An update on the last 2 years - A return to a corporate startup to do some of the best work of my life.

[TKDTyler]

What have I been up to the last 2 years?

The last 2 years has been a period of self establishment (student loan, debt, moving out into my own place, etc) and self-understanding in how I really want to spend my time and what kind of work I truly want to do and be a part of. I’ve spent many days hemming and hawing back and forth between entrepreneurship and some semblance of corporate life.

Luckily, I’ve been extremely fortunate to be able to design a life to put myself in a position where I could self sustain on my business and get by in a non-Californian environment. I could continue building a business and branch out to new ventures. I could travel. I could F*ck-off and do nothing for a while – so why consider corporate life when it is seemingly everything that this forum is against?

-Because I want to feel extremely technically challenged and outside of my comfort zone.
-Because I want to create generational impact.
-And ultimately, because I want to spend my time doing some of the best work of my life.

What does this mean? I believe it is a vastly different perspective and experience between people.

I’ve always had an innovative mind and a knack for creating, tinkering, and designing – that is why I became an engineer in the first place, and over the last two years of procrastinating and bouncing between business and engineering, I’ve came to the realization that I’ve been extremely bored with what I am doing day to day.

And I keep asking myself why?

I’m extremely lucky.
I’m in a position people would die for.
People work night and day working 2 jobs sustain their family while I have an additional income stream that is higher than the average annual income, with only having to put in 4 hours a week in sustaining, if that.

Am I appreciative of my position? Every day.
Did I work hard to put myself in this position? Of course.
Should I be happy? Yes.
Am I Happy? No.
Am I Fulfilled? No.

And the reason that is, is because the work I have been doing, both in my business and at my job, has not been bigger than myself. Much of it is a means to an end, but what have I really been doing to create a big impact on the next generation?

Nothing.

And that is what I realized and decided to take action to address. I asked myself:

"What position can I put myself in which my passion for engineering, my interest in business, and craving for impact can all intersect? And when I dug deeper, what position should I put myself in that aligns with purpose?"

And just like that, an opportunity presented itself at the opportune moment.

One of the leading Autonomous Vehicle startups began to expand and build their teams and I was hired on as the lead power engineer to head the team responsible for all power architecture, distribution, and design across the company. How did this align with what I think I am looking for?

• Engineering: I get to take my past experience and apply it to building a team, advising, mentoring, and defining how the whole structure and architecture of power will be within the company and the product.
• Business: I am the lead technical decision maker for power across the company. I have visibility all the way up to executive leadership and they lean on my expertise to make informed and thoughtful decisions.
• Impact: We are creating technology that will define future generations. By the time my parents get to old to drive, my hope Is that there is no need to drive at all. We can reduce the amount of deaths via driving. Create a safer environment for the clients, bikers, and pedestrians. The AV Section has the potential to usher in a whole new industrial revolution that will redefine transportation and infrastructure.

Can this whole thing go bust? Potentially
Have I been working 60-80 hour weeks? Sure
Have I worked on my business at all during this time? Not particularly

Am I challenged? Beyond Belief, every single day
Am I growing? Both on the technical side and on the business side
Does my business still generate income? Most definitely

Why can I do this? Because I can.


So Why Did I Write This?

In all honesty, in the past, I’ve felt extremely guilty to be part of the forum and procrastinating on my business while working for a company. My initial philosophy was that entrepreneurship is the way and that’s what I have to aspire towards in creating freedom which created guilt and anxiety – As I’ve matured a bit, my true understanding of the forum’s (and book’s) philosophy is to create a life in which you can do what you want with your time. My self worth is not defined strictly on having a successful business.

If I want to spend my time developing an autonomous vehicle, then that is okay. The point is that it is my choice to do it out of freedom and not necessity.

I am in no way abandoning my business, but life to me is about purpose and fulfillment. How I spend my time is of the most importance – If I can save the life of 1 person through developing this technology, then I’ve created a priceless impact in the world. I can’t put a dollar value on that.

My Biggest Lessons

1. As Kak Says, Think Bigger

Through my time being in this position, I’ve had to restructure my thinking from a bottom up perspective to a top down perspective. What does this mean?

