a company, or something I don't know about yet.
So what better way to find things I don't know exist than to hear and tell stories I didn't know existed?
But honestly, I have some figuring out to do.
In the coming days I'm finishing up notes on Jim Kitchen's and Jay Yang's books. Then I'm locking in the model and launching.
In the meantime - help me shape this: - Do you like the name? - What questions should I ask? - What angle would make you actually watch? (If it's not different, I probably won't do it. Be creative!)
You voted for this (57% said daily street interviews). Now let's build it together.
Here goes something, James Floyd
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Yesterday I broke my streak. 105 days of posting. Gone.
I told you the boats were burning. I told you it was game time in NYC.
But I missed a post.
I've been inside. In a funk. No zip tie moments. Or crazy events. No wild stories. Nothing "content-worthy."
I thought about a networking hack post. Some tactical thread about how to ask questions at events.
But that's not why I'm here.
These posts are journal entries. I'm bringing you along with me - not performing for you. Transparency is the whole point.
The boats are still burned, and it is still game time.
the reflection?:
My worst days recently: - Read 5+ chapters and gave thoughtful notes - Worked out - Ate healthy
My worst days now, are better than my worst days in the past.
I don’t here people often talk about that.
Often progress is measured by our peaks. The big wins. The viral posts. The crazy stories.
But your floor reveals perhaps more than your peak.
I believe my worst days show my real baseline.
And my baseline is rising.
Streak restarts now.
it’s always day1, James Floyd
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I like danger.
I also like strangers.
But this one didn't offer me candy and I still showed up.
Lane sent me a link to an event, and said 'come through my g' (or something like that)
So I hopped on a scooter, and headed over. (scooter native btw)
Turns out all the homies were there:
Lane is crazy connected, focused, and writing playhouse
ilias has 40k people in his community and is building Cliqk with Rohan
Colton is building Founder Social club, scouting for Headline, and being handsome
Shawheen is operating MatchPlay and just interviewed Bill Gurley
Palmer Fox founded ClimateHound making F&B carbon neutral
Philip is crushing the venture world and is a CoS
and I'm James.
Safe to say we're dangerous.
Comment danger and I'll airdrop you a lime scooter via Chinook.
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How to win strangers and interview them by James Floyd
𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝟭: 𝗪𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿𝘀
1. S.E.E. — Smile, Eye Contact, Enthusiasm. This must be authentic or it doesn't work.
2. Tell a story. My sign reads: "Just moved to NYC. Interviewing 27/100 New Yorkers. Can I interview you?"
3. Understand the hesitation — filming, time, stranger danger — and address it upfront. ("It's just 3 simple questions!" "Don't worry I'm not famous yet." "You can run away at any point :)")
4. Be down to earth and real. Always start by meeting the person's heart. How are you? Never jump straight into the interview.
𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝟮: 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺
1. After they're done talking, wait 3 seconds before responding.
2. When I ask a question, stop at the question mark. Don't give them potential answers.
3. When someone reacts to the depth of a question, stay quiet and smile. Acknowledge it, but let them sink into themselves to find the answer.
4. Follow my curiosity in questioning. The advice Larry King gave to Alex Banayan was "Ask the questions that make you most uncomfortable in your seat." Now I'm doing that too.
5. Trust my tech. No fussing with mics or angles — I let the gear do its job so I can do mine.
What do you wish people did in conversations more often?
_____ Pic 3 - Lauren Sawyer ☀️ Pic 6 - Matthew Gamero
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"You are the sum of the 5 people closest to you."
"You use steel to sharpen steel, and one friend sharpens another." Proverbs 27:17
"Show me your friends I'll show you your future."
Wherever the wisdom comes from the point is. People make the place, they make the company, the make the success so Show The Heck Up.
Thank you for making me better Silas Mähner 🔍🌎, Dalton Haberman, Jonathan Stevens, Jonathon Lopez, Charlie Westerman, Alex Hernandez, Alex Younger, Trinity Arl, Angelos Psathas, Isaac Morehouse, Jared Fuller
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So I met this guy named Casey Roloff, who literally built a town. (It's called Seabrook)
First, what a guy! Kind, excited about what he's building, but also obsessed about the little details that make a HUGE difference in people's lives.
Among the many seeds our first conversation planted, one was called sightlines.
A sight line is an imaginary line from someone's eye to what is seen. In other words, you design the experience from the client’s literal POV.
Washington DC, The Palace of Versailles, Disney Land, Austin Texas, and infinitely more places use sightlines for immersion, security, and to make people go.... WOW.
If you want to make peoples jaws drop, consider sightlines.
Casey you rock.
Pic of Austin capitol sightline👇🏼
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Twice in the last week, I've told someone about search funds and twice they didn't know about them.
So let me take you back to when I learned about them.
In my time at Keiretsu Forum Northwest I got to watch Jon S. pitch his Agate Hound Fund. (A Fund of Search Funds)
There's a lot of funds in the world, but I had never heard of this kind.
A search fund is where an entrepreneur raises capital to find, acquire, and operate a single company. The searcher becomes CEO of the acquired business.
How it Works: 1. Raise ~$400-500K "search capital" from investors (usually takes 3-6 months) 2. Spend 12-24 months searching for the right business to buy 3. Once found, raise "acquisition capital" (typically $5-15M total deal size) 4. Buy the business and operate as CEO for 5-10 years 5. Exit through sale
Here's some stats: - 600+ search funds launched since inception - ~70% successfully acquire a business - Average searcher IRR: ~35% - Average investor IRR: ~15%
The more you know 🤷♂️
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Leader's should stop saving people
At points in our lives, we are all alone in the arena. The lights are off, it’s dark, and all you hear are your feet hitting the ground. This is true for employees, partners, and everyone else.
In these moments we are faced with our own mind.
There are 3 choices: fight, flight, or freeze
The ideal would be to strengthen the mental pathway of fight. Of action towards a goal despite any odds. (Less competition going that way anyway)
In order for that path to be taken, the person in the arena must choose it.
So it only follows that someone creating noise would create difficulty in making the best decision here. If that noise is in the direction of freezing or flight, even worse.
It’s like giving them permission to quit.
The lesson? Stop saving people.
It prevents them from getting strong enough to beat it themselves.
Here's what to do instead:
Sit in the stands, or court side even, and cheer, or just show up and acknowledge, BUT give no indication of direction.
Give only positive encouragement and allow no room for negativity.
They have everything they need already to make the best decision.
Let your people benefit from figuring it out.
If you are in it now, take this as a cheer.
Go inwards.
Rahul Gupta - ( who I got the arena analogy from) You changed my life. Thank you.
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76 days ago I started posting on LinkedIn. 101 posts later, here are the lessons.
First, a why strong enough allows any how.
My Why for posting? I'm moving to NYC to find a future worth chasing. 'The will to meaning' - as Viktor Frankl called it.
This 'future', this 'meaning', is what makes the life I want to live possible. It makes Family, friends, health, impact, wisdom, excitement, love all possible. THAT is why this mission matters.
This is how the HOW has gone so far ( :) )
1. Your stories > brand stories January I wrote about the LEGO Group, Red Bull, Michelin. 0.2x engagement. March I wrote about volunteering, surprising friends, scooters. 3x+ engagement. People want YOUR stories, not case studies.
2. Shoutouts compound Posts with 5+ tags averaged 2.5x+ engagement. My volunteering post had 8 tags and hit 5.0x. Generosity is a growth strategy.
3. High impressions ≠ high conversion HYROX got 14,000 impressions and 0.1% conversion. Volunteering got 4,400 impressions and 1.3% conversion. Optimize for conversion. Impressions follow.
4. Evening posts win 7-10 PM dominated. Late night (after 11 PM) flopped almost every time.
5. Give ideas, not information Corgi's cafe (6.4x) worked because I brainstormed FOR them. Red Bull case study (0.2x) flopped because it was just... information.
Basically:
Show up. Tell your story. Tag the homies. Give more than you take.
What would you like to see in my coming posts?
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I've lived in 10 cities in 3 months. here are 10 reflections from the wander
In city #8 I was reading "I Am the Grand Canyon" about native people who loved going out onto the plains in winter instead of being cooped up in the canyon.
They felt free. Light.
I knew exactly what they meant. All the power you put into things flows back into you when you let go of materialism.
That's lesson 1 of 10.
1. Live light - Stuff doesn't matter. The power goes back into you when you release it.
2. Be frugal AF - The greatest founders cut their costs. I do too.
3. Give - People help me because I've helped them or will. It compounds.
4. Tap into clusters - I know people who don't know each other. That pulls me in many directions. Good.
5. Be honest about goals - Yours and theirs. Find a way to make both happen.
6. If you're in a "What's Next?" season, explore - This is me exploring.
7. Commit all the way - Find meaning in the moment, not the future.
8. Trust your gut - It may pull you up instead of down.
9. Find high-leverage problems - Solving clean water solves 52% of hospital visits. charity: water
10. Find the frontier - New technologies require the same learning work as old ones. Might as well learn the future. (Psychedelics)
The cities: NYC, Nashville, Miami, Palm Beach, San Francisco, Oracle, Phoenix, Sedona, and couple more I'll keep mysterious.
Which lesson have you mastered?
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Dr. Sue Sisley sued the DOJ and won, and that's not even my favorite part of her story.
Let me explain.
At SXSW, Carlie introduced me to Dr. Sisley. She's the only FDA-approved person to grow natural full psilocybin mushrooms in the US.
But here's the part I love most:
She named her strain "Jedi Mind Fuck."
Now every time the FDA references her work, they have to write it. Officially. On government paperwork.
This is my kind of person.
I do the same thing in smaller ways. My last two official signatures have been "This Guy Rocks" with an arrow pointing to my photo and "BE UNLIMITED."
No one told me I could. No one said I couldn't.
More experiments = more learning.
What's the next thing I should sign on my ID?
Front runners include: Innocent, Didn't do it, and Not a flight risk
_______ Tomorrow I'm announcing my next experiment at 11:11AM ET
It's a big one.
Stay tuned :)
_____ P.S. Sue is looking for a filmmaker to make a documentary, HUGE opportunity.
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I've filmed 1,750 minutes of park bench podcasts. One of the better lines I've heard:
"We've gotten so much worse at being awkward."
I had to fact-check it. NIH says 58% of US young adults meet the standards of social anxiety.
The stat isn't the point.
We're worse at social skills because we're worse at awkwardness.
It kept coming up while I was getting ignored in front of 20 other New Yorkers.
Or asking strangers if they're dating (oof)
Or sitting in the discomfort of someone pushing back on a deep question.
I had to share this post to point out that awkwardness is a POV.
You think it's awkward. It's a thought/feeling inside you.
They might love that you asked a deep question. They might be grateful you brought up dating.
What if?
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I’ve been shamed for using Apple Maps. Now they’re adding ads.
Maybe my friends were right.
Since I moved to NYC I’ve defaulted to Apple Maps. Friends go off about Google.
They say more ratings, faster routes, better data.
And it’s true, there have been things labeled wrong, it’s gotten me late to a date, But I’ve held the line.
Today I’m crossing off the last borough of my Sonder Series. Maybe the last interviews of the whole project.
Staten Island. Park I’ve never been to.
People I’ve never met. If the park’s dead, I waste the day.
If I get lost, I get no interviews. The whole 100 hinges on showing up to the right place.
So I pulled up Maps.
The notification you see below popped up.
Ads coming. Okay?
Then it just… didn’t load.
I downloaded Google Maps for the first time in months. It loaded. It routed me.
Google’s had ads forever.
And personally, I like to be early to parties.
Is this the sign to switch?
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Yesterday I got rejected by 17 first responders, and 6 people on the ferry Still, I made it to 95/100. To cheer myself up I
I interviewed myself on the back of the The Staten Island Ferry, the problem is I didn't know what I was doing.
The order was off, I didn't consider editing deeply enough, and now in post production it all feels too jarring for my taste.
This is a failure in quality, but not a failure in action. I took a leap and tried something.
I'm wondering: Should I post it at all?
What do you think I should do with the clips?
I answered my three questions, and the last one was the best.
_____ This is Day 133 of putting my adventures into writing on LinkedIn. To the next!
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Most people don’t know this, but I wrote one of my college essays on showers.
I thought they were a great analogy for my life.
And it worked! I got into 4 California colleges that I applied to. UCSD, SDSU, and a couple other state schools.
I got waitlisted at USC even.
But showers. Why showers?
You ever show up in a new bathroom, long day of travel, and bam you’re hit with cold water.
You adjust it and now you’re boiling.
Over and over it again.
20 minutes later you find the sweet spot?
One of my skills is finding the sweet spot.
So I wrote an essay about how that skill came to be (living around the world)
and why that set me up for finding the sweet spots in life.
I hope to intellectualize more random things in the future.
To brainstorm: candles, air vents, and hinges.
What random thing do you recommend?
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A friend of mines mom managed Metallica his dad sold Monet’s. Now he
Is building a healthcare startup and doing gigs on the side.
I came across this quote while supporting him at a gallery gig.
"While there is no way to compensate for an atrocity, there is a way to transcend it, by making it a gift to others.
The trauma is redeemed only when it becomes the source of a survivor misson."
This is why missionaries win.
That’s why exactly why im asking people about meaningful problems to them.
5 interviews left.
My goal is to include a nun, a Hasidic Jew, and Anna Martirosyan (cause she and her guy Devon are awesome)
who should be the other two?
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Took 3 hours off of my series to go to a Lovable event.
There I met Aino (the Lovable special forces)
A few weeks back, Aino was getting her hair done when her hairdresser started complaining.
People book a year out for weddings, but cancel before coming. Only 8 good weekends for weddings in Finland, so cancellations leave her scrambling.
