Breaking Free
How to Quit Your Job and Start Your Own Business
Quick post to let you know I’ve decided to move from Buenos Aires back to the bay area (where I grew up). I’ll be moving in a few days. I was planning to keep traveling for a while but a great opportunity came up to work on a new startup.
While I was back in the bay area for Christmas I randomly emailed some folks who had posted on Hacker News about their startup. I went and met them for coffee and we ended up meeting for the next 6 hours! We talked business and strategy, geeked out on programming skills, and talked about the future. They liked my background in startups and what they needed in a programmer was a good match with my skills. Their idea is solid and has some big potential. A week later they made me an offer to come join them and I decided to accept.
They are 3 very smart guys who just got funding for their idea, and it is a y-combinator company, something I’ve always wanted to be a part of. The startup is still in stealth mode so I won’t post a link to the site yet (I will when we launch). Their investors are high profile and the sort of people I want to meet. The bay area is also the center of everything in the technology startup world right now, and I’d love to dive into that scene head first. Part of me was reluctant to give up traveling the world for a bit, and technically it is a “real job” which conflicts with the message of this site :) But it is a startup and my own projects will keep running on the side (luckily they run almost entirely on their own at this point – both businesses and investment property) and I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to get involved in this group.
In short, I can’t wait to get to the bay area. Vagabonding has been fun for a bit, and Buenos Aires is a magical city that I won’t soon forget, but I can’t wait to see what opportunities lie in Silicon Valley.
Until next time, keep breaking free!
Brian Armstrong
Image by Thomas Hawk
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Breaking Free is a blog for people who'd like to quit their 9-to-5, start their own business, and achieve financial freedom. It's written by web-entrepreneur Brian Armstrong. You can read more here »
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James Kennedy
February 3rd, 2010 at 10:04 pm
Hey Brian –
Congrats on the move. It sounds very exciting. I’d like to head that direction myself sometime next year. What would you need to budget for to live in the Bay area?
cheers y bien suerte
James
Brian Armstrong
February 3rd, 2010 at 10:47 pm
Thanks James. It’s definitely more than Buenos Aires. Probably between double and triple I’m guessing. Say hi if you come by! Would be great to catch up.
Philip Arthur Moore
February 3rd, 2010 at 10:58 pm
Congratulations Brian! I’ll actually be in San Francisco for several days during April. I’ve never been and I’m so excited to check it out for the first time. I’ll likely bug you about coffee or tea when I have my dates all set.
Brian Armstrong
February 4th, 2010 at 4:15 am
Sure thing, let’s meet up!
Dan
February 4th, 2010 at 2:16 am
wow! congrats Brian, I’m hoping it will result in an insiders look into a funded startup here on your site.
Brian Armstrong
February 4th, 2010 at 4:15 am
Me too…it will definitely be a new experience for me and I’ll blog about it.
Gordie
February 4th, 2010 at 3:16 am
Great stuff, Brian. It’s going to be a great experience for you. Will it involve early mornings? Lol!
Brian Armstrong
February 4th, 2010 at 4:16 am
Hope not, these guys are programmers like me and it sounds like they keep pretty flexible hours :)
Frank
February 4th, 2010 at 3:47 am
congrats man! hope it all goes well.
Brian Armstrong
February 4th, 2010 at 4:16 am
Thanks Frank!
Chris Guthrie
February 4th, 2010 at 9:51 am
Hey Brian,
Congrats on the offer and the move! I don’t think it’s a bad thing taking the “job” since it’s much more than that. I too would love to join a 4-5 perso startup sometime, but I know that coders are the first hire and buisness / marketing guys are usually the last (s
like myself). As such the equity share would probably be too low for it to be worth it to me.
Anyway congrats again and let me know if you ever come to Seattle.
Chris Guthrie
Brian Armstrong
February 7th, 2010 at 5:00 pm
Will go, there are lots of great startups around Seattle I think too right? It’s probably the second sillicon valley, even before New York or Austin from what I’ve heard. Thanks!