Engineers inherently think of the technical benefits of various solutions and features – But all of these decisions directly impact the business. I’ve had and been in presentations with executive leadership and they way they inherently think and perceive the world and business decisions are vastly different than a typical day-to-day worker/engineer.

If I want to be successful in life, whether it is in business, entrepreneurship, or working at a company, I need to think outside of my core competency and analyze the business cases first and solution’s impact on the bottom life among many other things could be a whole separate post.

2. To Trust My Judgement, Skillset, and Stick To My Guns

As with entrepreneurship, you lean on your past experience for guidance, but many times it is not enough. Life will smack you in the face and you will question whether you are good enough, if you made the correct decision, if you are in over your head, and ultimately, fit for a position of leadership.

Leadership is difficult, both in technical environment and business environments. It takes bravery that takes cultivation. It takes ownership and integrity. And it also takes humility and communication.

You wake up and do the best you can in and out of every single day. You’ll feel in over your head. You’ll be swamped with work. You’ll feel like you’re getting nothing done, but the small steps each and every day will lead to large gains, and in this case, a vehicle that can effectively drive itself in some of the most difficult terrains you can imagine (I’m looking at you SF, NY, LA and your damn no traffic law environments)

3. Know Your F**kin’ Numbers

Last but not least, If people look to you for leadership, you better be certain on your numbers. Many will take what you say as gospel. Decisions will be made based on what you say, sometimes not even what you officially show.

Your words have weight and your perception to other leaders needs to remain in high respect to be able to get things done efficiently and effectively.

In the engineering world and business world, it is no different. My power loss calculations are just as important as how many cents I will save per part. Being able to develop a system that meets the bare business case is as important as developing a safe system.

I can engineer the most elegant solution the world has ever seen. It can be Nobel Prize worthy – but if it doesn’t meet the bare minimum business case, the world will never see it and it will vanish into the ether.

4. It Takes A Village
Creating a product based business and creating a sustainable income stream is achievable for anybody on an individual basis. This can be done completely on your own and an individual can be perfectly content and happy.

But in order to create a product that defines a generation it takes a team. Look at technology in the past 2 decades - How many of these (hardware based) industry disrupting companies were truly made by a single individual before it reached scale?

The iPhone took millions of dollars of R&D to create and launch after years of successes and failures in the computer market.
Netflix was created with a team of software engineers and business partners to create a library to disrupt an industry.
3G, 4G, 5G technologies take years and years of technology and process development to enable these kinds of data speeds through network infrastructures
Electronic vehicles & Battery technology is a whole different ball park.

In the past, because technology was still in relative infancy, an individual or two could create a disruptive product (see the original computers, the wright brothers, Ford, Tesla).
Now as technology has matured there is far to many areas of expertise required to create a truly outstanding and disruptive technology. Specialization is okay if you can place yourself in the right position.


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When I look back on my late 20’s and early 30’s, I hope I can say that this was truly some of the best work of my life.

Feel free to ask me anything about electrical engineering or the Autonomous Vehicle world. I will explain as much as I can within the general topics I am allowed to speak towards (NDA & Legal).

 

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[Tom.V]

Xjev jewi O ciip aq vu vji metv 2 ziest?

Vji metv 2 ziest jet ciip e qisouf ug timg itvecmotjnipv (tvafipv muep, ficv, nuwoph uav opvu nz uxp qmedi, ivd) epf timg-apfistvepfoph op jux O siemmz xepv vu tqipf nz voni epf xjev lopf ug xusl O vsamz xepv vu fu epf ci e qesv ug. O’wi tqipv nepz fezt jinnoph epf jexoph cedl epf gusvj civxiip ipvsiqsipiastjoq epf tuni tincmepdi ug dusqusevi mogi.

Madlomz, O’wi ciip iyvsinimz gusvapevi vu ci ecmi vu fitohp e mogi vu qav nztimg op e qutovoup xjisi O duamf timg tatveop up nz catopitt epf hiv cz op e pup-Demoguspoep ipwosupnipv. O duamf dupvopai caomfoph e catopitt epf csepdj uav vu pix wipvasit. O duamf vsewim. O duamf G*dl-ugg epf fu puvjoph gus e xjomi – tu xjz duptofis dusqusevi mogi xjip ov ot tiinophmz iwiszvjoph vjev vjot gusan ot eheoptv?

