This past Saturday, I was working on a document for the business idea I’d been pursuing when inspiration struck. I really liked that idea, but it lacked ambition and scope. It could be a fine business, but could it really differentiate itself from all the incumbent products? Then, seemingly out of nowhere, an idea arrived that encompassed the original one. It had a clear, ambitious mission, and the scope and complexity were significant.
In hindsight, it also seems obvious. Why did it take me so long to arrive at this idea? I’m not ready to reveal it just yet, but if you’ve followed my recent interests, this will seem like a duh moment. Still, it took over three months. A few weeks after I left my previous employer, I met with some folks in SF to catch up. I was asked if I would ever do Fintech again, and I was quick to say no. It’s slow. There’s so much regulation and red tape. And yet, I’m back deep in Fintech with this new idea and super pumped about it.
One of my favorite things about the early years at my previous employer was having a concrete mission. It resonated with me and drove me to push myself and build something incredible with my team. The new mission feels like I’m picking the torch back up with an even grander vision. It’s a single sentence, and it captures the whole new product in a nutshell. I’ve riffed on it a few times over the last few days, and I’ve got it locked down now.
So why do I think I arrived where I am today, and why did it take so long? I know the burnout I experienced at my last employer had clouded my judgment. The quick no to Fintech. Why did I say that? The early days working there are some of my favorite career memories. But the not-so-great times colored my memory and introduced a recency bias that had me saying no way.
Since deciding on the new direction, I’m reinvigorated and diving deep into all the relevant tax laws and financial regulations. I’m having fun again with what should be boring work. I’m riffing on the business model and really seeing where I can push the boundaries. Life is good. I just needed a break, and now I’m ready.
More to come…