[akash-bilung]

Honestly, building solo has taken a toll on me in ways I didn’t expect. I feel like I’ve lost parts of my personality, especially the part that used to come naturally when talking to people. I was always good at conversations. I still manage in virtual calls and meetings, but it doesn’t feel the same anymore. The essence is missing. Nobody warns you about how lonely it gets. But also… no one tells you how free it feels, to pivot, to mess up, to chase ideas without anyone’s permission. It is weirdly both isolating and empowering. At the end of the day, I think it comes down to peace and self-satisfaction. Embrace the solitude, or get lost in the noise. Still figuring out which one wins.

[betterhealth12]

I resonate with this in a major way. A couple of times now we have received feedback around the product, branding etc when I've gone from not even considering any changes to the new direction being fully implemented within the product in 48H. This was unthinkable when you were part of a "machine" within a larger enterprise however nimble it may have been. The internal friction that comes up whenever you're thinking about a product change - because of the PTSD from the drawn out discussions in my prior roles - almost needs to be unlearned and coaxed out!

[akash-bilung]

Feels like we’re not just building products, but also unlearning layers of corporate conditioning. And maybe, in that process, we’re slowly rebuilding ourselves too, quieter, leaner, but closer to the core.