Design Your Business Around Your Life

I don't want much in life.

I just want to:

• Be present for my kids' soccer games and gymnastics meets • Build products that solve real problems • Work with brilliant people on meaningful challenges • Never miss bedtime stories with my four kids • Play soccer and hit the gym regularly • Take family trips without emergency work calls • Have time to mentor other entrepreneurs • Skip pointless status meetings • Stop pretending busy equals productive

That's basically it.

Ten years ago, climbing the corporate ladder felt like the only path.

But here's what I learned: You can have both impact and balance.

The secret wasn't choosing between Google and entrepreneurship. It was designing backwards from the life I wanted.

I started with the husband and father I wanted to be. Then found the career combination that supported it.

Most people think you need to sacrifice family for startup success, or sacrifice innovation for corporate stability.

Both are myths.

Your ideal life isn't unrealistic. You just haven't designed the right combination yet.

What would you do if you stopped accepting false choices?

Originally posted on LinkedIn on June 12, 2025