Cliff Maxwell

Co-founder and CEO Vocation. Former tech VC, researcher, and Chief of Staff to @claychristensen. Father of boys. Living in SLC.

[Cliff Maxwell @cliffcmaxwell]

@bdefig Literally hours and hours in my 7th grade technology class.

[Cliff Maxwell @cliffcmaxwell]

@a16z This is textbook business model innovation. Once a product or service becomes easier to produce, then previous resource or process constraints become obsolete. So where you had SaaS/service based businesses, now you will have facilitated agent networks.

[Cliff Maxwell @cliffcmaxwell]

@ramit Agree 100%. I just don't agree it needs to cost $10k+ to get that level of clarity. We've helped hundreds leveraging AI and a decade of research in a very intuitive 'discover your fit' process.

[Cliff Maxwell @cliffcmaxwell]

I'm building solutions not to the education problem, but the workforce management/engagement problem that plagues talent in these sectors. Turnover is unbelievably high (often 70%+). It does no good to train a new generation of talent that will predictably get wrecked once hired.

[Cliff Maxwell @cliffcmaxwell]

What is your goal for this work? To help up-and-coming investors select careers wisely, or to help current VCs recognize what their job actually is (or both)?

[Cliff Maxwell @cliffcmaxwell]

@eastdakota Clay's former chief of staff here... this was often discussed internally as we examined how people approached him and talked about his work. Would love to hear more! @LakeAustinBlvd

[Cliff Maxwell @cliffcmaxwell]

@bgurley So grateful for your voice on careers, @bgurley . You inspired me to get into venture and later building software to support professionals navigating careers. It means more than you know!

[Cliff Maxwell @cliffcmaxwell]

@edsuh Built a working MVP, got customers, had a pipeline by the time I raised from friends and family. 100% no excuse.

[Cliff Maxwell @cliffcmaxwell]

I'd be curious to see an overlay of the insane revenue growth rates of AI coding/vibe-coding startups (Lovable, Cursor, Emergent) with what % of their customer base had never previously shipped an app before. Theory: faster growth happens in larger pockets of nonconsumption.

[Cliff Maxwell @cliffcmaxwell]

@bcherny Happy user here. Growth will always be uninhibited when you focus on nonconsumers. Disruption is still the name of the game.

[Cliff Maxwell @cliffcmaxwell]

@erica_wenger A lot also depends on company culture, appetite for developing young talent into partners, and taking firm building seriously. Not all firms started in the last 5-10 years and which bring on junior VCs do that well IMO

[Cliff Maxwell @cliffcmaxwell]

@arampell A better framing for this is business model theory (whether solution shops, value-added processes, or facilitated networks). AI enhances some, transforms others.

[Cliff Maxwell @cliffcmaxwell]

@AlfieJCarter SOP

[Cliff Maxwell @cliffcmaxwell]

@kwharrison13 Several healthcare firms do well, though? Deep-tech? (though can still be fairly general depending on firm). I think a lot rides on value-add post investment which can matter for specific verticals.

[Cliff Maxwell @cliffcmaxwell]

@toddsaunders Yes. Which is why we're building software to enable companies to scale this level of interaction across all teams. After a decade of research I can say that employees leave for very predictable reasons. It just takes focus and attention to spot them early and resolve.

[Cliff Maxwell @cliffcmaxwell]

This is 100% correct @bgurley , and precisely why current investments in AI career/HR tech are only exacerbating the problem. We're building a different approach. https://t.co/C8AcqwyWvR

[Cliff Maxwell @cliffcmaxwell]

@ericvishria This is the causal mechanism that underpins disruptive innovation.

[Cliff Maxwell @cliffcmaxwell]

@Ch_JesusChrist There are many mothers of young men - would love to see them serving on this council. The stripling warriors might agree.

[Cliff Maxwell @cliffcmaxwell]

It seems that most big decisions - especially career-related ones - cause anxiety simply because there are tradeoffs. You can't have everything. Accept that. Just figure out what you want most, and move forward. There's no right/wrong answer, just more or less progress against what your real priorities are.

[Cliff Maxwell @cliffcmaxwell]

@mhdempsey Love this, @mhdempsey . I have written extensively on this as well, and in fact recently started an AI company to help people get clarity. This resonates with our mission and my experience more than you know.