Catalyst

After four years at Amazon, I found myself become increasingly comfortable with the daily routine. I had an itch that needed scratching—a deep-seated desire to control my own destiny and build something that I truly owned. Working at Amazon had its thrills, especially shipping new features and products, but it also came with limitations. Working on innovations for a massive corporation meant that even my most impactful efforts often felt like a drop in the ocean.

As humans, we crave to make an impact. However, making changes within a nested sub-organisation at Amazon was like trying to steer a colossal ship with a tiny rudder. It was clear to me that the changes I was making, though important, would never alter the course of the company. I realised I wanted more—I wanted to create something that could make a real difference.

Leaving Amazon

Getting deeply embedded in the routine of daily life can be overwhelming. This lead me to a loss of personal identity and purpose. Many in their 20s inevitably face this dilemma, questioning their life goals and seeking meaning during this pivotal moment in life meant for exploration and experimentation.

Securing a well-paying job at a huge company is often seen as a pinnacle achievement. But experiencing this so early in my career felt both like a blessing and a curse. It allowed me to live comfortably, afford nice experiences & meals out in central London, but I soon realised that these material comforts did not bring genuine happiness.

Motivated by this, I decided to take a three-month sabbatical. This break was my opportunity to reframe and seek some level of discomfort. On my last day at Amazon, I recorded a video in my office - me in my chair, promising myself that I would try something new. Despite my love for my team and projects, I wanted to switch things up.

Reframing

The first day of my sabbatical began with a visit to a coffee shop near my home in Essex where I asked ChatGPT to choose my next destination—East Asia, a region I had never visited. I flew to Hong Kong the next day, anxious about what was to come & without a plan.

Over the course of three weeks, I traveled to Japan, Thailand, and Dubai, carrying just a notebook and my laptop. I sought familiarity in Starbucks across these countries but spent most of my time writing. This process helped me find out what I truly valued and cared about.

One evening in Bangkok, I decided to draft a business plan and apply to Y Combinator. Completing their application helped formalise my thoughts and laid the groundwork for what I wanted to work on, despite the odds.

10 Minutes That Changed Everything

To my surprise, the next day a meeting had been set in my calendar for an interview. The interview itself was a whirlwind – 10 minutes that felt like an eternity.

I joined a Zoom meeting with three partners who immediately launched into a rapid-fire questioning session. “What’s your unique insight?” “How will you acquire customers?” “What’s your unfair advantage?” My heart raced as my meticulously prepared notes suddenly seemed irrelevant. Despite this, I managed to respond on the fly, articulating the problem I aimed to solve, the market opportunity, and my vision for the future. Before I realised it, the timer buzzed.

I went to bed dejected, feeling like I had blown it and would be just another rejected pitch for the partners. But to my surprise, at 4 AM, I received a phone call that changed everything: “Congratulations, you’re in. We’d like to invest $500,000 in your company.”

Subscribe for part 2 😊