Brian
Andrew Uthoff
February 4th, 2010 at 5:37 pm
Brian,
I just recently read something you wrote about on our education system not teaching the right things to students. I agree that the education system is missing the boat when it comes to educating kids on how to lead happy and healthy lives. However, what you wrote as to whay needs to be taught scarred me a great deal. Unfortunatly, our society has somehow come to the conclusion that money and material possessions are the key to success. How sadly wrong these individuals are. You claimed that all you got out of history and philosophy classes was knowledge of the world and you place in it and you think that is a waste of time. Oh my God!!!! It makes me wonder if all these theories about the world ending in 2012 are correct. You actually believe learning about the world is a waste of time? What happens when a society as a whole does not have global knowledge in this day of age. I’ll tell you!! That society becomes destroyed when factors that affect America everyday are misunderstood. Look at the conflict in the middle east. You think the Israeli Palistinian conflict has nothing to do with you? Think again!!! America’s support of Israel is the single most important reason why the Islamic world hates us and the small percent who are radical Islamic terrorist want to attack the United States. Those that are ignorant and know nothing about history or the world are content beleiving it is because they hate freedom. What a bunch of crap!! Also, isn’t knowing about the rest of the world important to the business world because of the economic globalization of this planet. In addition, how about U.S. foriegn relations in a time of nuclear weapons. What good is a democracy if people don’t know anything. Ignorance combined with greed and excess is the fastest way to destroy a civilization and leads to things like the halocoust. Why would anyone not want to tap into the true potential of their brain. Learning about different subjects wither you use them in the real world or not develop you brain and allow you to live a happier healthier life. Please change you views!! Or not, this is just my opinion, it certianly may be wrong.
Andrew
Chuck Cohn
February 6th, 2010 at 10:49 pm
I wish I had taken computer science instead of French. What do you think, Greg?
Brian Armstrong
February 7th, 2010 at 5:04 pm
Thanks for the Feedback Andrew!
- you’re right general world knowledge is good to have, but doesn’t affect your daily life much
- agreed that U.S. shouldn’t be involved in middle east at all, and “they hate us for our freedom” is BS
- 2010 theories are BS
- greed is good though, and drives all world progress
Even if we don’t agree 100%, welcome to the site!
SpotOn SEO
February 4th, 2010 at 6:55 pm
Congratulations Brian! Looking forward to hearing about your new endeavor.
Brian Armstrong
February 7th, 2010 at 5:04 pm
Thanks Josh :)
Michael
February 4th, 2010 at 8:42 pm
Good news !
I think that’s a new step in your journey !
I hope to visit SF this year :)
Good luck
Brian Armstrong
February 7th, 2010 at 5:07 pm
It’s a great city, stop on by!
Paul Sabaj
February 4th, 2010 at 9:20 pm
Best of luck with the move. hope all goes well and looking forward to the up dates. Have a great start and a great week.
Brian Armstrong
February 7th, 2010 at 5:07 pm
Much appreciated!
Mar
February 5th, 2010 at 9:16 am
Great news, even if it’s in conflict with the message of this site, but what is important right now is that you’re grabbing an opportunity, of an unkown, yet quite possibly immense, potential, which could lead to a greater good.
Never, never pass on an opportunity, and with all that you’ve built up to this point, go ahead and give this ‘work’ a workout, then tell us all about it. Good luck!
Brian Armstrong
February 7th, 2010 at 5:07 pm
Thanks for the encouragement Mar!
Chuck Cohn
February 6th, 2010 at 5:40 pm
Brian,
I’m fairly jealous – sounds like an awesome opportunity to be in the epicenter of innovation.
I see this blog as more about innovation and entrepreneurship than working for yourself by yourself – so I don’t see joining an innovative startup as inconsistent with anything you’ve been preaching. It’s the stymieing of most large corporations that one should seek to break free from – not from working with others at a company. It’s nearly impossible to build a great company by yourself. Working with the team you’ve described sounds like an awesome opportunity to create something that would have been impossible by yourself.
Good luck!
Best,
Chuck
Brian Armstrong
February 7th, 2010 at 5:06 pm
Agreed Chuck, I think it will be good to partner on future projects. I didn’t have great experiences with this in the past and went solo for a while, but people I respect keep saying partnering is the only way to go, so I’m excited to try it again.
Anthony
February 7th, 2010 at 10:02 am
Brian,
Congratulations for taking advantage of what sounds like an amazing opportunity for you. If this venture turns out to be the home run you feel it could be, a completely different world of options will be presented to you. I wish you well and safe travels back home.
Regards,
Anthony
Brian Armstrong
February 7th, 2010 at 5:06 pm
Much appreciated Anthony!
Ja-Nae Duane
April 21st, 2010 at 11:20 pm
Welcome back to the states! It sounds like you are exactly where you need to be. Congrats on your current endeavors, Brian. :-)
Dry Cleaning Business
April 22nd, 2010 at 5:53 pm
I’m originally from Vacaville technically the East Bay Area. I moved my family to Boise about 3 years ago and I can’t imagine moving back. Don’t get me wrong, like you there are things I miss but the taxes and traffic that come with living in the bay area is not one of them. The thing I do miss the most is in Fairfield a little hole in the wall restaurant called Joe’s Buffet (it’s not actually a buffet) If you get a chance to stop in get the french dip sandwich. I’m getting hungry just thinking about them.
Brian Armstrong
April 27th, 2010 at 6:05 am
Haha, that sounds great – if I make it next time I’m near Fairefield I’ll be to let you know, thanks :)