--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When you go from building T-shirts to…" description: "\"When you go from building T-shirts to software for a presidential campaign used by a cast of millions, it's pretty easy to think, 'OK, we can build som..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f98/harper-reed-7166_big_when-you-go-from-building-t-shirts-to-so_3227115.jpg" --- # When you go from building T-shirts to software for a… ![“When you go from building T-shirts to software for a presidential campaign used by a cast of millions, it's pretty easy to think, 'OK, we can build something pretty big.'” quote by Harper Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f98/harper-reed-7166_big_when-you-go-from-building-t-shirts-to-so_3227115.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f98/harper-reed-7166_big_when-you-go-from-building-t-shirts-to-so_3227115.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f98/harper-reed-7166_big_when-you-go-from-building-t-shirts-to-so_3227115.jpg) > “When you go from building T-shirts to software for a presidential campaign used by a cast of millions, it's pretty easy to think, 'OK, we can build something pretty big.'” [Harper Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-reed/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Scaling from small projects to massive platforms can create overconfidence, making big ambitions seem easy. **In simple terms:** Big successes can inflate confidence. Key Takeaway Stay grounded despite growth. Themes ambition scale confidence Mood reflective cautious Type advice business. When to use this quote - startup scaling - political tech - project management Key Concepts technology growth overconfidence Questions to Reflect On - How do you keep perspective when scaling? - What safeguards prevent overconfidence? A Different Perspective Large scale brings new complexities and risks. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Presidential campaign](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/presidential-campaign/) ## Related quotes > [Presidential campaign and White House are two aggressively separate things. They still think I'm the weird kid in the corner, so I don't have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-reed/presidential-campaign-and-white-house-are-two-aggressively-separate/) [Harper Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-reed/) > [People who are using it to sell things on Craigslist to holding garage sales - campaigns - the Obama campaign and the Romney campaign…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-dorsey/people-who-are-using-it-to-sell-things-on-craigslist-to-holding/) [Jack Dorsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-dorsey/) > [“What is novel is a president who wishes to maintain, while in office, a personal security force which during his campaign used force against…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-snyder/what-is-novel-is-a-president-who-wishes-to-maintain-while-in-office-a/) [Timothy Snyder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-snyder/) > [ I'm gonna say that I have followed every presidential campaign since the campaign of President \[John F.\] Kennedy in 1960. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/i-m-gonna-say-that-i-have-followed-every-presidential-campaign-since/) [John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) > [Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., used the Kavanaugh nomination in 2018 as a springboard for her failed presidential campaign.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mollie-hemingway/sen-kamala-harris-d-calif-used-the-kavanaugh-nomination-in-2018-as-a/) [Mollie Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mollie-hemingway/) > [ Let's be clear about what this \[presidential\] campaign is about. It's not about Donald Trump, he's an entertaining guys, he's the greatest show on… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/let-s-be-clear-about-what-this-presidential-campaign-is-about-it-s/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) > [Getting in the public eye early, raising money and building an organization are key to winning a presidential campaign. If you fall too far…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-enten/getting-in-the-public-eye-early-raising-money-and-building-an/) [Harry Enten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-enten/) > [A presidential campaign may easily degenerate into a mere personal contest, and so lose its real dignity. There is no indispensable man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woodrow-wilson/a-presidential-campaign-may-easily-degenerate-into-a-mere-personal/) [Woodrow Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woodrow-wilson/) > [The point of a presidential campaign is to put the candidate through the ringer: to force him to get banged up by his opponents…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-crowley/the-point-of-a-presidential-campaign-is-to-put-the-candidate-through/) [Monica Crowley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-crowley/) > [An American presidential campaign resembles a forced march through enemy country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-vaughan/an-american-presidential-campaign-resembles-a-forced-march-through/) [Bill Vaughan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-vaughan/) > [Truly, if you can't cover a five-car pile-up on Route 128, you should not be covering a presidential campaign.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-ivins/truly-if-you-can-t-cover-a-five-car-pile-up-on-route-128-you-should/) [Molly Ivins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-ivins/) > [I believe over the long term he's going to have the money, and he's got the message, that this is going to be one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/i-believe-over-the-long-term-he-s-going-to-have-the-money-and-he-s/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [I am suspending my presidential campaign.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-cain/i-am-suspending-my-presidential-campaign/) [Herman Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-cain/) > [The brutality of the pace. This was my third presidential campaign and it was a thousand times faster paced than my first one in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-madden/the-brutality-of-the-pace-this-was-my-third-presidential-campaign-and/) [Kevin Madden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-madden/) > [I injured myself politically when I took on Jesse Jackson' in the 1988 presidential campaign. I was too strident. I didn't recognize the emotional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-koch/i-injured-myself-politically-when-i-took-on-jesse-jackson-in-the-1988/) [Ed Koch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-koch/) ## More by Harper Reed > [Donald Trump won the election. I think that's true. I also think there was interference. If this was another country, I think we'd be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-reed/donald-trump-won-the-election-i-think-that-s-true-i-also-think-there/) [Harper Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-reed/) > [I programmed computers every day. And one of my favourite apps we built was this