all it takes is ONE video.
while running marketing at my startup, my goal was simple โ get views
after a bunch of planning, filming, and editing, we finally dropped our first video
and that video hit 3M views (too easy lol)
that momentum put our brand in front of millions, got us flown out to SF, and led us to pitching investors + making life-changing connections
so just remember: your first (or next) video might be the one that changes everything.
Landed back in YYZ last night after getting flown out to SF for my startup and slept for 16 hours straight.
When I reached SF, I was unsure whether I wanted to work in startups or build a future in banking/finance.
Hereโs what I did/learned during my week there (a thread ๐งต)
Growing up in Silicon Valley, I believed tech was meant to democratize opportunity and accelerate human progress. The early ethos of the Valley wasnโt just about building profitable products, but about shifting the trajectory of lives and societies. There was idealism, for sure, but also a serious belief that technical breakthroughs should serve human success.
But somewhere along the way, parts of the industry traded vision for vanity. As capital flooded into tech, incentives shifted. Virality began to outpace value. The goalposts moved from solving hard, important problems to maximizing engagement, retention, and monetization.
Today some of the brightest minds are pulled towards optimizing ad clicks and frictionless dopamine loops. Why? (Insert disclaimer: The issue isnโt the people).
Innovation isnโt dead. (Insert disclaimer again: Many technologists are building remarkable human-centered tools.) Itโs worth asking again and again: What is worth building? And who is it truly for?
@whoisjunaidd imo downtown isnโt really anything crazy, definitely check out the Financial District and Fishermanโs Wharf. If youโre visiting the Golden Gate Bridge, go to the Vista Point on the other side of the bridge for the best view. Also check out Garaje for good mexican food
I also grew up trying to get rich as young as possible, but I've realized I want my life to be a constant learning journey, and while I'm confident money will come with that, I'm most focused on just developing myself as a person and trying to get exposure.