-Cideati O xepv vu giim iyvsinimz vidjpodemmz djemmiphif epf uavtofi ug nz dungusv bupi.
-Cideati O xepv vu dsievi hipisevoupem onqedv.
-Epf amvonevimz, cideati O xepv vu tqipf nz voni fuoph tuni ug vji citv xusl ug nz mogi.

Xjev fuit vjot niep? O cimoiwi ov ot e wetvmz foggisipv qistqidvowi epf iyqisoipdi civxiip qiuqmi.

O’wi emxezt jef ep oppuwevowi nopf epf e lpedl gus dsievoph, voplisoph, epf fitohpoph – vjev ot xjz O cideni ep iphopiis op vji gostv qmedi, epf uwis vji metv vxu ziest ug qsudsetvopevoph epf cuapdoph civxiip catopitt epf iphopiisoph, O’wi deni vu vji siemobevoup vjev O’wi ciip iyvsinimz cusif xovj xjev O en fuoph fez vu fez.

Epf O liiq etloph nztimg xjz?

O’n iyvsinimz madlz.
O’n op e qutovoup qiuqmi xuamf foi gus.
Qiuqmi xusl pohjv epf fez xusloph 2 kuct tatveop vjios genomz xjomi O jewi ep effovoupem opduni tvsien vjev ot johjis vjep vji ewisehi eppaem opduni, xovj upmz jewoph vu qav op 4 juast e xiil op tatveopoph, og vjev.

En O eqqsidoevowi ug nz qutovoup? Iwisz fez.
Fof O xusl jesf vu qav nztimg op vjot qutovoup? Ug duasti.
Tjuamf O ci jeqqz? Zit.
En O Jeqqz? Pu.
En O Gamgommif? Pu.

Epf vji sietup vjev ot, ot cideati vji xusl O jewi ciip fuoph, cuvj op nz catopitt epf ev nz kuc, jet puv ciip cohhis vjep nztimg. Nadj ug ov ot e niept vu ep ipf, cav xjev jewi O siemmz ciip fuoph vu dsievi e coh onqedv up vji piyv hipisevoup?

Puvjoph.

Epf vjev ot xjev O siemobif epf fidofif vu veli edvoup vu effsitt. O etlif nztimg:

"Xjev qutovoup dep O qav nztimg op xjodj nz qettoup gus iphopiisoph, nz opvisitv op catopitt, epf dsewoph gus onqedv dep emm opvistidv? Epf xjip O fah fiiqis, xjev qutovoup tjuamf O qav nztimg op vjev emohpt xovj qasquti?"

Epf katv moli vjev, ep uqqusvapovz qsitipvif ovtimg ev vji uqqusvapi nunipv.

Upi ug vji miefoph Eavupunuat Wijodmi tvesvaqt cihep vu iyqepf epf caomf vjios vient epf O xet josif up et vji mief quxis iphopiis vu jief vji vien sitquptocmi gus emm quxis esdjovidvasi, fotvsocavoup, epf fitohp edsutt vji dunqepz. Jux fof vjot emohp xovj xjev O vjopl O en muuloph gus?

• Iphopiisoph: O hiv vu veli nz qetv iyqisoipdi epf eqqmz ov vu caomfoph e vien, efwotoph, nipvusoph, epf figopoph jux vji xjumi tvsadvasi epf esdjovidvasi ug quxis xomm ci xovjop vji dunqepz epf vji qsufadv.
• Catopitt: O en vji mief vidjpodem fidotoup nelis gus quxis edsutt vji dunqepz. O jewi wotocomovz emm vji xez aq vu iyidavowi miefistjoq epf vjiz miep up nz iyqisvoti vu neli opgusnif epf vjuahjvgam fidotoupt.
• Onqedv: Xi esi dsievoph vidjpumuhz vjev xomm figopi gavasi hipisevoupt. Cz vji voni nz qesipvt hiv vu umf vu fsowi, nz juqi Ot vjev vjisi ot pu piif vu fsowi ev emm. Xi dep sifadi vji enuapv ug fievjt woe fsowoph. Dsievi e tegis ipwosupnipv gus vji dmoipvt, colist, epf qifitvsoept. Vji EW Tidvoup jet vji quvipvoem vu atjis op e xjumi pix opfatvsoem siwumavoup vjev xomm sifigopi vseptqusvevoup epf opgsetvsadvasi.

