Every Thanksgiving, I think of how grateful I am for a conversation I had with a stranger at a pivotal time in both of our lives. Today, I’m going to share it with y’all. 

About a decade ago, I took my 3 and 2 year olds to a Starbucks in a town just east of Seattle.  It was around this time of year.  I had just started my first vc backed company.  There was a founder of a well known Seattle based software company who said he recognized me from a local business article… he gave me some unsolicited advice:

He told me to slow down but don’t waste time.  Spend time with your family -> especially those kids.  Build for customers -> not for investors.  Don’t cut corners -> craftsmanship wins in the long run. And of course -> don’t take advice from random strangers.  

Several years later, after I’d accumulated some battle scars, I looked him up. He had young kids. He had died of cancer shortly after he stopped by my table that day. I feel like the universe was giving him a chance to pass his torch.

Independent Power Networks @ Aston // astonlabs.co.

creating and destroying; built flying cars & autonomous vehicles, now building roc.camera, writings: july.rocks

After that convo, I spent a lot more time planning backwards from the end goal. When I think I know exactly what to do, I’ll go for a walk, run, or bike to reflect on that plan forward. That has saved me a lot of time on false starts.  

“slow down but don’t waste time”. Stuck in my head all day. Did you slow down, and if so, how? Did you change anything in your day to day routine?