You don't outgrow where you're from

That’s Kristen Lowe, a ghostwriter for founders, in Lenny’s Newsletter. She tells founders to skip the vague version of their story. So here are my details. I grew up in Ashbourne, Co. Meath, in a draughts family. Pop taught us all, and Auntie Patricia was world number one. I won the All-Ireland draughts title at 10. I started chess at 8, often against players ten times my age. The board didn’t care!

My Shamrock Rovers underage manager, Chris Malone, had rules. Handshakes with everyone. 15 minutes early or a €2 fine. Clean black boots. Keep up in school or don’t train. Pick up the cones. “A manager I would’ve gone to war for.” Lesson: discipline and respect are habits. They travel with you, and they work in any dressing room, in any country.

Kristen Lowe writes that founders who share their customers’ problem get to say they’re working for us, and their success becomes our success. Pi-Squared’s first push came from home. RTÉ, Newstalk and the Irish Independent came after the Facebook group post. I’ve said it before: as AI makes it easier and easier to create apps, a community that trusts you is going to be the edge.

Karan Dhir wrote that in a guest essay on career bets. He says the network that matters is “twenty to fifty people who actually know your work, trust your judgment, and stay in touch over decades.” For me, that starts at home. My brother Will was Man of the Match on his first cap for Ireland in CP football, aged 19. Will has always been my why. There’s no strength without unity.

A saying, a habit, a Sunday ritual, a way of greeting people? Sometimes it’s the small things you only notice once you’ve left. Mine are the handshakes and the board games at Christmas (there is always a row… always!). What are yours? Reply and tell me. I’d love to hear where you’re from.