As her hairdresser talked and worked on her hair, Aino got out her laptop and pulled up Lovable.
She wrote a whole site right there in the chair that solved the problem.
As Aino told me this story, she told me she loved how accessible this made building 'tech stuff' (my words)
That got me thinking: How does an AI startup market to hairdressers?
Hairdressers don't read TechCrunch or know about startups. Neither do nail techs, lawn care guys, mobile detailers, or dentists.
They're in different places than the AI bros.
So you have to go where they are. So as promised Aino, here's some ideas:
- Website vending machines. Someone talks to the machine, it texts them the site it built.
- Lovable bus with tray tables. Corgi bought a bus instead of bus ads. Why not Lovable? Park it outside beauty expos and let people build.
- Lunch and build at trade shows. Set up a booth at the International Beauty Show or a lawn care expo. Makeup, makeup, hairspray, Lovable.
- Drive-through demos. Pull up, describe your problem, drive away with a solution.
- Live build parties in public parks. Big projector on a wall. People watch you build their business tool in real time.
(To me, one of the biggest advantages of the current age is being outside and building. Get your customers out for some wellness and websites)
The idea is simple: Go where your customers are, not where tech people are.
Also, I always support trapping people in boxes in public places and live streaming it. 😃 👍
If you're going to change the world, might as well have fun. What ideas can you think of that are funner?
Pic: shoutout Mike Harp!
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Day 1 in New York. I didn't leave the apartment until 6pm.
Yes really.
I moved many miles to the city that never sleeps. Sold my car, my mattress, and 90% of my things. And on Day 1? I stayed inside.
The thing is, I have stacked commitments, and my word must mean something. Two authors sent me unpublished books for feedback, there are 3 events I'm supporting, and I committed to writing here every day, plus I'm cooking full healthy meals (lots of chopping :) ).
So I put my head down and worked. Let me explain this bet with an analogy:
I ran cross country in high school. Most people's pace isn't consistent. Fast start, slow middle, kick at the end.
On hills it changes too. Most runners, when they reach the top of a hill, subconsciously slow down. They're tired from the climb.
That's where I'd crush. I would hammer the flat top of the hill while everyone else recovered. Then I'd rest on the downhill, letting gravity do the work. Same thing here.
Right now I'm at the top of the hill. The momentum is real. The messages, the books, the connections, the asks.
So I'm trying to hammer. To work. To give. Even when the giving isn't visible.
I believe that energy isn't created or destroyed. I trust that aggressive giving compounds.
Am I missing the point of the move?
From the heart, James Floyd
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Yesterday, Dulcinea looked at me with wide eyes and said, "this is surreal." 6 months ago, we were strangers on Zoom.
Now our group is in Kansas City throwing an event with the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, the mayor, athletes, and creators from across the country.
What do I mean 'our group'?
Vivek - Founder of QLC, Forbes 30u30, spiritual nerd Dulcinea - Mountains of NM → Café Corazón Officialón in KC (Small Business of the Year finalist) Andrés - 3 companies + podcast with CRAZY guests Ariana - Ironman World Record Holder Kate - Gates Foundation consultant who brought me gifts from Korea Vanessa - Yogi doing VIEWS on IG (and a genuinely kind human) Even Dulcinea's assistant has his own business and was an Army Ranger And yours truly James Floyd
We have merch. Journals. The news is already writing about us. But what makes me want to say "look mom I made it"?
This is about getting young people productively through their Quarter Life Crisis.
Life is not about the status games or rat race for our generation. It's about deep meaning.
Come make some internet friends into real friends at our Summit on Saturday in KC. (or send to one person you know in KC)
Luma in da comments.
Pic: The homies and settling some differences in event prep. (Kidding)
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I’ve rewritten my personal story 4 times
Now I’m doing it a 5th
Vivek Pandit recommended this format on a Quarter Life Crisis call the other day.
1. Before 2. Transformation (what it took) 3. Who I am now
And said to have different versions ready. (If your pitching do this for your company 2)
So here it goes:
My 1 sentence is:
When I was 18 I showed up in San Diego with zero connections and no dreams,
through cold emails, communities, and kindness
I now produce events around the country, have a network of incredible humans, and am someone people come to for advice on business, life, and health.
Thoughts?
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Sangavi cracked luck. I think I cracked wisdom.
A few days ago she posted about luck as surface area: Doing × Telling = Luck.
As that sat in my mind, I went to KC and got called "wise Jesus" for 3 days (Still not used to it.)
So I had a good ol ponder. I thought about Charlie Munger collecting mental models and Steve Jobs collecting disciplines.
Here's what I landed on:
Experience × Reflection = Wisdom
Grinders who never reflect? Achieve without learning. Awfully painful life. Overthinkers who never act? Theorize without wisdom. Also painful, but in a more sad way.
The way to avoid either is to make habits. Specifically a reflection habit and an action habit.
Since September 8, 2020, I've made a monthly Instagram video of my adventures. Clips, people, places and the lessons in the caption. 56 months straight.
Not for views. For my future kids.
Daily writing is another reflection habit.
I plan to wisdom-maxx now that I’m in NYC. What should I try first? (Will reflect here with you)
—- Announcement on the 21st!
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This weekend we celebrated Silas's birthday. Ultimate frisbee, boardgames, and a heist.
Okay Okay the heist was an escape room, and it reminded me of something.
Picture this: 33 minutes ticking on the clock, everyone yelling different clues, someone's trying a code that definitely won't work, and I'm in the corner piecing taking a key out of a bottle with a hankerchief.
Chaos. But also a lesson.
Intel is a person's ability to make a good decision. In the chaos of life, a business, or an event the amount of information the leader has is their ability to direct efficiently, but people don't have a system for it.
CEOs across the planet work in offices, with people feeding them yes's, and even when they try to talk to people closer to the ground, they don't actively involve them in the process.
With that key, the instructions on the hankerchief weren't shared with the person who had the bottle, so time was wasted.
If you don't want to waste time here's three things to consider as a leader:
1. If you're solving a problem, involve people who have lived that problem 2. The faster information from the ground gets to the top, the faster the ship moves 3. Jim Casey (UPS) and Elon Musk (Duh) talk to workers in the field. Do you?
What's your system for getting intel from the ground?
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Flying to SXSW at 5am, dreaming about these stunts
2007 — Twitter spent $11K renting TVs in the hallways for live tweets and told people to text them
2009 — Foursquare goes viral for letting people 'check-in' digitally to physical spaces
2012 — BBH Labs made homeless people into wifi hotspots to raise awareness
2014 — A guy traded hot dogs for app signups (Fire trade tbh)
2018 — HBO built a 2-acre replica town of Westworld with 60 actors and tickets sold out in minutes
2023 — Jessica put a QR code on her back and went viral
2023 — Sky Elements flew 600 drones for an hour countdown → QR code → Rickrolled everyone
2024 — Andrew Yeung made a 'secret' party the biggest tech party at SXSW
2025 — FX's Alien 'crashed' a space vessel in Austin and made a haunted house around it
This year I hope that Rivian does a zipline from The Austonian
What shenanigans do you want to see?
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As I drove through the desert of Arizona.
I was dreaming about a place
Where people walked in with wonder, and walked out only to come again.
I’ve spent the last four days in the deserts of Arizona, Grand Canyon, ‘castles’, saguaro’s standing tall, dirt.
Learning about the people from before, and contemplating.
I wondered:
Are there built places now that flow with nature? An experience focused on learning life skills by being with nature.
One where electronics are quarantined to preserve purity, food is organic and hearty, and people go not to heal, but to accelerate?
Courses like:
-Ranches and roaming on horses with herds teaching us hard labor and empathy, -a design and thinking course with the intricate roots of trees and cooking outside, -a healing course based fully on molecules selected for by billions of years of nature rather than what’s patentable -etc
As the Paul Graham said, the expert knows when to copy. And nature has done a lot of work already.
What places are there like this?
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I woke up at 4:45am to a canceled flight. Next flight out was $400 more.
I had to be in KC by noon, and I had to keep my word I was going.
That $400 option was the only one.
I sent it. And you know what happened?
I got upgraded to Uber Black, but wait there’s more.
When I got to the flight I booked an hour before it left?
Upgraded to first class for free. (Different airline so I know it’s synchronicity)
These are both ‘good omens’, ‘synchronicities’, ‘luck’, whatever one may label it.
What I believe?
It takes skill to get lucky. Send it, get rewarded.
This view is also that :)
Last step - get the difference in reimbursement.
Any negotiating tips for me?
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11 things I do at events that nobody taught me:
1. Wear something weird (shoes, pin, hat) — gives people a reason to talk to you
2. Black on black. You can be a guest, staff, or security depending on the moment.
3. Put everything you learn about someone in the "last name" field of your contacts. You'll remember them forever.
4. Make intros immediately. If two people should meet and they're both in the room, do it now.
5. Borrow a tray from catering. Suddenly you can "clean the room" and talk to anyone.
6. Wear an earpiece. Instant (aura)thority.
7. Stash waters and napkins. Surprise people when they need them.
8. Take pictures of people smiling or doing cool things. Makes them happy, gives you a reason to follow up.
9. Bring info to the host/directors. They make better decisions, and feel better with intel.
10. Portable chargers ( People be forgetting )
11. Be a greeter, first impressions are important + you get to meet everyone
___ I'm moving to NYC to do IRL work, CoS work, or a job I don't yet know exists. If you know someone connected or hiring message me.
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It’s been 2 years since I stood in front of a private airport with a sign.
That was my first post ever on LinkedIn.
I’ve met a lot of people since then, and have changed quite a bit.
So I’d like to re-introduce myself.
I am James Floyd.
I've spent some of the last few years employed, but others maximizing my life resume. (Shout out Mr.Itzler) I’ve stacked stories, skills, and built a network I am proud of.
Now, it's game time. I am again in a season of YES to crazy ideas, and willing to be deployed towards any big meaningful problems. I want to do stuff IRL, with people.
Experiential marketing, CoS, events, retreats, or a job I don't yet know exists! (Based in NYC for the next season)
I will however avoid causes I don't believe in. (Cause then I won't grow your company well anyway)
I will be posting more as a result of this, and take you along this journey.
Some posts will be about what I’m learning and doing (I’m a person).
Others will be specific to experiential marketing, community, events, systems, to help the people who will give me opportunities!
——- I would be honored to receive your feedback in the comments or dms.
And of course, if you know one business person in NYC, let’s talk.
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People spent 5 minutes+ exploring my last website, here's why...
It was a 3d avatar like world complete with achievements, animations, and interaction. It was an experience.
But I just changed it.
Why? 1. I feel I've changed some as a person and believe it's important a portfolio resembles me. 2. I think this one is even cooler.
The lessons: Be different. Experiences build trust between you and others. Follow your heart.
If you want to check it out you can find it at https://jamesfloyds.world/.
P.S. There's an easter egg behind the tree!
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‘Whether you like it or not stress is a choice’
said Mo Gawdat( ex-Google CBO ) and honestly?
He seems like a guy that cares deeply about others, so why did he say that?
He believes, as I do, that from now and for the next few years, we will face unprecedented uncertainty.
Uncertainty often = stress. Agreed? Okay, so let’s define ‘stress’, then look at actions.
The first principles: In physics, stress = force applied/resources to carry the force.
In real life the ‘forces’ applied to you, many of them, are in your head. Thoughts, feelings, behaviors of your choosing. Either that, or they are perceived by your mind. (see below)
Your resources to deal with them are also in your control because if you’re reading this, well your life is up to you. You can invest in different actions, habits, skills, etc.
So where do the 'forces' come from? TONN Trauma, Obsessions, Noise, Nuisances Y axis is intensity and x axis is external or internal.
What actions can you take to minimize your stress:
-Make a list of noises and nuisances then delete
- Increase the resources (skills, tolerance, support, etc) you have to deal with stress
- Ask how questions not why questions. ‘Every challenge comes with an opportunity, how can this be good?’
- Only use AI for your mind, nothing else. Not heart, soul, or body.
- Love will still exist in 2030 and may be our one advantage, love hard and love deep. Soak in it.
If you got this far, thank you. We humans are in this all together.
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I hit 1000 followers last week. Now you have 24 hours to vote.
Over the last week, 6 people I talked to IRL mentioned my LinkedIn posts. They said my writing is authentic. That they like my stories.
Two said they didn't need an update from me because they already knew from LinkedIn.
This changes my life strategy. Even though I spent the last year building my network, I've realized it matters more who knows me than who I know.
And I know word spreads when you build good sh*t.
So I'm doubling down. From here on, everything I consume and everyone I talk to is for what I create.
You get to help decide what that is:
1. High-profile interview series - deeply researched conversations with people I'm curious about (Cred. Silas) 2. Daily street interviews — 5 strangers a day, every day 3. 100-day NYC poetry series — one poem about my experience here, every day for 100 days (Cred. KC QLC) 4. Something else entirely — drop your wildest idea in the comments. I'll do my favorite one.
Poll closes in 24 hours. I'll make my announcement tomorrow ~9pm.
From the heart, James Floyd
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Caleb Guilliams 🔑 Founder l Speaker recommended the book "The Alamanack of Naval Ravikant" to me. (https://lnkd.in/gSq4AHPc)
Gold.
Then I checked out his website nav.al (https://nav.al)
Also Gold.
So shoutout to Naval and thank you Caleb.
If you want to be better, look into these links.
But first. Here’s a tidbit for your attention:
There are three kinds of leverage: - People/Labor - Capital/Money - Products with no cost of replication I.E Code, Media, Books, etc
- Naval
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I stood in a lobby for 30 minutes guessing who was lost.
We hosted a private dinner in SF before the Super Bowl.
