My Passion for Storytelling
My journey into writing began during my college days in India. I would jot down my thoughts and observations in a pocket notebook while traveling between college and home—in crowded trains, on buses, and in quiet moments I sought out. This was the mid to late ’90s, long before blogging was a word we knew, and when the internet ran on dial-up.
After college, as a young coder with basic web skills, I launched my first website to share my thoughts online. I connected with like-minded individuals, sourcing content and positioning the site as a collaborative space for thoughtful sharing on the internet. Then life took over—my first paying job arrived, and my focus shifted to building my career.
Meanwhile, the blogging platform Blogger was co-founded by Evan Williams, opening new doors for people to publish online.
My Search for Purpose
Between 2001 and 2007, my focus turned to leadership, and the urge to write grew stronger. Climbing the corporate ladder at a startup taught me a lot, inspiring me to share experiences that might benefit others. I experimented with WordPress, Blogger, and Tumblr, searching for my writing purpose.
During this time, those confident in their voice began to build followings, with trends like Mommy blogs gaining popularity. Google launched YouTube, pioneering vlogging. The White House granted press credentials to a blogger, legitimizing blogging as a credible source. The Huffington Post was founded, while Evan Williams introduced Twitter, sparking the era of microblogging.
An Early Mid-Life Crisis
On my 30th birthday, I made a determined effort to rekindle my passion for writing by launching a leadership blog as a creative outlet to reflect on my work-life experiences and lessons. The blog marked my 31st year—a race where I feared being left behind if I didn’t push ahead. As an avid Formula 1 fan, I tagged the site with a question to myself: Are you ready to lead?
Over the next decade, I engaged in collaborative writing projects, networking, public speaking, and podcasting, sharing insights from working with diverse, globally distributed teams. In 2011, I caught the entrepreneurship bug and co-founded a startup that thrived for ten years.
Meanwhile, Evan Williams introduced Medium.com, a fresh platform for blogging and news reporting.
10 Years Later
Evan Williams searches for his next big wave, while the world remains caught in a whirlwind of micro-posts and factual uncertainty. Never before has there been a greater need to amplify authentic voices to cut through the noise.
Here I am, returning to basics with this newsletter, eager to reignite my passion for exploration and collaboration through storytelling.
Introducing, The Marinade!
