• Martins Lasmanis, the founder of Supliful, struggles with balancing startup growth and family time.
• Supliful quickly gained traction, and Lasmanis began working 16-hour days with three young kids.
• He now schedules family time and delegates work to manage 'dad guilt' and improve work-life balance.

My youngest son turned 3 this year — the same age as my startup, Supliful. As I watched my toddler playing on his birthday, I felt a strong sense of guilt creep up inside me. He wasn't a baby anymore, and I realized I'd missed out on him growing up.

"They grow up so fast!" is what all parents say. That day, this cliché suddenly felt terrifyingly real. Even worse — it felt as if, over the past three years, I'd spent more time growing my startup than paying attention to my children growing up.

That feeling was torturous

I've always wanted two things in life: a big family and my own business. Family is where I find peace and joy, and I find self-fulfillment in business. I've never been able to sit still and must be in constant motion.

In 2021, when I became a father of three and founder of a newly launched startup, I felt I was on the right path. My life goals were being met. I was nailing it.

While I didn't expect raising three kids and building a company from scratch would be easy, I didn't worry much either. I had already been there — a few years prior, I was running a successful online store while raising two preschoolers. I thought I had the experience necessary to handle the new responsibilities.

I was wrong

I soon realized my new venture had much more potential and was more complex and demanding than anything I had built before.

When I attracted serious interest from VC investors, my company was still in its ideation phase. We onboarded hundreds of users just three weeks after making our product public. By our second year in business, we were already making over $1M in revenue.

Success came with challenges and new responsibilities. I had to quickly grow our team, onboard new partners, and open a new fulfillment center on the other side of the world to ensure quality service to our clients — all while ensuring we didn't run out of money.

I spent my days on back-to-back calls with investors, business partners, and new hires. In the evenings, I sometimes had to help my colleagues pack and send out orders. I'd regularly travel between our office in Europe and the fulfillment center in Denver, feeling guilty for leaving my family behind every time.

My wife was extremely understanding

Throughout our 13 years together, my wife has always supported me. Although she wasn't happy about me staying late in the office or leaving for another business trip, she always encouraged me to pursue my career goals.

Without realizing it, my working days got longer. At one point, I worked 12 hours a day and sometimes as many as 16 hours.

I still tried to be as hands-on as possible with my kids. My wife and I had our own caregiving "shifts" — I covered mornings and after-work, taking the kids to and from school and day care. My wife handled the evening, taking care of dinner and putting the three to bed. We all tried to spend time together between dinner and my late work calls.

Eventually, a dreaded day came

"Daddy, you're working too much." My 7-year-old daughter caught me off guard. We had just finished our dinner one evening in September, and I prepared to disappear into my home office for another round of calls and emails. I responded "I know. I'm trying to build this business, but I should be more present with you."

I realized I was experiencing an enormous feeling of guilt — the feeling of failing as a parent because I wasn't there for my kids. While I saw my tight work schedule as a sprint that would eventually end, my kids only saw me working.

I had heard about "mom guilt," a term often used to describe the feeling women have when they believe they're not meeting their own or others' expectations in their role as parents.

I felt "dad guilt" — the dark side of entrepreneurship and many other demanding jobs requiring long hours. Every day, I feel guilty for not prioritizing my children or failing to build my startup.

I wish I had an easy fix to make this all balance out

I don't have a solution, but I have found a few things that make the weight easier to carry.

I make it a point to schedule family time on my calendar and never cancel it. I treat it as seriously as any work meeting and make a real effort to be present.

I set high standards, but I've had to remind myself that perfection isn't real. Sometimes, I take stock of the good I've done, balancing it against the areas I wish to improve. Reminding myself of these positives helps me feel more at peace with where I am.

I've delegated more work to my team, allowing me to spend more time with my kids this past month. We're moving to the US next year, so that will be another adventure.

Through it all, I'm beyond grateful for my wife. She's my best friend, and her unwavering support allows me to pursue my entrepreneurial dreams.

• Nicole Chan Loeb is a 38-year-old photographer, videographer, and a mother-of-two.
• She and her husband prioritize experiences over gifts, so they invest for their kids in lieu of toys.
• They want to teach their children financial literacy and set them up for a secure financial future.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Nicole Chan Loeb, a photographer and videographer from Boston. It's been edited for length and clarity.

My kids are 1.5 and 4 years old, and I've never bought them any physical presents for birthdays and holidays.

For birthdays, I'll make a cake, and instead of buying toys and clothing, I invest money for them to set them up for a more secure financial future. Plastic toys and knickknacks are temporary fun, but they cause clutter and landfill waste.

My mom taught me about stocks when I was growing up

Growing up, my mom used to tell me about the stocks or funds she invested in for me. Every week, we'd take the figures in the newspaper, chart them on graph paper, and stick them on the fridge. We mostly invested in mutual funds. That was fun, and I especially loved the special time my mom and I spent together. I similarly want to teach my kids financial responsibility and literacy.

My husband and I met in college in 2004. We both worked in the finance and accounting industry — I was in management consulting, and he was in internal audits — before deciding it wasn't for us. I quit in 2010, and he quit shortly afterward, and we both became entrepreneurs. I'm a photographer and videographer, and he owns an escape room company.

It was a considerable risk and I was absolutely terrified. But since my parents taught me financial literacy, I've learned how to save to be comfortable no matter what. Plus, the flexibility and fulfillment this lifestyle provides is very worth it.

We gift our kids investments instead of physical gifts

My husband and I don't exchange gifts in general. If we want something, we'll just purchase it for ourselves — after all, our money is pooled — so I find gift-giving challenging. Instead, we share and enjoy dinners, experiences, shows, and vacations. We give each other cards — it's more about the sentiment.

This year, my husband and I maxed out our kids' custodial Roth IRAs and deposited $7,000 each. My kids have been models for children's clothing lines, toy companies, and hospitality campaigns in my work as a commercial and advertising photographer, so the money is considered their earned income.

We decided to start investing for the kids last year because, from conversations with friends, we realized that we all wished topics like taxes, saving for retirement, and smart investing were taught in high school or earlier. We decided not to wait and agreed to start teaching these concepts as soon as our kids could grasp the basics.

Also, both my husband and I were lucky to leave school without a massive amount of debt because of our parents. These investments will allow our kids to graduate from college without an insurmountable amount of debt.

We're focused on Roth IRAs for now, but we plan to open investment accounts for them within the following year. If they don't have earned income in future years, we will set up a custodial brokerage account and invest for them that way. Because we both own our businesses, our salaries and incomes fluctuate, so we look at our finances each year and decide how much to invest.

Our kids are happy with spending time together

My kids are young, so the concept of expecting gifts has yet to solidify. And they don't really need anything. We're lucky to live in a great neighborhood where the parents pass on toys when their kids have outgrown them. I rarely purchase large toys or gifts, but I don't hold back from ad hoc purchases of crayons, markers, kids' card games, and board games.

Our children are happiest when we spend time together, doing things like lunch dates, playing board games, and baking. Happiness comes from experiences and relationships, and fewer material things promote creativity.

They spend a lot of time outside making up their own games, and we often play with things like sticks, stones, water, acorns, and pinecones. We want contented, balanced kids who aren't overwhelmed with things and toys and chasing the next new shiny object.

My husband and I find a lot of interest and joy in investments, and we hope our kids will as well. My four-year-old is very bright, and in the next year or so, he'll understand that you can put money in specific vehicles to grow, learning the concept of delayed gratification.

I'm hopeful that our kids will start making their own side income in high school and start to learn to invest for themselves as teenagers, just as I did while growing up.

If you have a unique way of teaching your children financial literacy and would like to share your story, email Jane Zhang at [email protected].

• Michael Allen stopped buying pricey Christmas presents for his friends and family in college.
• His financial priorities changed after leaving the Marine Corps and working toward his degree.
• Allen values time with loved ones over material gifts and emphasizes memories over money.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Michael Allen, a 54-year-old author from Titusville, Florida. It has been edited for length and clarity.

In 1995, I realized I couldn't give expensive gifts anymore. I was used to buying gifts to impress my loved ones, and I received nice gifts as well. At a younger age, I would get things like an Atari with games, boxing gloves, or a football. Gift cards, nice clothes, and even a watch were more common presents as I grew older.

As a college student and a recently retired Marine, my priorities were school and food. My next goal after serving in the Marine Corps was to get a degree. Not wanting to participate in the "who bought the most expensive present" game made sense.

I was getting by on side jobs

I tutored other college students and worked as a bouncer. Although I was only making enough money to cover my necessities, I was looking forward to achieving my goals of becoming an English teacher and a writer.

Buying extravagant things at the expense of putting myself in huge debt didn't seem attractive. I knew my financial situation had changed throughout my life, and I had to spend and save accordingly.

Reflecting on the hard work I put in made me extremely proud rather than ashamed of my financial background.

I decided to have a conversation with my friends and family

One day before Christmas, I asked my friends and family to lower their expectations regarding future gifts. I told them about my financial situation, what I could spend on, and what I was trying to accomplish.

Spending exorbitant amounts on Christmas was out of the question. Being open and honest about my struggles and primary issues worked out in my favor. I wasn't nervous to have this conversation.

Most of them understood, and I was truly relieved once I confessed. It immediately broke the needless superficial confinement I had put myself in to conform to the norms.

I also prepared myself to receive less of what I had previously

While some family members would still buy me costly gifts, some limited their splurging on me after this conversation. I was satisfied with getting whatever they would get me, even if it was nothing sometimes. Some even joined me in setting this boundary for themselves.

I started enjoying Christmas even more without having to impress people with my gift-giving superpowers. I became accustomed to speaking my mind and being truthful at all times. When you embrace life in that manner, many burdens are lifted.

Even as I make more money, gifts still don't seem important to me

My financial situation has improved, but I now sometimes only hand out one present per person. I make sure it's something meaningful and not just anything.

I once made my mother a loving video, and she still plays it often. On another occasion, I built a website for my daughter and made her a book. Personalization goes a long way.

Focusing on getting together with your loved ones and spending purposeful time with them are the only significant things of concern to me. Gifts are a component of Christmas, not the foundation.

Memories matter, not money. Food, drinks, old movies, and a good time is all I care about getting from anyone.