The venue? An awesome restaurant on the 4th floor of a confusing building. Multiple entrances, parking garages, elevators and stairs everywhere.
While the team set up, I went to the lobby.
My job: spot lost people as they arrived.
Tens of thousands of street sales reps trained me for this. I learned to read body language fast. Who's looking around, who's passing through (ear buds), who wants help (open eyes), who wants to be left alone (squinting).
Some were relieved: "Yes! I've been wandering forever."
Some wanted a different event, the elevator, or a bathroom. (Know your building.)
Some were offended I asked. (Lessons learned :P)
But most walked into our dinner calm instead of annoyed. Greeted instead of frustrated.
The experience starts before anyone enters the room.
Anticipate friction. Remove it before people feel it.
That's how you create magic.
—— What small detail at an event made a big difference for you?
♻️ Repost if you've ever been the lost person.
If you need someone who thinks about these details for your NYC events — I'm your guy.
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13 things I do when I travel for events that nobody taught me
1. Chipotle napkins are highest quality
2. Book lodging and flights day of — Flexibility and optionality rarely has the consequences people think it does
3. Bring only white and black shirts — so I can get dressed in the dark without waking people
4. Corded earbuds — Because searching for a fallen airpod sucks
5. I do the math of calories/protein per dollar — (Panda Restaurant Group, Pura Vida Miami, ALOHA Bars all rock)
6. Trash bag for rainy weather (protect tech)
7. 3 portable chargers — Flexibility and easy favors to people, shoutout JUUCE
8. Switch out my metal bottle for a plastic one — It's lighter
9. Hotels lobbies always have cool people + free bathrooms + and free bag check( if you look the part )
10. Zip lock bags for organization — (consider specifying: toiletries? cords? snacks?)
11. Message everyone I know in the area that I want to meet with — LinkedIn searches by location, and you can label this in contacts
12. Work out of public libraries — saves on coffee, some have rare book sections that are quiet, free wifi
13. Calisthenics — you can do anywhere, no excuses, no zero days
EC: Connect trips together (often cheaper to stay for 1-4 days than to fly home and then back)
What tips would you add?
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How to tell the energy of a room, in 29 lines
Body Language. The language connected to people's subconscious.
First, there are only two ways to categorize body language: comfort or discomfort.
Said differently, are they comforting themselves, or already comfortable?
Second, the reason behind the comfort/discomfort is yours to infer.
Here are some examples: Crossing arms (discomfort) Toes pointing towards the door (discomfort) Touching their neck, fidgeting (discomfort) Mirroring you (comfort) Toes pointing up / gravity-defying movement (comfort)
Great, now let's add one more layer.
At events, people are figuring each other out. Watch the distance between them change when they rock, go shoulder to shoulder, or step back.
This is called proxemics. Use it to know what stage a conversation is in.
Tells give you information and then use context to know why.
Comment if you want a post of just tells.
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Your environment is manipulative
Towards your best self—or away from it.
I think of this constantly and had to write about this.
Here's one concept to know about: That's feng shui. (Pronounced fung shway.)
It's the ancient Chinese practice of arranging spaces to direct energy flow. The goal: harmony between you and your surroundings.
Here's what it recommends: - Declutter entryways (energy enters through doors) - Position beds/desks to see the door without being directly in line with it - Soften sharp corners with plants - Maximize natural light - Angles and curves pull you in
Now here's what I notice constantly:
- Hotel lobby music fill silence with noise, libraries let it breathe. - Driveways create invisible walls between people on porches and neighbors walking. - 90-degree corners create tension. - Metal and glass feel weak when compared to stone and wood. - Fluorescent lights drain. Natural light restores. - Gates and posts down a road pull you forward before you decide to walk.
Someone designed all of this.
And when you apply these principles intentionally—especially to events—you create magic.
What design choice have you noticed changed how you felt?
____ Repost if this made you look around :)
and if you need a guy to make your environment in NYC flow. I'm him.
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Here's a list of rituals that turn communities into cults:
Ben Horowitz - Makes every new hire sign a culture document Christopher Voss only sells bourbon to his mastermind group Jake Sacks interviews every person that comes to a 3rd Space dinner EOS - Entrepreneurial Operating System has meeting cadences and rules The founders of Summit built dinners on cooking together Churches always have greeters to welcome you Sam Parr's Hampton does year by year retreats for people that joined at the same time Andrew Yeung hires a speaking coach a few times a month for his team David Litwak's Maxwell Social only allows members in through a 3-mo cohort James Floyd first does a gratitude and a dream, then eats sweets, then eats the meal (IYKYK)
The pattern I see is: 1. Choose what behavior you want to normalize in the room (Props 2 Anna) 2. Find an action that re-enforces that 3. Weave that action into the foundation of the experience
Here's 101 more rituals to consider when building yours:
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I debated exclusivity for 34 minutes with my uber driver
He's an aspiring Latin music artist. I'm a business nerd. Let me know who got what right.
His play: Exclusivity via supply. Play only at venues with high cover charges, only partner with big names. Basically, control the supply.
My play: Exclusivity via demand. Take all the gigs you can get (without compromising quality), start documenting now. Exclusivity is just supply and demand. I'd rather increase demand than limit supply of something people don't want yet.
We went back and forth the whole drive.
But there were patterns, things we agreed on: 1. Compromise nothing for money. If the opportunity waters down what you're building, walk away.
2. The way you do one thing is the way you do others. He's the most dialed Uber driver I've ever had. Clean car, great conversation, early.
3. Take the third door. Take the medium with less competition. Guerilla marketing.
34 minutes with a stranger, sharpening each other.
Who's right about what?
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Most people think community comes from shared interests. It doesn't.
It comes from a glue of shared time like holidays and weekends off (or on ;) ), what you say when you're about to eat, or how you fold your napkin.
What I call, rituals.
These rituals preserve lessons from the past and more generally prevent repeats of past bad behavior.
One of mine is how I fold cloth napkins when I'm done eating, same way I learned in my first real job as a food server.
It's been a long way from there.
But when I fold that napkin, I remember the path I've walked to get to that table.
What was your first job, and what do you want to remember?
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TIL: The founder of Polaroid hired art history majors instead of tech people.
My confirmation bias LOVED this.
You see, Edwin Land (the guy behind Polaroid) is a legendary founder. Steve Jobs studied him. This got me thinking
Why would Edwin Land hire art majors for a tech company?
He hired them because of their taste. They had trained it through experiencing many parts of the art and visual world.
He knew he could teach them the science necessary, and this provided another advantage:
He wasn't competing for the same thinkers and doers everyone else was. He could benefit from the unrealized potential of these graduates. He could benefit from the overflowing agency they bring to an opportunity. He knew that taste is built through exposure, and he could teach the rest.
That's exactly the bet I'm making on myself. I've been to 50+ events in 80 days. I've lived in 10 cities in the last three months. I've talked to thousands of founders, investors, and artists, and helped many of them.
I compound that with reading, podcasts, and writing everyday.
Are you hiring who everyone else is hiring?
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6 days until I move to New York A habit I'm taking with me? Words matter.
You see, when I speak I know that I am being judged. As people gain more information their conclusions about me develop.
I remember that
-If I use the phrase/word ‘Goat’ often, what I say carries less weight.
-If I say the word 'can't' I know that I have decided I have limits.
-If I use 'workhorse' words like ‘good’, or ‘ amazing’ or ‘fuck’ then I am being lazy in my speaking.
-If I say 'I am ____' rather than 'In the past I have ___' then I box myself out of change.
-If I give a voice to my pain, the pain is both more real for me and becomes real for others.
-Asking 'why' puts others on the defensive (but its short).
-Using 'but' signals that what I said before was not as important.
-'Should' is a flag word that shows a belief
-Using words like 'guaranteed' and 'everyone knows' invite doubt in quality.
On the positive -When I use academic words, it shows that I am a precise person.
-Using language like 'maybe', 'I think', 'I feel', etc is powerless and communicates I don't play status games.
- Using facts and numbers communicates my sophistication and understanding.
- 'What if' invites imagination and excitement.
- Citing others shows my information far more than citing myself.
Above all when I say something I do it, regardless of how crazy it is.
T-minus 6 days. Follow me (James Floyd) to see what happens in NYC.
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I had a "welcome to NYC" moment today.
1 of 4 drawers in my girlfriend's dresser, is spices.
In a city where space is scarce, you're forced to decide what matters. Not everything fits. So you choose.
And it's not just apartments. I'm seeing it everywhere here.
The fashion is bold because people have to commit. The food is excellent because mediocre doesn't survive. The personalities are sharp because 28,600 people per square mile is darwinian.
I felt this packing my life into 3 bags. I left behind redundant clothes, anything that didn't feel quality enough. Constraint forced quality.
I'm realizing this applies beyond stuff too. Habits, personality traits, and even what ideas you hold onto.
It's too early to tell what more I'll let go of, and what I'll keep.
What do you think I should keep?
____ Follow me as I figure this out. And to see my post on April 21st.
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I interviewed a teacher yesterday, she told me we’re not getting smarter anymore.
So I looked into it, and it’s true.
For the last 80 years scores on pretty much all intelligence measures have increased.
But in a Northwestern study from 2008-2015 it showed in some areas Americans are either plateaud or declining. (And some other parts of the world)
After she told me about that, she asked my question back to me.
‘What problem in the world means the most to you?’
For me my gut reaction to this has been opportunity for the youth.
The literal future of society, and the highest potential group on the planet are also the most at risk group.
Most impressionable, most anxious, most regulated, and least sophisticated, least sure.
But what is the best fundamental solution to this?
I hope to keep in exploring this in the next 25 convos. Who should I talk to? Where should I look?
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These ideas are like songs stuck in my head. 39 people. 10 days. They keep coming up.
𝗙𝗼𝗿𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝘂𝗻𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 Once you have established you will do what you say you'll do, bite off more than you can chew.
Said differently, change only happens as adaptation. Adaptation only happens as survival.
"𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲" Martin Scorsese said it. The greatest creations, and the most simple ones, pour out of people. "They are compulsions."- David Senra
𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘁 > 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻 (𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆) The heart's electromagnetic field is 5000x stronger than the brain's. Your heart's energy affects the world around you more than your brain's.
𝗞𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 Being kind is better business than being rude or scarce minded. The energy inside of you will change the energy you perceive externally, and sometimes literally what happens.
𝗧𝘄𝗼 𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵𝗲𝘁𝘆𝗽𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘀𝘂𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 Craftsmen and missionaries. Rick Rubin, Steve Jobs — obsess over specific frontiers of technology and skills. Michelin Brothers, Elon Musk — obsess over specific problems and solution sets.
𝗧𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗱 People so desperately want depth. With so much abundance, depth makes the difference.
𝗔𝗿𝘁. /ärt/ 𝘯𝘰𝘶𝘯 the conscious use of skill and creative imagination, skill acquired by experience, study, or observation
Artists win through science. Science directed by heart.
Is there any of these you'd like me to expand on?
— Who should I interview in NYC?
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How do you know the content of a persons character?
Everyone agrees content of character matters. but I think this clip shows actually what it means.
Is it someone's history of actions? Is it how they show up in the moment?
I would say no. I would say it is how they respond to their own short comings.
Do they do the work of repairing pain they caused?
When they notice in someone's face they've hurt them how quickly do they work to repair and care for what happened?
Do they compromise their own beliefs in that moment?
To what end will they work to repair and prevent pain they caused?
Do they hide from their past? Are they transparent?
This is why I'm not worried about people knowing my life.
You cannot haunt me with my past, I have already done that work myself.
It has already fueled my improvement.
That's my TEDx talk thank you.
___ This is an F1 Movie Clip that I love
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I'm throwing the most kumbaya dinner party NYC has ever seen
My heart is on the line for this one, so I want your feedback
Every single one of the people that I have interviewed for The Sonder Series will be invited.
Single moms and subway car cleaners from Queens to gangsters and graduates from the Bronx.
Finance bros and Forbes honorees from downtown and Chess boxers and changed men from Uptown.
The plan right now is a potluck (cred: Ponce) in a park.
Same as the podcasts in parks.
I will do an activity with everyone called cross the line and I'm dreaming up gift ideas for everyone who comes.
How would you make a dinner more kumbaya?
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I said Yo Carlos, im thinking about an event at the end of all my interviews.
He said 'What about a Potluck?'
I told the next person I interviewed I was doing a potluck.
And the next one, and the next one, before I new it Ponce and 10 other people were now holding me accountable for this potluck I hadn't yet planned.
So I am inviting every person I interviewed to this potluck so that we can all enjoy the cherry on top of this project together.
But the 'why this' is deeper:
~24% of people said the problem in the world that means the most to them is Connection/Loneliness, and Empathy.
If we include Political problems and Discrimination it rises to ~44% of answers (I would deem these problems as downstream from empathy)
I am now deep in the planning and promoting.
I know the people making the place and that I can help connection through activities and culture touch points.
But It will be the first event I've ever planned alone. So we'll see!
Any advice?
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1 month ago I sold my car, computer set-up and bed. Then I flew one-way to NYC.
I found an apartment, moved in, packed a bag, and left. 3 6am flights in a row.
First a visit to surprise my sister + (mystery person), return to the city, then an event in KC with QLC.
Finally, on the 19th I was back in the city, but how was I to accelerate here?
An age old strategy. Talking to my neighbors.
100 of them. But how?
Well, I got some flowers made of books. I clipped my mics to them. I grabbed a whiteboard at CVS and I hit the streets. In the last few days I've interviewed 57 people.
I am so grateful that this is my life.
But I certainly do not live my life alone. I've attended events, gotten advice, and interviewed some incredible people who are walking alongside me in my adventure. So my CTA today is telling these people they rock.
