ten years in
At 17, exactly on this day, I took a one-way flight to america. I just had 11 rupees in my pocket…
Nah, none of that. I actually didn’t plan on being here. I was happily (read: miserably) in prep school for indian engineering colleges. In my family and the schooling around me, studying abroad was unheard of. Even if it was possible, I don’t think I was fascinated by this country. I wasn’t listening to english music growing up, or consuming american culture. I didn’t know what these cities had to offer. It just felt like any other country beyond reach.
The turning point was when I became convinced that computer science was the fastest path to bring my ideas to life and build cool things. Then, finding a way to move here, where the greatest software was being built, was a no-brainer. In about 300 days, after a series of serendipitous events and bets, I was on this flight.
Now, I’m sitting in a yurt in the middle of nowhere, reflecting on this decade. We could take stalk of, what is essentially my entire adult life, dive into the highs and lows, talk about startups, love, music, cities, and the immigrant experience, or… I could finally spend a few hours actually being grateful. Something I’m not that good at, so here goes nothing.
I’m blessed to have a family that believes in me
My parents went beyond their means, to support this dream. They have stood by me through a whirlwind of decisions that must have seemed alien to them. When I decided to take a semester off, risking the visa to continue studying abroad. When I left a high-paying job, to start from scratch. Even if it made them uncomfortable, I’m always inspired by their ability to reason and adapt to a different world view. I believe in myself, because of all the implicit ways they have instilled confidence in me. I dare to dream, because if things fall apart, there’s a home to go back to. All of this is priceless.
My relationship with my sister has also strengthened with time. Growing up, I didn’t quite relate to her. Her approach to life, her world view, her ambitions were very different from mine. But I’ve come to cherish that we share the same core values. She is the glue that keeps me connected to my world back home. She helps me stay present, when I’m thinking way too much about the future. She’s honestly the MVP in my family.
I’m constantly amazed by the communities around me
Over the years, I’ve come across several groups of people that have had a meaningful impact on my life. People I’ve felt the most comfortable with. People that inspire and challenge you, yet support your most authentic self. They feel like your tribe, and that’s wonderful. Here’s some communities I’ve loved being a part of
- Hackathons were a core part of my college experience. We’d travel across the country to spend 48 hours building out our ideas. I made friends who loved the craft of building software. There was no agenda, just build cool shit with other like-minded peers.
- When I spent 6 months in a hostel in bangalore, I met people from radically different walks of life. It opened my mind to several forms of creativity and ambition. The environment was somehow really conducive for people to connect and be honest with themselves. It challenged me to look inward and see what truly drives me.
- My first job out of college at Microsoft’s AI program was the best I could ask for. I was surrounded by a crew of talented, high-agency builders that I really enjoyed working with. We’d take on any challenge with confidence, and make things happen. This team set the tone for the culture I love.
- Living in San Francisco was always the dream, and when I moved there, so many things were exactly as expected. Engineers at the top of their game, hungry to put a dent, and a support system to make it possible. This place pushes you to take bigger bets. As someone with a risk appetite, this city is so refreshing.
- South Park Commons was the perfect environment to start our company. We found investors that truly took a bet on the team, before anything else. We found a community of founders, just as driven, that actively support each other. It’s no surprise that startups are a rollercoaster, so glad to have people who especially show up during the lows.
- I moved to New York for our customers, but stayed for the people. While SF is an excellent place to focus, it can also make you jaded. In contrast, I love that NYC is a melting pot. Somehow, all the different groups of people mentioned above, started landing in this city. That felt special. An opportunity to actually consider a home for the long term.
I’m grateful for the values that stayed
There’s some things that haven’t changed about me. I’ve had a certain sense of innate optimism all these years. Undeterred by how hard things get, in fact it really shines then. Maybe it’s not as animated as before, but I’ve always managed to shake things off, find a glimmer of hope, and get going. While it’s easy to rationalize a probable outcome, I’m way happier pushing for the favorable one.
This optimism also aligns with agency. I’ve always believed that I can figure things out. No problem is hard enough, if we break it down and focus on the variables under our control. While my parents really modeled this attitude, it only became stronger over time. Whenever I’ve met anyone I look up to, I realize everyone is really making shit up as they go. That means life is too short to doubt ourselves. Just put in the hours and make things happen.
And all the changes along the way
The biggest change for me has been moving away from solo sprints to team games. I’ve usually gravitated towards doing things on my own, but that has a ceiling. As they say, you can go fast alone, but you can go lot a farther together. That means trusting people, understanding their vision, and finding ways to make things positive-sum. This isn’t just about work, I’ve directly seen the value of making people feel heard and supported. The benefits of nurturing relationships is unbounded.
I’ve also learned to increasingly trust my gut, and accept my idiosyncrasies. Moving from what is objectively right to understanding what is right for me, and listening to my needs. Even my tendencies to procrastinate and aim for perfection, come from a fear of judgement from an overly critical voice in my head. Turns out, your instinct is a way faster, on-device machine learning model that just works.
Of course, there isn’t an end to this list. But putting some of it on paper feels good. So much to learn, so much more to build. Ad astra ✨
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