US Vs. UK Work Culture: What I’m Learning From My American Clients

I’ve spent a lot of time working with American entrepreneurs. In 2023, I started a ghostwriting business in London writing for founders in the tech and real estate space.

I work primarily with US clients and have visited the US several times in the last few months.

The more time I spend in the US, the more I realize how differently British people approach work.

I find Americans are more likely to embrace challenges and have a greater appreciation for risk, whereas British people prioritize comfort and perfection. Here are the main traits that made our differences in work culture most apparent.

1. Embracing ‘schlep blindness’

“Schlep blindness” was coined by Y Combinator founder Paul Graham. It means we can become blind to tedious tasks.

I’ve found Americans will tackle unglamorous problems, whereas Brits are more realistic about flaws and hurdles. The latter approach can make you realize how hard a goal is to achieve and less likely to take on a new challenge.

An American founder recently told me starting something with a level of naivety, especially if it seems tedious, means you’ll be more likely to ignore potential challenges and just get on with it. On the other side of the “schlep,” there’s often a higher reward.

I think this is because there is a stronger entrepreneurial and meritocratic spirit in the US.

Many of my British friends talk about changing careers to something more fulfilling and aligns with their passions. But people I spoke with in the US say it’s more important to become passionate about the process.

You shouldn’t hate your job, but incremental work that seems boring is often building toward a higher return on investment.

When I started my ghostwriting business, it took months of rejection to get my first client. If I’d known how hard it would be, I may never have started. Instead, I just took it one day at a time and got used to doing uncomfortable work.

2. Intentional network building

In Britain, our social and professional circles often form through chance — school connections, family friends, or colleagues. Most of my school friends still live and network in the same town.

But Americans I’ve met are more intentional about their circle.

The founders and business people I met in the US have built reaching out to interesting people online into their daily schedules. They’ve found friends, cofounders, and opportunities from online networking.

Maybe it’s the fear of failure or tall poppy syndrome, but I feel that people aren’t as proactive about networking in the UK. Brits sometimes view Americans as obnoxious, but I see it as being unapologetic and ambitious.

I’ve always found it easier to build relationships across the pond. I think alongside being intentional, there’s also more openness and high energy toward socializing.

In London, it’s an unwritten rule that you don’t speak to strangers. In America, you walk into a clothing store and feel like the clerk is your best friend — everyone goes out of their way to engage in conversation.

3. Execution over perfection

“Done beats perfect” is a saying I often hear in America.

In Britain, we often delay launching a product or idea until everything is polished.

I think this is partly because of the “stiff upper lip” stereotype. To fail at something would be to show emotion, which can be viewed negatively in British culture. Perfectionism is often fear in disguise.

In the States, emails are answered within hours. Problems are solved that day. My American friends do everything with another level of intensity. Before they even have time to think, they’ve taken action.

I believe that we should take our time with is deciding on the big things like what to work on and who to partner with. But once you’re on the right path, the quicker you can run experiments to get feedback, the better.

I used to spend hours sweating over tiny details in my work and personal life. It took a lot of practice but eventually, I learned to set myself deadlines, ignored the internal British voice and started taking action.

Each iteration would get me to where I want to be far quicker than trying to be perfect before launching. I think is more common in British culture where not trying at all is better than trying and failing.

4. Relationship with challenge

American entrepreneurs I’ve met seem to have a different approach to difficulty itself. They actively seek out challenges.

I recently got back from a trip to New York where I met a bunch of founders. We went for a run and chatted about business and life.

There was a pattern where the serious marathon runners were also successful in work. They said how they loved embracing pain and challenge.

Businesses, like marathons, are hard to run and it takes a certain type to seek out that challenge. I’m not saying everyone in the US is like this, but I came across a lot who seemed to thrive in challenging, chaotic situations.

In the UK, it’s more normal to strive for comfort: a respectable house and reasonable working hours. It may be because British culture doesn’t glamourize ambition to the same extent as the US.

Sometimes I find myself wishing for a chilled weekend. As soon as I get one, my mind craves the rush of building things. This mindset makes me feel a little out of place in the UK.

I meet a lot of British people who don’t enjoy their work or like to talk about it. Whereas, when I see people in WeWork at the weekend, I love it. It tells me we’ve got something in common.

A different game entirely

When it comes to work, British and American cultures aren’t playing the same game with different results — they’re playing different games with different rules and objectives.

British culture optimizes for stability, respectability, and manageable progress. American entrepreneurial culture optimizes for outsized impact, rapid evolution, and breakthrough opportunities.

Neither approach is inherently superior, but they produce different outcomes.

For my part, these insights have transformed how I build my business. I’ve started embracing unglamorous challenges, setting more ambitious targets, launching faster, and viewing difficulties as opportunities.