Why I Left My Job at a YC Startup I Loved

Saying goodbye as a core team member of a thriving startup was one of the most challenging decisions I've ever had to make.

One of the very popular stories is the Fable of the Dragon-Tyrant, written by Nick Brostrom, which also happens to be Vitalik Buterin's X mantra.

The monstrous dragon terrified humans and yet people built a civilization around it. Nothing could be worse than voluntarily losing loved ones to the dragon. Just entertaining the idea of slaying the dragon took a very long time, and finding a solution took even longer.

Reflecting on life, I find it quite weird. You work hard to achieve something, hoping it will fulfill a need or want at a particular stage in your life. That need changes with time—for better or worse. Sometimes unexpected events occur, prompting a need for change. Whether you are ready or not, change must happen. When you resist the need to change, one tends to fall prey to life.

How it all began?

Ever since I was a kid, I've always been innately curious to know everything under the sun, beyond the sun, and in the sun. I never chased after a career but always chased after understanding the whys and hows of life. This desire to know everything began when I became self-aware of my own thoughts. As a kid, I wondered who the voice in my head was, who was listening, and who was aware of these questions as they arose. Did I find answers to these questions? It's for another post. My educational background is quite diverse. I never planned for a career; I chose to go after my curiosity. I caught the programming bug after my academics and eventually taught myself to code. Figuring out how to do what I want to do and being able to test out my thinking programmatically was very gratifying. The bugs teach you more than any tutorial could.

Through hard work and by the grace of God, I secured a position as a frontend engineer at an early-stage Fintech startup. The co-founder/CTO and the first engineer hire played pivotal roles in shaping not only my career as a developer but also as a human being. My interactions with them went beyond technical knowledge, providing valuable insights. We formed a small yet highly motivated team dedicated to building and shipping products, and that's precisely what we achieved.

The startup's success was evident as it secured Y Combinator funding and subsequently raised $34 million in Series A the following year, followed by $85 million in Series B. Witnessing the engineering team grow from 10-12 to over 250 people in just three years was a level of growth and camaraderie that exceeded my wildest dreams.

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And then the second wave of COVID happened.

The company wasn’t hurt by it, but I was. COVID-19 affected millions of lives across the globe, and our family was one amongst them. During the second wave of COVID-19 in 2021, India was devastated. There were no beds, a shortage of Oxygen, and a shortage of vaccines. There was only death everywhere. The streets looked like a scene from a post-apocalyptic movie.

My parents were infected with COVID, and due to the unavailability of hospital beds, they received treatment at home. My brother and I took on the responsibility of caring for them. Their health deteriorated, and they required oxygen support. It was emotionally taxing to witness both our parents relying on oxygen. We monitored their oxygen levels day and night, with minimal sleep for a couple of days. I must emphasize that no child should experience what my brother and I went through in the following days.

My father, a man who consistently wore white clothes as a symbol of peace and kindness, lived his life embodying these values. Always the first to help anyone in need and share whatever he had, his life philosophy was simple: “Live and let live.”

At that time, I was still employed at the startup. Isaq, the CTO, is someone to whom I will always be grateful—not just for providing me an opportunity to work there but for the values he instilled in the startup and early team members. These values were not conveyed through mere words but demonstrated through actions. The engineering team comprised around 10 people then, and we cultivated relationships akin to a family rather than a typical startup sports team.

During the challenging period when my brother and I were desperately searching for oxygen cylinders, Isaq, along with my colleagues at the time, formed a WhatsApp group to coordinate and hunt for these resources for my parents. It's worth noting that all of them were working remotely. Isaq, while managing his startup responsibilities, devoted his time to assist me even from Singapore. I mean, how many company co-founders and colleagues would go to such lengths?

Navigating Tragedy with Resilience

When my dad's oxygen levels plummeted to 50-60 (SpO2), my brother and I went on a desperate quest for a hospital bed. We tirelessly moved from one hospital to another in search of an incubator bed, but our efforts were in vain. Meanwhile, my unwell mom remained alone at home. With transportation halted and roads closed, no relatives or friends could come to our aid. Tragically, my dad succumbed to death on May 1st, 2021, as he couldn't secure an incubator bed in time.

On that same fateful night, my brother and I somberly followed the ambulance carrying my dad's lifeless body to the funeral grounds. Amidst this heart-wrenching ordeal, my mom, unaware due to her own health condition, remained at home. In the company of a few compassionate strangers (may God bless these people), we laid our dad to rest. Returning home late at night, we wore stoic expressions, concealing the harsh truth from our mom by falsely claiming that dad was undergoing treatment.

Later that night, a hospital bed became available. We admitted our mom, who was still unaware. The treating doctor advised us to withhold the news of her husband's passing. It wasn't until three days later, when her oxygen levels stabilized, that we gently disclosed the heartbreaking truth about my dad’s demise.

Strength in the Storm

A few weeks passed, and I returned to work, oblivious to the grief that was slowly pulling me into depression. I reached a point where I had lost interest in everything. It felt as though I had lost myself, and I couldn't find a way back. Recognizing the need to intervene before reaching a point of no return, I made one of the toughest decisions of my life: resigning from my job. Despite the startup thriving, with a team headcount surpassing 250 and expanding into 3-4 countries, my new colleagues were highly skilled and talented. They were exceptional individuals, and anyone would have considered themselves fortunate to work with such a team. However, I was in no state to seize that potential.

It took over a year for me to rediscover my former self. Amidst a tech recession and widespread layoffs affecting millions, securing a job became an arduous task. Rather than succumbing to despair, I immersed myself in Web3 Hackathons to continually hone my skills. While facing failures in some and earning a few dollars in others, I witnessed the rapid evolution of the Web3 landscape. The talented individuals within the community were ceaselessly crafting projects that resonated with my aspirations. My philosophy aligns closely with the ethos of the Web3 community, prompting me to embrace vulnerability as a courageous way to live.

Nothing could be more authentic than a man who wears vulnerability as armor.

Bridges of Hope: Navigating with Courage

Reflecting on the dragon-tyrant fable, recognizing a problem is the first step toward a solution, regardless of the time it takes. Mental models must be adaptable, accommodating changes driven by newfound knowledge. Whether these changes are minor adjustments or demand a fundamental reconfiguration, an antifragile infrastructure ensures the system operates at its full potential.

Approaching the end of 2023 and the beginning of my journey, I've outlined some ambitious goals for 2024, aiming to secure a full-time role in Web3 or turn one of my projects into a startup, and work towards securing a debt-free future for my family before the end of 2024. While these may seem very challenging, I am confident that perseverance and hard work will pave the way to success. This article stands as a cornerstone for the forthcoming change.

Here's to all those thriving, or simply aspiring, to contribute to a world of peace and harmony.♥️