I Suddenly Became a CTO: Cold Decisions Atop a Collapsing System
From Executive Director of Strategy to CTO—A record of leadership proven through restructuring and technical redesign.
From strategy consultant to solo developer. These posts are an honest record of walking away from a stable career, starting over from scratch, and figuring things out along the way.
The posts here follow the path from strategy consulting to unexpectedly taking on a CTO role, and eventually building and running products alone. From why I decided to start over after more than 10 years in one career, to the long hesitation behind walking away from stability, to what it felt like to suddenly carry the responsibilities of a CTO role before feeling ready — these posts are less about polished success stories and more about uncertainty, decisions, and learning things the hard way.
One thing I didn't expect was how much a consultant's habit of overthinking could slow down the process of actually building things. The moments when previous expertise became a barrier instead of an advantage are part of this story too. If you're thinking about changing careers, or struggling with the discomfort of becoming a beginner again, I hope something here feels relatable or useful.
Vibe Pick is still something I'm figuring out one step at a time. It's not a finished story, and maybe that's why I keep writing about it. If any part of these experiences felt familiar to you, even a small word of support genuinely means a lot.
From Executive Director of Strategy to CTO—A record of leadership proven through restructuring and technical redesign.
Taking off the familiar coat of a strategist to stand on the unfamiliar path of a solo developer.
Letting go of the strategist’s 'perfect hypothesis' and embracing the maker’s 'grit' to uncover the essence of starting.
From a Strategy Director to leading a tech organization—a survival story of logic, grit, and grit.
Why I left familiarity for uncertainty. It wasn't an act of grand bravery, but rather the only choice that allowed me to convince myself.
3,650 days spent as a strategic consultant and researcher. Why I traded a guaranteed tomorrow for an uncertain today.