How Compound Learning Beats Linear Career Planning | James Hornick | S6 E10

Written by Mike J Midgley | Nov 13, 2025 9:42:58 AM

Welcome to the Force & Friction Podcast, where we break down what really moves the needle in GTM, RevOps, AI, partnerships, and SaaS growth.

Today, we are joined by James Hornick, former Chief Growth Officer at HireWell, quantitative options trader, sci-fi author, podcast host, and self-proclaimed number three ranked sarcastic commenter on LinkedIn.

James brings a refreshingly honest and unconventional perspective to professional development.

With a 20+ year career built on deliberately acquiring seemingly unrelated skills, he shares his philosophy of "compound learning" and why he believes it is the key to long-term success in a rapidly changing world.

James Hornick

James Hornick is a multi-dimensional professional who has spent 20 years proving that compound learning beats linear career planning.

Recently transitioning from his role as Chief Growth Officer at Hirewell, he's now focused on quantitative options trading, content creation, and creative writing on substack while continuing to share unconventional career wisdom with his 31K+ LinkedIn followers.

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Here are the core areas we discuss in today's episode:

1. The Generalist Advantage: Why Diverse Skills Beat Deep Specialization

James kicks off the conversation by challenging the traditional notion that deep specialization is the only path to success. Drawing on the ideas from David Epstein's book "Range," he argues that generalists, with their broad range of experiences and skills, are often better equipped to solve unique problems and adapt to new challenges.

He contrasts the career paths of Tiger Woods, the ultimate specialist, with Roger Federer, who played a variety of sports before focusing on tennis, to illustrate his point that there are multiple paths to excellence.

"I've always heard that, like, to, like, great chess players, like, it's not they're planning ahead, they're just picking the best move at any given time with the information they have, you know what I mean? I always kind of thought, kind of similar too, like, I'm just wired where I'm interested in a lot of things, but I also don't like doing anything half-assed. Like, if I want to learn something, I want to be good at it, you know? And I think that it's just kind of… I don't know if it was the way I was raised, or the way I'm wired, or I probably have some level of… I probably have undiagnosed OCD, where, like, I get good at… I have to, like, finish every task I do."

James's career is a testament to this philosophy. By deliberately acquiring skills in sales, content marketing, writing, and options trading, he has been able to create a unique and valuable skill set that has allowed him to thrive in a variety of roles.

He encourages listeners to embrace their curiosity and pursue their passions, even if they don't seem directly related to their current career path.

2. The Power of an Authentic Voice: Building a Brand Through Sarcasm and Storytelling

One of the most distinctive aspects of James's personal brand is his use of sarcasm and humor. He has built a large following on LinkedIn by being refreshingly honest and calling out the "bullshit" in the recruiting industry.

He argues that in a world of bland corporate content, an authentic and distinctive voice is a powerful way to cut through the noise and build a loyal audience.

"There was not a lot of good information out there in the recruiting world, and a lot of people… not anyone who really felt comfortable… there's so many things wrong in hiring. We can all agree with that. The job interviewing process sucks, the hiring process, if you're on the hiring side, sucks. Recruiters internally are often looked down on in their organization. They don't have a seat at the table. It's just… it's not a… it's never a traditionally a very efficient process, and that's not even getting to decide that, like, how… me… me coming from agency, and the disconnect, like, we… a lot of agencies have with clients with the fee… like, there's a million things that are a mess, and just by calling those things out and breaking them down in the simplest terms possible, but doing it in a fun way, where it's just two guys talking, but, like, on the page, just… it made it very engaging for people to to kind of read."

James's success with his podcast, "The 10-Minute Talent Rant," is a powerful example of this principle in action.

By having open and honest conversations about the challenges and frustrations of the hiring process, he and his co-hosts were able to build a strong connection with their audience and establish themselves as trusted voices in the industry.

3. The Unexpected Synergy of Unrelated Skills: How Options Trading Made Me a Better Business Leader

One of the most fascinating parts of the conversation is when James explains how his experience as an options trader has made him a better business leader.