Jennifer, Andrew, Ilias, Carlos, Gabriel, Lauren, Vivek, Silas, Andrés (In spirit), Indio (cause you keep texting me nice things), Lane (nobody has beat you in reactions), Somil (for bomb parties and even more bomb focus), and the many others. (text me!)
U rock. ___ I'm not always perfect at responding to messages, or telling you that I appreciate you, but I do.
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3 days into NYC and I already left.
Relax - I'll be back. But today I'm surprising my sister.
We didn't spend a lot of time together growing up because she's 22 years older, but I got to know her well when I was living in Seattle.
One thing I learned was she "hates" surprises. (Her words, not mine.) It's been 8 months since I've seen her. She has no idea I'm coming.
There's also someone else I'll leave label-less, but she's going to be shocked.
Here's the thing about family - For me, family has been more built than given.
I lived with 7 families growing up, and many more throughout my adventures.
The last few months I've stayed with "family" all over the country. Extra rooms in Austin. Floors in San Francisco. Spare rooms in Nashville. People who didn't have to take me in, but did.
That's the village. Not blood, but bond.
When I get back to New York, I'm building that again. Finding my people. Creating the village that will hold me up when things get hard - and celebrate when things go right.
But first: chaos. My sister is about to get got.
Do you support surprises?
From the heart, James Floyd
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The world is loud. Overwhelming often. It’s tempting to try and shout over the noise.
I've stopped shouting and it's freeing.
I'm finally understanding what the greats already knew.
Scorsese said "the most personal is the most creative."
Rubin said "the best way to serve the audience is to ignore them."
Jobs said "don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice."
I've stopped consuming other people's content. Even when I read now, it's more of an internal journey — what resonates, what doesn't.
I've even stopped thinking about money. The business comes after the craft.
I'm finding peace in this loud city. Because peace is within me.
What gives you peace?
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Caleb Guilliams put people’s faces on socks and it grew his business.
Every year BetterWealth puts on The Life Insurance Summit, a TED style conference of the most influential people in the industry.
They knew that great events are made great not only because of what happens at the event, but also what happens before and after.
So guests took home socks with their faces on them. $20ish for long-term repeated impressions and gratitude.
This is a great example of doing the follow-up of an experience well. No one had ever received that gift before.
So the lesson I learned from hearing this is
An event is made great by the number of pieces of it that the guest has never seen before.
Shoutout Mariah Wood for being the systems person that makes it happen.
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I've spent 25 hours of my time over the last week using n8n, different api's, and lovable.dev, here's what i've built:
1. The Wealth Efficiency Score Assessment (Are you keeping, protecting, and growing your wealth effectively?)
2. A finder for the best performing youtube videos based on niche keywords
3. A RAG Database automater (Drive Folder to be Knowledge Base)
4. Waldo the Wealth Coach
5. A trend finder - using http requests of autocomplete, reddit, and news
I've got a lot to learn, so I would love to hear any use cases, tips, and resources!
-
Here are the sites I'm using to find early trends:
Mr. Beasts Viewstats - Both top channels and videos with a better UI, but less specific than my workflows Tiktoks Creative Center - Top Tiktok Videos, Hashtags, Creators etc For Reddit - Their API is free and you can pull an RSS feed of any of the best subreddits for you, 1.21 Billion monthly active users on the platform. Trending News Site - https://whatstrending.com For Twitter to avoid the $200 API fee, here's a couple of the sites I've been using: -https://lnkd.in/gtJF7HNj -getdaytrends.com N8N - pulling Youtube, and Reddit by specific topic
Lastly, although google trends doesnt have a specific API, SERP API has a proxy that works ok. (some limitations on search specificity)
btw the youtube workflow is available at JamesFloyds.World/Projects little janky but i'll keep improving it :)
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Here is a collection of amazing people and things from the my last two weeks:
Carlos Ponce - AMAZING human. This guy has come from nothing and become one of the most caring, get after it human beings I know. He figured out social media and marketing by getting his younger brother signed to a pro soccer club and now has worked for Red Carpets, Sports Teams, and is taking on a few more clients. Check him out!
Somil Aggarwal - One of the most generous, thoughtful human beings I know. Him and I spend hours building automations/ai together and having conversations that i can't help but be grateful for. He does that on top of running an AI security fund for a family office. In short, he ROCKS.
Tech Stuff: https://lnkd.in/gzd7SBYY will tell you how well you/your site show up in LLMs using search tools
Boardy.ai will introduce you to dope people based on a quick chat with it
Chat GPT Agent mode will change ya life
Also check out Dave Andersons non convincing language it is 🔥
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Apparently I’m a published author and artist now. But let me take you back to the beginning, and tell you why this is productive career content.
Once upon a time I was sitting in my empty Nashville apartment and feeling something im sure.
The first thing I realized was, although I knew what I was feeling, I had an inventory of where I was at, but I didn't know where to go or what was best.
The problem was my logic/intelligence could only help me get from a Point A To Point B efficiently. But it couldn’t help me with finding Point B that was outside of what I was feeling.
That’s where ‘Taste’, intuition comes in.
You feel your way to finding a point B.
Okay cool, so I know I need to feel my way, but honestly I’m not that great at that. My logic is sharp, but my intuition I am not connected to.
So how does one get better at it? Get connected to it?
Create. Throw yourself into actions without a point B. For me it was poetry, art, design, and rabbit holes of interests like the school system, experience design, and business stories.
Now, as a result of ‘processing’ emotions and experiences in my life, I have assets that compound and help my career.
Edit For Context: This is a poem and piece of art I created in support of DANIEL PUDER, LHD's charter schools.
As a result of being excited about the people, place, and mission I convinced the police officers to decorate around a poem I wrote with one of the kids.
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The Coca-Cola Company gave people flowers instead of Coca-Cola, then their drink sales went up.
Think about it: you're thirsty, walk up to a vending machine, and suddenly there's a hand giving you flowers from the slot. Oh, and an extra drink? Two?
The cost to Coca Cola for a few extra items? Under $100. The ROI? They built genuine smiles with customers AND garnered 2M+ views on socials in 2 days, not including American Idol coverage.
I like that ROI, but better yet I like that they started with giving.
Basically, experiential marketing works because it creates a feeling, not just a transaction.
So what does this look like for you? -Host a workshop where your customers learn something valuable - not a sales pitch disguised as education, actual value.
-Thank your best customers in person with something unexpected, something that shows you actually know them. (Giftology applies here!)
-Turn your product demo into an experience they want to film and share.
I'm moving to NYC to build more of these experiences. Hmu.
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Felix Starck made a soccer league, streamed it all free, and raised $30M , here’s the story:
First, he tested the model in Germany, small pitches built for streaming, rule twists, and it became the #1 sports channel on Twitch.
Then he took it to the UK and streamed it free online. (Give give give)
He filled the stadium with people who had audiences. The Sidemen Entertainment, Ian Wright, and many more created teams to compete in the league.
Some of the match days got 2M live viewers, and garnered partnerships from brands like Nike and Foot Locker.
Now they’re coming to the US.
More proof live is the future.
~~~~~~~~~~~ If you know someone doing live events in New York, I want to meet them. (Please)
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7 people I know who deserve more attention:
Tanin Kayvan - spent 7 days crossing the Darién Gap as her jungle training. Founder of Rise & Roam Adventures. She designs bespoke expeditions to places on your bucket list. (She can help you with yours!)
Easton Gladney - runs Digi Discounts and connects people like it's a reflex. The kind of person who gives first and figures out the ask later (he usually doesn't). Talk to him if you sell things and he'll help you out.
Jarom Christensen - the greatest lover I know. Not romantically. (well maybe, I'd consider it for him) He just genuinely loves people harder than anyone I've met. Also a connector extraordinaire.
Joe Hickey - Private Chef who creates full experiences for people like Visa, and Wiza. He also founded Dough Payments which is crushing. ( He only does high quality work, so keep that in mind when messaging him for your event)
Lane Spurlock - writes a newsletter (Playhouse on Substack), DM'd me cold, and immediately started making intros. (Think of this as a first thank you for being awesome Lane) Doing events for SXSW, comment if you want in.
Emily Tianshi - Stanford CS grad student, Briefed the CISA Director on AI. Crazy curious, kindly disagreeable (cause she's smart) and commited to bettering civilization through tech. (specific to Gov likely)
I will leave you all with this: If you think praise, send it.
Who's someone you've met recently that deserves a shoutout?
From the heart, James Floyd
Pic: Me and some great minds thinking alike Maddox Locher ,Dalton Haberman , Jonathon Lopez
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Audacity > Marketing Theory
9 ways to be audacious:
1. Post every time someone buys, tagging them - A girl from NC State 2. Give awards to strangers - Web Summit 3. Dress up as your product and run a race (double win!) - Jesse Itzler 4. Give the freemium version of your service to people on the sidewalk 5. Piggyback where the eyes are - Superbowl, SXSW, Sundays at church 6. Surprise your top customers with gifts - Giftology 7. Give everything you teach away for free, then charge for an experience 8. Start an online beef - Gavin DeFord + John Ciannello 🦁 9. Advertise your flaws
When was the last time you were audacious?
Pic: Golfing with latex gloves at a golf charity event I helped with
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SXSW stats update-
found 3 people in the wild using find my iphone
3 free waters
6 internet strangers met in person
1 free book
4 drive by lime scooter encounters with people I know
6 events
1 Billionaire met
Smiles created gotta be 100+
Hours of sleep 2? Maybe?
Life is good, I am grateful.
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What I did today by time: 4:30 am wakeup 4:45am leave notes for the people that let me stay with them 5:00am Precheck my way through security 5:30am Cold Tacos and Making an Instagram Video 6:00am Fly high with $250 OJ and Pretzels 7:00am Land at LGA 8:00am Save $40 using Uber Shuttle and sweet talking the driver (If they're talking, its a good convo)
9:00am Set a goal
Todays goal? Find an indoor closet . Because my time with this outdoor closet is running out quick! (I must be respectful of the wonderful humans allowing me this.)
9:30am - 6:50pm 1. Dm every good listing I could find on every site I could find for an apartment 2. Give strangers my personal information
Note for my NYC peeps: Looking at a co-living spot, unless I find something that's incredible tonight or tomorrow morning
6:51pm Keep the streak alive and fulfill my promise to the people, with this story.
7:00-10:30pm Food and Financials.
What should I add to my routine for NYC? ( The more wild the better )
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Reading 100,000 words in 6 days wasn't the plan. I am relieved to have been rewarded with a headache.
A friend named Sonali came to me with an ask to read Jim Kitchen's book.
I dm'ed Jay Yang off a connection request, and after a couple messages back and forth, he asked me to take a look at his book too.
I said yes to both.
But I was moving, mid-running events, and it was 100k+ words to read and leave thoughtful notes on. I had only about 6 days total free.
I just knew I couldn't break my word. If I do, then my word means nothing.
It was real work. I read on my phone in spare moments. I edited the doc offline on the plane. I sat on the same couch crushing chapters for the last 4 days. Turns out translating taste into words is real work.
But I did it.
Commitments f*cking handled. I'm so over that couch. Time to hit the jungle.
Passionately, James Floyd
When's the last time you earned a headache?
_____ P.S. To the two authors that trusted me with their work before anyone else saw it, and the friend that connected me. It's not lost on me.
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This is a WeRoad focus group.
Free chocolate croissants Free international trip Free chai latte Homies
But let me tell this story from the start.
I showed up spontaneously to SXSW .
Got to town, hopped in the group chats, and started l i v i n. (and hanging with the homies)
Then a message popped across my screen: "WeRoad Focus Group."
My curiosity was piqued. I'd never been in a focus group, and they were offering a trip in exchange.
More importantly — I've been to 13 countries in my life, 10 different cities this year. I was qualified and wanted to help.
When I showed up the WeRoad team was CRAZY hospitable. Taking my coffee order, offering treats.
Then we got into it. They had questions prepped, were disciplined with their listening and follow-ups, and kind beyond what was necessary.
They gave to me, I gave to them, and now I'm continuing the cycle here.
And it makes me reflect.
Why did this happen to me?
- I gave - I followed my gut (Substack loading) - I honed my taste of event invites (knew they were good)
What’s your chocolate croissant?
Pic - Travis, @Joel, Clarissa Cappelletti
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'Want some chicken wings?'
was my favorite subject line I ever wrote.
Some others:
- Seeking a Challenge. - I'm crazy enough to change the world. - Pursuing a Lego Pirate Ship too! - Put me in Coach. - from door to door to opening doors - A humble hail mary - Rocket Powered shopping carts - Aspiring bug boy
3 of these changed my life.
Which ones do you think they were? And what's been your best subject line?
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Here’s a list of unconventional ways to get what you want.
- Venmo someone $0.02 cents and ask for their 2 cents - Dress up as a delivery driver and hand deliver your resume with cupcakes! - Stand outside of a private airport (or other place) with a sign - Take a restaurants extra/leftover food and pass it out to people on the street or give it to first responders - Hand write letters - Send a video card -Deliver a project improving their business or life - Send them socks with their faces on them - Make them homemade cookies - Create a newspaper article about your desired outcome - Give them an ornate box with many gifts based on research
What other ways have you used?
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I believe that:
If I create relationships, business happens, in that order.
The people make the place.
And that people remember how you make them feel over what you said or did.
At Jets and Capital I practice these beliefs.
T-Minus 8 days…
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I didn’t realize how predictable events are, and if you get it wrong, there's no magic.
