Two Moments that Changed My Career

Six years ago, I walked away from a great role at Zillow.

No dramatic exit. No manifesto. I just realized I was missing it. The stuff that actually matters.

My kids were growing up fast. And I had a choice: keep climbing, or stop and be there for them.

Two moments helped me make that decision.

The first was a bus ride home from work one evening. I realized that at the rate I was going, I would never get to see my kids play sports, be their coach, or be there for the milestones that matter most. I was almost never home. And when I was home, I wasn’t really there.

The second was Rich Barton, Co-Founder of Zillow, speaking at a company all-hands in Seattle. He described with great enthusiasm a cherished memory of making his kids breakfast every morning, something he called “The Breakfast Club.” It sounded wonderful.

In that moment, I realized I wanted a life filled with those memories. So, I chose to be there.

In the years since, I’ve been investing, managing real estate, and giving back to the community. I also went right back to what I love. Building tech. Not for a company’s roadmap. For people.

I won’t pretend I have some big success story to share yet. I’m still in the middle of it. Still building. Still figuring it out. Learning and growing.

But here’s what I do know: I didn’t miss it. The breakfasts in the morning, the chorus concerts, the soccer games, the many “firsts.” I’ve been there for all of it and with more to come.

“Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”