About Me

Here's the 5 Ws:

Who?

First of all, I should have done this years ago. I've been coding since I was 14, I'm now 35. I'm Ashley, I've been a software engineer / maker for over 19 years. I've started a bunch of startups, most failed, 2 I sold. I have no degrees or qualifications except for bad grades at high school - I just worked extremely hard and have tons of high pressure experience.

In my career I've worked in all different types of companies (massive to tiny) but since 2015 I've been building startups full time.

If you haven't started a startup before I strongly suggest you read the Hard About Hard Things by Ben Horowitz (not an affliate link) and Sam Altman's Playbook, and probably don't bother at all.

Before starting my last business I thought everyone should create a startup, I was very very wrong, nearly no-one should. It's really hard and in today's world, it will probably damage most people. As a friend of Elon Musk once said, "Running a start-up is like chewing glass and staring into the abyss".

That said it doesn't mean you shouldn't, it just means most people shouldn't.

Outside of work, my passions are: spending time with loved ones, weight lifting, brazilian jiu-jitsu, health, fitness, nutrition, reading and most importantly, getting out of my comfort zone.

What?

This will be an area for my journey, thoughts, learnings and view of the world.

When?

I started this blog in March 2020. I'll be posting anything from once per day to once per month. Whenever I have something of value to provide.

Keeping checking in to see the new content.

Where?

I grew up in Ipswich, Suffolk on a council estate and then in the country side (in Chattisham, Suffolk) from 14-21.

I've been very lucky to have a wonderful family that was stable, massively supportive, loving and inspiring. I've only realised in the last few years how much of a massive privilege this has been.

I moved out of home when I was 21 and moved to Windsor, Berkshire, stayed here until 26.

I lived in central London from 2012 to 2020, then Italy until Sept 2022. I'm now back in the UK.

Why?

Well, you should blog. I'm kinda late. I did actually start one back in 2015, directionless with no idea what I was doing. Wish I'd have kept that content, just to look back, laugh and see the evolution. Always getting better, always trying and failing. Never give in...

Well, I need to get my thoughts down, they are constantly spinning in my head. And this is much better than morning notes.

Plus the more I write it down and speak it out the deeper it gets into my head so it will help me a ton. I'm constantly trying to stop my brain from being dumb. If you're not aware of these flaws of the human brain, listen to Charlie Mungers talk on this, trigger warning: you're a chimp that learned to talk 😂

Also this will hopefully be here in 100s of years for my sons-sons-sons-sons to read too.

Weird note to them: Hi great-great-grand-son! Hope my work has made your life greater so you can spend your time doing what you love instead of struggling for a lifetime. I also hope you are taking responsiblity, not being a burden unnecessarily to anyone, being nice and making the world a better place. I also hope the world is better where you are. We are unbelievably lucky in 2020, so I hope in your time you are lucky too. All the best, Ash. p.s. lesson of life: enjoy yourself, don't be a dick and do your best

How?

I'm going to share these thoughts, ideas, learnings etc in text, video and audio form. I'll document vs create and write as much as I can.

If you want to collaborate/work together in some fashion, feel free to get in touch with me.

Thanks for reading. All the best, Ash.