Notes on leading yourself, ruthless simplicity, and AI.

All notes

• 5 years of Node.js experience is worth 6 months now

  Jan 2, 2026

  AI made syntax cheap. What engineering experience is worth now, and the skills that replaced language mastery.

• Your friends are terrible hires

  Jan 2, 2026

  Your friends are terrible hires. Not because they lack skill. Because you'll never treat them like employees. I did it years ago. Almost destroyed friendships...

• I lied to 3 clients this week

  Dec 31, 2025

  I lied to 3 clients this week. Told them I was excited about our calls. The truth? I stared at the screen for 20 minutes. I have zero inspiration for this...

• I've watched 47 startups die from the same three-letter word

  Dec 30, 2025

  I've watched 47 startups die from the same three-letter word. AND is what founders say when they're terrified to commit. It masks your inability to make hard...

• I fire engineers who defend their stack while cash burns

  Dec 29, 2025

  I fire engineers who defend their stack while cash burns. You've seen it: GraphQL because trend. Kubernetes for 10 users. Svelte "just to try it." Now they...

• I broke my own business model

  Dec 26, 2025

  I broke my own business model. I'm scaling 5 startups simultaneously. Demand is outpacing my hands. I'm seriously grateful for that. The standard advice I...

• How do I hold a Fractional CTO accountable?

  Dec 25, 2025

  "How do I hold a Fractional CTO accountable?" You are asking the wrong question. But you should ask, "How do I fire a full-time CTO?" Because you can't. Not...

• Stop handing out 50% equity like it's candy

  Dec 23, 2025

  Stop handing out 50% equity like it's candy. You meet a co-founder. You vibe. You split 50-50. That's not a partnership. You just avoid conflict. You are...

• You are paying to get back to zero

  Dec 22, 2025

  You are paying to get back to zero. That is what a "full rewrite" is. You burn $300K. You freeze the roadmap. Just to rebuild exactly what you already have...