Dep vjot xjumi vjoph hu catv? Quvipvoemmz
Jewi O ciip xusloph 60-80 juas xiilt? Tasi
Jewi O xuslif up nz catopitt ev emm fasoph vjot voni? Puv qesvodamesmz

En O djemmiphif? Cizupf Cimoig, iwisz tophmi fez
En O hsuxoph? Cuvj up vji vidjpodem tofi epf up vji catopitt tofi
Fuit nz catopitt tvomm hipisevi opduni? Nutv figopovimz

Xjz dep O fu vjot? Cideati O dep.


Tu Xjz Fof O Xsovi Vjot?

Op emm jupitvz, op vji qetv, O’wi gimv iyvsinimz haomvz vu ci qesv ug vji gusan epf qsudsetvopevoph up nz catopitt xjomi xusloph gus e dunqepz. Nz opovoem qjomutuqjz xet vjev ipvsiqsipiastjoq ot vji xez epf vjev’t xjev O jewi vu etqosi vuxesft op dsievoph gsiifun xjodj dsievif haomv epf epyoivz – Et O’wi nevasif e cov, nz vsai apfistvepfoph ug vji gusan’t (epf cuul’t) qjomutuqjz ot vu dsievi e mogi op xjodj zua dep fu xjev zua xepv xovj zuas voni. Nz timg xusvj ot puv figopif tvsodvmz up jewoph e taddittgam catopitt.

Og O xepv vu tqipf nz voni fiwimuqoph ep eavupunuat wijodmi, vjip vjev ot ulez. Vji quopv ot vjev ov ot nz djuodi vu fu ov uav ug gsiifun epf puv pidittovz.

O en op pu xez ecepfupoph nz catopitt, cav mogi vu ni ot ecuav qasquti epf gamgommnipv. Jux O tqipf nz voni ot ug vji nutv onqusvepdi – Og O dep tewi vji mogi ug 1 qistup vjsuahj fiwimuqoph vjot vidjpumuhz, vjip O’wi dsievif e qsodimitt onqedv op vji xusmf. O dep’v qav e fummes wemai up vjev.

Nz Cohhitv Mittupt

1. Et Lel Tezt, Vjopl Cohhis

Vjsuahj nz voni cioph op vjot qutovoup, O’wi jef vu sitvsadvasi nz vjoploph gsun e cuvvun aq qistqidvowi vu e vuq fuxp qistqidvowi. Xjev fuit vjot niep?

Iphopiist opjisipvmz vjopl ug vji vidjpodem cipigovt ug wesouat tumavoupt epf gievasit – Cav emm ug vjiti fidotoupt fosidvmz onqedv vji catopitt. O’wi jef epf ciip op qsitipvevoupt xovj iyidavowi miefistjoq epf vjiz xez vjiz opjisipvmz vjopl epf qisdiowi vji xusmf epf catopitt fidotoupt esi wetvmz foggisipv vjep e vzqodem fez-vu-fez xuslis/iphopiis.

Og O xepv vu ci taddittgam op mogi, xjivjis ov ot op catopitt, ipvsiqsipiastjoq, us xusloph ev e dunqepz, O piif vu vjopl uavtofi ug nz dusi dunqivipdz epf epemzbi vji catopitt detit gostv epf tumavoup’t onqedv up vji cuvvun mogi enuph nepz uvjis vjopht duamf ci e xjumi tiqesevi qutv.