• In October, Meta fired around two dozen employees found to be misusing a Grubhub meal perk.
• An employee perk management expert shares four ways employees may not realize they're abusing perks.
• She says that abusing perks could come at a cost for the company and negatively impact employees.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Sarah-Jayne Martin, a Chicago-based expert in financial operations and employee perk management at Quadient. The firm provides companies with financial automation software, including payments- and expense-related tools. The following has been edited for length and clarity.

Many companies offer perks to their employees to improve their working environment or build morale, often offered on the honor system. Instead of putting hard-line policies in place, many companies hope that people will be reasonable with perk usage.

But there's a gray area around what's considered "abuse," which happens when the perks aren't being used for their intended purposes.

Many times, employees don't necessarily feel like they're doing anything wrong. If they were manipulating their expense report, they'd know that that's wrong — but grabbing a six-pack of Coke to bring home to a party they're hosting that night might not feel that bad.

In the case of Meta, the intended purpose of offering GrubHub credits to employees is so that those who are remote or working late can eat. Where I think it crossed the line into taking advantage of the perk was when employees pooled their credits and purchased things besides food.

The abuse of perks is the kind of thing where if one person's doing it, maybe it's not that big of a deal — but if it becomes the culture, it really can negatively impact the company and employees in multiple ways.

Here are 4 ways employees may not realize they could be seen as abusing perks

1. Food

I've seen cases where people in charge of ordering food for a monthly team lunch order an extra pizza so that they can take it home for their family. It doesn't seem like that big of a misuse, but they're definitely intentionally buying something with the company resources that they plan to use not for its intended purpose.

That can also happen with office snacks. Especially in the tech world, a lot of offices have snack bars and fridges where you can just help yourself to whatever's in there. The intended purpose is for people who are in-office to be able to grab a drink or a snack as needed throughout the day.

But then there are cases of people who pack up a cooler and take a bunch of those things home. Maybe they feel like it's there for them to take, but they're taking advantage of that situation.

Grabbing something to eat on your way home is, in my opinion, totally fine. But if you're taking a whole case of trail mix home with you, that's clearly not what it was intended for.

2. Parking

If you're working in a downtown office in a big city like New York, Chicago, or San Francisco, one of the company perks that some companies provide to come into the office is to provide parking passes or discounted parking so you can drive to the office. An abuse of that might be giving your parking pass to someone who's visiting from out of town, or taking a parking pass that's meant for on-site clients to use and using that for your own personal use.

3. Travel

A lot of organizations have negotiated contracts with travel companies that provide employees with a code for discounted pricing on hotels, flights, or car rentals. While it may be considered OK for an employee to use it to book personal travel, sharing that code with people outside the organization isn't using it for its intended purpose.

4. Gym memberships

Some companies might offer gym memberships in the office building because they want employees to be able to exercise, be healthy, and have a break from their work. In that case, it wouldn't be appropriate for an employee to give their gym pass to their spouse to come in and use the gym.

It's the company's responsibility to draw the line between OK and abuse

I think the organization ultimately has the responsibility for drawing the boundaries of what's OK and what's a fireable offense.

That can be something as simple as, when rolling out a perk, saying something like, "The snack bar is here for employees who are in the office for meal times or for snacks. Be reasonable with what you take; taking large amounts of those supplies home isn't condoned."

If it's not clearly stated, employees may not feel like what they're doing is off-limits.

My advice for employees is to think about the intended purpose of the perks they're offered: Why am I being given this perk? And are my actions in line with that intention? Thinking from that perspective will probably make you realize when you're nearing an abuse of a perk.

Why misusing perks matters

Abusing perks could damage the relationships that the organization has created with other vendors.

In the example of gym memberships, the organization has probably negotiated discounted rates for company employees. If that gets abused and the gym finds out, it may retract the deal or the relationship between the company and the gym owner would sour. All of the people who've been using it appropriately could be impacted.

Misuse of resources also becomes a cost for the company. For example, if you're abusing the snack bar or using the photocopier to print your wedding invitations, it's a larger cost that the company has to bear.

It probably won't be so catastrophic that it impacts things like bonuses, but if enough people are abusing resources, it could put the financial stability of the company at risk — and impact whether the company is willing to spend money on perks in the future.

If you were reprimanded for abusing company perks and would like to share your story, email Jane Zhang at [email protected].

Silicon Valley is the undisputed global tech hub. The small corner of California is the birthplace of Apple, Google, and OpenAI — companies that have, for better or worse, changed modern life.

Far away, in the southern Indian state of Karnataka, another tech hub has been finding its footing in the international market. The city of Bengaluru is the startup capital of India and shares similar DNA to California's Silicon Valley.

Bengaluru grew into an IT hub in the wake of the rapid expansion of its electronics manufacturing industry from the 1940s to the 1960s. Back in the US, Silicon Valley was home to the semiconductor industry in the 1950s and owes its name to the silicon transistors produced there in the 1960s.

By the mid-1980s, Apple, Oracle, and Microsoft had a presence in the Valley, while in Bengaluru, large companies like Infosys and Texas Instruments moved in.

Bengaluru is widely referred to as the "Silicon Valley of India," producing tech unicorns and housing offices for companies like Amazon, Google, and Dell. After taking over Twitter, Elon Musk shut the company's offices in Delhi and Mumbai but kept the Bengaluru office. Earlier this year, Virgin Atlantic launched daily direct flights from London to Bengaluru.

However, the city's status as a tech metropole is under pressure as rapid growth tests the local infrastructure. Estimates place the current population at roughly 14 million, compared to 8 million in 2010.

Heavy traffic, water shortages, and rising property prices have led to online speculation that Bengaluru may be crumbling and debates about whether another city will emerge as a new tech hub in India. During a water crisis earlier this year, some tech companies in Bengaluru had to tell employees to stay home.

Business Insider spoke to four current and former Bengaluru residents in and outside the tech industry who shared their experiences of how India's "Silicon Valley" is holding up under the pressures of rapid urbanization and whether they believe it can maintain its place as a global tech hub.

Vikram Chandrashekar

Vikram Chandrashekar, 50, was born in Bengaluru and has worked at Oracle for the past 27 years. He told BI he is happy for the job opportunities Bengaluru's status as a tech hub has brought, but is nostalgic for the city of his youth.

A lake he visited when he was younger, across from a guava and mango orchard, has now been replaced by housing.

Chandrashekar said the IT boom drew people to the city, bringing a larger airport, a more diverse culture, and better internet connectivity. He is also grateful to the startup ecosystem because he has access to new services and products faster than the rest of the country.

He said local people have benefited from job opportunities, but they still complain about the issues urbanization has caused. Chandrashekar doesn't plan to leave his hometown and thinks creating other tech hubs in India to redirect the growing population is a solution.

Read Vikram Chandrashekar's full story here.

Dhruv Suyamprakasam

Dhruv Suyamprakasam grew up joining his dad on business trips to Bengaluru and Hyderabad, another large tech hub in India. When Suyamprakasam became a founder himself, he moved to Bengaluru twice.

However, the founder said the city wasn't a golden ticket to success, and Suyamprakasam decided it was better to build his startup in his local city.

Suyamprakasam first moved to Bengaluru in 2010 after launching a medical startup with his relative.

It turned out to be a mistake. Suyamprakasam said Bengaluru's tech ecosystem's "fail-fast" mentality put too much pressure on their medical startup. He also felt excluded for being from a smaller city, not speaking Hindi, or not having studied at India's top engineering school.

Suyamprakasam said access to talent and venture capital are huge advantages of Bengaluru, while smaller cities can offer lower costs and more space.

Still, Bengaluru doesn't compare to Silicon Valley's vast capital and power. The founder said Bengaluru can be great on its own merits, but it needs to start being more inclusive.

Read Dhruv Suyamprakasam's full story here.

Batool Fatima

Batool Fatima, 50, moved to Bengaluru nearly 25 years ago from Hyderabad. Like Chandrashekar, the founder of a local nonprofit organization saw the city known for greenery and lakes change before her eyes.

Fatima said she is concerned that the city may not be able to support further population growth and that residents must work on improving the city's problems.

She said more intellectuals and non-tech workers have moved to Bengaluru which has been beneficial. But there have been reports of tensions between locals and immigrants who don't speak the language.

The influx of people has also caused environmental strains, including a recent water crisis. Fatima said the shortage disproportionality impacted high-rise buildings, a telling example of the lack of planning around urban growth.

The philanthropist said she wanted companies to invest in solutions to protect Bengaluru's natural resources, like funding wetland wildlife reserves. She also said community action, like residents collecting stormwater drainage, is more helpful than complaining about the government.

Fatima said developing nearby suburbs could reduce the strain on the city's center and allow the tech hub to continue to thrive.

Read Batool Fatima's full story here.

Spencer Schneier

Spencer Schneier is from New York, but spends half his year in Bengaluru and the other half in San Francisco running a tech startup.

The pandemic opened Schenier's eyes to the idea of leaving the US. In 2020, Schneier worked with two Indian cofounders and joined them on a trip to Mumbai and Bengaluru. While traveling, he decided to launch a startup from Bengaluru to help businesses expand overseas.

Schneier told BI he chose the city because it gave him access to customers, other founders, and small businesses to learn from. He said the Indian startup ecosystem was more conservative than the US, but the next generation of investors is really promising.

Now Schneier spends half his time in San Francisco and half in Bengaluru. He loves the Indian city's moderate climate and generosity. The tech CEO said he struggles with traffic and bureaucracy in the city, but feels he is part of a larger trend of people moving to India to start businesses.

Schneier told BI he believes the appeal of Bengaluru's talent density and local generosity will gain popularity.

Read Spencer Schneier's full story here.

In the tussle between economic growth and sustainability, can Bengaluru have it all?

Bengaluru has undergone significant changes in its transition from a serene "Garden City" to the Silicon Valley of India. Residents said the rapid urbanization has brought both opportunities and challenges.

The opportunities — a booming tech and startup industry, jobs, and diversity — draw people to the city and keep locals living there. But residents BI spoke to are keenly aware of the tradeoffs, pointing to environmental degradation, rising costs of living, and traffic.

The tension between Bengaluru's growth as a tech hub and the cost for its inhabitants lies at the heart of the city's future.

Harini Nagendra, a professor at Azim Premji University in Bengaluru, said, "There's a city which is growing, and there's obviously the economic prosperity it brings, but there's also the ecological degradation that you see everywhere."

Nagendra echoed Batool Fatima's suggestion of a collaborative solution with companies and residents maintaining their local environments.