There are phases that each community, event, team go through. Once you know each of them, it's simple to know what to do in each
1. Forming: Figuring out normals and who’s there - Welcome and establish cause, culture, connections 2. Storming: Testing boundaries + direction -Reinforce boundaries, culture, direction 3. Norming: Rituals are established, members begin to lead -Empower members to lead, help newbies 4. Performing: The community ‘runs itself’ -Be visionary, look for cancers
If there is an end: 5. Adjourning: Time has won again. Celebration + See you laters - Ensure integration of connections and lessons during the experience then, and in the follow ups
These are all opportunities to sprinkle fairy dust, but when organizers and creators aren't intentional their events fall flat without them knowing.
Which stage is most important?
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LEGO started in 1932, and has done some unconventional things to get here…
Yes their movies are great, so is the ideas platform, but I want to focus on recruiting here:
They do public competitions to hire builders.
This does three things: 1. Turns recruitment into entertainment (free marketing) 2. Tests actual skills not interview answers (you've already done the job) 3. Creates advocates even among people who don't get hired (community building)
These competitions are judged by adults AND kids creating generational buy-in.
Not only that, but it achieves multiple wins for the business. Marketing multiple channels, PR, recruiting, HR, etc.
What other pieces could you add to the competition?
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Getting speakers < reciprocity rings
It's an activity that creates smiles STAT and ~80% of requests get results -Adam Grant
Here's how it goes:
Step 1: Arrange a group of people in a ring (8-30 people)
Step 2: Each person creates a SMART goal that's HUGE
I.e. I want to move to NYC and throw events that change the world over the next 3 months
Step 3: 1 person states their smart goal and the entire group uses their network and knowhow to help this person take action towards this goal.
I.e. Someone has a connection to an experiential marketer, FO, VC firm who is hiring
People learn by doing better than by listening. So unless someone has something new to say, doing will convert better.
What if, instead of a speaker, events spent an hour doing this?
What do you think would happen?
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$1.4M beat an $8M Super Bowl ad.
Cadillac's F1 team parked a replica car in Times Square in a box.
The results: ~1M people saw it in person 250,000 of those aren't even on social media
Millions of views across socials (no official numbers yet, but for sure millions and different clusters of people)
Earned media from every angle
The cost breakdown: ~$400k fabrication ~$150k production ~$160k permits/compliance ~$330k labor
$1.4M total.
A 30-second Super Bowl ad costs ~$8M and reaches 127M people once.
Cadillac spent $1.4M and created something people filmed, shared, and talked about for days.
IMO they didn't even need the Super Bowl ad buy.
What do you think — Ads or no Ads?
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I'm childish and it means I'll beat you
Here's my case study:
Lauren and I were in a lull after calling 500 people for the Vegas Jets and Capital Events.
Staff were arriving, and us?
We were playing ping pong on a janky, small pool table, without a net.
I had made a little 'net' of plastic bottles, and sold the idea to my graceful friend who humored me. It was time for fun!
We played a couple rounds, and then I won off of a wall ricochet shot. (I'm proud of myself for that).
That's why I'll beat you, because
I will 1. Find creation that feels like play 2. Compete for fun 3. Take angles that are unexpected (the crazier = more fun)
When was the last time you played?
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A stranger tagged me with a random Luma link.
I showed up.
The story: ilias anwar commented a Lu.ma link two days ago, and I was crazy enough to send it across SF to go to The House by Edge & Node
He and I had never had a conversation, but the Luma seemed interesting…
- Ahmed Abubakar had bootstrapped to 20M+ in revenue, just launched ImagineArt
- Enrique Lopez Lopez is a sociologist turned community lead Freepik and gave a talk
And I learned about the news of micro-transactions, Agents on their own, and crypto data layers from Rodrigo Coelho. BIG THINGS HAPPENING.
Now aside from the confidential conversations, here's some random takeaways:
-It took me 15 minutes to bike back (15 minutes faster and $5 cheaper than an uber) - 4 Pillars to watch 1. AI AI AI 2. IRL 3. Creator 4. Quantum - Give quickly, move fast. ilias anwar lives this.
Another story in the books.
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Volume. A pattern I have seen repeatedly recently. So let me re-iterate.
Volume. As In repetitions with no regard for the thoughts in your head. Remove the blocks, and go relentlessly.
Volume. Is what creates quality. Like generations of life allowing selection of reoccurring traits or how religions have mantras to be repeated.
Volume. Is how blood, sweat, or tears are even created, a reorganization of effort into fewer inputs changing your reality.
Volume. Is re-energizing because the goal is the work and you achieve the maximum, failure.
Volume Is a rejection of diversification, big wins come from focus.
So I resolve to do more. For I love the work.
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I live my life in debt, and it makes the world better
I’ve been considered homeless, on social services, been to court, been alone, a lot of it.
I’ve also been around the world, surrounded by friends, wealthy, sophisticated.
This is made possible by the people who have taught me, clothed me, housed me, fed me, loved me.
I am in debt.
This reality has turned into a responsibility to pay it forward.
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Over the last 37 years, 481/70,000 people have gotten this honor:
Davis Senior High School has an exclusive club that takes kids out of classes to just...connect.
There are only ~13 facilitator positions out of ~2000 students, and even getting an invite to an event is hard. Over four years of school you likely will only get one.
I had the privilege of being a facilitator for two years, and here's what stood out 1. The value in connections comes from people outside of your current cluster
Adam Grant's data supports this. ( Different perspectives, values, and networks than you drive different results than what you can get from close to you)
2. Thin apple slices perform better than thick cut ones ( Tested across 20 Friendship Days ~ 2000 people) but may be biased because I'm a great salesman
3. Conversational INS matter. Unique lanyards, nametags with designations, etc
4. Immersion.
Tony Robbins events work because they immerse the individual, that's why retention of content and guests happens.
5. Exclusion. The room is created when the door is closed. Stay strong on closing it.
6. There are ways to have connection happen without talking,
I.e. Activities like cross the lines deepen the connection with close to no action from participants.
It's interesting how this passion of connection has rolled into my life now...
What communities do you know that have lasted 37 years?
or just comment what face you'd make ->
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Tape reminded me why people get stuck
Here's the story: Last week I spent some time running a podcast set-up for a friend in a casino. 15 podcasts in three days, we were cranking.
Day 1 and 2 were great, but Day 3 I was fading.
If I crashed and missed starting a camera, or messed up audio that would be no bueno. We had one shot with most of these guests.
Thankfully, the world provided for me. As the casino staff cleaned up, they balled up the tape used to cover cords and so very nicely created a soccer ball for me.
With a little squishing I was able to juggle, play pass, whatever I wanted. After 5 minutes of play I had my energy back.
As I got looks from the people around I was again reminded that sometimes you just send it. Things are exactly what you choose to see them as.
What's your soccer ball story?
___ If you need a resourceful guy in NY - I'm him. Message me.
Pic - Kuldeep Madan rocking the BetterWealth podcast
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J. Cole is selling his new album out of the trunk of a Honda he is road-tripping.
Thomas Edison and Henry Ford did something similar 110 years ago. They called it 'The Vagabonds'.
J. Cole is 'returning to his roots' and hanging out with fans in-person. His first stop? where he sold his first Mixtape 15 years ago @ NC A&T.
'The Vagabonds' wanted to 'rough it' so they ran footraces, chopped wood, told stories around the campfire, and slept under the stars.
J. Cole is getting millions of views of earned media and real memories in peoples heads.
'The Vagabonds' brought a film crew and photographers that earned millions of views across the nation's press.
'The Vagabonds' pioneered the idea of the 'American Road Trip' and sales surged in cars, tires, and the rest of the products they were selling.
My prediction? J. Cole's sales surge too. (He's already on track for a #1 debut)
Back to the basics :) IRL is the way. Always has been.
______ Headed to NYC to dream and do these very plays. Contact me.
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Ducks Unlimited gives guns away at their charity events"
I leaned in. I had to know more.
He laughed and started telling the story.
Ducks Unlimited runs over 4,000 events a year. Their goal? Save the ducks.
Started in 1937 by a sportsman named Joseph and a group of waterfowl enthusiasts after surveys showed the dustbowl was hurting the birds.
They grew from under 30,000 members in 1965 to nearly 580,000 by 1985. Donations went from $155k to $31M+.
How? Banquets. Central infrastructure to support their chapter model. Training systems to attract, grow, and retain volunteer help. (Think of this like UGC or building an intern army)
I was bouncing in my chair: 1. This 'niche' is so different from my world — so much to learn 2. Keep it surreal - The National Wild Turkey Federation and Ducks Unlimited do partnerships. (Blew my mind that there's a turkey federation, but ofc) 3. Relationships still win, find unconventional ways to grow them
The pattern I see: - Givers gain - Give what people want, not what you want to give - Giving is a reasonable selling strategy - Often corporations are buying tables at galas/events then offering to clients
What's a quirky way you've seen someone give first?
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After 100+ Founders Podcast's, books, articles
Here’s a Mt.Rushmore of dead founders
Robert Bosch — One workshop, his own hands, 1886 → a $90B empire he legally made impossible to ever sell or go public.
Jamsetji Tata — $52 in his pocket, colonial India, 1868 →helped industrialize a nation and gave away more than any founder in history.
Frank Mars — Broke three times, $400 left, woke up at 3am to make candy himself → built a $45B/year empire that has never had a single outside shareholder.
Ingvar Kamprad — A kid selling matches door to door in rural Sweden → built the world's most recognized furniture brand and ~6th largest restaurant chain.
My qualifications: - Bootstrapped with no institutional capital - Enormous profits or scale - Clear positive societal contribution - Strong employee reputation - Company still controlled by family or founder-designed structure
Who's on your Mount Rushmore?
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I do not have a 5 year plan
and neither should you.
Now, I know what you're going to say (maybe)
It's important to know where you're going, or you should be thinking deeply and setting goals!
No. It is impossible to know specifically where you're headed in 5 years, and it is a waste of time to be thinking deeply about a time that you don't have good intel on.
This is not just me, Richard Branson, Steve Jobs, and Reid Hoffman have found the same reasoning, well... reasonable.
What is important to know is this: 1. You can make bets on generalities (I.e. IRL being important in the future) but specifics are a waste of time 2. Know yourself. who you want to be, how you want to be, etc.
Here's the alternative to planning: - Make the next best move - Improve your feedback systems - Follow your gut (that's why it's called having guts)
Now that I've figured out I'm going to SXSW this coming week, what's my next best move?
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Interstellar made me a better Chief of Staff.
It started with a groan
as I relaxed into the couch like I'm 60 (I'm not, but feeels good)
Ready to let McConaughey take me away
The movie begins, the music fills me, all is smooth
'Can you pause it?'
I'm snapped back to real life, 'why is he talking about how many years it's been?'
I explain and we continue, but this happens 5 more times.
As the curtains close and Matthew has flew the coop station
I realized that from reading as many books as I have, especially sci-fi, I had drown proofed myself.
I am accustomed to being in situations without context that are moving fast.
I am a great partner because: 1. I can understand what your vision is without much context 2. I can accelerate quickly into context 3. I can explain actions and ideas simply
tbh I think I'm positioned well as we accelerate into this future.
Does a great partner lead, follow, or walk alongside?
P.S. Anyone got sci-fi recs?
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I'm a scooter native here's what that means
1. I take risks and am audacious I will jump curbs and ride between stopped cars.
2. I save time and money relentlessly While you're finding and choosing a car, and then waiting for it I'm walking out the door, skipping traffic, and feeling the wind in my hair. (it do be flowing) and saving 25%.
3. I'm versatile and resourceful I will jump off curbs, onto sidewalks, go down alleyways, around and through obstacles that cars would have to stop for.
Last week I saved ~3-5$ per ride I took, and at least 10 minutes each time. Or about $50 and 140 minutes over 5 days. That's 5 meals, and 15 linkedin posts.
As the world accelerates and stretches, I believe these are the skills that matter. They will continue to be more valuable. That's why I'm practicing them in public.
That belief is why Mark Andreessen talked about founder managers on David Senra, and Range was written by David Epstein.
Comment 🛴 if you're a scooter native too
Shoutout Bird and Lime _______ Pic: Colton Kaplan and ilias Anwar are verified natives. Glad your phone didnt die C.
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Over the last year I've compulsively collected a list of 110 community businesses. Attached here for nerds like me.
I've also been reading obsessively, Unreasonable Hospitality, The Art of Gathering, Make No Small Plans. I kept reading and I kept seeing the same pattern.
Summit Series was first someone networking, then doing events, then they bought a mountain. Same with Devon Levesque, he eventually bought a ranch and now a place in Austin. Same with a dozen others on my list.
The infrastructure progression keeps showing up.
Audience/Network → Community → Events → Physical Place → ?
What I don't know is what comes after physical place. Some start funds, or franchise, probably others make products. There's a question mark there that keeps showing up for me.
That's part of why I moved to NYC.
This city is a hub of communities. The density of events, the spaces, the people building these experiences - it's all here. If the answer exists, it's likely somewhere in these streets. (But don't worry I don't be in them streets)
Maybe the mistake that people are making is changing the model that's working, or perhaps that's just life and they are just adventuring.
Which stage do you like best? What comes after a physical place?
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26 days ago I set out to interview 100 people in NYC
Yesterday I sat down with the 100th person. But I'm not celebrating yet.
Some people were just visiting.
Other times I sat down with a group of people like Rafa and his girlfriend. Or the family that had just met Zohran.
It took me only 79 interviews to get to 100 people.
So I decided I'd push it to 100 interviews.
I'm now at 83 interviews complete.
There are 17 interviews left.
Every person I've interviewed will be invited to a super special potluck.
People from all 5 Boroughs, ages 11-79. An evening like NYC has never seen.
Comment your one word pitch for why you deserve a spot.
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They say an empty subway cars is too good to be true. But
that’s only because I’m probably in it.
