Why Must Do Better?

I didn’t set out to be a founder. I was a programmer who started a business, carried by the passion I had for my craft, in blissful ignorance of the tumultuous course I had set for myself.

“Must do better” is a phrase I used in my early twenties as I bounced around my chaotic life, always striving to improve, to reach further and go faster. It stayed with me throughout the following couple of decades as I became a founder, husband, and father.

This blog is not a polished a success story. It’s a candid look into the life and times of a programmer-come-founder. The hardships, the mistakes, the scramble to stay afloat and stay sane. It’s also a recounting of lessons learned, and methods followed to keep my business running for over 16 years. And wins, because yes, there have been a few of those too.

And this is not a memoir; it’s a live feed, because I’m still here, in the messy middle, where survival now depends on reinvention. I’ve started this newsletter as a way to write honestly about my experiences, share what I hope will be useful insights, and maybe just make some connections with like-minded people along the way.

If you’re at all interested in how a socially anxious introvert, suffering from extreme imposter syndrome, has managed to do all of the things it takes to run a business for the best part of two decades, then you’re in the right place.

I’ll write about my continuing experiments in tech and business: how automation and AI is transforming the way I operate; the growing pains of a small ecommerce agency and the shortcuts and techniques that have helped overcome them; plus the struggles with leadership from a natural recluse. It’s gonna be raw and unvarnished – not the kind of thing you’ll find on LinkedIn.

If you’re feeling a little flicker of resonance or curiosity; or maybe you’re even awash with them, subscribe below to hear more. I’m still finding my writing rhythm, but trust that I will try, nay must, do better.