Lost and Founder

After a four year hiatus, Lost and Founder is back. On 3rd February 2026, GoSquared celebrated 20 years in business. Here are 8 lessons I have been meaning to share for over four years: on team, leadership, and focus.Earlier this week when we celebrated 20 years of GoSquared, I thought it was the perfect excuse to resurrect the Lost and Founder podcast and share some of the lessons I never got a chance to since our last show — over four years ago.In this episode I share a few lessons I have learned the hard way, from team building, to leadership, to focus. And a few inspiring quotes are thrown in for good measure!On team:  1. Never underestimate what a small group of focused, aligned, motivated people can do.  2. Celebrate the small wins. Have fun along the way.  3. Most meetings don’t need to happen.  4. Knowing yourself is a superpower.On business and leadership:  1. Simplicity is a war.  2. If you think you’re repeating yourself too much, repeat some more.  3. Focus is impossibly hard, but without it you’re doomed.  4. Just do it.Links and further readingTimeline of GoSquared over 20 yearsOur update on GoSquared after 20 years in businessThanks, and see you next time!P.S. You can also find me at:✍️ https://www.jamesgill.co🍃 https://ecosend.io📊 https://www.gosquared.comMusic: Jakarta by BonsayePodcast hosting: Transistor This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jamesgill.substack.com

Recently when GoSquared turned 16 years old (or young?) we shared a blog post with 16 lessons from those 16 years. We received a ton of great feedback on the post, so I thought it’d be good to share some of those lessons on the show and speak about them a little more.Here are the first 8 of the 16 lessons we’ve learned along the way so far...On ideas and building:Build something people want.Share early, share often.Constraints breed creativity — embrace themThe details are not the details, they make the productOn customers:Use your own product. Be your own customerCharge the trust batteryYour customers are smart — treat them accordinglyTreat each customer as unique, but scale your processLinks and further readingTimeline of GoSquared over 16 yearsThe complete blog post of our 16 lessons from 16 yearsIdeas are fragileTrust batteryThanks, and see you next time!P.S. I'm on Twitter https://twitter.com/jamesjgillMusic: Jakarta by BonsayePodcast hosting: Transistor This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jamesgill.substack.com

I always find January a tough month — all the fun and excitement of Christmas and new years is over, the weather is awful, it’s dark outside, and to top it all off we’re still in the midst of a global pandemic.But fear not, there’s a world of opportunity out there! I’m spending some time at the start of January to reflect on 2021. I’m not setting myself huge audacious goals because I don’t know what the future holds, and I know the chances of success are low unless I use my previous experience to inform my future actions.Don’t get caught up in all the “new year, new you” nonsense — be careful what you read on social media! Instead, look at yourself, spend time reflecting on your own successes and where things could have gone better, and use that to channel your next steps as you enter the new year.Actions / take awaysGo easy on yourself — the last two years have been hard on all of us.It’s never too late to reflect — if you haven’t already, you still have time to reflect on 2021.You don’t have to make new years resolutions — instead get clearer on your values.If you are clear on your values, channel your thinking around small habits you can adopt day by day rather than setting huge unwieldy goals.Give yourself something to look forward to at the end of January — like a trip to somewhere you like, a gift to yourself, or some other treat.Thanks, and see you next time!P.S. I'm on Twitter https://twitter.com/jamesjgillMusic: Jakarta by BonsayePodcast hosting: Transistor This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jamesgill.substack.com

This year, the term "the Great Resignation" has been increasingly used to describe the explosion in people wanting to change their careers.As a planet, we're in unprecedented times – and it's no wonder that many teams are going through a tumultuous time with changes never seen before.If you're anything like me, handling team changes is one of the most challenging aspects of being a manager and leader. I find it hard to even know where to begin on this topic, but I thought I'd share my latest thinking in this episode with the hope it will be valuable to others out there going through similar challenges.Actions / take awaysEvery change is an opportunity to look at the business – what is going well, what isn't?Understand people’s goals and desires and ensure they’re on the right path.When someone leaves there can be tremendous opportunity for others on the team to grow into new roles.Be clear with yourself on the goals and needs of the company.Remember: everyone is on their own journey. You can’t control that! Focus on what you can control – organisation design, encouraging the culture and performance you want to see, leading by example, and making people the hero on their own journey.You’re not alone. This stuff is hard. Talk to others and you’ll realise that many others are in the same boat and going through similar challenges.Links and further readingThe Great Resignation on Google Trends https://trends.google.com/trends/explore?q=great resignationWhat is driving the Great Resignation? https://hbr.org/2021/09/who-is-driving-the-great-resignationThanks, and see you next time!P.S. I'm on Twitter https://twitter.com/jamesjgillMusic: Jakarta by BonsayePodcast hosting: Transistor This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jamesgill.substack.com

Anyone who knows me knows I have been a fan of the fruit company from California for a long time.In this episode, I talk through how I became a fan of Apple early in my life – from hanging out in the design agency my mum worked at, to being fortunate enough to get an unwanted Mac from my dad's office.Steve Jobs influenced me in many ways – through his keynotes, his showmanship, his stories, and through the many products his company brought into the world.In this episode I summarise three key areas where Steve Jobs had an impact on me: his showmanship, his obsession with simplicity, and his views on life.Actions / take awaysSteve Jobs commencement speech: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UF8uR6Z6KLcInsanely Simple: The Obsession That Drives Apple's Success, by Ken Segall: https://amzn.to/3v704lSThanks, and see you next time!P.S. I'm on Twitter https://twitter.com/jamesjgillMusic: Jakarta by BonsayePodcast hosting: Transistor This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jamesgill.substack.com