Exploring Ideas: A Blog on Technology, Startups, Food, and More
Welcome to my blog where I share thoughts and insights on technology, startups, and life in Atlanta. Browse through the articles below or explore by topic.
What I Wish I Knew About Management When I Was an IC
June 27, 2025
I fell into managment out of necessity not an active choice, as often happens in startups. When you find yourself in a management role in these technical fields, you of course think you know everything, but quickly realize that you had no idea. Not wrong in a “this is terrible” way, but wrong in a “the job is fundamentally different than I imagined” way. Here’s what I wish someone had told me befo...
Simon's Decision Framework: A Simple Structure for Complex Decisions
June 25, 2025
We make thousands of decisions every day, but when the stakes are high, we need a better approach than just “winging it.” Herbert Simon, a Nobel Prize-winning economist and cognitive scientist, gave us a deceptively simple framework that works whether you’re managing a crisis, building an AI system, or just trying to make better choices in your daily life. His framework has three phases: Intellige...
Increasing Your Surface Area for Luck
June 23, 2025
The Thing About Luck I used to think luck was mostly random. You’re either the person who finds a twenty-dollar bill on the sidewalk or you’re not. You either meet the right person at the right time, or you don’t. Pure chance. But the more I pay attention, the more I notice that “lucky” people seem to have a lot more optional scenarios in their lives. They go to more things. They say yes to more i...
Decision-Making Frameworks That Prevent Family Financial Conflicts
June 20, 2025
Disclaimer: This content is for educational purposes only and does not constitute financial, legal, or investment advice. Please consult with qualified professionals before making significant financial decisions. One of the most valuable functions of a family office is providing structured frameworks for financial decision-making. Ultra-wealthy families use sophisticated governance systems to dete...
Password Management and Digital Security for Your Family
June 18, 2025
Disclaimer: This content is for educational purposes only and does not constitute cybersecurity or financial advice. Please consult with qualified professionals for specific security recommendations and implementations. Ultra-wealthy families employ dedicated cybersecurity teams to protect their digital assets and information. While you don’t need that level of protection, implementing strong pass...
The Career Audit: Skills, Joy, and Market Value Sweet Spot
June 17, 2025
The most successful career moves happen at the intersection of three things: what you’re good at, what you enjoy, and what the market values. Most people focus on one or two of these, then wonder why they feel stuck or unfulfilled. We’ve all learned this the hard way in one way or another. Here’s the framework I wish I’d had for doing a real audit of where you stand and where you might want to go....
The Family Financial Meeting: A Step-by-Step Guide
June 16, 2025
Disclaimer: This content is for educational purposes only and does not constitute financial, legal, or investment advice. Please consult with qualified professionals before making financial decisions. Ultra-wealthy families often hold formal family meetings with detailed agendas and professional facilitators. While that level of formality isn’t necessary, regular family financial meetings are one ...
Burstiness: The Rhythm Detector AI Can't Fake (Yet)
June 13, 2025
The Human Writing Heartbeat If perplexity is the thermometer of AI detection, then burstiness is the EKG. It measures the natural rhythm and variation in human writing: something AI models struggle to replicate convincingly. Think about how you naturally write. Sometimes you craft long, complex sentences with multiple clauses and detailed explanations that wind through several ideas. Other times y...
Perplexity 101: How Language Models Measure Surprise
June 11, 2025
The Mystery of “Too Perfect” Text You’ve probably heard the term “perplexity” thrown around in discussions about language models, but what does it actually mean? Think of it as a confidence meter for how well a language model can predict the next word in a sequence. Low perplexity means the model finds the text predictable. What Perplexity Actually Measures At its core, perplexity measures uncerta...
Testing the Waters: Explore Career Paths Without Burning Bridges
June 10, 2025
The question I get asked most often isn’t about technical problems or specific tools. It’s this: “How do I know if I should go into management?” Or product. Or consulting. Or stay technical and aim for staff/principal roles, or go found a startup. The honest answer? You probably don’t know until you try. But here’s the thing: you can try without making permanent decisions. You can test the waters ...
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