Raad (@R44D) / X

Raad

9,024 posts

Raad

@R44D

founder/ceo @lawtrades. freelance legal marketplace. building something new🦞

nyc

Joined April 2009

Pinned
Raad
@R44D
Feb 1, 2022
3 years ago, Lawtrades was about to go bankrupt. We failed to raise a Series A. Nobody wanted to invest. This month, we closed $6M in funding ($80M valuation) from 100+ customers and investors using a link and no meetings. Here’s how it happened, step by step. 🧵👇
Raad
@R44D
Oct 30, 2024
I’M STUNNED. After spending a month in Japan, I can’t believe how radically different—and in many ways better—it is compared to life in the US. Here are 15 experiences that left me speechless:
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Raad
@R44D
Oct 30, 2024
Replying to @R44D
5. No Public Trash Cans It’s incredible how clean Japan is. The streets are spotless despite the lack of public trash cans. People take their waste home, showing a level of personal responsibility that’s hard to fathom in the US.
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Raad
@R44D
Oct 30, 2024
Replying to @R44D
1. Safety You Can Feel I was chased by a homeless person outside of a 2 Michelin-star restaurant in SF. In Japan, people leave their phones and wallets unattended at cafés without a second thought. The low crime rate creates a sense of security that’s unimaginable in the U.S.
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Raad
@R44D
Oct 30, 2024
Replying to @R44D
4. Virtually No Fat People I hardly saw any overweight people. Cities are designed for walking and their culture emphasizes balanced diets. I ate so much but still lost 4 lbs because we were walking 15-20k steps per day. A healthy lifestyle seems to be the default here.
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Raad
@R44D
Oct 30, 2024
Replying to @R44D
10. Children Clean Their Schools School teaches kids from a young age to clean up after themselves. This instills a sense of responsibility and community service early on.
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Raad
@R44D
Oct 30, 2024
Replying to @R44D
3. Silence in the Streets No one walks around wearing AirPods or headphones. People are fully present. This creates a mindful atmosphere that’s a stark contrast to the constant background noise in the US.
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Raad
@R44D
Oct 30, 2024
Replying to @R44D
2. Vending Machines Everywhere You can find vending machines on nearly every corner to buy everything from hot meals to fresh flowers. It’s both convenient and a bit surreal.
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Raad
@R44D
Oct 30, 2024
Replying to @R44D
6. Less Screen Time, More Mindfulness Not only do they not wear AirPods, but they don’t even use their phones. On public transport, people aren’t glued to their screens. They read books or sit in quiet contemplation. It’s a stark contrast to the screen addiction in the US.
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Raad
@R44D
Oct 30, 2024
Replying to @R44D
8. Toilets from Another Planet You’ll find public high-tech toilets with heated seats, bidets, and even ambient sounds for privacy. Returning to basic toilets in the US felt like stepping back in time. Why has the US not adopted bidets yet? So much cleaner than toilet paper.
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Raad
@R44D
Oct 30, 2024
Replying to @R44D
14. Unparalleled Customer Service The level of politeness and attention to detail in customer service is extraordinary. Every time I returned from my runs, someone from the hotel would run toward me with a bottle of water and a cold towel.
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Raad
@R44D
Oct 30, 2024
Replying to @R44D
11. Living in the Future Japan's innovation is mind-blowing. San Francisco’s railway took 9 years and $11B but still not completed. In Japan? They're building super-speed 500 km/h magnet trains that will soon open to the public.
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Raad
@R44D
Oct 30, 2024
Replying to @R44D
13. Unbelievable Punctuality Trains arrive precisely on time, down to the second. If a train is even one minute late, the staff profusely apologize. Compare that to the chronic delays we’re used to with US public transport.
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Raad
@R44D
Oct 30, 2024
Replying to @R44D
7. Patience Walk signals have countdowns, and jaywalking is almost nonexistent. Everyone just waits. A behavior that’s worlds apart from the hectic street crossings in NYC.
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