thing called Awesome Updater, that all it did is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-reed/i-programmed-computers-every-day-and-one-of-my-favourite-apps-we/) [Harper Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-reed/) > [Startupfest is a very positive conference. I think a lot of it has to do with how different culturally it is from other startup…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-reed/startupfest-is-a-very-positive-conference-i-think-a-lot-of-it-has-to/) [Harper Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-reed/) > [My entire career has been based around commerce. The Obama campaign was famous for raising boatloads of money online. My question is how do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-reed/my-entire-career-has-been-based-around-commerce-the-obama-campaign/) [Harper Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-reed/) > [I would say Silicon Valley and New York have inflated salaries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-reed/i-would-say-silicon-valley-and-new-york-have-inflated-salaries/) [Harper Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-reed/) > [When I give talks, I often quote from a button I received at a Google event: Always Be Creative. I use it to illustrate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-reed/when-i-give-talks-i-often-quote-from-a-button-i-received-at-a-google/) [Harper Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-reed/) > [We were orbiting around the idea of intent and context. We would take the bus into work, and if you said, 'Here's a shirt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-reed/we-were-orbiting-around-the-idea-of-intent-and-context-we-would-take/) [Harper Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-reed/) > [People are building apps that are doing super-crazy things, and there's a lot of talk about modeling and microtargeting. Facebook can predict when people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-reed/people-are-building-apps-that-are-doing-super-crazy-things-and-there/) [Harper Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-reed/) > [What I do think is important is this idea of a 'privacy native' where you grow up in a world where the values of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-reed/what-i-do-think-is-important-is-this-idea-of-a-privacy-native-where/) [Harper Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-reed/) > [I grew up in Greeley, Colorado, in a house without a television set. I was a very nerdy kid: I used to play 'astronaut'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-reed/i-grew-up-in-greeley-colorado-in-a-house-without-a-television-set-i/) [Harper Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-reed/) > [Security is very difficult. You have to be very careful about security, and I think oftentimes people just forget; they don't invest in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-reed/security-is-very-difficult-you-have-to-be-very-careful-about-security/) [Harper Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-reed/) > [The first thing is - and this is very important - I support the unmonitored use of the Internet for everyone. It doesn't matter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-reed/the-first-thing-is-and-this-is-very-important-i-support-the/) [Harper Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-reed/) > [Advice is always awesome because it never makes any sense when you compare it all together. It always contradicts other advice. I love advice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-reed/advice-is-always-awesome-because-it-never-makes-any-sense-when-you/) [Harper Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-reed/) > [There are a lot of people who are unable to take a break to clear their minds. I imagine they are the ones who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-reed/there-are-a-lot-of-people-who-are-unable-to-take-a-break-to-clear/) [Harper Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-reed/) > [I try and wake up relatively early. I listen to some music and check Twitter. I also make sure I weigh myself and check…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-reed/i-try-and-wake-up-relatively-early-i-listen-to-some-music-and-check/) [Harper Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-reed/) [Explore all 94 Harper Reed quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-reed/) ## More Big quotes > [I'm a true believer in prayer, a big believer in prayer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-jackson/i-m-a-true-believer-in-prayer-a-big-believer-in-prayer/) [Janet Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-jackson/) > [Many early-stage entrepreneurs make one simple mistake: Describing this 'big picture' in vague concepts and words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunil-nagaraj/many-early-stage-entrepreneurs-make-one-simple-mistake-describing/) [Sunil Nagaraj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunil-nagaraj/) > [I always say if you put someone from a small town into a big city for ten years, then when they go back, they'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/i-always-say-if-you-put-someone-from-a-small-town-into-a-big-city-for/) [Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/) > [My mom had very low expectations for me, and she really had a point. 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But that's also a big part of why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/banks/my-parents-are-divorced-and-seeing-that-was-really-painful-for-me/) [Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/banks/) > [I always want to do a big finale.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-yuh-nelson/i-always-want-to-do-a-big-finale/) [Jennifer Yuh Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-yuh-nelson/) > [I turn a lot of stuff down - big, big movies, the kind I wouldn't want to go to the cinema to see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-fox/i-turn-a-lot-of-stuff-down-big-big-movies-the-kind-i-wouldn-t-want-to/) [Matthew Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-fox/) > [So I concentrated on the rhythmic side of things, and therefore left a lot of holes. I didn't want to use big pad chords…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/midge-ure/so-i-concentrated-on-the-rhythmic-side-of-things-and-therefore-left-a/) [Midge Ure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/midge-ure/) > [I think a big part of success in football is mental, not physical. How you are inside your head matters more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iker-casillas/i-think-a-big-part-of-success-in-football-is-mental-not-physical-how/) [Iker Casillas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iker-casillas/) > [I was always attracted most to joining City, and I am pleased to be at such a good club with such a big ambition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edin-dzeko/i-was-always-attracted-most-to-joining-city-and-i-am-pleased-to-be-at/) [Edin Dzeko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edin-dzeko/) > [Making sure that people have access to preventive medicine for the first time ever as a nation? 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