My new job

On December 1st I started working at Mishor 3D. I was unemployed since May 1st and here are some of my thoughts on this period.

Leaving Intel

Intel is a big company with extraordinary technology that touches almost everybody. It was the best employer in Israel 5 years in a row, something every employee feels on a daily basis. The thing is that I did not chose to work there and I don't think it would have chosen me unless GraphTech was bought with me in it. It is hard to be jack of all trades in a company that has scores of Jacks for each trade. For the first time I did not feel like going to work in the morning, I was overpaid and under performing. This is why I left when my 2 years retention were up and have no regrets. I am sorry for leaving the GraphTech guys, my second family for over 7 years.

Short summary

Leaving, I thought I would become an entrepreneur. I had some ideas and I was influenced by +Omri and GenomeCompiler and by TWIST. I started working on PicUp with Amit before leaving Intel, the idea haunted me for several years and I thought I finally cracked it! Less then a month had passed and I had a working alpha version. When I had the perfect opportunity to try it out at the kindergarten end of year parties I suddenly felt that PicUp is not as relevant: a. I had a new phone that took good enough pictures b. most parents already uses mobile phones for cameras c. I felt weird asking parents to take a picture of my phone screen.

While reading a science fiction book by Robert A. Heinlein, I had an idea for a new service. This time I asked around to see what people think of the idea. I started coding while summer vacation came and went and I found myself losing focus, this is when I started looking at interesting job postings on LinkedIn. After some interviews and deep soul searching on the question of what to do when I grow up, I felt that Gady from Mishor is the person to work with and it is always good to come to where you are wanted. Back to working in a small company and this time confronting my nemesis - real programming.

Insights

Don't be stuck at home. You need to be mobile and ready to go out and meet people to push your Idea.

Don't work alone. You need to know that at least on more person believes in the idea enough to work on it.

Always bootstrap - you need to be sure you can manage if things take longer.

Keep informed on current development. Read books. Talk to your friends and family. You never know where your next idea / contact / opportunity will come from.

Blog(?)

Figure out what you want to do when you grow up. Try to describe what you are doing daily, on your company or working for someone else.

Thanks

THANKS to all the people who helped, advised and were there. No name dropping, you all know who you are!!!