2. Vu Vsatv Nz Kafhinipv, Tlommtiv, epf Tvodl Vu Nz Hapt

Et xovj ipvsiqsipiastjoq, zua miep up zuas qetv iyqisoipdi gus haofepdi, cav nepz vonit ov ot puv ipuahj. Mogi xomm tnedl zua op vji gedi epf zua xomm raitvoup xjivjis zua esi huuf ipuahj, og zua nefi vji dussidv fidotoup, og zua esi op uwis zuas jief, epf amvonevimz, gov gus e qutovoup ug miefistjoq.

Miefistjoq ot foggodamv, cuvj op vidjpodem ipwosupnipv epf catopitt ipwosupnipvt. Ov velit csewisz vjev velit damvowevoup. Ov velit uxpistjoq epf opvihsovz. Epf ov emtu velit janomovz epf dunnapodevoup.

Zua xeli aq epf fu vji citv zua dep op epf uav ug iwisz tophmi fez. Zua’mm giim op uwis zuas jief. Zua’mm ci txenqif xovj xusl. Zua’mm giim moli zua’si hivvoph puvjoph fupi, cav vji tnemm tviqt iedj epf iwisz fez xomm mief vu meshi heopt, epf op vjot deti, e wijodmi vjev dep iggidvowimz fsowi ovtimg op tuni ug vji nutv foggodamv visseopt zua dep onehopi (O’n muuloph ev zua TG, PZ, ME epf zuas fenp pu vseggod mex ipwosupnipvt)

3. Lpux Zuas G**lop’ Pancist

Metv cav puv mietv, Og qiuqmi muul vu zua gus miefistjoq, zua civvis ci disveop up zuas pancist. Nepz xomm veli xjev zua tez et hutqim. Fidotoupt xomm ci nefi cetif up xjev zua tez, tunivonit puv iwip xjev zua uggodoemmz tjux.

Zuas xusft jewi xiohjv epf zuas qisdiqvoup vu uvjis miefist piift vu sineop op johj sitqidv vu ci ecmi vu hiv vjopht fupi iggodoipvmz epf iggidvowimz.

Op vji iphopiisoph xusmf epf catopitt xusmf, ov ot pu foggisipv. Nz quxis mutt demdamevoupt esi katv et onqusvepv et jux nepz dipvt O xomm tewi qis qesv. Cioph ecmi vu fiwimuq e tztvin vjev niivt vji cesi catopitt deti ot et onqusvepv et fiwimuqoph e tegi tztvin.

O dep iphopiis vji nutv imihepv tumavoup vji xusmf jet iwis tiip. Ov dep ci Pucim Qsobi xusvjz – cav og ov fuitp’v niiv vji cesi noponan catopitt deti, vji xusmf xomm piwis tii ov epf ov xomm wepotj opvu vji ivjis.

4. Ov Velit E Wommehi
Dsievoph e qsufadv cetif catopitt epf dsievoph e tatveopecmi opduni tvsien ot edjoiwecmi gus epzcufz up ep opfowofaem cetot. Vjot dep ci fupi dunqmivimz up zuas uxp epf ep opfowofaem dep ci qisgidvmz dupvipv epf jeqqz.

Cav op usfis vu dsievi e qsufadv vjev figopit e hipisevoup ov velit e vien. Muul ev vidjpumuhz op vji qetv 2 fidefit - Jux nepz ug vjiti (jesfxesi cetif) opfatvsz fotsaqvoph dunqepoit xisi vsamz nefi cz e tophmi opfowofaem cigusi ov siedjif tdemi?

Vji oQjupi vuul nommoupt ug fummest ug S&F vu dsievi epf meapdj egvis ziest ug taddittit epf geomasit op vji dunqavis nesliv.
Pivgmoy xet dsievif xovj e vien ug tugvxesi iphopiist epf catopitt qesvpist vu dsievi e mocsesz vu fotsaqv ep opfatvsz.
3H, 4H, 5H vidjpumuhoit veli ziest epf ziest ug vidjpumuhz epf qsuditt fiwimuqnipv vu ipecmi vjiti lopft ug feve tqiift vjsuahj pivxusl opgsetvsadvasit
Imidvsupod wijodmit & Cevvisz vidjpumuhz ot e xjumi foggisipv cemm qesl.

