I used to think building a startup meant having the title.
Founder.
CEO.
The person with the vision.
The person making the calls.
Then I actually built one.
Closet Compass taught me more than any class ever could.
It taught me how messy ideas are before they become products.
It taught me that users don’t care how hard you worked.
It taught me that distribution is just as important as product.
It taught me that a good pitch can open doors, but only real value keeps them open.
Most importantly, it taught me that being a founder is not about the title.
It’s about ownership.
That lesson followed me into nSpire AI.
When I joined the team, I wasn’t looking for a bigger title.
I was looking for a bigger problem.
And career development is one of those problems that touches almost everyone.
Students trying to get their first job.
International students trying to break into the U.S. market.
Job seekers sending hundreds of applications into silence.
People with potential, but no clear guidance.
That mattered to me.
Because I’ve been that person trying to figure it out.
So the transition from Closet Compass to nSpire didn’t feel like leaving founder mode.
It felt like applying it to a bigger mission.
Now I get to work on products that help people prepare, improve, and get discovered in a market that often feels impossible to navigate.
Different company.
Different role.
Same mindset.
Build fast.
Learn faster.
Care about the user.
And never hide behind the title.