next chapter

Image by Vunela

What’s the big news?

I quit my daily job at HOK, and decided to spend more time developing my consultancy business, and collaborating with my Bad Monkeys friends.

 

So, I have spent the last two (2) years, working full time at Grimshaw/HOK, and then consulting for other companies at nights and over the weekends. It was fun, but ultimately I can’t keep up doing both at the same time. I have recently got married, and wife already threatens to leave if I don’t quit at least one of the jobs. I have been working some really long hours, and honestly, started to feel like I am burning out. As 50-cent would say, it’s time to “get rich or die try’in”. The dying part is not so appealing to me, even if metaphorically it would mean that I would have to get back to working a “normal” job.

What’s the plan? Well, I don’t have a product that I will drop really soon, but that would be kind of cool. I won’t lie to you if I say, that the goal is to develop a product, get bought out by someone, and…retire at age 40? Mhmmm, that’s so cliche, and actually pretty far from the truth**. I sure like the idea of developing a product and getting bought out. Who wouldn’t? The way I look at it, is that getting funding, would allow you to have some peace of mind, to spend time on moonshot ideas instead of always having to chase that next paycheck. Anyways, I digress. The later part, about retiring, is kind of stupid. I don’t think that people find meaning in “retiring at age 40” as a life goal. That’s not exactly what would get me up in the morning. I think we need meaning in life. Purpose. Feeling that we are contributing to something. You can define what that “something” is, but ultimately, I want to be part of “something”, and be good at it. Hopefully it’s interesting enough that I will want to get up for it every morning for the rest of my life…yeah, retirement is overrated. :-)

If I had to take a stab at defining that “something”, I would say “be a giver”. What does that mean? It’s probably a mix of finding that right balance at work where things that I will be working on can be shared with the wider community. I know that not every client’s heart will get all warm and fuzzy to a notion that I want to work on Open Source projects, but if I was to define a goal in life, it would be to work on Open Source projects and getting paid for it.

In the AEC? Are you crazy?!

Maybe. Let’s see how many (any?) clients I can convince that Open Source is not that bad. It’s not going to be all of them, but if I can get a few***, that’s a win for all. Let’s do it!

** I am guilty of using that cliche statement before to describe my goals. I don’t know why. Maybe it sounds cool. After thinking about it for a little more than a second, I think saying that was stupid. I was stupid. Sorry.

*** I think I might have found the winner here. So I will be involved with Mission Control and Zombie for the next few months. Both Open Source projects, and both brought to you by HOK.

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14 Comments

  1. saso says:

    Or even better, come and help developing FreeCAD :)

  2. Deyan Nenov says:

    So excited for you, Konrad, there’s no substitute for it but taking the leap, so there you go.

    All that while keeping us entertained with your writing :) I hope all goes as smooth as it can be and you find time for your blog space! Best if luck mate.

  3. Very exciting,
    very best of luck.

  4. Nivaldo Curcio says:

    Well done, with your level of expertise should really and definitely step up.

    Keep the momentum on.

  5. Adam Hamilton says:

    Good Luck on the next chapter sir.

  6. Mohamad Kayali says:

    If was you i will create a virtual boss for my self and i will thing about dividing my day into marketing, accounting, production …… good luck man and best wishes.

  7. Claudio Vittori Antisari says:

    Best of Luck Konrad!

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