Decision Made: Leaving Meta
After four years building VPS, I've decided to leave Meta. The reasoning, the emotions, and what comes next.
I've decided to leave Meta in September. Four years, a platform built, a team developed. Time for the next chapter.
Why Now
The work is successful: VPS is running, scaling, valued. My job isn't to keep it running - others can do that.
The learning slowed: Year 4 taught less than Year 1. I'm optimizing, not pioneering.
The AI moment: We're in a transformational period. I want to be building new things, not maintaining existing ones.
Energy for change: I have energy for a new challenge. Better to leave with energy than stay until depleted.
What I'm Leaving
A working system: VPS serves millions of queries daily, reliably.
A strong team: 75 people who don't need me to succeed.
Career capital: Director-level at Meta is a strong position.
Certainty: I know how to do this job well.
What I'm Seeking
AI-native building: Products designed around AI from the start, not AI added to existing products.
Smaller scale: More direct impact, less coordination overhead.
Frontier problems: Unsolved challenges, not optimization of solved ones.
Ownership: My decisions, my outcomes.
The Options
Big company AI team: Google, Apple, OpenAI - similar scale, different problems Startup: Join or start something new Independent: Consulting, investing, building
Leaning toward independent + building. Want flexibility to explore before committing.
Emotional Processing
Grief: Leaving something I built from scratch Excitement: New possibilities ahead Fear: What if I'm wrong? Gratitude: Four transformative years
All these feelings are valid. Sitting with them rather than rushing through.
The Handoff
Three months to transition:
- Document everything not written down
- Transfer relationships
- Complete in-flight projects
- Say proper goodbyes
Leaving well matters for the team and for my integrity.
What's Constant
Regardless of what's next:
- Spatial computing expertise travels
- AI/ML skills are universal
- Leadership experience applies anywhere
- Network persists across roles
The foundation is solid. Now to build something new on it.
Last quarter at Meta begins.