Zero To One
A short essay on building new things
A few years ago, I read Zero to One by Peter Thiel.
The book is fascinating. Thiel argues that most of what we think of as business is "globalization," meaning we copy what already works and spread those ideas to new people. This is called horizontal growth.
Horizontal growth is going from 1 to n—simply making more of what we already have.
Vertical growth, on the other hand, is technology. It involves building new things or creating something that does not yet exist. This is going from 0 to 1.
With The Shop, I want to create something that does not exist yet. I have a lot of ideas, but I am still figuring out how to put them all together.
I know The Shop is fundamentally a service business. I am not interested in building a tech product, but I do want to combine my growth marketing skills with higher leverage.
Maybe what I am building—a mix of services, content, and brand—is already unique in itself. No one else can do what I do, and maybe that is enough.
Still, in my heart, I feel there is something deeper and cooler. There is a bigger game to play.
Love you guys. Talk to you tomorrow.
Tim
Learn How To Create Multiple Streams Of Income
Join the TimStodz Incubator.
As a member, you'll get access to:
A vibrant community of like-minded entrepreneurs and creators.
One-on-one access to me for personalized guidance.
Exclusive courses on topics like building directories, getting clients, and scaling income streams.
Behind-the-scenes insights into my business journey, including how I’m building my portfolio to $10M a year.
VIP access to live lessons, tools, and strategies I’ve used to create real results.
All of this is hosted on Substack, keeping everything simple, streamlined, and effective.
Start building your future today. Click here to join the Incubator before the price goes up!