Really tho, everything exists the way you CHOOSE to see it.
I talked with some college kids today that told me they didn’t want to be interviewed because
“What if a future employer doesn’t give them a job because of their views.”
I responded “what if it was an opportunity?”
Now I was tired, but it was truly a bluntly put belief I have.
Train your brain. And refrain from negatives
These are some examples of the upside:
Nike sent people to China to scope market expansion: one said HUGE opportunity, the other said NO opportunity because of complexity
Now China is 15% of Nike sales
Joe Liemandt talked to billionaires about education. They told him their money was wasted there. Then he put a billion of his own money into Alpha Schools
Now they are teaching kids in 2 hours a day and they’re LOVING it.
People told Elon Musk that car companies, let alone electric car companies, are too hard. And space. And internet. And solar. And social media.
Now he’s going to be the worlds first trillionaire.
How do you like them apples? (See what I did there?)
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This morning I was running my hands through my hair, stuck. The packaging HAS to be as good as the project.
Then I tapped at my new MacBook keyboard. My AirPods synced up in a snap.
And I thought about the box it all came in.
Fiber based. No plastic. Heavy. Durable. Simple.
People keep Apple boxes. Not because they need them—because they feel like they're worth keeping.
So I built the packaging for my 100 interviews project the same way.
The packaging had to be as simple and sleek as sitting on a bench speaking to strangers.
Today I published jamesfloyds{.}world/sonder - a live page where you can watch the numbers climb.
Hopefully people keep it in their minds and memories the same way they save their iPhone boxes.
Link in comments.
___ P.S. 35/100 done. Comment and we'll find a time!
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I accidentally have been living out of a carry-on for two months, here’s why I’m better for it:
The lessons 1. You don’t need much I’ve been living out of a 2/3 full small suitcase for 2 months. Can go anywhere in the world anytime.
2. Every item has uses other than what it was designed for. I’ve changed soap dispensers that are locked with a pen and scissors as my key
3. LinkedIn has a location filter, or add cities to people’s contacts. Also, and I know it’s crazy, but you can just talk to people.
—— Comment the longest you’ve nomad-ed for
If youre in NYC let’s talk, I can help your company.
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When I was younger, I was surviving, it was as if life was in grey scale. Now, because of years of hard work, I am living and thriving, striving to be my best and to be around the best. This is one of my many recent adventures and one that describes me well.
Thank you Noah Kagan for this Idea.
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One of my tenants is “If you think praise, give it.”
Here’s some people I want to praise:
Dusty Ball - Wicked Smart, Super Connected, and HUGE heart. Dusty is the kind of person who I know I can call regardless of the kind of problem.
If you have a business around Cigars, Cars, Guns, Shoes, or really anything you think might fit with him hit me up and I’ll connect yall.
ALEX HANSEN + Lauren Hansen - This duo is one that changes the energy of every room they walk into. Young, hungry, and kind.
Alex helps service businesses double their bottom line, and also wakes up early to work out. (That’s the kind of guy you want on your side)
Lauren designs amazing events and writes copy like nobody’s business.
I feel deeply grateful to have them both in my life.
Silas Mähner 🔍🌎 Just had a baby, runs two different podcasts, a community, and a recruiting firm….well. Basically he rocks, and I always know he’ll give me advice towards where I want to go.
There’s many others I want to shout out or praise and hope to publicly do it as much as I’ve privately done it. I appreciate all of you.
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I still have more praise to give! Here's three more awesome people you should know:
Noah Goodlett is a finance wizard, and wrangles teams like nobodies business.
He is the kind of guy who I know will play the game hard, and makes everyone smile while he does. Connect with him!
Ela Richmond This gal just got engaged, crushes her own podcast, and helps kids learn in ways that are best for them! She makes the world better just by living her life. Check out what she's working on^
Tanin Kayvan just recently finished jungle training in the Darien gap, is an adventure guide and super connected when it comes to adventure travel.
If your interested in an unforgettable experience to a place money can't get you to: riseandroamadventures.com
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Sonder Series Stats: 11/100 people interviewed 3 poems written 6 chapters of Sam Walton's biography read 8.5 hours in Central Park
Ela Bass you were right. The book is GOOD.
I spent my Saturday on a bench, talking to strangers, scribbling verses, and learning how Sam built Walmart from nothing.
Thank you for the accountability.
89 more conversations to go.
If you're in NYC and want to be one of them - comment or DM me.
I want to hear your story.
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Events often miss out on this:
The race is not over when sponsors have sent their money, in fact that shouldn’t be what it’s about at all.
To me, it’s about encouraging and building a culture of interactiveness and giving.
Sponsors are a key part of creating this culture and so
(IMO) Booths are boring
Sponsors could provide - Headshots - Podcasts - Interactive Booths like massages, IVs, haircuts - etc
So force booths to be experiential.
Change the rules, out with the tables in with the memories.
Thanks for reading
—— What’s the coolest sponsor booth/activation you’ve seen?
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There are three habits I'm applying to my life right now
1. Be more disagreeable. (Train out automatic yesses) Because the greatest Givers also hold their own goals as highly - Adam Grant
2. Apply 'the way I do one thing' is the way I do everything -> and therefore limiting the number of details so I can be perfect in them (credit: Jack Dorsey)
3. Follow my gut, and create the habit of referencing that first
What are you working on?
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This is who I interviewed today:
1. A professional soccer player turned film producer 2. A French guy passionate about geopolitics 3 + 4 A 19 year old who lives in NYC alone and her soulmate/friend 5 Remy, who is 22 and SO at peace. From Iraq. 6 A guy obsessed with AI for good and his friend doing data + healthcare 7 + 8 Rafa and his gf both consultants and super smiley 9 + 10 A mom and a daughter from Connecticut 11 Ben who's staying in Times Square on a business trip 12 A 20 year old working in politics 13 Daphne and her dog 14 Keegan, a software engineer having tea with strangers 15 Patrick a PA who's wife made him do the interview (FUNNY)
15 interviews, now at 86 people total.
Prepping for a potluck with as many interviewees as possible when I'm finished.
What should I do when I finish?
Pic: An interview with Felipe Pisom who has amassed 387k followers on instagram by cutting hair for kids with special needs
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My network improved when I stopped networking.
I don't scramble to ask for people's contact info or get a follow when a conversation is done.
I don't walk around rooms introducing myself energetically.
I don't wear dress shoes that are tight or button my top button.
And honestly thinking about doing any of that anymore is a yawnfest for me.
But knowing people is useful and feels good. It provides community and acceleration to new ventures.
So instead I do things.
I volunteer. I host events. I build stuff. I coach people. I make content.
And it turns out the better I create, the better people I meet.
So honestly I would advise my younger self to create more because networking gets you nowhere meaningful.
The people you need to know will find you if you create good new things and tell people about them.
Am I missing something?
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We up.
Kidding, I want to do better. The plan:
1. Send more cold dm’s (cause shooters shoot)
2. Double my amount of comments/week when possible (~100 -> 200)
3. Post more about convos, people, etc in my life (as it relates to learnings) -> is this a good idea or no?
4. Get feedback from the homies (THATS WHERE YOU COME IN)👇🏼comment!
5. Find top posts and remix them to practice
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This is my Fibe Fellow application video
and it comes with a story
A few days ago the Fibe crew posted about the fellow program they're launching on April 1st.
After meeting Andrew, Vitoria, and Danielle at SXSW, I felt like this fellowship opportunity was screaming at me
The problem is that they wanted a video and I didn't have a tripod or camera, and I wanted to do it well.
So I shoved my iphone in a mug and went to work.
I pitched that
As the world accelerates, so should community. (Security, Support, Learning, etc)
As the world changes around people, those creating experiences should create ones that change people worlds. (To help us all adapt)
My dream is to create those experiences.
This video is the result of that pitch. (Thanks Annie for feedback)
enjoy :)
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I don’t use Instagram like others do…
I post videos with no context, and smorgasbord of things I liked or learned over the time the video encapsulates.
Here’s the latest ‘bord:
Those crazy enough to change the world do
Language creates culture
Who do you see when you look in the mirror?
Who’s the most impressive person you’ve ever met?
Instead of avoiding the storm, dance in the rain
At this point in your life, you’ve had a lot of success, what’s most important to you now?
Is it a Strategy problem or execution problem?
Love many, trust few, and always paddle your own canoe
Everyone has 24 hours…. Those that “win” use their time better
If you only have a hammer, everything looks like a nail. Collect tools and choose the best one for the job
Anymore than 6 kids and you need a huge car
How do you get the info up to the top as fast as possible?
Energy management
Sometimes A players are too much to work with C players, so put layers between you and them
Topic of convo changes based on time of day
More sleep = higher growth multiple
The goal is NOT to work LONG or work HARD, it’s to work SMART.
Effective work, effective care, that’s how you compound
When game time comes, we ready
If you keep dancing with the devil, he will follow you home
Marketing is a universal skill and valuable to every business
Time is the ultimate equalizer
We exist only when we are real to others, or find a way to be this for yourself
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Lessons from building a podcast studio:
1. You don’t need to learn information, just learn frameworks. (Ai can access most of the info you’ll ever need)
2. Solve problems by starting at the source and working to the end result.
I.e cameras -> YouTube I.e top of funnel -> referral
3. Sometimes, taking action on things before you know how to do them gets the ball rolling enough to finish something
4. Design for optionality
5. Identify friction preventing action, and create a solution for it
And many more
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For the last 28 days I’ve posted twice a day on both Instagram and YouTube. Here’s what happened:
YT: 9,435 total views 25.6 hrs of people watching me 6 subs gained (In the last 48 hours 1,766 views) To check out more stats the channel is https://lnkd.in/gphbpMBi
Insta: 8,786 views 5 followers Account is @jamesfloydsstuff dm me there or comment if you want more stats. I will likely also post poems and things here.
If this is interesting to you, let me add one more thing to consider: I filmed and edited everyone of these videos in one day.
This was an experiment so I told no one what the accounts were, and they were both starting at 0 followers/subs. The only edits on the videos were captions and taking out long pauses.
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The Michelin brothers created bike races to kick-off their company.
In 1892 Paris–Clermont “Michelin” race was their first one and they made the rule that everyone had to use their tires.
Meaning, the whole race was a live demo of their patented tech.
Even before that, they had convinced a rider named Terront to use their tires for an endurance race.
When he won they had built a relationship with every person that rooted for his journey, because that meant they were also rooting for the tires he was using.
How can you put your product alongside greats and tie experiences to it?
IRL ain't new, and it's only growing more important...
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I like reading bullet point lessons from peoples birthdays, here’s mine
1. The stronger a boundary is set, the better people treat you — respect is just civil fear
2. If you’re doing big enough things they could be perceived as a threat, find a way for them to be a gift instead
3. It’s only reckless if you can’t see it through
4. The world does revolve around you, at least your perception of it.
5. Your life is just a mirror
6. The only place you can get lost is in your own mind
7. The subconscious cannot reason, it can only react or respond to what it has been fed. Study body language.
8. You have the greatest amount of context on yourself, trust THAT
9. Everything you need is within you
10. Learn the math not the problem
11. Dreams don’t happen, work does — dreams are memories not yet made
12. Perseverance without passion isn’t grit, but merely a grind
13. Drops of water carve stone. That’s without exponentials.
14. Pain → Perspective → Gratitude → Peace
15. The scars make the man
16. You don’t have to end on a win
17. Is it a strategy problem or execution problem?
18. If the opposite of your strategy is stupid, it’s not a strategy
19. It is not a big deal, it is just a trade-off
20. When you give your hand is then open to receive — give first
21. Focus is not the means, it’s the destination
22. When a man can’t find meaning he distracts himself with pleasure, and vice versa
23. Wonder is key to development of ambition
24. Machines were mice and men were lions once upon a time. Now that it’s the opposite, it’s twice upon a time
EC: It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye
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In 2012 the Swedish army trapped someone in a box and streamed it.
Their goal? Getting 4,400 applicants. Experiential marketing at its finest.
The box was transparent and they put it in central Stockholm. A location that was accessbile to many Swedes. They even put out a video before to promote the stream that was a creepy man in a box saying 'Who cares?' over and over.
When the stream started up and the box was revealed, it quickly was shared, creating social media coverage and further leverage on their cause, but they had added an even more interesting piece.
Every hour a door would open and give someone an opportunity to switch with the person in the box. This symbolized the volunteering necessary to join the army and help strangers in the first place.
The stats? 74 people showed up to switch spots with a stranger over 4 days. The website got ~150,000 views The army got 9,930 applicants Massive conversation on socials
It’s possible to give people the feeling of your product or job, before them even buying it or joining.
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In 2025 I spent ~103 days at events, here’s where some failed:
1. Focusing on the place. The lesson: People make the place. i.e. people leave yachts, hotels, and everywhere else early if they don't enjoy it
2. Facilitating business first - The lesson: Relationships build business, facilitate relationships first
3. Focusing on the day of the event The lesson: Podcast set ups, follow ups, etc both help before the event and after to deliver the value promised. If the before and after are neglected the event is low leverage.
4. Playing status/money games The Lesson: Good character attracts good character (see #1)
5. Being the same (imo) The Lesson: Same money but higher ROI if you are more creative than normal black stage, lanyards, and folding chairs
6. Not partnering The lesson: The more people who are incentivized to help your events, the bigger the win and number of wins. i.e.
The pattern: Great events are a result of the attendees, and their experience. Don't get lost in the sauce.
Moving to NYC, looking to do more events in-person, if you're building any let's talk.
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Famous faces on robot dogs pooping NFTs
Of course it went viral, it was picked up by major news networks like CNN and the WSJ.
Not only that but each dog was sold for $100,000 on the first day the exhibit was open.