Narendar Pani, an economics professor at the National Institute of Advanced Studies in Bengaluru, said the city's growth also hinges on education – better education in urban planning and the ongoing strength of city's educational institutions.

"When people look at Bangalore's future, they think about roads and water," he said. "Water is important, but I think more than the roads, a much more critical element is education."

He, like other residents who spoke to BI, expressed a cautious hopefulness that Bengaluru would solve its problems and continue to grow.

"I belong here, so I would like to think the ideas will come," he said.

• Jamie Jackson worked in HR for over 20 years and is now a podcaster and consultant.
• Jackson said when you're no longer engaged or growing at work, it could be time for a new role.
• Updating skills and preparing a job search toolkit can aid in career transitions.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Jamie Jackson, a 43-year-old podcaster and consultant in Nashville. It has been edited for length and clarity.

As someone who has worked in HR for over 20 years, I've had this conversation countless times. People often confide in me, saying, "Jamie, I don't know what to do next."

They feel stuck in their roles, want to advance, or are considering a new job — but that can be just as scary because it means stepping outside their comfort zones. I've been there, too, wondering whether it's time to quit my job for something new.

If this is you, here are four key signs you've been in your role too long and what you can do next if you need to make a change.

1. You no longer feel motivated

Your engagement level is a good indicator of whether you've been in your role for too long.

For example, you may have previously felt engaged in meetings but now find it harder to do so because you no longer feel motivated.

Or, perhaps you once enjoyed conversations with coworkers at the watercooler or over coffee — asking about their weekends or holiday plans — but now you simply do what you need to do and move on.

2. There's no room for growth

Another sign is feeling stagnant in your growth.

For example, I once worked at a company for five years and kept being promised a promotion. Over time, it became clear it wasn't going to happen — they didn't see me moving up.

For a long time, I believed their promise was coming, but it never did. To advance, I realized I'd need to change companies because the growth I wanted wasn't going to happen there.

Sometimes, there simply isn't room for growth, and when that's the case, it's a clear sign that it's time to make your next move.

3. Your feedback has plateaued

Or, you might find yourself hitting a feedback plateau.

For instance, you may consistently receive the same performance reviews, with your manager saying that you're meeting expectations but not exceeding them — suggesting you've reached a stopping point.

If you're thinking to yourself, "I don't have anything else to offer. I'm doing the same job I was doing three years ago without additional constructive feedback or recognition," it might be time to switch roles.

4. You're burned out

Another sign is burnout. In the past, I had a job where I felt physically sick going into work.

I remember one time needing to pull over to the side of the road to puke because I was so stressed.

As I sat in a parking lot trying to compose myself, I thought, I have to find another job. I knew my mental health was more important — but as I didn't have the luxury of quitting on the spot, I found another job first.

For others, there are times when environments are insanely toxic, and they need to get out immediately — and they should, but when possible, it's important to have a plan in place.

Either way, burnout or feeling physically sick from work might be a sign that it's time for a change.

If you realize you're no longer happy in your role, you need to do some self-reflection

Ask yourself, what are my goals? Where do I want to be? In your mind, try to understand where you want to be in six months, a year, or even further into the future.

Do you need a new title or a promotion, and if so, how do you get there? Before doing anything, it's really important to understand what you want. Then it's time to take aligned action.

Brush up on your skills

Maybe you're perfectly content with your current role; you just need to be challenged more. By learning new skills, you can push for more responsibilities.

You can use resources like LinkedIn or YouTube to brush up on skills like Excel or explore additional training or certifications offered by your current company. New skills can help you stand out in your current role or make you more appealing to potential employers.

Get your tool kit ready

If you're looking to land a new job, you need to learn new skills and prepare your toolkit.

This includes updating your résumé, refreshing your LinkedIn profile, and researching the salary you should be making.

When you start looking for a new job, knowing your market value is key — especially if you've been in your current role for a while and aren't sure what the going rate is. From there, talk to your mentors, colleagues, and friends, and let them know you're looking for something new.

You might say something like, "Hey, I think by March, I'm really going to start looking for another job — so can you keep your eyes and ears open?"

That can really help.

December isn't the easiest month to get a new job, with the holidays and people taking time off. However, January can be a better time as companies enter the new fiscal year — new budgets and new positions are being rolled out. But you can always be passively looking.

Some of us are content where we're at, but if you're no longer interested in stepping up or taking on new challenges, it might be time to reassess your role.

If you're an HR professional with unique career advice you would like to share, please email Manseen Logan at [email protected].

• Erwin Jacob Miciano left the Navy in 2021 to focus on his real estate business full-time.
• Miciano and his wife used VA loans to buy a triplex and start their business, Semi Homes.
• Semi Homes helps homeowners avoid foreclosure and launched Miciano's real estate career.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Erwin Jacob Miciano, a 27-year-old real-estate investor and the owner of Semi Homes in South El Monte, California. It has been edited for length and clarity.

I'm a dedicated dad, a committed husband, a real-estate investor, and the co-owner of Semi Homes, a real-estate company specializing in direct-to-seller transactions and marketing strategies. I co-own the company with my wife, Theressa.

I don't have a college degree. I graduated from high school in 2015 and first worked at Wetzel's Pretzels. I decided to join the Navy to support my family abroad in the Philippines and my mom and brother in the US.

In March 2016, after three months of boot camp, I completed the basic training to become a photojournalist. Until September 2021, I served as a mass communication specialist, with most of my overseas years based in Japan, stationed on the USS Ronald Reagan.

I separated from the military in 2021 to pursue real estate full-time

My Navy job included writing press releases, aerial photography, videography, and printing. In later years, I was stationed at the Naval Hospital Balboa in San Diego, where we covered COVID-19, and I was deployed with USNS Mercy to San Pedro in Los Angeles during the pandemic.

I was presented with an "early out" program because of overmanning in my job, and it allowed me to complete my contract a couple of years early. I had already started my business, but leaving the military allowed me to pursue it full-time.

I also wanted to spend more time with my young family. My eldest was born in January 2020.

My wife and I met on the day I arrived on the USS Ronald Reagan in 2016

We became friends through the first-response/firefighting team, where she worked as an electrician. We also noticed each other at church services, and she invited me to her baptism ceremony, where she was baptized inside an open jet fuel tank.

Early in our relationship, we lived together in a small Japanese apartment. Then, we spent about a year doing long-distance, with me still deploying on the carrier and her based in San Diego.

After a year of dating, we got married, and soon after some vacation in the US, we discovered we were expecting our first child. During most of her pregnancy, Theressa lived alone until I got stationed in San Diego around her seventh month.

That same year, I became deeply interested in personal finance and real-estate investing, inspired by stories of blue-collar workers achieving financial freedom through real estate. I learned the most from the BiggerPockets podcasts.

We were motivated to become first-time homebuyers

We were eager to apply what we had learned and planned to use the VA loan entitlement from our military service. VA entitlement is how much lenders can lend to a veteran or active duty member without providing a down payment.

We aimed to buy a multifamily property — ideally a duplex, triplex, or fourplex — so we could live in one unit and rent the others to offset our mortgage. Today, this strategy is known as house hacking.

Being stationed in San Diego gave us a few key advantages

The housing allowance we received as military members was higher than in most US locations, boosting our household income to about $10,000-$12,000 monthly. This allowance was discontinued once we both left the military. Theressa left the Navy almost a year before I did at the end of 2020.

Second, the VA loan allowed us to buy a multifamily property with zero down payment.

Third, we included 75% of the gross rental income from the property in our loan application, increasing our approved loan amount. On paper, our monthly gross increased to $15,000-$17,000.

Finally, new legislation removed local VA loan limits for first-time users, giving us more purchasing power.

After months of searching, we found a triplex listed for $1.2 million

We offered $1 million and settled at $1.1 million. By March 2020, we had moved into a three-bedroom unit while renting out the other two for about $4,000 a month, reducing our housing costs to less than what one-bedroom rentals were going for at the time. This was the start of Semi Homes.

After living in the triplex for two years, we moved in with my mom and brother in September 2021 in the San Gabriel Valley. The triplex is now fully a rental property generating $1,500 to $2,000 monthly profit.

My day-to-day work involves meeting with homeowners who are looking for support in selling their properties

We now buy properties and resell them for a profit. We also help sellers in deep foreclosure and save them from it. My role is to get my team in front of our target audience and guide clients through the entire process, all the way to the closing table.

There are also late-night administrative hours and business-building, which I work on three to four nights a week. The biggest change from my Navy days is that I'm no longer away from my family for long periods — a small freedom I cherish.

I feel both fulfilled and successful

While Semi Homes started as a way to build wealth and achieve financial freedom for my family, it's grown into something more.

We stay in this tough business because we truly believe in the value we provide to the individuals we work with. I'm focused on building our online presence and spreading the word that foreclosing is not the only option.

I see myself in real estate for the rest of my life.

Want to share your story about getting on the property ladder? Email Lauryn Haas at [email protected].

• Samantha Shih sold her custom clothing company 9Tailors to join LookSky as chief brand officer.
• Shih founded 9Tailors in 2008, growing it through challenges like the financial crisis and pandemic.
• Her C-suite role both doubled her salary and allowed her to balance her work and family life.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Samantha Shih, a 43-year-old chief brand officer from Boston. It's been edited for length and clarity.

After graduating from Brown University in 2003, I worked as a consultant at Deloitte for three years before spending a year in China. There, I started making custom clothing, which inspired me to open a custom suiting and shirting company. I founded 9Tailors in Boston in 2008.

Launching a business was challenging because I had little experience in retail and fashion and had to learn everything from scratch. I had some business strategy knowledge from working at Deloitte but didn't have operational knowledge.

I learned and grew the company for 14 years. In 2022, I sold 9Tailors and jumped ship to work for a startup.

Launching a company in 2008 was tough

I had a lot of friends who were getting laid off, but I was optimistic. You can only go up from the bottom, so I thought it was an excellent time to start a business.

The company started online, keeping no inventory and making everything to order. This allowed us to identify our target customer — young professional males looking to dress up for work or weddings.

We've been profitable since year two, winning awards and garnering press until the pandemic threw everything off track. Running a high-touch custom clothing company that needed in-person contact and relationships was stressful. We pivoted toward making masks and sold out immediately.

