365 Days of Stories – Day 4: The Shift from Tech to Business & The Search for a CTO
By this point, I had my problem statement and solution figured out—solving traffic congestion through a trust-based carpooling system. Now, the next big challenge was:
💡 How do I build the technology?
The Price of Moving Away from Tech
Until 2010, I was an extraordinary software engineer. But after reading Rich Dad Poor Dad in 2008, I became obsessed with the idea that I needed to either start a business or become a CEO.
Back then, my understanding was simple: Only management guys become CEOs, not tech people.
Between 2007-2010, I was traveling extensively for work—London, Amsterdam, Norway—working on global projects and experiencing different cultures.
But the more I thought about the future, the more I realized—I wanted to be on the business side of things.
When I returned to India in 2010, I told my manager:
🗣️ “I want to move into management. I want to be a CEO someday, and I don’t see how a technical guy can reach that level.”
He connected me to his skip-line boss, who gave me advice I’ll never forget:
💡 “There’s huge competition for every management role, but in technology, you may not become a CEO, but there are enough seats for great tech minds at least till IBM Distinguished Engineer—which is equally senior.”
But I wasn’t convinced. I said, “I want to be a CEO, please help me move into management.”
Since I was a top performer, he somehow managed a business development role for me.
Looking back, I wonder why he helped me?
Maybe he saw that I was a different kind of guy—someone bold enough to say this early in my career.
Because the role he gave me in sales was not easy—it was a high-pressure, sink-or-swim role. Maybe he thought, Let him prove himself here!
For the next five years, I was completely out of tech.
But now, in 2015, when it came to implementing my startup idea, I felt helpless.
Tech had moved so fast that I felt handicapped.
The Hunt for a Cofounder & CTO
I started looking for a Cofounder & CTO to implement my idea.
Meanwhile, my last salary was credited in June, and by July, the reality hit— ⏳ Time was ticking. 💰 I had only 10 months of savings. 🏡 I had promised my family that no one’s lifestyle would change—even if I had to sell my flat.
I called up all my friends—people in well-settled careers, earning good money, with home loans and kids.
Reality check: ❌ No one was crazy enough to leave their job to join me. ❌ I needed a full-time Cofounder & CTO. ❌ But I didn’t have money to hire a senior guy.
After multiple rejections, I decided— 👉 Let’s hire freshers and build the product under my guidance.
How? Stay tuned
Have You Ever Had to Pivot?
Have you ever made a big career decision that later made things harder instead of easier? How did you deal with it?
Would love to hear your experiences in the comments! 👇
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