After 6.5 years, I closed the chapter that is Google.

Not because I was laid off.

Because I chose to.

Let me explain.

In 2019, I was in a tough spot.

Running my solo SaaS company for three years. Burnt out. Not growing. My wife was pregnant with our fourth child and wanted to stay home.

I started looking for jobs.

A friend, Mike Pavone, had just joined Google. He referred me. I interviewed and got the offer.

The base salary was more than I'd ever made in a year.

When they added a signing bonus and equity, I was in disbelief.

This was meaningful equity. Not fairy tale startup equity.

It changed my family's financial trajectory.

I thought: "This is it. This is my dream job with my dream company."

But something unexpected happened.

I missed building things.

In 2020, I reconnected with a founder who had a language learning marketplace. We built LanguaTalk together.

I loved it more than my nine-to-five.

When ChatGPT arrived in 2023, we saw an opportunity. We built Langua, an AI language learning platform, using marketplace profits as our R&D fund.

By late 2024, Langua was generating more revenue than our marketplace.

But here's the hard truth:

I could only do two of three things well:

1. My day job at Google

2. Be a good father and husband

3. Build Langua

When I chose work and business, my family suffered.

When I chose work and family, LanguaTalk development stalled.

When I chose family and business, my performance reviews suffered.

My mental health paid the price.

I took mental health leave. During that time, I realized:

I was happiest without the "song and dance" of my day job.

When Google offered voluntary separation packages, I applied. Two nervous months waiting for acceptance.

They accepted.

Two more months of work to fulfill the agreement.

October 12, 2025 was my last day.

Here's what made it possible:

In Spring 2025, I bought my mom a house. She'd lived in the same place for 31 years in South Atlanta. We're in North Atlanta.

Google's equity made it possible. Moving her closer to us.

When that closed, I realized: I'd achieved the goal that made Google "worth it."

I didn't need the golden handcuffs anymore.

Today, I'm full-time on Langua. I get to wake up every day and build something I believe in. While being present for my four kids.

I'm deeply grateful to Google. To Mike for the referral. To the colleagues who became friends.

Google gave me financial security, taught me to think at scale, and showed me what world-class engineering culture looks like.

But it also showed me that nothing is guaranteed. That stability is what you build, not where you work.

I'm betting on myself now. On Langua. On my family.

And I'm more excited than I've been in years.

Have you ever left stability for a dream that finally became viable?

Originally posted on LinkedIn with #TechCareer #Entrepreneurship #Google