confessions of an office hero

Stay Hungry Stay Foolish

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 15:05:52 -0400

In light of the recent Instagram acquisition, a few people have felt the need to write on blogs warning young entrepreneurs not to get their hopes up since they are not Instagram, but doing so in a very condescending manner.

Yes the outcome for a billion dollar exit is slim and doesn’t happen that often but thats not a reason to be discouraged. If i had listened to the advice of these wartorn “veterans”, then I would have never cofounded Astro and my outcome would have been very different. I was young, naive, possibly foolish - but isn’t that the beauty of it all? As children we’ve had aspirations and as young entrepreneurs we are no different. Why be convinced that we aren’t capable or that everything is out of our control?

So I have another message to young entrepreneurs (such as myself):

Be Inspired by Instagram (and Pinterest)! “Stay Hungry and Stay Foolish!”

Good times. (Taken with instagram)

Fri, 06 Apr 2012 19:03:35 -0400

Good times. (Taken with instagram)

Being a Visionary

Tue, 13 Mar 2012 15:33:54 -0400

I think the way to use these big ideas is not to try to identify a precise point in the future and then ask yourself how to get from here to there, like the popular image of a visionary. You’ll be better off if you operate like Columbus and just head in a general westerly direction. Don’t try to construct the future like a building, because your current blueprint is almost certainly mistaken. Start with something you know works, and when you expand, expand westward.

The popular image of the visionary is someone with a clear view of the future, but empirically it may be better to have a blurry one.

Paul Graham , Frighteningly Ambitious Startup Ideas

"I asked Jim what he believed to be the biggest reason, and without hesitation, he attributed most..."

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 22:34:34 -0500

“I asked Jim what he believed to be the biggest reason, and without hesitation, he attributed most of his success to the fact that he made some important behavior changes along the way. As I listened to him, I realized that this (the ability to make behavior and mindset changes) is common to all successful entrepreneurs, but always missed in analyst reports.”

- Confessions of a Successful Entrepreneur

Jeremy Lin bringing the family together. Even grandma haha...

Sun, 19 Feb 2012 16:29:30 -0500

Jeremy Lin bringing the family together. Even grandma haha (Taken with instagram)

8 tips for entrepreneurs from a founder-turned-vc

Sat, 18 Feb 2012 15:16:00 -0500

8 tips for entrepreneurs from a founder-turned-vc:

Very good insight. Great read.

twinleaves: Facebook

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 22:55:52 -0500

twinleaves:

Facebook

Have my cake and eat it too? Not gonna make this an easy...

Sat, 11 Feb 2012 20:51:00 -0500

Have my cake and eat it too?

Not gonna make this an easy decision for me are you, BMW?

Video

Sat, 11 Feb 2012 17:52:10 -0500

Streetfighter at the office is back!

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 19:26:39 -0500

Streetfighter at the office is back!

Great interview with CEO of Instagram on Mobile Success

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 19:05:28 -0500

Great interview with CEO of Instagram on Mobile Success

Just like old times. (Taken with instagram)

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 21:13:47 -0500

Just like old times. (Taken with instagram)

Something to work towards.

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 21:07:00 -0500

Something to work towards.

Would have came back for you, I just needed time… to do...

Sat, 14 Jan 2012 19:17:00 -0500

Would have came back for you, I just needed time… to do what I had to do…

Caught in the life, I can’t let it go, whether thats right, I won’t ever know…

Taken with instagram

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 19:36:44 -0500

Taken with instagram

"Every time you want to make any important decision, there are two possible courses of action. You..."

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 22:13:14 -0500

“Every time you want to make any important decision, there are two possible courses of action. You can look at the array of choices that present themselves, pick the best available option and try to make it fit. Or, you can do what the true entrepreneur does: Figure out the best conceivable option and then make it available.”

- http://www.inc.com/eric-schurenberg/the-best-definition-of-entepreneurship.html

Happy new year!! From Taipei

Sun, 01 Jan 2012 21:35:17 -0500

[Flash 10 is required to watch video.]

Happy new year!! From Taipei

"I would much rather have regrets about not doing what people said, than regretting not doing what my..."

Fri, 30 Dec 2011 23:39:21 -0500

““I would much rather have regrets about not doing what people said, than regretting not doing what my heart led me to and wondering what life had been like if I’d just been myself.””

- Brittany Renee (via creatingaquietmind)

Just Awesome!

Sat, 24 Dec 2011 10:54:00 -0500

Just Awesome!

The Horizon

Mon, 19 Dec 2011 01:11:00 -0500

You could say that I’ve recently entered a new chapter in my life. I’ve really been fortunate to have been given such amazing opportunities, yet still… there’s something missing. Although its hard to complain given the series of events that have occurred within the past year, I cannot say that I’m entirely content.

These past few months have been fulfilling in a way yet destructive in others. I’ve caught up on video games/netflix, have somewhat of a social life, and have financial freedoms I previously didn’t have. So what is it? Am I no longer ambitious? Am I too comfortable? I wouldn’t say that - I still have a very demanding role and I put the same level of effort that I always have. And given the work conditions, I would say its impossible to become too comfortable. I’m still learning new things everyday and I’m fortunate to work with some of the best engineers in the industry but am I really growing?

Someone once told me to keep my dreams at the horizon that way you’re always chasing it. My work ethic has not wavered but I can’t say I’m running in the right direction. Or maybe I just don’t know what that next step is… What do I do now? Maybe there isn’t anything at the horizon right now, and I’m just standing in a big black empty void. This is sounding a bit depressing and emo…. but anyways, it started to occur to me, sure ok, I have current obligations that I do not intend to abandon - but I still need to do something for myself. I need to find what this next step is.

I haven’t found myself being given the right outlets to properly channel creativity in a meaningful way. I want a fresh start, something entirely new, non-gaming related and take my experience from Astro Ape and build something new.

There is something about brainstorming new innovative ideas that is so damn invigorating. The same kind of excitement that makes working til 3am feel like nothing. Even if its doomed for failure, and even though I know I have very limited free time, I have to at least do SOMETHING because damnit it’s been a long time since something has gotten me fired up… well okay maybe not that LONG but you know, It’s like, you get off a roller coaster ride and you want to get back on and do it again - you don’t want to wait in line. I’ve been called impatient all my life, and maybe that could be it, but in this case, why wait? Fuck it, I’m gonna do it. I’m gonna start something new.