Around this time, my brother called me one day out of the blue

My brother told me his former boss was advising LookSky — an Asian direct-to-consumer fashion brand looking to enter the US market — and they wanted to speak to a fashion industry expert. I had no set expectations for these calls — I enjoy helping people and sharing industry and fashion insights.

What started as one call turned into three or four calls. I met with the chairman, CEO, and the rest of the C-suite team. The company's chairman asked if I was interested in joining them.

I had to think about it. 9Tailors was never busier after the pandemic; there was so much pent-up demand for suits, shirts, and dressing up, and our revenue kept growing.

Two things made the decision easy for me

LookSky allowed me six months to transition out of my business and design my dream job description from scratch. Although I suggested the position of creative director, they offered to hire me as the chief brand officer. I was pleasantly surprised they wanted me at the C-suite level.

I loved running my own business but wanted to make more impact, so the opportunity arose at the optimal time. At LookSky, I would have the opportunity to scale a personalized experience to potentially millions of users.

Also, I had my first child in 2017 and wanted to spend more time with him instead of working crazy retail hours. I had started feeling worn down.

I accepted their offer and nearly doubled my salary at 9Tailors.

Balancing both jobs for a while was tough

During the six-month transition, I worked about eight hours daily, six days a week on 9Tailors. Then, after my son went to bed, I dedicated time to LookSky, often for team meetings or marketing and branding projects. I thrive on being busy, so it was manageable.

LookSky asked me to sell my business, but I couldn't talk about it until we signed the papers and closed because it could destabilize my clients and team if it didn't go through.

The final sale was to my CMO. Even though several businesses expressed interest in buying, I preferred to sell to someone who knew the company, our clients, and how we operate.

My last day at 9Tailors was the same day I announced my departure and the sale of the business to the team. To help transition, my husband, who worked at the company for a good chunk of the 14 years that I did, stayed on for another six months.

I work remotely for LookSky, as most of my team is in Asia

Working remotely was initially a shock because I'm an extrovert who loves being around people, but one of the biggest advantages is having more control over my schedule.

Mornings and evenings are typically dedicated to team calls. Afternoons provide a window for productive personal time — I might work out, dive into a business book (I'm reading "Good to Great" by James C. Collins), or listen to a startup or tech podcast like Lenny's Podcast, Hard Fork, or How I Built This. Best of all, I can attend my son's events and activities.

Last summer, I was diagnosed with breast cancer, which was a shock

After hearing of my diagnosis, my team could not have been more supportive, telling me to take as much time as needed. I like being busy and productive, and work actually allowed me some reprieve.

I've found a company that nurtures my strengths and encourages and supports me in learning new skills. I'm surrounded by bright people who motivate me to do my best work. I've grown and developed tremendously.

I don't miss running 9Tailors, though I'm incredibly grateful for the experience. While I might consider running another startup in the distant future, I'm genuinely happy with where I've landed.

Have you been poached and want to share your story? Email Lauryn Haas at [email protected].

• Dhruv Suyamprakasam launched a telemedicine startup and initially moved to Bengaluru.
• Bengaluru's fast-paced culture clashed with the healthcare industry's needs and the team moved back.
• He says that Bengaluru has its own merits and should not be compared to the Silicon Valley.

This as-told-to essay is based on a transcribed conversation with Dhruv Suyamprakasam, a founder who launched his startup in Bengaluru but later moved out. The following has been edited for length and clarity.

My father was a first-generation entrepreneur and ran a thriving business in the early 1990s in Coimbatore, a small city in Southern India. I would follow him on business trips, and growing up, I spent a lot of time in Bengaluru and Hyderabad, two of India's biggest business hubs in the south.

I studied mechanical engineering. During college, I became fascinated with entrepreneurship and building something of my own.

I first considered entering manufacturing, but I'd have to focus on making one product at a time. I decided building software was the answer, but I still didn't have an idea of exactly what I wanted to use software for.

Around this time, I met my now-co-founder, a medical doctor, who was also my relative, at a wedding. We kept in touch and came up with the idea of our startup — a telemedicine company that would allow people to access doctors virtually and across local and international borders.

I was a recent graduate with a good job offer. My cofounder was worried about how our family would react to me quitting to venture out on my own. But I absconded the job offer and began working on our idea full time.

Moving to Bengaluru

We brought on another cofounder who lived in Bengaluru at the time. I had read about the city being the center of the mainstream startup ecosystem. In 2010, moving to Bengaluru felt like the best decision for me as a founder.

But it wasn't the best place for us. It's a place that expects companies to grow fast and fail fast. I didn't think it was the right pressure to put on a healthcare startup, which has no margin for errors and requires a lot of trust from people. We met investors who had expectations like getting 100 paid consultations in a day.

Around 12 years back, I also felt like there was a lot of bias from investors. I felt excluded because I didn't speak Hindi, which is the most spoken language in India, and I did not go to college at the Indian Institute of Technology, the most coveted engineering school in the country. I also got some judgment for being from a small town many people had not heard of.

A combination of those factors helped us decide to move back to my hometown after around 16 months in Bengaluru.

There were challenges back home, too. We faced issues with our internet connection, which we never had in Bengaluru, and there was no established startup community. But it gave us the space to grow at our own pace.

Since then, we have onboarded about 4,500 doctors to the platform and have patients from all over the world. The company has grown to around 200 employees, and we have expanded to include health content on the platform, too.

Heart of India's startup scene

We even moved back to Bengaluru for a second time in 2016 because we had grown a lot more as a company and thought things might be different this time around.

We thought that maybe the first time around, we hadn't understood how Bengaluru worked and how things were done. We were ready to give it a second chance.

The inclusivity had improved because of the push for diversity, equity, and inclusion, but not much had changed for the healthcare industry like the speed at which we were expected to show results. We ended up coming back to my hometown after a year and a half.

The city has tons of advantages, like proximity to venture capital, a massive pool of tech talent, and more opportunities for networking, which can be helpful in the early days.

But building a business outside the tech hub is also a good option, especially because of lower costs. While employee salaries are usually on par, founders can save a lot on office space and home rent if they build from smaller cities and travel to Bengaluru as needed. I also think we need more tech hubs in India outside Bengaluru.

It's no Silicon Valley

I don't think Bengaluru should be compared to Silicon Valley at all. Since 2018, I have also spent time in the Bay Area growing our business. Now, our company is headquartered in the US, and I spend four to five months of the year in the US.

Bengaluru has an amazing tech crowd, but Silicon Valley is Silicon Valley for a reason — people are far more open-minded and inclusive about giving opportunities to those from different backgrounds, which has allowed it to become a sponge. The city just sucks up anyone with talent from across the globe.

It would have made me incredibly happy if the first large language model came from India, but it didn't. It came from OpenAI and Silicon Valley, where Sam Altman's team was allowed to burn cash for years before ChatGPT came to fruition.

It would be easier for anyone trying to build a software company that aims to have global customers move to the Bay Area for better access to funding and talent.

We call Bengaluru the Silicon Valley of India, but that is just another way Indians are comparing themselves to the West.

I think the way to go is to be great on our own account. One step in that direction is to be more inclusive and start seeing people for their talents rather than their educational or cultural backgrounds.

• Dan Weiss, 79, earns up to $47 per hour on Taskrabbit assembling furniture in Minnesota.
• Weiss, a retired mortgage manager, joined Taskrabbit in 2021 for both the income and structure.
• He completes tasks almost daily, earning $3,000 to $5,000 monthly and supplementing his retirement.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Dan Weiss, a 79-year-old Tasker on Taskrabbit in Oakdale, Minnesota. It has been edited for length and clarity.

I joined Taskrabbit in 2021 and have completed nearly 1,200 tasks at around $47 per hour for my services in Ikea furniture and general furniture assembly in and around Minneapolis.

I have a bachelor's degree in business administration and management and two master's degrees. Before I retired in November 2014, I managed several residential mortgage branches for a major bank.

Retirement was fine initially, but I quickly realized I needed to add structure to my life. Now, I fill my days building furniture, meeting new people, and supplementing my retirement income.

Going from 100 MPH to zero was a very abrupt change for me

One can only do so much gardening and reading without feeling unfulfilled.

I stayed "retired" for about six months and then had to find something that gave me more enjoyment and provided additional income to avoid chipping away at all of my retirement savings, which I began saving for in my mid-40s.

Before Taskrabbit, my other part-time jobs included stints at Costco, customer service work, and driving for Uber and Lyft.

I read an article in my local newspaper about a young woman who had discovered Taskrabbit. It intrigued me, so I immediately went online to create a Tasker account and have them run a background check on me. That was completed in a matter of days, and I was ready to go.

I've now been Tasking for 3 years

I've always enjoyed assembling things, but there was a learning curve. Although I had previously worked with Ikea furniture, there was much to figure out about some of the "tricks" associated with Ikea products.

I made over $47,000 in 2023, my highest year in earnings yet. I average $3,000 to $5,000 in earnings monthly. I could live on my retirement savings if I had to, but Taskrabbit income helps.

I do tasks almost daily

I complete between one and three tasks daily, averaging about four to five days a week. Most of my tasks are no more than a half-hour away, but I spend a fair amount of time driving. I can expense the mileage and gas.

My time spent with clients is highly enjoyable. I meet people from all walks of life and find their stories interesting. I enjoy this aspect of tasking the most.

I've realized how fulfilling and also challenging retirement can be

The lack of structure and income flow in retirement is challenging. We're told to save, save, save for retirement, and that's what I did. When I made the change from saving to spending, I was mind-blown. It didn't feel comfortable or natural.

Taskrabbit has allowed me to continue to generate income while also providing structure and allowing me to maintain contact with a variety of people.

I've discovered the importance of superb reviews in growing my business

When I was young, there were no such things as digital reviews. Today, they're critical because everyone checks them before booking a service or going to a restaurant. I secure generally excellent reviews by doing the following steps:

• Always communicate openly with your client. Confirm the date and time and set expectations in advance.
• Arrive on time or slightly early. If you will be late, even by a few minutes, it's important to let them know.
• Upon arriving, be friendly and cordial. A handshake usually gets things off to a good start to establish a line of trust.
• Be efficient and ensure the task is completed properly and precisely. Having the correct tools is also mandatory for this aspect of the task.
• If there are problems such as missing or defective parts, let the client know as soon as possible and provide suggestions on how to remedy the problem so as not to add stress to their plate.
• Thank them for the work opportunity and share how they can save you as a favorite for future tasks, leave a review and, if they choose, tip you, which happens about 25-40% of the time. I'm very focused during the actual task, but if the client engages me in conversation or has questions, I stop and focus on them.