Each dog has a few core parts: - The hand-painted silicone mask of a famous person - The robot dog body allowing movement and navigation - A camera looking forwards - A dye printer on the back
The dogs walk through the world, take pictures, interpret it, and print it.
Some dogs ‘droppings’ were normal art, others were NFTs on chain marked with satirical text like ‘authentic’.
It was an incredible, experiential way, to get across the message: ‘Who is really observing whom?’
Seeing this in-person my brain lit up.
It is a reminder that doing it different, and experiencially is working NOW.
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Scott Page played saxophone for Pinkfloyd, but he taught me something about events..
1. Passion is viral. It spreads around a room like fire.
Scott is passion. He jams the heck out on his saxophone and then talks a mile a minute about business, crypto, and philosophy.
2. Music is a language with no boundaries.
Find ways to incorporate the depth of music into your event, as well as places for quiet.
3. The way you do one thing is the way you do everything.
Scott goes hard.
He’s also really great at remembering where we left off in our convo between pictures with fans.
Be a nice person, be passionate, be you.
__ I know cool people, I'm good at people, I can help your company if it's in NYC. Message me.
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Chirping Birds. Rustling leaves. Early morning. Deep in study. Am I really going the right direction?
Perplexity. Trends reports. Here are the stats:
Harris Poll - 76% of Americans connect deeper with brand @ retail then online + consumers are seeking relief from online.
Adobe - Connectioneering is one of 4 themes in marketing to pop off 2026
Yahoo - 74 % of Fortune 1000 marketers increased experiential budgets in 2025
Algorithms, Friends everyone's talking about IRL.
and honestly that may not be how we save the world, but its certainly the next step.
____ Looking for work in and around IRL, or CoS in NY. Dm me.
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Givers are the biggest losers (Adam checked the stats)
And the biggest winners,
even above takers and matchers. But what does this all mean, and how?
Well the context is I spent the last two days reading Adam Grant’s book - Give and Take.
Understanding people is key to my success in events, community, and business generally speaking. (Found some great actions to take here👇🏼)
More importantly, life strategy is the highest leverage activity.
So to save you a read - it’s all in the picture below :)
Here’s the Group’s: Givers - Biggest Winners & Losers, they are focused on others Matchers - Try to equalize always, no debts, no favors Takers - ‘It’s a dog eat dog world’
Most importantly, here’s how to win:
Ask 1. How can I help? 2. What’s the best thing for the group?
Believe 1. Others are plotting to help you 2. That everyone is special (cause you will treat them differently) 3. That you can do well by doing good
Actions/Implementations: 1. Question challenge - 1 week of 90% questions only. (Implement to an event)
2. Build a reference list for me + community
3. Implement reciprocity circle into events I do
4. Get better at some habits I have.
—— Repost if you’ve got givers in your network, they gotta know how to win instead of lose!
I’m always getting more valuable, if you’re in NYC, I’m on the market!
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Cross the line and it will make your relationships better.
It's not what you think...
What I mean is run or participate in the activity of crossing the line.
I've seen people run up to strangers and hug them crying after this, multiple times.
After 23 times with ~2500 people, I know what I'm doing with this activity, and it requires nothing but taking a step forward. Yet, it creates connections deeper than networking.
Here's how I run it: 1. Curate a list of Statements/Questions that may apply to people in the group (Comment S for the list we used)
2. Bring the group into a line or circle (so when they take a step forward they are looking away from others)
3. Read each statement in the tone you want to set. 'Take a step forward if ___'
4. Once the activity is over, a time to process the heaviness is important. This can be done in groups, writing, or just space.
Comment S for a list of statements I've used. (You can use them as examples and tailor to your niche)
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I am currently wandering around the wilderness:
Here’s 5 reflections from the wander so far:
1. Why doesn’t every thing important have gates?
They force an intention + expectation setting even if subconscious and facilitate presence.
2. Silence is so crazy underrated
3. The fundamentals win every time Nature, natural food, nice people (and hugs), movement, writing, reading
4. There’s something about watching the sun rise and set that’s reset - ing
5. I am ridiculously blessed
Pic: From the Sanctuary at Sedona gate - they are doing AWESOME work
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Dreams have never been closer to coming true A few days ago that was proved again
Lovable was free and so many people were using it messages stopped working
Now to be clear this is not another AI is awesome post
I just mean, I can literally screw around and make the sims. Me, this random caveman, running around the world 175 pounds lean.
Creation that is play is more possible now than it has in the past.
And thats the dream, isnt it?
I can go crazy! I can dream up some unicorn riding into the sunset dodging cacti and lassoing leprecauns and make it real, same as making a one shot site showing how QR code menus SUCK for people with Parkinsons.
anyway, today what I'm trying to say, is go out and play
____ yes I took the time to write this with rhymes
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Because I'm a nerd, I research every event I go to SXSW is no different
I figured there were some FAQs so this is the story:
1987 4 newspaper dudes wanted to get Austin music noticed so they threw a festival (Hoped for 150 people, got 700)
1988-1993 Double down on what the customers like and want
1994 - Once music was 'hoppin' they added Film and Multimedia
94'- 2020's they tapped into the tech boom, expanded tracks (Film + Interactive), and big name speakers
2020s - ~$355M economic impact to the city with close to 300k people showing up
2026 - got James Floyd to come. He said to the author - I am excited about the chaos of spontaneity x serendipity.
ill be at the FuturePIXEL house for a few days, and all in all being weird.
Thinking about going to random peoples events and working them for free, tbd
Comment where you'll be! ___ P.S. writing a separate post on some of the crazy stunts that have happened
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I just lost a whole LinkedIn post. Theres gotta be a better way
Written, re-written. And it didn’t save in draft, but we proceed!
here’s what I remember.
Its not ‘be kind’ It’s how kind should I be?
Asked my friend Somil. So we hashed it out.
‘There are people that are selfish or rude, why should I be as kind to them?’ How should I adjust my levels of kindness to them.
Besides the two assumptions there 1. Superiority of your values/judgemenr 2. That you have context on them
I think it misses out on a huge opportunity. One of giving. My answer is instead of lowering your kindness, or adding conditions…
Love unconditionally, but sacrifice differently.
Instead of driving the person, uber them, or set clear boundaries with them, etc.
At the end of the day, giving creates happiness.
And I want you to be happy.
Agree?
Pic Somil Aggarwal , Lynn Nakimera-Mahner , da baby.
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Do you ever think ‘how great am I for working late? Or waking up early?’
It’s an easy temptation and there’s a name for it.
In psychology they call it in groups and out groups.
People similar to you are in your in group.
Everyone else is your out group. But the trick is how self esteem works in these groups.
Our minds naturally temp us to put down the outgroup to increase esteem in the in group.
But, as I am reminding myself right now,
There’s an option we can choose consciously.
Put up yourself. I worked late and hard. I deserve to feel good about that.
Rather than putting down anyone else.
That’s all. Have a great life!
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I don't think I'll ever do better than my CTA yesterday. These are my most unhinged ideas for this post:
Tag a stranger that I should interview next in NYC First one to find the easter egg in this video gets $1000 100 likes to film the next one in pushup position I WONT do the top comment Should I begin by telling each person they smell different? (I've never met them before) How can I make this worse? Name a place and I'll show up You pick the person. I'll do the rest. How strange would a stranger have to be to get estranged by a park ranger?
__ There is no easter egg. Also 37/100 done.
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Today will change my life forever, I moved to NYC alone.
This crazy move is the product of almost 9 months of work.
The thing is, an end is also a beginning, but I can't tell you what's been happening behind the scenes - not yet. What I can tell you is a date, Tuesday the 21st of April.
Until then, here's what's coming: - Polls and inclusion in my scheming world domination - Food recs (Trapizzino was yum) - Stories and lessons from moving to one of the most Darwin cities in the world - Posts about incredible people, events, or places you didn't know existed - My full and honest heart put into words - Crazy begets crazy. We havin fun.
Follow me to see what happens and answer: 'What would YOU do with a blank slate in NYC?' below. I just might send it.
(Craziest comment wins)
Pic: Yum
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Jared Kleinert buys dinner for strangers and it grows his company. (Offsite)
Right now they're doing 3-5 dinners a month with 5-10 people per dinner. It's focused on their ICP, people leaders who want to save money on team retreats.
This does a few things: Reciprocity, gets people talking (This post), and associates positive curated experiences with his company.
Experiential marketing doesn't have to be complicated and BIG, it can be buying dinner for the homies and asking smart questions.
Also, they employed a rule of not talking about work until the main course. Shoutout Priya Parker for labeling this in her book.
People make the place. People make the business. Focus on connecting with people.
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Taking a leap…
Detached from BetterWealth moving to NY.
Thanks to Caleb Guilliams for the memories.
Been told to or have talked to Andrew Yeung , Sam Parr’s team , Jake Sacks, Steven Bartlett ‘s team, Dan Shapiro , and some others.
Who else should I look into?
IRL is the future, so looking for Community, Events, Experiential Marketing, CoS, and positions I don’t know exist!
Also interested in Charter Schools and education models like that.
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I like thankless work.
I've spent most of my career working for others. Pushing outside my natural character to fit the contours of the person I'm serving.
Sometimes that's uncomfortable. It takes endurance. Honestly, most times I don't want to clean up trash in my suit, or screw poles together for an easel, or stand and repeat.
I get impatient when someone is pouring their life out to me and I already see the answer. I get frustrated building something I don't fully believe in.
But I do it anyway.
Often I am the greatest reason an idea is created, an event runs smoothly, or someone finds peace. I plant the idea. Water it. Set things up in the background. Prevent people from breaking things.
At one point I wanted credit. I wished someone would notice and shout me out on stage, or take me under their wing because they saw how hard I worked. I felt lonely and unseen.
Not anymore.
I do not wait for others. I do no work for credit.
My core has changed. I create to create.
KC solidified it. Now it's time for NYC.
Announcement in 2 days.
From the heart, James Floyd
Pic: a lil circle of healing :)
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Yo on chat gpt try clicking
Control + Shift + I - Customize Your GPT
Control + Shift + O - New Chat
Control + K - Search your chats
Control + Shift + S - Sidebar Toggle
drop your hacks 👇
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Everyone’s heard the statistics about Americans not being able to afford an emergency expenditure.
Maybe the 20 something year olds have looked up what the avg networth is for someone their age and seen it is negative.
I am one of those 20 something year olds.
Here is what has been the solution for me.
Frugality.
From Benjamin Franklin to the Richest Man in Babylon, and beyond they preach the same.
From frugality comes freedom.
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Video - Jets and Capital SLC
Lessons in no particular order:
Rooms that everyone is giving to compound. So make the culture a giving one: How can I help you? What do you need? What’s your greatest challenge?
If there are things in your life you do and want to brag/talk about, do more of them to make them normal
To change you have to kill your old self
To succeed in business growth must happen at least equal to inflation, but growth of businesses also ultimately requires more resources and hurts the planet.
Through suffering people realize the world is not as they want it to be, only then can they wake up and work to change it.
Even if you’re inevitable and hard working, the only way to get ‘up there’ is to create unconventional quality/big things through outsized risk
Simplicity wins.
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Every few years I’ve tried to build this…
Now, thanks to Lovable, I have.
Welcome to JamesFloyds.World !
This site has - A 3D and interactive world - An automation that finds you the top YouTube videos by topic - An AI chat bot that puts you in my network for intros
and will be a place I host my projects for the next years.
If you’ve got questions or ideas lmk 👇🏼
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The long game A sort of misnomer for the strategy of those Who play no games They shoot you straight and do good work No pursuit of fame or belief in fate
The long game is to chase the journey, and tame fear to realize that company is the door key for which you aim
The long game not only is played in the rain but also as the sun makes hair or eyes glint in its golden rays it’s to say, ‘not today’ to scarcity and inflicting pain choosing love and abundance gets you the dame
The long game Dynamic and unspoken runs beneath the radar a subtle yet strong line of communication where our hearts do the adjudication In this way, you must send any corruption towards whence it came
The long game You see, is one that must be protected As things spiral up, parasites latch on those that have donned the weight of selfishness Leave everything they touch lame
The long game must be pursued relentlessly like a predator to prey boundaries held, gratification delayed, and kindness chosen Your eyes must never leave the ball while still seeing all If there’s one lesson from this, in the long game
Do not be tame.
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There is something extraordinary about excellence…
an energy that echoes through actions.
Those that know join into a flow with singular focus, one goal… go.
In many ways there are patterns across disciplines
honed in practice, each and everyone decides ‘attack this’.
Comms are clear and quick, eventually not at all a silent smooth operation perfectly executed.
If there is a fall it becomes a roll; in the end they stand tall.
Aside from actual actions there is an air that greatness gives. Some arrogance, some calm, some hunger.
It brings and beckons for challenge, inviting difficulty with no worry of result.
There is an efficiency of energy, of steps set out.
These combinations of sharpened skills stack into singular individuals who show up when times get tough.
Interestingly, the great people are often missed, others so far from excellence or ensnared in the wrong games.
They forget when it’s easy, who got them there. Other times, weakness like jealousy battles the strength of the greats.
Regardless, the pursuit of perfection is this: Practice until you cannot get it wrong. Excellence is purely a result of perfectly practiced reps.
So if you want to be great, dive into the depths.
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I think most event producers miss out on this opportunity:
Content created at their event.
Sure they have photographers and videographers, people snap pictures or videos with their phones, unde
but thats peanuts.
How you design the event can get you thousands if not millions of views and tags more, plus be a huge GIVE to your attendees?
Set up a quick podcast studio, at the event, have there be a podcast sponsor even. Make sure they know who to tag in their posts with QR codes etc to your content.
