Why I left the best job in the world

Today was my last day at Andreessen Horowitz.

I feel deeply fortunate to have worked with some of the smartest people in technology — people like Marc Andreessen, Ben Horowitz and Chris Dixon among others — and to have learned so much from them while serving the a16z mission of helping entrepreneurs reach their dreams.

So why am I leaving? The answer might surprise you: I’ve decided to become a software engineer.

This isn’t the typical choice for professionals with my background. You might be thinking I’m crazy, or even a little foolish. But before you jump to any conclusions, let me explain why this is a great move.

I would like to share some of my inner journey with you, which is what led me to depart from a track record of high-level finance positions to jumping headfirst into the world of engineering.

The story begins with the “obvious” choices for someone in my position, and my reasons for not wanting to pursue them:

What about business school?

After many conversations with HBS (Harvard Business School) and GSB (Stanford Graduate School of Business) grads, it became evident to me that business school is less about the learning experience and more about building a strong professional network.

In my case, I am fortunate enough to already have one of the best networks around: Andreessen Horowitz.

Even if this weren’t the case, the main problem with business school for me is the sectors it leads to: consulting and finance. I know I don’t want to go into consulting, so why should I spend $200K and 2 years of my life on a MBA (Masters of Business Administration) when I’ve already gained the education and network offered to me through real-world experiences?

What about job offers at a16z portfolio companies?

This question is a little trickier to explain away. I’ve had a few very interesting opportunities come up during my time at a16z, including roles like Head of Growth and Head of Biz Dev/ Operations, yet I’ve turned them all down. While they were exciting roles, I was yearning to do something more technical.

The thing is, my involvement in finance after graduation actually came about because of the opportunity I got to join Goldman Sachs, in spite of my degree being in industrial and systems engineering.

Within a month of investment banking, I quickly realized that I didn’t want to pursue that career path for the long term. While fascinating, it didn’t capture me the way engineering had during college. Regardless, finance didn’t let me go so easily; the chance for a position at a16z came up, and I knew it would be a mistake to pass up.

Fortunately, all this leads me to where I am today: at the end of a successful experience in finance and finally ready to get back to engineering.

What about grad school?

Where software engineering comes in

Silicon Valley seals the deal

First attempts

Self-doubt

“Hello world”

Where I am today

Looking forward