I expect to continue to task as long as the compensation is commensurate with the job

I will continue to do this as long as my body holds up.

Tasking has given me both fulfillment and help funding trips and vacations. My wife and I love Maui and intend to return soon.

I'm still in the planning phase of deciding on our next vacation destination. There are many other places that we wish to visit while we're still healthy and relatively mobile.

Are you a retiree with a side hustle who wants to share your story? Email Lauryn Haas at [email protected].

• Alexis Ohanian shared three books that shaped his career in 2024.
• Ohanian cofounded Reddit with Steve Huffman and currently serves as founder of 776 VC firm.
• He said "Unreasonable Hospitality" is a must-read for anyone trying to build a brand.

Alexis Ohanian has been recognized as an innovator since cofounding Reddit in 2005 and selling it a year later to Condé Nast. That sale was reportedly between $10 to $20 million.

In the 20 years since then, Ohanian has vastly multiplied his wealth and business portfolio with investments in tech, sports, and other innovative ideas.

The tech founder and investor, who launched his venture firm Seven Seven Six in 2020 after officially leaving Reddit's leadership team, shared with Business Insider the top three books that shaped his career in 2024.

Ohanian said these are his must-reads for various reasons. His quotes have been edited for clarity.

"Creativity, Inc.: Overcoming the Unseen Forces That Stand in the Way of True Inspiration" by Ed Catmull and Amy Wallace

My founding partner at 776, Katelin Holloway, helped produce "Creativity Inc." based on her time at Pixar. This book informed a lot of how we turned around Reddit and how I'm building 776.

"Never Split the Difference: Negotiating as if Your Life Depended on It" by Chris Voss with Tahl Raz

Zachariah Reitano, the founder/CEO of Ro — one of my 776 investments — recommended the book "Never Split the Difference: Negotiating as if Your Life Depended on it." It's a must-read for anyone, not just CEOs and founders. I re-read it every year to refresh my memory.

"Unreasonable Hospitality: The Remarkable Power of Giving People More Than They Expect" by Will Guidara

Maggi from the 776 team recommended "Unreasonable Hospitality," written by Will Guidara who achieved fame as former coowner and leader of Eleven Madison Park. EMP is one of my favorite restaurants. The methods and mindset here are imperative for anyone trying to build an exceptional brand, even outside of food and hospitality.

• Regina Grogan is a tech exec who says high stress once impacted her mental health and relationships.
• Grogan has developed nine daily habits that help her reduce stress and increase productivity.
• Grogan's methods include cold plunges, meditation, and gratitude lists for better mood.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Regina Grogan, a Zillennial technology executive, AI founder, and former Google consultant based in Salt Lake City. It's been edited for length and clarity.

I worked in high-stress Silicon Valley for over 10 years, including as a Google consultant, before transitioning to being an associate security engineer at one of the largest banks.

Working in the tech industry is stressful — it has extreme volatility, which has led me to feel anxious and depressed in the past. I've seen tech startups shut down very suddenly with zero discussion. I've also worked in big companies undergoing layoffs and wondered, "Am I next?"

High stress also impacted my relationships. My work took up a lot of my personal time, so I wasn't able to build as many relationships as I wish I had.

Over the years, I've discovered hacks to mitigate stress, boost my mood, and increase productivity. These are my favorites.

1. Cold plunge

I take a 15 to 20-minute ice bath or cold shower every morning. The first five minutes are awful and shocking. Then I acclimate to it, and it actually feels really good.

During the plunge, I feel extremely alert, the world looks brighter, and when I emerge, everything feels like a new beginning.

2. Meditation

I was very addicted to my digital devices until I noticed it was severely affecting my mental clarity and focus. Now I try to stay off my phone as much as possible in the morning, and instead, meditate for 25 minutes.

Ever since I made the switch, my mind has become quieter and I feel reset from the attention obsession that my digital devices create.

3. Increase my bodily awareness

I've realized I have to create balance in life by tuning into my body and intuition for guidance. I now listen more to my instincts.

One time, I was working on a partnership and felt physically uneasy while reviewing the terms. Looking back, I realize I was sensing a subconscious resistance in my body about this partnership, which ended up going south.

4. Take a walk without my phone

I often use my phone as an anxiety and comfort tool. The only way I've had luck mitigating this anxiety is by leaving my phone at home, coming back, and seeing that nothing horrible has happened.

5. Think about what I can and can't control

Let's say a vendor messes up a project, or the intern accidentally gets spam-attacked and is freaked out. Instead of panicking, I use the psychological strategy of the "circle of control," asking myself, "What can I control in this stressful situation?"

If the answer is nothing, I have to let it go.

6. Ask myself, "How can I help others today?"

Doing small acts of kindness helps me take the focus off of myself and redirect my energy toward helping others. This can be helping someone at work, volunteering, or simply letting someone in front of me in traffic.

At the end of the day, I can say, "Today didn't go super well, but I did something in my control to improve things."

7. Make a list of what I'm grateful for

I live a privileged life, and it's easy to forget how hard life is for many other people. In my case, I used to have depression. I've seen bad days, but it's easier to forget when I make a gratitude list.

When I zoom out, I can see how lucky I am and that I have a lot to be thankful for.

8. Epsom salt bath

Every evening, around 9 p.m., I take a hot Epsom salt bath. Epsom salt regulates the nervous system and also staves off loneliness — or so they found in some studies.

I do this as a "day ender" to help me officially close out the day. Otherwise, I'll keep working into the night.

9. Write down my worries and wait to review them

Before I go to sleep at 10 p.m., I write down everything I'm worrying about as a "brain dump." I put it in a box and revisit it a week later to see how many of them came to pass.

Almost none of them do. Over time, I've gained more confidence and calmness.

Ever since I started using these hacks, I've been in a great mood and more productive than ever

My colleagues always talk about my energy and good mood. These hacks allow me to be creative and productive at work, even in a stressful environment.

If you work in Big Tech and have productivity hacks you'd like to share, please email Tess Martinelli at [email protected].

• Batool Fatima moved to Bengaluru, "India's Silicon Valley," nearly 25 years ago.
• She said the city felt like a dream when she arrived but now it's struggling with urbanization.
• After a water crisis this year, some people are leaving Bengaluru but Fatima plans to stay.

This as-told-to essay is based on a transcribed conversation with Batool Fatima, 50, about environmental issues facing Bengaluru, the city known as "India's Silicon Valley." The following has been edited for length and clarity.

I was born and raised in Hyderabad. Like Bengaluru, it's one of India's tech hubs.

I moved to Bengaluru in 2000 after I got married because my husband lives there. I also visited frequently as a child because my father used to work there.

It was like a dream city for us then. It was more advanced than Hyderabad, with wider roads and a lot of greenery and lakes.

Over the years, the rapid expansion of certain industries in Bengaluru, such as IT and ITES, fueled significant construction and population growth. The landscape changed in front of our eyes. Development has had a positive impact, creating opportunities for both locals and migrants.

But Bengaluru is dealing with water scarcity issues and some people seem to be leaving the city because of problems with infrastructure. Rather than leaving, I want to work on solutions. The community must come together to prioritize sustainability and the city's natural resources to preserve its future.

People who've moved to Bengaluru help to sustain the city

I've been working in the nonprofit sector since 2011. In June 2024, I started my own nonprofit, Sheya Foundation. We're invested in equitable access to healthcare and education, and I'm also very interested in climate issues.

Bengaluru is seen as an IT city. It's an aspirational city to live in because it's known for its pleasant climate and career opportunities.

With the development of the city's tech sector, a lot of intellectuals have moved in, many who care about the city and climate. However, there have also been environmental and economic strains.

There's an economic strain on people who don't work in IT and don't make high salaries. With wealthier tech workers in the city, the cost of living has risen dramatically, and houses have become more unaffordable. I'm seeing young people dropping out of school to start work because of the impact of higher costs on families.

Other people who aren't IT employees have moved to the city to work in industries serving the tech community, such as hospitality and schools. These people are helping to sustain the city.

There have been some tensions between local people and those who've come from elsewhere because of cultural differences. Recent reports suggest a rise in confrontations between locals and people who don't speak the language.

I'm not from Bengaluru and haven't encountered any negativity myself. But I speak Telegu, which many local people also understand, so I feel at home here.

I'm concerned about water scarcity in the city, but there are solutions

Water scarcity has become a particularly visible issue in Bengaluru.

The number of lakes in the city has decreased significantly in recent decades due to urbanization. Too many high rises are coming up too fast, and I don't think there's enough planning going into water facilities to sustain residents.

Bengaluru dealt with a huge water crisis earlier this year. It particularly affected people in high-rise buildings because the buildings are over-reliant on borewells that dried up during the crisis.

The water crisis didn't affect me too badly. Where I live, there's only one borewell for our group of villas, so we agreed to ration it and only use the water for half an hour per house each day. Since June, we've had good rain, so we no longer need to restrict ourselves.

The water issues seem to have calmed down across the city. But we'll have to see if there'll be a year-on-year impact during the summer months.

We need to be ruthless about not encroaching on our lakes. If we're going to be lax on this aspect, people are going to leave. I've read on the news that some people left during the summer because of a lack of water.

I'd like to see companies investing in solutions for Bengaluru. For example, they should work with the government to develop vegetation wetlands.

Residents also need to assess what we are doing to treat water as a precious commodity instead of complaining about what the government isn't doing. The community has to collaborate with the government by doing things like looking into stormwater drainage for their houses.

We need to work on solutions for the city rather than try to create a new Bengaluru elsewhere

Public infrastructure has struggled to keep pace with Bengaluru's growing population. I feel the city is bursting at the seams and may not be able to support further population growth.

But that doesn't mean I want it to stop developing as a tech hub. Bengaluru contributes significantly to India's GDP and helps generate high-paying jobs. Maintaining it as a tech hub allows players in the tech ecosystem — multinational companies, startups, research institutions, and a skilled workforce — to continue collaborating, driving innovation and job creation.

The state government has been developing nearby suburban regions like Yeshwanthpur and Bidadi, which can reduce congestion in the city's core while enabling Bengaluru to continue excelling in tech. In my opinion, that's a more viable solution than relocating the IT sector to other regions in India.

