

Khoi Vinh - Why I left my job at The New York Times - blazamos
http://www.subtraction.com/2010/07/22/this-one-goes-to-eleven-and-up

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phugoid
On the flip side, I recently traveled to see my father and the experience
really shook me up. He has a lot of skill and inspiration; a welder blacksmith
plumber carpenter inventor in his spare time. With his raw talent he should
have opened a shop and been paid for his work, but he always stuck to manual
labor jobs.

It's easy for me to say "he should have opened a shop", but I'm also facing
the same obstacles and fears that held him back. I don't want to grow old
convincing myself that I was never given a break. I need to make that break
for myself.

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Tichy
I had exactly the same thought about setting an example for my child. I took
on employment recently with hindsight on the coming child (nervousness of my
spouse about finances somehow getting to me), but I am really not happy with
the decision. It is difficult to quit again, but really, I don't want to set
this example for my son. On the other hand, maybe my son would prefer me being
able to by him all the latest toys (playstations etc). Who knows :-) (And not
being on steady employment of course does not imply being poor, but it
certainly seems more risky).

I was also floored at a recent garden party meeting other parents when I
learned how much it is simply taken for granted that men are away most of the
time and don't get to see their kids grow up.

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davidw
Counter point: doing something of your own is going to involve lots of time,
so you may get to spend less of it with your child. I think that's more
important than the stability factor, although that plays a roll too.

~~~
javery
My daughter is a little over 2 years old and I have been working on my startup
the entire time she has been alive, I can't think of anything I could have
done that would have let me see her more than being on my own has. (well,
other than not having a job)

I work from home so I see her when she gets up in the morning, I take her to
school when it is in session (she goes half-days during the year), I see her
during the day for lunch and snack times (my office is by the kitchen). Then
right at 5 I stop working and we all have dinner, then we hang out and play.
After she goes back to bed at 7/7:30 I often head back to work and work until
10 or 11.

I couldn't imagine having to leave for work before she wakes up and if I hit
traffic on the way home not getting home until 6... I would see her a grand
total of 90 minutes a day.

Working for myself also lets us do much more, we take more vacations (since I
can work a couple days and keep up) and last year we spent 5 weeks in San
Francisco.

If you are raising a family and a startup, then this is a must read:
[http://steveblank.com/2009/06/18/epitaph-for-an-
entrepreneur...](http://steveblank.com/2009/06/18/epitaph-for-an-
entrepreneur/) \- it totally changed how I work and has a made a huge
difference for my family.

~~~
davidw
That's excellent that it's working out for you, and I knew someone would have
a counterexample, that's why I said "may".

Do you collaborate remotely, or are you working on your own? It sounds like
the home office is really what makes it work out well.

My daughter is about that age, and honestly the home office thing hasn'ed
worked so well with her, because she wants to come play with me.

~~~
javery
I collaborate remotely with my co-founder on one project and a designer
contractor on another.

That is an issue that she wants to come and play with me during the day, but
usually I let her hang out for a little bit then talk her into going up to her
playroom.

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gaoshan
>"One day your daughter is this delicate little creature that you’re bringing
home from the hospital for the first time. Then, all of a sudden she’s very
close to standing on her own..."

And the next time you turn around she's mad that you won't let her borrow the
car to go hook up with the meathead boyfriend she just told you about. It all
goes by so fast.

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pragmatic
Who?

Edit: He's the design director for The New York Times.