He argues that trading has taught him to think more strategically about risk, to be more data-driven in his decision-making, and to be more disciplined in his execution. He draws parallels between the concepts of sequence risk and diversification risk in trading and the challenges of managing a business.

"It really made me better at understanding risk, because, I'll give you a few examples, because there's a lot of different types… this is the part I actually had to research ahead of time, so I had some thoughts. Sequence risk in trading. That's when, you know, you're going to have negative outcomes a certain amount of time, but what if they all happen in a row? And same thing happens in the business world, like, what if you… anyone knows you can lose a client, but what if you lose 5 clients in a row? All of a sudden, like, that's something you have to worry about. Diversification risk, if you… that was the thing I kind of mentioned, if you only do tech recruiting, you know what I mean? You aren't diversified."

This is a powerful illustration of the concept of compound learning. By acquiring a skill that seemed completely unrelated to his day job, James was able to develop a new set of mental models that have made him more effective in his primary role.

It's a powerful reminder that the most valuable skills are often the ones that we don't expect.

4. The Future of Work in an AI World: Why Soft Skills Matter More Than Ever

As the conversation turns to the future of work, James argues that in an AI-driven world, soft skills will become more important than ever. He believes that the one thing AI can't do is build relationships.

Where so much of our communication is mediated by technology, the ability to connect with people on a human level will be a critical differentiator.

"I think the two… I think there's two things. The one thing AI can't do and can never do, and I know this because my… my LinkedIn inbox still gets pounded with spam, is AI cannot build relationships. And we didn't even get into this whole thing, but, like, relationship selling was one of the other things at Hirewell that, like, set us apart. Like, and I think anyone in services, anyone who's a good… in the services side of the industry, not software sales. But services sales, they… it gets done through relationships, and people buy from people, and that will never go away. Like, the ability to… like, even at Hirewell, when I was, like, the biggest area of the business was sales recruiting. People still need salespeople, they need people who had to build relationships with others, like, that's probably the most AI-proof thing there is out there."

He also argues that the biggest opportunity in the AI economy will be in change management. The companies that will win are not the ones that simply buy the latest AI tools, but the ones that can effectively reconfigure their internal processes and empower their employees to work in new and more efficient ways.

5. The Unsexy Truth About Success: It's All About the Process

In his final thoughts, James shares a simple but powerful piece of advice for anyone looking to build a successful career: fall in love with the process. He argues that too many people are focused on the outcome, whether it's getting a promotion, making a certain amount of money, or achieving a certain level of status. But the reality is that success is not a destination; it's a journey.

And the people who are most successful are the ones who find joy in the day-to-day work of learning, growing, and getting better.

"I could tell you why I like it better than other types of trading, because you can… it's a more strategic element where you can actually, calculate the odds of success in a more predictable way. You can kind of backtest things and know that it's not bullshit. There's… You're not, like, I'm not… I also… I'm not a… trader that I don't have a gut about what stock's gonna do well, what direction. Like, options trading isn't about that. It's about knowing, kind of, what your odds are for things to stay within the range. You're gonna win this amount of times, you're gonna lose this amount of times."

This is a powerful and timely message. In a world that is constantly telling us to hustle and grind, it's easy to lose sight of what's most important.

But as James reminds us, the most fulfilling careers are not the ones that are the most linear or the most predictable. They are the ones that are filled with learning, growth, and a sense of purpose.

Final Thoughts:

James Hornick's career is a powerful testament to the power of compound learning.

By embracing his curiosity, acquiring a diverse set of skills, and staying true to his authentic voice, he has built a career that is not only successful but also deeply fulfilling.

His story is an inspiration for anyone who has ever felt like they don't fit into a traditional career path. It's a reminder that the most interesting and rewarding careers are often the ones that we create for ourselves.

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Mike Midgley runs a portfolio career, a dynamic hands on digital entrepreneur, founder of the Scrubbing Squad, NXD, strategist, public speaker, Winning by Design certified Revenue Architect and Host at The Force & Friction Podcast.

Mike has achieved multiple exits over a 30+ year career, raised Venture Capital and franchised his businesses 68 times.

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