Just saying.
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What does being barefoot in Vietnam have to do with with business?
Well, it’s something I’ve picked up from living out of a backpack, and applies to being a Chief of Staff and asset to businesses.
Basically, do what the locals do.
If you’re a navy seal in the jungles of Vietnam, you’ll be more effective barefoot.
If you’re in NY, and it’s cold. Use a scarf.
Use the words the engineers use when talking to engineers, be specific and detailed.
In the same way, when you speak to your principal, translate your language, use pictures if they are not technical.
Learn the systems that each group uses to track to-dos. Find the tasks they hate like tracking tasks or getting the materials/resources they need to do the job, and then cover that.
I.e. your web developer needs pictures, name spellings, etc and is dyslexic?
Send them a loom and drive folder.
Next time you’re doing anything with anyone who’s been there more than you, ask ‘What are their rituals? What do they do that I don't?’
If you need a CoS in NY, either I am a great fit, or I know someone who is. Shoot me a Dm!
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Read this poem, then go listen to the Founders Podcast.
There is something about creating That feels so whole Regardless of whether or not I start with a specific goal.
Poetry, Painting, projects It just fills my soul this production
Now sometimes it’s important to ask, does this get me anywhere? And all I know is anywhere is not found by being a square. Quality and difference are the ingredients Necessary for a product through any lens
Dyson, Redbull, Delvecchio, Jobs created with compulsion ignorant entirely that ‘perfection robs’
The joy was from excellence and the pursuit of it
Just remember not to stop when people curse you Those nancy’s haven’t been where you’re going
Another piece to be aware of is that you are not towing insecurity, bad friends, others desires
Just go inwards and find your own fire For the mad men that change the world. They don’t have limiting goals They create because it makes them whole
Pic: A guy who does project controls for a living, but studied fine art. His house is covered in notebooks and paintings, and his basement is full of art.
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Please help me help a good person ->
Debbie helped me ship 20 retractable banners, name tags, walkie talkies, and let me leave my stuff while I looked for postcards at other stores.
When I didn’t find any she helped me print a picture and then gave me a discount without me asking for it just as great customer service. ($700) purchase with her.
1 minute of your focus is worth this.
Debbie also gets $5 every time a new person reviews.
Use the link in comments to praise Debbie!
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Social wellness is cracked. Take Othership as an example
$21.3M/year. 152 employees. 850+ people in a single candlelit breathwork session.
The model: • Founded by Robbie Bent as "urban bathhouse + guided emotional regulation" • Revenue streams: memberships, class packs, events, merch, corporate bookings, food • $51/month accessible plan (vs. $10–20K/year private clubs) • One facilitator serves big groups; venues run multiple sessions per day • Expanding fast
The lessons:
- Built-in virality — steam, ice, candles, and sensations that are share-able - Monetizes the whole ecosystem (memberships, drop-ins, merch, mass events, corporate offsites) - Standardized - same ritualized session drops into any city - Rides a growing market - wellness + mental health + social connection - Community-first - people come back with homies and form regular groups
___ I'm obsessed with community businesses. Follow me for more stuff around this.
Hire me to work on yours in NYC!
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Help me settle a debate: Which post is better?
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I’m off galavanting, but just wanted to stop by and remind you
If you stick with something long enough, you can do big things 👍
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We were in awe of what 6 million years of movement accomplished
“Very little of human architecture inspires this much awe! America was built on fast and cheap.”
Who’s building something beautiful and worthwhile?
____
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This is a reference page.
Most people have one or two references. Sometimes a random friend helping them out.
Few have many. (If you do, great!)
I have an entire page dedicated to it and you can too.
You see - I took an idea from Adam Grants book about a VC with a reference list.
Anytime he's going into a deal, has friction etc, he can send them a list of people that will vouch for him. Like testimonials but for his character.
I have the same thing, except its public.
Sourced from all of my comments, and other public times people have vouched for me.
So, my question to you is - What would you tell someone who asked about me?
Maybe I'll add you to it...
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84 sqft room. 24 housemates. Bed Stuy.
The last trip begins at 4am, but I’m already thinking about this room filled with books, and the conquering that will come from here.
As Sam Walton said - ‘I know the value of a dollar.’
— Follow for the adventures of James. See you on the April 21st post.
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I think 'great ideas' might just start as okay ideas
That's one of the reasons I'm interviewing 100 people in NYC.
Because with enough repetitions my ideas will be sharpened to great, not to mention new ideas popping up!
One of the parts of this idea I hope to improve is the questions I ask.
I have a few angles I'm thinking of (below and in comments) and I'm making this poll to include you! Lmk your thoughts!
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This post is for you. The people who have helped make me better.
Many of you have asked for me to update you, so here it is!
7 months ago - I met Elliot Bisnow on an Island.
6 months ago - I was blessed with counsel from Craig D'Cruze Jagger Bova and Nick Rodrigues - Plus, I got to learn about building Cities from the amazing Casey Roloff
5 months ago - Attended Alex Banayan ‘s amazing Possibilty Festival and met GREAT people - Explored Austin with Dalton Haberman - A mastermind of shenanigans in Wisconsin with Silas Mähner 🔍🌎 - and Raleigh with Parker Mayes
4 months ago - I helped run the Keiretsu Expo and see the great Stephanie Haaf
3 months ago - Helped with Jets and Capital Events and the Keiretsu Forum transition to in-person
2 months ago - Met up with the young hungry future that is @DiscoverPraxis - Chatted with the wise Angie Parker and Ela Richmond
And this month - Flew to Austin on a whim for Tech Week
- Then drove across the country to build some dang businesses with Caleb Guilliams 🔑 Founder l Speaker
It’s not possible to mention everyone that I’ve met, that has helped me, or that I talked to. So this part is for you.
Thank you. I appreciate you.
Reach out to me if I can help with anything.
Videos of my adventures are on my Instagram @JamesFloyd._
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Game time. Will be in SF for ~1 week. Vibes are high, air is crisp, and my phone is already full of messages.
Join them I want to meet you!
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In some rooms you can tell that the internal question being asked is “What can I get out of this?”. In this room, the question is “How can I help these people?”
My dream is to make that the normal.
If you are interested in coming to this event or know a family office, institution, or endowment that is. Please send me a private message.
If you are curious about sponsoring, message me as well.
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Practice re-imagining the normals.
I.E. an event with something other than -normal chairs -normal stage -normal normal lanyards
- What about bean bags, airplane seats, rocking horses?
-airplane wing, hood of a truck, something weird like a couch with two legs on one side broken off.
-hats, shoes (or covers), belts?
The less touch points that are similar to what a person has experienced before, the better.
Comment:
What’s normal -> What you did
Let’s make a library that expands brains.
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If you think throwing an event on an air craft carrier is big time, wait till you see what we're doing at the Superbowl with Ray Lewis.
Impact. We're working on impact. Improving the world through his non-profit, because honestly?
Screw the money and status games, and just focus on making the world better how you most enjoy.
If you'd like the opportunity to attend, talk to my attendance friends here: https://lnkd.in/eYDBiNwB
If you'd like the opportunity to sponsor - Dm me
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I can’t help but notice when I stay in different places.
Hotels and events should consider creating silent spots.
Places away from all the speakers playing music they put everywhere.
Guests would feel way more relaxed if they could actually get away.
I also design this into events and experiences I create.
Space and silence are powerful things.
They also help someone soak in your experience.
I like to ask the question of would this regulate a person up or down?
Just a thought.
- J
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A reminder for you. The clock is ticking towards the cuckoo. The sci-fi movies were about now. AI, robots, flip-flops, billionaires,
no raised brow?
In this moment love is most desired, and will get MORE valuable.
- Connection, and the reaching out of a hand to another.
- Quality, the feeling of flow that comes from excellence
- Passion, because if you don’t care you won’t win
Take the moonshot. Change the world.
Or at least yours.
Pic: Palmer Luckey being a baller.
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New City. No Job. One strategy: my neighbors.
The acceleration begins now. I want to new you (or someone you know) in NYC
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I’ve got some people that I just have to tell you all about:
Carlos Ponce -
LLM SEO - _____ will tell you how well you/your site show up in LLMs using search tools
Boardy.ai
Also check out Dave Andersons non convincing language 🔥
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2 bits of wisdom I’ve internalized in the last few months are
First
The same frameworks you use for you personal life often work in a business setting.
I.e. build an emergency fund for your biz just like you do personally
It doesn’t have to be more complicated than that, and you don’t need two different sets of frameworks
Second
In pretty much every decision, negotiation etc
The base framework used is risk vs upside
Just figure out what is the risk, what is the upside and what parts of those interact with one another.
I.e. in buying a business when you offer more cash you could pay less, but also that could effect - how fast you close - how much of a champion the seller is for you to his/her employees - your flexibility long term (cash is in sellers pocket, instead of liquid)
Etc
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In 2005 Red Bull made a 3 story nightclub out of a motorhome complete with glass floors, at Formula 1. Peak experiential marketing.
Why? Well here's some other pieces that make this fit together nicely. - Redbulls drink first took off in nightclubs around Europe - There were 48 TVs connecting the experience inside of the club to the racing outside, surrounding potential customers with RedBull - They built and created this entirely themselves. Meaning they are also associated with being DIFFERENT. (Hello! category of 1)
It became a must see destination for race goers and beat out the other hospitality centers from other race teams,
created global PR every race,
and was a revenue engine more than the last motorhome. (duh)
Most importantly, it created lasting relationships that continued to be built with customers as it was used repeatedly.
Build cool assets, then cash out by putting smiles on faces a lot.
Links to deeper articles on this: https://lnkd.in/eCymuN3q https://lnkd.in/e3MPX-8i
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Hyrox might be the most profitable fitness company per event.
$140M/year. 80% margins. 650,000 athletes paying to nearly kill themselves.
Here the bullet points my friends
The model:
• Founded in 2017 by Christian Toetzke and Moritz Fuerste • 90% of revenue comes from entry fees • Break even at ~1,500 athletes per event • Typically host ~7,800 • That's before sponsorships, merch, etc.
The lessons: 1. Built in virality - people take pictures and show they finished. 2. Monetizes the whole ecosystem. (merch, spectators, affiliations, etc) 3. Standardized. - Simple is scalable 4. Joined a growing market + provided for a gap 5. Appealing to community :) - relays and pair events
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'Nobody will know Tesla made cars' - Jason Calacanis
If so what value employees will bring in the future?
But let me take you back to the start of this pondering->
I’m job hunting in NYC, researching what skills will be valuable post AGI, podcasts from Peter H. Diamandis, All-In, etc, but they didn't focus on people like you or I.
So here's what skills near-term I think will be valuable:
- AI application (CoS, more generalist roles applying AI as leverage to themselves) - Dynamic real-life environments (Live events, trades, farming, etc) - Human connection
So here's what actions im taking:
- Building relationships with real people in the real world - Working in the real world (Experiential, CoS, Events, etc) - Building with AI (See my featured section) - Practicing operation in chaos, this skill will be difficult to replace.
Plus some other strategic moves: - Holding cash - Spending time with loved ones, learning my intuition and connection to nature - Encouraging more conversation about the future
What are your recommendations?
If uncertainty about the future makes you stressed, read tomorrow's post.
P.S. Podcasters, I've watched dozens of hours of content on the future, The ONLY unique advice? 'Don't save for retirement' - Podcasters do better, ask how questions.
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60/100 That’s it
That’s the post
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lucky number 13. because luck isn't real.
Same as 11:11, or splitting poles with a friend. Not real, just meaning we assign.
But these superstitions ARE opportunities.
13 reminds me I'm a lucky person. 11:11 is a chance to wish for wisdom. Splitting poles is a reminder of where my feet are.
Today I looked at the date and realized - It's Day 13 in NYC.
I'm lucky to be alive with some savings and a sense of adventure.
Why are you lucky?
___ tomorrow the adventure really begins...
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Do crazy big things, and do them for a good cause.
Here’s the cause: saving people from trafficking. The cost? $132 per person saved.
If you’d like to contribute to this months push the link is in the comments!
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What if I told you, on top of the 100 interviews, I also put together a book…
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Overdoing is better than under doing
Here’s my case:
With overdoing there is a stronger correction towards balance then there is underdoing.
So send it.
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Warm water is the greatest luxury
Here’s my case: Yachts, súper cars, or chefs are all nice but they don’t take away something making life more uncomfortable.
Warm water does, it’s awesome
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I got all that power.
But
So do you
___ U in NY? Want to chat?
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If you are in South Florida or SF watch out for
The crazy guy who’s post you’re reading, he’ll be there in the next few weeks. Hit him up.
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Jason He hates the support reaction Kaia Tham hates the insightful reaction
Which do you hate most?
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So I walk outside and there’s a line of 14 supercars staring me down… but we figured it out. Oh boy did we.
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I’m #hiring for an employer.
Must allow me to be in Brooklyn, NYC, or near there.
Must be a team of A players.
Must be open to being different, like this post. (That’s how you win anyway)
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Panda Restaurant Group you can be represented by me in awesome rooms if you give me an orange chicken pin. Deal?
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I found this on the ground, but it was important enough to bring it with me to NYC.
What’s your businesses story in 100 words?
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Signal recs?
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Advice please!
All you smart LinkedIn creators especially! Add your reasoning in the comments.
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This is a visual depiction for the pace of an event. What a journey. 📈 📉 📈 📉 📈 📉 📈 📉 📈
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These boys don’t play. Check their project out.
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What are you excited about?
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Do you see the signs yet?
This is why I’m moving to NY and going IRL
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We bout to have some fun Tech x Creatives is a combo you GOTTA see Tickets below
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Pain > Perspective > Gratitude > Peace
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How are you?