Scaling the Experience Curve

How high-volume work environments impact your career

My life is better because I have a job working for someone else. There, I said it. Contrary to the popular narrative that entrepreneurship is the only path to fulfillment, I've found an unexpected accelerator for my growth: a 9-5 at a billion-dollar startup.

Don't get me wrong, I don't want to stay an employee forever.

I'd be disappointed if I didn't pursue my own vision in the future. But for now? I'm riding a rocket ship.

The “More More” Moment

Time at Paradox feels like living in dog years, and I'm only half-joking. Each month brings a wave of new clients launching on our platform, often at scales that would have seemed daunting just a year ago. Our product releases include more functionality, expanding our capabilities faster. And with this growth comes an avalanche of new challenges, each more complex than the last.

It's exhilarating and exhausting at the same time, as we race to solve problems for our clients at a pace that makes my head spin. There's more of everything now.

Elad Gil dubs this the "more more" moment, a phase that captures the sudden shift from steady growth to exponential growth, from addition to multiplication.¹ The "more more" moment doesn't just affect a business. Everyone working in it experiences that shift towards exponential growth.

Learn From Others Before Going Solo

Many people are itching to start their own ventures, believing it's the fastest path to success and fulfillment. I get it. The allure of being your own boss, building something from scratch, and potentially changing the world is intoxicating. Working for someone else feels like a waste of time when that’s your goal.

But here's the thing: what if that rush to entrepreneurship is actually slowing them down?

You might be thinking, "I'll learn faster by making my own mistakes."

But this is a false positive idea.