It's not going to be easy to move a tech hub from Bengaluru to another city. When I visit, Hyderabad, my hometown, which is also known for IT, there are similar issues there in terms of traffic, water, and property prices.

I want to keep using my foundation to build community awareness. I love Bengaluru, and I'd rather stay here and work on solutions than leave.

Want to share your story? Email [email protected]

• Michael Doolin has worked as a HR director for British Airways, PwC Ireland, and DHL.
• Doolin said managers often give subtle signs that they are considering employees for promotion.
• Being asked to represent the company, lead trainings or given new responsibilities are good signs.

This as-told-to essay is based on a transcribed conversation with Michael Doolin, CEO of Clover HR and former human resources director at PwC, British Airways, and DPD in Ireland. The following has been edited for length and clarity.

A promotion might mean a new job title or an increase in status, it could also represent a pay rise or bring an improvement in your benefits package. A promotion is a sign of progress, of improvement, and sometimes of vindication. It's recognition that hard work pays off.

People are promoted for different reasons. They might have achieved a new professional qualification, like, for those in accountancy, law or medicine. It could come because you've met milestones, brought in new customers, or received positive feedback from clients.

Either way, here are six signs that you might be heading toward a promotion at work.

Changes within your organization

Look out for shifts in your company. Is it expanding or restructuring, or is your boss being promoted? Changes in an organization throw up opportunities all the time, and you may be unexpectedly earmarked for a new role.

However, in some mature organizations, the chain of succession could be more concrete. My second job, for example, was at Ford Motor Company, which was a highly structured organization where your career was mapped out for the next five to 10 years.

This approach works in some companies, but it has a habit of coming asunder when life gets in the way. I think there's a balance to be struck between mapping everything out and being flexible.

However, for many companies workplace reorganization creates space for promotions.

Positive feedback

You should be having regular performance management discussions. If you're receiving positive feedback there, it will give you an indication of whether your employer is happy with your work. You might be asked about your career goals, too, which can be a promising sign.

Being asked to represent your company

Senior managers might encourage you to attend exhibitions or get involved in extra-curricular activities on behalf of the company. They might request that you act as an ambassador for the organization, or you might find yourself being asked to speak at events. While it's no guarantee of a promotion, it's further evidence that you're valued at work and may be considered for one when it comes.

Being introduced to new people

Being sought out to meet new people, whether that's invitations to meetings or introductions to customers, is another important indication that your opinions and contribution to the company are valued.

Being asked for your input

If your boss often asks for your opinion, it's a positive sign. It shows that they respect your judgment and appreciate your feedback. Use these as opportunities to take initiative and prove your worth to your manager. Do so in a subtle way: volunteering, writing proposals, or taking on additional responsibilities. Never forget that making your boss look good is a great way to set yourself apart.

Taking on extra responsibility

Being asked to take on extra responsibility is another signal that you're eligible for a promotion. Common examples of this are being asked to take on more work or new clients. Alternatively, you might be asked to mentor less experienced members of the team or lead training.

If you want a promotion, you should be looking to take on more responsibility all the time, as it shows a willingness to learn and add value. Being given a new responsibility is an opportunity for managers to assess your suitability for a new role. And for you, it's a chance to prove yourself.

Asking for a promotion

If you're unsure whether you're up for a promotion, ask your boss directly. Too often, employees assume their manager knows they want to be promoted. People who are consistently striving for promotions should have a clear conversation about promotions at least once a year.

My advice is to ask your boss, "Can we have a conversation about me and where I'm at?" This conversation might be during an appraisal discussion, it might come up in a car journey, or even subtly over coffee.

You can be direct: make it clear that you think you're ready for advancement and put a business case forward as to why you should be considered. After the discussion, get it documented in writing where you want to be and how quickly you want to get there.

Should you accept a promotion if it's offered?

Many times, we have a classic conundrum where someone is asked to do a different role overnight with little preparation. A promotion may not always be right for you, and you may not choose to accept one if it's offered.

Depending on the degree of ambition, I generally advise accepting the promotion and paddling very, very hard underwater while asking for training, support, and guidance to help you thrive in your new role.

• Susie Moore, a life coach, moved to NYC and landed a tech job by leveraging mutual connections.
• Networking to set yourself up for a future opportunity is especially effective during the holidays.
• She suggests setting intentions, creating ping lists, and attending events to expand your network.

When I was 25, I moved to New York City from Sydney without friends, career prospects, or a college degree. Despite being what some might call unprepared, I knew I would land a job because I excel at connecting with people and taking initiative.

Within two months, I started working for a tech company because I leveraged a mutual connection, an industry peer in Australia whose company had an NYC office. I asked for an introduction to her US team, and she gave me one. A single warm email connection was all it took to get me in the door.

Networking is simply building relationships by being proactive, and it doesn't have to be a cringe-worthy chore. It can be fun, graceful, and extremely rewarding, and the holiday season is the perfect time to do it. There's an undeniable "holiday glow" to people in December.

Now, as a life coach of over 10 years, I encourage my community to expand and nurture their networks no matter their career choices or future goals. If you want to step up your networking game as 2025 fast approaches, here's a checklist to seize the season before the year ends.

1. Set an intention

What do you want your networking efforts to accomplish? Are you seeking a new position in the new year? Do you want to attract new clients to your business? Do you want to kick off a side hustle? Or do you simply want to strengthen your network for the future?

A measurable goal is ideal, but networking is valuable even without a specific goal. A mentor of mine once told me she has a spreadsheet of 50 people she emails casually every quarter for no reason but to say hello and keep the relationship alive. So few people do this!

We let so many relationships go to waste because we make too little effort, so those who keep in touch win because we stand out and are top of mind when opportunities roll around — and they do. My connections have brought me investment opportunities, speaking engagements, and book deals.

2. Get into the holiday spirit

The season of goodwill is a great time to reach out and express gratitude. Most people are reflective and slow down a bit this time of year, so it's the ideal time to send a short gratitude note, text, or DM like this:

"Thanks for your help with X project this year — it meant a lot. Wishing you the best holiday break and start to 2025!"

"I'm lucky to have worked with you this year, and I hope the new job at X is going great! Hi to (spouse name)."

"I just found the coolest candle shop/whisky tasting/tennis memorabilia site (insert picture/link of the thing the person likes). Happy holidays to you!"

Sincere, short, sweet, personal messages go a long way in letting people know how they've encouraged, inspired, or helped you — or even that you're just thinking of them.

3. Create a custom ping list

Success can come down to volume and some experimentation. It's easier to start with people you know, but you can also include some people you'd like to know — for example, I might include 5-10 people I admire with mutual connections.

When I moved to NYC, I looked up connections of my friends on LinkedIn and used that as a way to introduce myself:

"Hi name! You and I are both friends with the lovely (friend's name).

I've just moved to NYC and this city is just beautiful in December. Perhaps we could have a latte if you have 20 minutes free next week? It would be great to share some industry information and connect. I'll gladly come to (part of the city where that person lives/works).

Happy holidays!"

Aim to reach at least 30 people before year-end based on your intention. These can be former coworkers, members of your running or book club, friends of friends, or anyone you'd like to know better.

Not everyone will respond to you, but the right people will. A few Decembers ago, I met up with a fellow entrepreneur who had recently moved to Florida. We've enjoyed more than one business collaboration since, and she's also become a client of mine.

4. Get out there

December is a social season. I've made many connections at apartment lobby parties, holiday celebrations, and New Year's Eve gatherings.

If you're more introverted, be selective about what you attend — just keep returning to your intention (a tech mixer might be worthwhile, for example, but drinks at your next-door neighbor's place may not). Generally, it's worth showing up if you feel on the fence about an invitation. A little face-time goes a long way in nurturing connections.

People are also less busy around the holidays than you think, particularly during the last two weeks of December when schedules slow down. This can be a great time to suggest meeting for coffee, a cocktail, or even a walk. This can also mean a lot to folks in an age of increasing isolation.

5. Underthink it — do it now

The reach-out part is fast. Attacking your ping list doesn't require blocking out hours on your calendar. You can act on it in small pockets throughout the day — waiting for an Uber, in line at CVS, when you have five minutes to spare before a meeting. Ditch the social media scroll and do something valuable with these idle minutes.

Doors open for those willing to knock. It's no secret that those who create and maintain sincere relationships experience more opportunities over time. Your network provides a safety net and a steady foundation for information-sharing, mutual support, and fun, so stay connected.

Susie Moore is a former sales director and startup advisor, a life coach and advice columnist, and the host of the Let It Be Easy podcast.

• Spencer Schneier moved from the US to Bengaluru, India, to launch a tech startup in 2022.
• He was inspired by challenges faced by local founders in navigating overseas expansions.
• He finds Bengaluru similar to Silicon Valley and its collaborative ecosystem.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Spencer Schneier, who moved from the US to Bengaluru, India, to launch a tech startup in 2022. It has been edited for length and clarity.

The first time I thought about leaving the US was in mid-2020. I was frustrated with how the pandemic was handled and was looking for a reason to leave the country.

I was born in New York and grew up around the East Coast. I attended college in North Carolina, where I studied math and economics, but dropped out in my third year in 2017.

Around the time, I became interested in Silicon Valley — it felt like a meritocratic place where people could take their own path. After leaving college, I worked as a baseball analyst and traveled between Seattle and San Francisco.

When the pandemic hit, I dropped plans to move to San Francisco. I thought the city was declining, and I preferred my lifestyle in Seattle. I was working for a startup with two Indian cofounders. When they decided to pursue the business full time, they faced visa challenges and had to move back to India. So, in 2021, I tagged along to visit India for the first time, traveling to Mumbai and Bengaluru.

On that trip, I met my wife, an American teacher in India. I also stumbled upon the idea for what would eventually become Commenda — the company I cofounded.

I came up with the idea for my company in India

I was talking to local founders in Mumbai who faced challenges registering or expanding their businesses in other countries. There are hundreds of multilateral trade agreements between countries and thousands of bilateral trade agreements, and no tool for businesses to navigate them.

I returned to the US about a month later and pitched a friend and investor at an early-stage venture-capital firm my idea: a platform that would become a one-stop compliance solution for companies looking to expand overseas.

I didn't have a concrete product, but they liked the idea and wanted to invest $100,000. The investors asked me to go back to India and figure things out. It seemed like a great opportunity. I convinced my cofounder to leave his job at Google, and we both went to Bengaluru without an explicit plan.

