James Chen

3 weeks ago | jameschenjc.medium.com | James Chen

I’ve been building Utorify for a few months now, and I had my “aha moment” in the most unlikely place: reading about candy. Not just any candy — See’s Candy. Warren Buffett bought it for $25 million in 1972. By 2007, it had generated $1.35 billion in pretax earnings. Total additional investment needed? Just $32 million. A candy company. Making chocolate covered nuts and giving out free samples. Nothing revolutionary. No platform. No network effects. Just really good candy sold consistently for 100 years.

1 month ago | jameschenjc.medium.com | James Chen

If knowledge was the answer, we’d all be rich with six-pack abs. The rise of the creator economy has democratized opportunity, anyone with an internet connection can publish, teach, or build something valuable. But with this freedom comes an unintended side effect: a subtle, paralyzing addiction to consumption disguised as preparation. You’ll hear it in conversations:“I’m just gathering ideas right now.”“I’m researching the best way to launch.”“I’m waiting until I feel ready.”These are not excuses.

2 months ago | jameschenjc.medium.com | James Chen

Ditching the fear and hype to build a productive partnership with AI that amplifies your work without replacing your valueMost professionals dream of the day they’ll get their first intern. Someone to help with those tedious tasks that steal precious time. Someone to bounce ideas off and maybe even learn from. Someone to help you scale beyond your own limitations. I’ve found that intern — and it’s AI. When ChatGPT launched, my first instinct was dread, not excitement. Would this thing replace me?

2 months ago | jameschenjc.medium.com | James Chen

Last month in a Kyoto temple garden, a monk smiled at my restlessness. “In the West,” he said, “you fill space. In Japan, we cultivate it.”That conversation changed everything about how I run Utorify. Six months before Japan, I was the quintessential always-on founder. Calendar packed with back-to-back meetings. Notifications constantly pinging. I measured productivity by busyness. Then came an afternoon of forced disconnection. Wi-Fi down. Laptop dying. Phone charger forgotten. My first reaction?

Nov 2, 2024 | jameschenjc.medium.com | James Chen

James Chen·Follow5 min read·--Photo by Kelly Sikkema on UnsplashThe most common piece of advice given to aspiring creators is “just start creating.” This advice, while well-intentioned, misses something fundamental: the underlying system that powers creation itself. Here’s the truth that nobody talks about: Most creators aren’t failing because of a lack of talent or motivation. They’re failing because they’re running the wrong engine.