Built by Fire, Guided by Code
A friend of mine in Yokohama made this. He was supposed to send it as an oil painting, but I'm already happy with this version. I think we’ve all heard the saying: “If you want to go fast, go alone. But if you want to go far, go together.” And for the past 17 years of my career, I’ve mostly chosen the latter—because I believe in the power of unity. When there’s a shared sense of belonging, a shared vision and mission, a shared purpose, the teams I’ve built have always been among the strongest. I’ve seen it, I’ve proven it, and I guarantee it. In my personal life, there’s a Javanese saying I often reflect on (since I’m still deeply rooted in my Javanese heritage): “Ing sak omah, ora kena ana loro sumber banyu sing padha bantere.” (In one house, there cannot be two water sources flowing equally strong.) Maybe that’s why my mum chose to give up her steady career and dedicate herself fully to motherhood—which, let’s be honest, is also a full-time job, and one of the hardest. It req...