Being my own boss was tough in some ways, but I liked being able to do things on my own without the pressure of having a manager. I've been fired from jobs twice, and starting my own company was almost relieving.

In early 2022, we began building our company in India and wanted to provide solutions to both Indian and overseas businesses. We picked Bengaluru because it's where a lot of startups and multinalitional companies are that could use our service.

We developed enterprise software so that users could answer questions they had about local tax laws and ensure they incorporated and stayed compliant in any country they wanted to expand to.

Bengaluru is similar to Silicon Valley in some ways

Bengaluru felt like Silicon Valley in many ways. It's listed as a sister city of Silicon Valley at a train station in San Francisco.

During my first visit, driving through south Bengaluru reminded me of Palo Alto, and talking to people confirmed it. The city is a tech and business hub with many small businesses and startups, so it gave us access to customers.

The city has an amazing pool of talent and is home to really open and collaborative founders. There are some great startup advisors and angel investors driving the ecosystem forward here.

Being in Bengaluru means we learn from local startups. There are cultural differences between the startup markets in the US and India. I've had to learn things about India and unlearn aspects of how business is done in the US.

One difference was that India is a less trusting ecosystem — we have had investors ask questions after agreeing to invest and completing diligence processes, even for a small check size.

Sometimes I wish the ecosystem was moving more quickly away from venture-capital funds operating more like private equity. But the new generation of fund managers is really promising.

Splitting my time between Bengaluru and San Francisco

Since we launched the company in 2022, we have faced some hiccups with immigration, but registering and operating in India has never been much of an issue.

I had an e-business visa to work in India. The visa office struggled to coordinate with India's Ministry of Corporate Affairs to ensure I was cleared to open a business in the country, which dragged the process out by a few months.

I wish the roads were better, and the traffic makes it hard to get around. I have also been rejected from renting an apartment because the landlord didn't like that I was a college dropout. Getting a permanent phone number was challenging, too, but knowing other foreigners had been through some of our problems made it easier.

The year-round moderate weather and air quality are perks. I love how hospitable the people of India are. It's one of the most fun countries I have lived in because there are tons of festivals and parades. My wife and I enjoy traveling, and we can stay in nice hotels because they are more affordable in India. We are also close to Southeast Asia, which would have been very expensive to travel from California.

I have apartments in San Francisco and Bengaluru and spend about half my time in each place. My wife and I bought our San Francisco apartment this summer, but I have not had an official residence in the US since 2021. About one-third of our team is in Silicon Valley, while the rest are in Bengaluru. Since we launched in 2022, we now have 250 customers in around 30 countries.

I know other foreigners who have also moved to India to launch businesses. My sense is that moving to India is going to become more of a trend. I don't know if you're going to see a Little America in Bengaluru anytime soon, but there are just so many appealing things about it, such as the talent density and the generosity of the locals.

As more Americans consider leaving the "college to cubicle" paradigm, moving to a foreign country to work for a business or start a business will become more appealing.

• Alejandra Rojas started building her business as a finance mentor on social media as a side hustle.
• Rojas found a online business coach via their free workshop, then hired them for personal sessions.
• She said the coaching wasn't the right fit and made her doubt herself as an entrepreneur.

Seven years ago, I overcame a five-figure credit card debt. I got into debt through mindless spending during my early career as a finance professional in Washington, DC. It took me seven months of cutting expenses and tracking every dollar to pay off my debt.

As a finance officer, it wasn't easy to open up about my money mistakes, but I started sharing my story with people in my circle. Encouraged by their positive responses, I posted about it on social media and built a following.

I realized there was a need for better financial education, especially for women. I wanted to use my expertise to help others and build a flexible business but didn't know where to start.

I first encountered online business coaches through blogs and podcasts for digital entrepreneurs. I found a coach who positioned themself as an expert in building profitable businesses.

This coach offered a free three-day online workshop on how to create a compelling brand story. The workshop featured many of their affiliates — people I was familiar with from my research — and past students. After the event, the coach pitched a paid course on building your business around a strong brand message.

I found the free workshop very helpful and thought their course would help me clarify my story and sign clients. The initial course cost around $1,000.

By the end of the course, I still didn't feel confident about starting a business. The coach pitched one-on-one coaching program, a five-figure investment. I hesitated but thought this was the push I needed to succeed.

What the coaching promised vs. what it delivered

I had just finished paying off my credit card debt and was working full-time as a finance officer while building my business on the side. I didn't have savings to pay for coaching, so I used a combination of my credit card and monthly cash flow.

I researched other coaches, but I didn't want another general course. I'd already invested in this coach's course, so it like a logical next step.

The coaching program was an hourlong 1:1 session once a week over seven weeks. The program would help me refine my story, create a business strategy, and start generating revenue.

However, the sessions felt unstructured. Each week, I would discuss my progress and ask for guidance, but there was no overarching plan. The focus was on reviewing if I'd completed what we discussed in the previous session. Often, my coach would repeat similar concepts rather than introduce new strategies.

The investment was not worth it to me

During the third session, I expressed my frustration with not progressing and feeling overwhelmed. In between meetings, I mentioned that some of the advice, like sharing personal stories that didn't feel connected to my business, felt irrelevant.

That day, I told the coach outright that I preferred to spend time talking to people about their struggles instead of sharing my own stories.

To my surprise, the coach responded, "Maybe it's not working because you're too messy."

Part of this comment stemmed from my choice to skip some of the resources they had provided, like a sales tracking spreadsheet and a guide on how to win sales calls (because I wasn't making those calls yet).

It was also partly about me wanting to move ahead with multiple areas of my business instead of focusing on one thing.

The comment hit hard. I'd always been OK with juggling multiple projects, but for months after that session, I doubted myself. I believed that my "messiness" was holding me back.

Per the agreement, I couldn't cancel or request a refund, so I had to keep paying for the coaching program even though I was no longer invested.

I stopped working on my business for a while and focused instead on my 9-to-5. By the time the final payment went through, I felt frustrated I had spent so much money and relieved that I didn't have to revisit the tools and resources again.

After finishing my coaching sessions, I ditched the spreadsheets and went back to experimenting.

I followed my instincts and launched my business, The Brown Way to Money. Now, I run a platform that offers money management, financial literacy support and financial education dedicated to women entrepreneurs.

About a year ago, when I became pregnant I had to delegate tasks to what is now my team. I realized that my "messy" approach was actually my strength. People commented on how surprising it was that I could juggle so much.

What I wish I had considered before investing

I don't see my first coaching experience as a complete failure. It taught me that I am ultimately responsible for every business decision.

I've worked with coaches who have significantly contributed to my growth as an entrepreneur, but it took years before I felt ready to invest again.

By that point, I had a better understanding of my goals and what stage I was at with my business. This made it easier to hire a coach to help me build specific skills I couldn't develop alone.

Here's what I wish I had considered earlier:

1. Clearly defining my goals and desired outcomes: I now take the time to outline what I want to achieve with a coach. I discuss my goals with the potential coach beforehand to ensure we're aligned and have a clear path to reaching those outcomes.
2. Researching the coach's expertise and relevance: Now, I look into their social media, reviews and, when possible, speak with past clients to understand their approach. Their expertise needs to align specifically with the stage of my business and my goals.
3. Adopting a return-on-investment mindset: Instead of assuming the coaching experience will "work" on its own, I focus on how I can capitalize on the skills and knowledge I'll gain. I evaluate whether the potential ROI is clear and sufficient before committing.

• When Vikram Chandrashekar was growing up in Bengaluru, it was quiet and full of natural beauty.
• Chandrashekar said urbanization is a good thing, but it changed the city too quickly.
• He enjoys living in a tech hub, but said locals are struggling with the pressure on infrastructure.

This as-told-to essay is based on a transcribed conversation with Vikram Chandrashekar, 50, who was born in Bengaluru, India, about how the city has changed over his lifetime. The following has been edited for length and clarity.

Bengaluru has become known as the "Silicon Valley of India," but it was once known as a "Garden City."

I was born in Bengaluru and have lived in J.P. Nagar, a neighborhood in the south of the city since I was seven. Back then, it was a remote area with a lot of trees and gardens.

There was a huge lake with a guava and mango orchard across from it. We used to get off the school bus, grab a mango, wash it in the lake, and eat it.

Now, there are houses where the lake used to be, and the majority of the orchard is gone. As the tech sector developed in Bengaluru over the decades, there was a lot of urbanization. As a result, there's less greenery on the streets and more high-rise buildings.

Urbanization is good, but it transformed Bengaluru too quickly and too soon — the city's been catching up ever since. It's left some people feeling frustrated about things like traffic, housing costs, and this year's water crisis.

I've witnessed Bengaluru's transformation into a tech hub

Bengaluru used to be a place where retirees wanted to live. It was a quiet place with a relatively moderate climate.

There's a long history of science and tech development in Bengaluru. The Indian Institute of Science and Raman Research Institute is here. We also have a decadeslong history of aerospace research and electronics manufacturing.

In the 80s and 90s, IT companies like Infosys, Wipro, and Texas Instruments moved into Bengaluru. In the mid-2000s, the startup ecosystem grew as it became more accessible and normalized to start a business.

IT created a lot of job opportunities, just like it did in Silicon Valley. Today, there's a large startup ecosystem and community of venture capitalists. It's probably the best place to launch a startup in India, which means more people have come to the city, creating a need for more space, public transport, and residences.

It also created a lot of urbanization, which gave people more access to resources. We had a larger airport, restaurants with various cuisines coming into the city, and affordable internet access due to more competition between companies.

Because of the startup ecosystem, we get new services and products faster than other Indian cities. I've benefited positively from urban development in these ways.

There are benefits and drawbacks to Bengaluru's transformation

I'm employed in the IT sector. I've been working at Oracle for the past 27 years, and my current role is solutions architect.

People in Bengaluru have undoubtedly benefited from the job opportunities created by the tech boom, but I think local people are split on the effects of urbanization.

It's common to see negative comments about Bengaluru on social media or people complaining to their friends. I think the three biggest issues they raise are the water crisis, housing prices, and traffic.

Traffic is definitely an issue. Public transport isn't sufficient as it stands. Before the pandemic, I'd take the metro to work four days a week because it made me less angry than driving in traffic.

Residential pricing has increased from what it used to be, but so have housing prices in other cities. I'm living in a house that belonged to my parents, so I don't have to pay rent, and this isn't an issue for me.

