whats happening?

Last night I went to a networking event in Singapore and someone mentioned how it took less than an hour to get to the event from San Jose. Which means there was zero traffic on her drive up.

Normally that only happens during Burning Man.

That’s how you know we’re deep in a Tech Winter.

Nearly everyone at the event was either newly laid off, on the bench for a while, or looking to switch before they are laid off.

I started in tech in 2017. These were high times for technology companies. People were raising money based on traffic instead of revenue and evaluations were unrealistic and massive.

Until they weren’t.

One day people woke up and the company that they thought would exit and give them enough money to never work again — laid them off instead.

Suddenly there was less traffic driving around the city. And no work.

I checked f*cked company daily (that was a website that listed all of the layoffs in the industry as they happened. Some guy who went by the nom de plume Pud ran the site.)

Another job, another layoff. I was living alone and had no safety net. Somehow, I made it through. I started teaching English on the side and offering content writing services.

It’s the difficult years that bring the most creativity and problem solving. Mainly because you don’t have a choice.

Eventually, it ended, and work ramped up again. The economy rebounded. Gainful employment lasted for another 7 years before 2008. This time around I was married with 2 toddlers, and I was in the middle of my EMBA at Kellogg. We didn’t have the money for me to not work. Especially not work AND pay for Kellogg. And yet there it was. I was out of work again. This is what you get when you work in marketing. You’re one of the first out when cuts come.

I was out of work for 6 months and underemployed for another 6 months. We opened up savings, borrowed money, and got through it.

Then I graduated and was headhunted. That lasted a year before layoffs again. This time though, I was already making my transition to independence.

And the work lasted till we left and moved to California in 2014.

We were on the brink of collapse 4 times after moving to California before getting stability — which lasted for 6 years.

Now we’re in another downturn again. This time, fortunately, we’re at least prepared.

The point of all this? The sleepless nights happen. You will get through it. This is all temporary. Keep going to events, talk to everyone. Ask for help. Brainstorm ways to work with friends. Find business partners. Start your own thing.

When things are good again — be kind to people. Remember the bad times. And save, save, save.

This is tech for the average worker. Most people aren’t lucky enough to exit with FU money. Most just work, make more than your average income and have a pretty great life when things are going well.

What goes up, must come down. Learn from this. Make sure you keep your connections. Help everyone you can. Be nice. Nice people bounce back faster.

You will be okay. Tech winters typically last a few years at most, and AI will be the technology that takes us out of this one.

The world’s best companies are built in downturns.

Look for the opportunities.

You got this.