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 /faust, more here: /july, web: july.rocks