The year was 2019. I was in a stable job at a big insurance company, building and managing an app with a small team in their marketing department. I was a product manager and had been there for 2.5 years. I wasn’t making the most money I’d ever earned, but the job was fairly low stress.
Why am I explaining all this? Well, 2019 was the year COVID-19 hit, disrupting my life and the lives of countless others across the world. I’m writing this because I found myself at a crossroads. I was pulled out of my normal, everyday decision-making routine and forced to make some really hard choices that would change my life forever.
Rewinding to 2019: The Start of Remote Work
By April 2020, we were all working remotely. I began to ask myself: What if I don’t go back to an office for a year, or even two years? If you strip away the in-person interactions of office life, all that remains is the work itself. So the work has to be that much more important and enjoyable.
This was a huge shift for me. I realized I liked the people at my company more than I liked the work, and this realization made me start looking around for new opportunities.
That’s when I found an incredible mental health startup. I saw that mental health in this country was deteriorating rapidly, mine included, and that more energy was needed to help people. So, I left my steady job to join this tiny startup, which consisted of just seven people.
Jumping into Startup Life
I took a job where I hadn’t met anyone in person, was dropped into a very challenging situation, and had to figure it out on my own. Needless to say, it didn’t work out.
Lesson one: Don’t take roles where you report directly to the CEO unless you thrive in a highly unstructured environment.
Lesson two: Government and medical contracts are extremely hard. The amount of technology and compliance required to manage medical records is no joke.
One big takeaway: if I join another small startup, I need to meet my manager and some of the team in person before accepting the job. Compatibility is non-negotiable.
The Metaverse Era
My friend was working at an avatar company in LA, and I ended up joining them. These were first-time founders, incredibly ambitious, and focused on building an avatar ecosystem similar to Ready Player One. They had celebrity partnerships, an app, a website, and a big dream.
This team grew at a blistering pace. They leaned into digital expression through relentless creativity, enabling authentic expression among younger audiences. Many of them were misfits, just like me. Most had dropped out of school, and I really vibed with that energy.
But there was one thing I hadn’t anticipated: the company pivoted into the crypto web3 space. This was 2020, during the NFT boom, and we did well, so well that Bob Iger, Disney’s CEO, invested and joined our board.
Despite the success, my career growth hit a ceiling. As the company scaled, leadership brought in big-name VPs with Fortune 500 and Ivy League credentials instead of promoting internally. I saw the writing on the wall.
Back in Gaming
Here I was, back in gaming, publishing games for brands like the NFL. The team was talented, and the offer was generous, but the company grew too fast. The market shifted, and layoffs came.
Lesson learned: even great companies can falter under rapid growth. When you see red flags like unchecked expansion, pay attention, even if the offer is tempting.
Into the Crypto Abyss
Next up: the real crypto company experience. This was exactly what I imagined crypto would be: engineers who didn’t reveal their names or faces on camera. I never got used to that.
That said, the founders and CTO were fantastic. I met them in person at GDC, and their intentions seemed genuine. The problem was timing and fit. Their culture was no meetings, all asynchronous, with very lightweight agile practices. It just wasn’t my style.
Sometimes, even with good intentions, things just don’t work out. The timing wasn’t right, and the culture wasn’t a fit for me.
The Present: Stillness and Simplicity
Over the last three months, I’ve embraced stillness. I recently read Stillness Is the Key, and it reshaped my perspective. I learned the value of doing nothing, not doom-scrolling, but truly sitting quietly, observing my thoughts.
I started running without headphones, just listening to my footsteps for hours. It’s been a meditative experience. This phase of my life is about curiosity, stillness, and peace.
Building with My Hands
This is the era of IRL for me. I’ve been focusing on real-life experiences: paying for moments, going on trips, and building things with my hands. Building with your hands is deeply fulfilling. Whether it’s pottery, carpentry, or painting, anything you can look at and say, "I made that," brings immense joy.
I’ve also prioritized in-person relationships. My therapist told me when I was 10, "You don’t let people in. You need to share your feelings." That advice still resonates, and writing these blogs is part of my mission to connect more deeply with others.
Final Reflections
The last four years have been transformative. I hope my story inspires you to reflect on your own journey. Consider what you can add or remove from your life to grow into a better version of yourself. Let’s embrace change, build meaningful relationships, and focus on what truly matters.