ClimbWorks

I haven’t had a job for over 20 years, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. But one of the downsides of self-employment is that you lose the ready-made team of colleagues that you have in a job. Startup life can be lonely unless you’re lucky enough to develop an ecosystem of partners, clients and colleagues that provide that support and camaraderie. I’ve had the luck—and fun— of working with Katie Lewis and Matthew Stafford several times over the years. I’m especially grateful when they help me get the word out as they have below. But it isn’t just me. With 9others they have built a very impressive international web of support for startup founders. Their book telling the story also has a lot of wisdom about startup life. Check both our if you haven’t already!

Starting around seventeen, I dabbled in a few vices. Most of which I don’t regret. One of them was playing poker with my friends. Sometimes I won, sometimes I didn’t. But I always had fun. It was never a big deal if I lost, because I stopped when I ran out of the cash that I’d brought for the evening. Since the host provided beer and snacks, it was often a cheaper night out. Without realizing it, I was practicing what Saras Sarasvathy calls “Affordable Loss”. It surprises me that her research on how expert entrepreneurs actually work has been overshadowed by methods like Lean Startup. The Affordable Loss principle flips traditional business planning on its head. Instead of asking "How much money could I make?" it asks "How much am I willing to lose?" This approach helps founders start and grow with less risk by focusing on what they can control rather than trying to predict uncertain returns. It's about making small, calculated bets you can afford to lose, rather than risking everything on one hand. When you start with what you can afford to lose, rather than chasing hypothetical gains, something interesting happens. You become more creative with your resources and: • Stay nimble and adapt quickly • Create a repeatable, sustainable growth process • Earn unique insights through methodical experimentation At ClimbWorks, our members see entrepreneurship as a craft of exploration—one that rewards sharp observation and systematic experimentation. They develop this craft at their own pace, focusing on what they can control today, not what they might achieve tomorrow. If you're ready to develop your craft through principles like Affordable Loss, join us and build with our community of explorers.

I'd be lying if I didn't say that this made my morning. I'm human and therefore vain and love validation when I can get some. But more seriously, because I've got two roles at ClimbWorks: Community Manager and Founder. As a founder I'm on the same journey as the other founders in the community. I'm building something based on assumptions, and I've been going through the difficult and humbling process of testing and changing those assumptions to fit reality. So there are few things sweeter than a member saying that you're on the right track. Especially one that has tried the alternatives! Thanks Ana Lyubich, it's great to have you onboard.

First in a series explaining the backstory behind ClimbWorks. And hopefully generating some conversations I believe need to be had.

I've always been impressed by the #buildinpublic movement. It's such a generous way to help others learn from your mistakes and stumbles. With that in mind, I'm starting a #marketinpublic experiment today. Some of you may know that I've been developing an "unaccelerator" programme for bootstrapping founders for the past 9 months. If you don't, you can read the backstory in the featured post. I've been working with a core group of members who have been a big help in improving the content and structure, as well as the positioning. Now it's time to get ready for the launch to new members in the New Year, by starting a wait list. I know a fair amount about marketing and growth strategy. But this is my first time running a B-to-C (or B-to-F, business to founder) campaign on LinkedIN and other social media. So please join me over the coming few weeks as I figure it out by experimentation and iteration. I published the landing page for the wait list last week. Apparently LinkedIn doesn't like external links so please check our website. But there's no point in having a website so no one knows it's there, so the next step is to drive awareness. So lots of content (hopefully useful) coming in the next few weeks. I would really appreciate it if you could help me spread the word. I don't have budget for an affiliate programme (yet). But if someone signs up and they mention your name, I will give you a free 1:1 business coaching session. You can use it for yourself, or transfer it to anyone else you prefer. That's Xmas sorted. Today, I just want to start by thanking the huge number of people that helped me get this far, whether by giving me feedback on the original concept, spreading the word, joining the alpha cohort, or just encouraging me. In rough chronological order: James Terry,Daoud G.,Tom Noble,Madoc Threipland,Thomas Constant,Shifra Cook,Becks Armstrong,Murray Cox,Katie Lewis,Véronique Rapetti,George Thompson,Katie Lewis, Matthew Stafford,Narcisse Tshimanga, Marcel Plummer,Kate Todd,Sonia Ponzo, Neil Meekin,Vicky Smith,Peta Adams,Alexandra Joseph,Chris Parsons 💡Dr. Jacqui Taylor, Noele Flowers,Alan Tang,Amrit Bagha,Alex Largatzis,Bontle Senne,Ashley Duque Kienzle,Tara Piazza,Ava Meagher,Ben Nottingham,David Nosiah,Randi Lee,John Flaherty ❖,Yasmin Spark MA BA (Hons),Chris Locke,Saar Ben-Attar,Baker Bozeyeh,Dom Goucher,

If you want to learn more about our origin story, here it is: https://lnkd.in/e9ERFAUp