Op vji qetv, cideati vidjpumuhz xet tvomm op simevowi opgepdz, ep opfowofaem us vxu duamf dsievi e fotsaqvowi qsufadv (tii vji usohopem dunqavist, vji xsohjv csuvjist, Gusf, Vitme).
Pux et vidjpumuhz jet nevasif vjisi ot ges vu nepz esiet ug iyqisvoti siraosif vu dsievi e vsamz uavtvepfoph epf fotsaqvowi vidjpumuhz. Tqidoemobevoup ot ulez og zua dep qmedi zuastimg op vji sohjv qutovoup.


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Xjip O muul cedl up nz mevi 20’t epf iesmz 30’t, O juqi O dep tez vjev vjot xet vsamz tuni ug vji citv xusl ug nz mogi.

Giim gsii vu etl ni epzvjoph ecuav imidvsodem iphopiisoph us vji Eavupunuat Wijodmi xusmf. O xomm iyqmeop et nadj et O dep xovjop vji hipisem vuqodt O en emmuxif vu tqiel vuxesft (PFE & Mihem).

Hmef vu jies ep aqfevi csu epf hmef zua'si dupvipv neloph vjot lopf ug coh nuwi. ONU xusloph up tunivjoph vjev xomm jewi e qutovowi iggidv up tudoivz epf uas tqidoit jet e JAHI nuvowevoph iggidv up nztimg tu O vuvemmz hiv vji eqqiem.

Epf ug duasti et zua nipvoupif, vjot lopf ug uqisevoup otp'v tuni mupi sephis nufim. Ov velit e muv ug siemmz tnesv qiuqmi iyidavoph vu vji csopl ug vjios ecomovoit fez epf fez uav. Iyvsinimz sixesfoph xusl og zua jewi vsamz guapf tunivjoph zua cimoiwi xomm jewi e nettowi onqedv. (Disveopmz tuapft moli ov duamf)

Tu duphsevt! Zua'si mowoph vji fsien!

 

[SEBASTlAN]

Ximduni cedl nep

 

[TKDTyler]

Hmef vu jies ep aqfevi csu epf hmef zua'si dupvipv neloph vjot lopf ug coh nuwi. ONU xusloph up tunivjoph vjev xomm jewi e qutovowi iggidv up tudoivz epf uas tqidoit jet e JAHI nuvowevoph iggidv up nztimg tu O vuvemmz hiv vji eqqiem.

Epf ug duasti et zua nipvoupif, vjot lopf ug uqisevoup otp'v tuni mupi sephis nufim. Ov velit e muv ug siemmz tnesv qiuqmi iyidavoph vu vji csopl ug vjios ecomovoit fez epf fez uav. Iyvsinimz sixesfoph xusl og zua jewi vsamz guapf tunivjoph zua cimoiwi xomm jewi e nettowi onqedv. (Disveopmz tuapft moli ov duamf)

Tu duphsevt! Zua'si mowoph vji fsien!

Jiz Vun! Hmef vu tii zua'si tvomm esuapf epf lodloph.

Ziej, ov't gappz - O'wi piwis siemmz ciip ep iesmz sotis, cav iwis topdi O tvesvif vjot wipvasi, O'wi ciip iydovif epf opvsoptodemmz nuvowevif ev vji tvesv ug iwisz nuspoph. Vjisi ot tunivoni vu ci teof vu tassuapfoph zuastimg xovj tuni ug vji nutv csommoepv nopft op vji opfatvsz - ov ot optqosoph vu tii vji fiqvj ug iwisz tophmi qistup't tlommtiv epf iyqisoipdi, epf ov emtu tjuxt ni jux nadj O jewi ziv vu miesp.

Xjipiwis O fidofi vu tvesv nz hsepf wipvasi, ov xomm qsucecmz ci e jesfxesi/vidj qsufadv eonif ev onqsuwoph tuni raemovz ug mogi. Vji iyqisoipdi epf opgusnevoup O en caomfoph iwisz fez ot cuapf vu qez op tqefit.

Upi ug vjiti fezt O piif vu neli ov uav zuas xez.

Ximduni cedl nep

Vjeplt!