Bengaluru has had long-standing issues with water. There are too many people and a limited water supply due to a decreasing number of lakes. Earlier this year, there was a very bad water crisis because it got very hot and there was little rain.

People were consciously trying to conserve water, and the government brought in water tankers for people to get water at a price. I've never struggled with water supply in the past: I have access to a well, rainwater harvesting, and facilities to store water from the public supply. But this year, I noticed the public water supply was running out more frequently, so even I had to buy water a few times. It was a bad feeling which made me see how the city was changing.

Things have definitely improved since the summer, and hopefully, people will be more prepared for next summer.

I support carpooling, using public transport, and rainwater harvesting to address infrastructure issues in Bengaluru. We should also plant trees for the next generation. Tree roots can help absorb rainwater when there's flooding, so it's important to conserve every tree.

Creating other prominent tech hubs like Bengaluru is a good solution, but progress has been slow

Despite the concerns people have, I don't think people are leaving Bengaluru.

Jobs are a big reason why. There are opportunities in tech and other industries serving that community, such as schools, public transport, and cooking.

There are problems, but they're probably not as bad as social media portrays them to be. I'm frustrated by the traffic and water crisis, but I'll probably continue to live in Bengaluru.

For many years, people have talked about creating alternate cities to Bengaluru within the state, or cities like Hyderabad or Mumbai replacing it, but I feel progress on this has been small.

The solution probably lies in creating other cities like Bengaluru that can distribute the load across various places, but even in other countries, this doesn't happen. One or two cities always take most of the burden.

There are cities near Bengaluru, like Mysore and Mangalore, that could be developed and house more tech parks, but people have to be willing to move there. I think companies have to move first so that good infrastructure, like schools and jobs, can develop, incentivizing people to move. Why not create more Bengaluru's across the country?

It's going to take a long while for anything to change, so I still think Bengaluru will continue to be "India's Silicon Valley."

It would be like trying to move the capital city.

A whole ecosystem would need to be shifted, and that's not going to be easy.

Want to share your story? Email [email protected]

• Stephen Wu transitioned from tech to finance, starting a hedge fund with $10 million.
• Wu's experience at Amazon and Microsoft taught him efficiency and managing technical debt.
• He said trading is more fun and more money than tech.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Stephen Wu, a 29-year-old hedge fund manager from New York. It's been edited for length and clarity.

If you ask Alexa to play Taylor Swift, my team built the system that recommends similar songs to listen to afterward.

I studied computer science and philosophy at Carnegie Mellon during college and always thought I would work in engineering. I applied to work at Amazon during my senior fall semester in college and started at Amazon Alexa right after graduating. I was hired as a software engineer in Seattle, creating and building the music recommendation system and overseeing a team of three engineers.

It was a good mix of my passion for music and engineering, but eventually, I left Amazon for Microsoft and then left tech to start a hedge fund with about 80 investors.

I raised almost $10 million from friends, family, high-net-worth individuals, influencers, and others in the hedge fund space that first year. I still love engineering, but hedge funds make money, so they're much more fun.

Amazon taught me how to prioritize and be efficient

Working at Amazon, I learned that its ethos differs from other tech companies.

Google and Meta are more engineering-focused. Microsoft aims to build the best tool for the customer, even if it takes extra time. Amazon, on the other hand, seeks to make things fast.

Instead of building it right the first time, Amazon allowed me to create the minimum viable product usable to meet the deadline. While working there, I learned a lot about prioritization and efficiency.

Still, after about three years, I wanted to explore new roles. A Microsoft recruiter reached out to me via LinkedIn. I took the call and was intrigued by their offer of an engineering-heavy business role. I would work directly with engineers to build and plan the machine translation system used by Microsoft Azure.

I liked the opportunity to combine my strengths in engineering and business for this role, so I accepted it in 2020.

I learned a lot in tech and used it to launch my hedge fund career

I loved working at Microsoft and worked there for about three years. In my free time, I dabbled in hedge funds, which are any fund using a non-traditional investment style.

One crucial learning takeaway that helped me in my future endeavors was technical debt — if you build something too quickly and take shortcuts, you may spend twice the time just fixing the bugs.

I can tell if a product wasn't built right or if it might incur additional unforeseen costs that other hedge fund managers may not know about. Also, because I built statistical models and AI algorithms recommending songs to users at Amazon Alexa Music, I understand the statistical behavior of price movements. This allows me to take a more data-driven, probabilistic approach to trading, while most fund managers focus on financials.

After 6 years, I left Big Tech for the finance industry

I specifically invest in options trading after volatile events. I always loved it, but I never thought I could do it full-time.

Along the way, I discovered a very lucrative strategy for trading in a specific niche in the options market. I did this for fun with my portfolio through 2020 and 2022. It was during the pandemic in 2022 that I realized that NASDAQ was down 33%. That year, I proved my strategy in a bear market and felt confident enough to pursue this as a serious career.

For years, my friends and family asked to invest with me, and I was finally comfortable trading with their money. I left Microsoft in April 2023 to work on the hedge fund full-time. I worked extremely hard during my first year of fundraising and trading simultaneously and was very stressed.

Fundraising was difficult initially, but I allowed investors to try with a small amount first and see the returns for themselves. The minimum amount to invest is $100,000.

I love trading and plan to do it forever

Since our trades are weekly, I allowed them to withdraw any week if the performance was poor. This was highly unusual and risky for hedge funds because they could withdraw any week, and my fund would die. However, I was confident I could perform. After several months of good performance, many of my investors doubled or tripled their investments.

And now, more folks continue to invest through word-of-mouth.

I aim to grow this to a $100 to $200 million fund in the next few years. It's just me, so it's a lot of work, although I have part-time analysts helping. Once reaching $100 million, I can hire more analysts and expand the strategy.

I love trading. It's fascinating because it's like solving a puzzle every single day. As an engineer, I was making a solid six figures a year. It depends on how much profit I generate this year, but if my fund is $15 million and I achieve the 30% yearly profit target, I'll make $1.2 million.

I enjoyed solving complex engineering challenges, but trading offers a more dynamic, fast-paced environment and I plan to do this for the rest of my life.

If you left Big Tech for another industry and would like to tell your story, please email Manseen Logan at [email protected].

• Rebecca Vijay, an online entrepreneur, faces isolation and challenges due to time zone differences.
• She works in publishing through the night and sleeps during the day while her family is away.
• Global connections through coaching groups have helped her overcome isolation and find support.

I'm an online business owner who provides book writing and publishing services. My focus is on women's empowerment through faith, entrepreneurship, and financial literacy.

As a child growing up in New Delhi, every day was an adventure with friends and weekends were busy with church, youth events, and programs. Coming from a carefree youth setting to stepping into the workforce and adjusting to a 9-5 schedule took some time.

Now, as I run my business from home alone, I feel even more isolated.

I worked a few corporate jobs before starting my business

After working in different organizations at the start of my career, I settled at Oxford University Press for almost eight years, heading a commissioning team that published management books.

I got married in 2008, found we were expecting twins, and lost my firstborn twin son on the third day of his life. I raised my preemie daughter with my husband's support.

Infant loss can be a taboo subject, and most people around me chose to ignore it. Stifling my thoughts and emotions forced me into my shell.

I had another son, and when he was a few months old and my daughter was in kindergarten, I decided that money can always be made but spending time with my kids during their formative years was more important. I left corporate life in 2014. Not many people in my life understood this decision.

I became an author and struggled to feel understood by my community even further

I started blogging, and in 2017, I wrote my first book, "My Angel in Heaven," about my son's death and finding comfort in God, which helped many bereaved parents and became a bestseller on Amazon.

Though people around me congratulated me, I didn't feel like they understood what it took out of me to bring the book to life. I went on to have two more books published that year, and the response was the same, as they hit bestseller lists, too. It made me feel even more disconnected from the people around me.

I then faced new challenges when I became an online entrepreneur

I started my company, Fount of Grace Creatives, in 2018, providing publishing services to local authors and expanded it into an international publishing house in 2021.

I created a concept for an anthology featuring inspiring stories of global women changemakers, trailblazers, and visionaries. Arranging coaching or networking calls is difficult; when for some, it's midnight, for others, it's early morning.

As I work mostly with US clients now, I tend to work during the evenings, leading to late nights. Sometimes, I'm even up until 4 a.m. or 5 a.m. or maybe not sleeping at all, as I need to be up by 6 a.m. to get my kids up for school.

Once my kids and my husband are out for their day, I try to get a few hours of sleep. It's extremely difficult as our maid will come, trash will need to be picked up, some courier will come, etc.

I generally put my phone on silent as otherwise it will keep ringing and disturb my irregular sleep. On top of that, I get migraines, which get triggered by lack of or interrupted sleep.

It's difficult for friends, family, and acquaintances to understand my schedule

My husband works in logistics and others around me are mostly in IT, teaching, HR, finance, banking, or ministry.

For them, I'm at home and need to be available whenever they call or message. Some feel that the online world where I work is not a "real" job and don't seek to understand it. They also don't understand why I've invested in mentors, online programs, and courses.

I work on business development, sales and marketing, social media, and fulfillment. This is very different from more traditional jobs, and I'm all the more isolated as I can't share about my work or what it entails.

The pandemic came and made everything worse

We were imprisoned within our own four walls. I lost my mom and some close friends.

Before I could even make sense of that, cancer stole two of my favorite and most inspiring authors whose stories I published.

All this left me spinning out of control and alone.

I started to make friends online

I've connected with others through global coaching groups to learn strategy and skills for my business. These women have helped me break boundaries in my mind and figure out how to cater to international audiences and charge in USD, as they've had to break their own barriers and obstacles to gain success.

These women have become friends and helped me feel less alone. We have similar struggles, share our success stories or tips, and speak the same jargon.

Investing in myself, following through on my vision even when others didn't understand or see it, and focusing on my mission have helped me develop these deeper virtual personal relationships.

The struggles are worth it

Life as an online entrepreneur from a different time zone than most of my clients has been difficult and lonely, but when I look back at the lives I've touched through publishing their inspiring stories, the sacrifices have been worth it.

I plan to go on to train corporations and educational institutes in personal development and women's leadership and continue to encourage my kids and women across the world to dream big, not be limited to a 9-5 job, and consider working online as a way to gain time and financial freedom.

Do you have an isolating job and want to share your story? Email Lauryn Haas at [email protected]