Hello readers! Hope you’re doing well, wherever you are and whatever you’re up to. This post is a little different from the ones I’ve shared before. Depending on how long you’ve been following my blog, you might already know that a few years ago, I fully committed to building a large-scale social platform. It’s my sixth commercial software project (I’ve been programming since 2004), and it’s by far the biggest and most complex consumer product I’ve ever worked on. I’ve poured years of my life into this startup. Before this, I also founded several other companies and products: BCTV Malaysia, Bit-Magazine, and BitReviewers, just to name a few out of nearly ten tech and non-tech startups.
From Disruption to Direction
Along the way, we ran into many setbacks that were completely out of our control. The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted our 2020 release plans. Later, in 2022 and the years that followed, I faced a series of unexpected challenges that deeply disrupted our momentum. I won’t get into the details, but they significantly affected both my personal stability and our project timeline.
At the peak of that period, I made the difficult decision to relocate. Since then, I’ve done my best to settle, rebuild, and get our team back on track. It took time, but it was worth it.
Eventually, last month, I felt I was back in control again. I can finally focus almost all my energy on launching this platform in what is otherwise a rough economy. The explosion of AI over the past year made things a bit more complicated. But just last month, we managed to design and integrate several AI components into our platform. With that, I truly saw the light at the end of the tunnel for the first time in a long while. At EkipMate Hub Inc., we’re busier than ever, moving fast, and staying focused.
“The wound is the place where the light enters you.”
— Rumi
Redefining the Blog, Reclaiming the Voice
Along with this personal and professional reset, I also reflected on how I’ve been running this blog. It’s time for a shift. I want this space to reflect the freedom I’ve gained; freedom to speak openly, explore new ideas, and write about topics I care about. I think that’ll be a lot more interesting for you too, compared to just tracking an unreleased product.
Going forward, posts will be shorter. Not just because we’re all used to bite-sized content these days (thanks to social media), but also because my schedule is intense. That’s not a bad thing; shorter posts can still carry a lot of value. I’ll still share updates about the project, especially around major milestones like the launch of our public beta, but most posts will take a new direction.
I’ll also try my best to maintain some presence on social media, although it’s been incredibly hard to find the time lately with our tight release schedule. I’m hopeful that once we roll out the platform, I’ll be able to show up there more consistently again.
This blog, like me, is evolving. You’ll start seeing the changes today, gradually rolled out in steps.
To all of you who’ve been reading and supporting me for years: thank you. I truly appreciate it. I hope the next phase of this blog brings more value your way.
“What matters most is how well you walk through the fire.”
— Charles Bukowski
That’s all for now. Stay tuned.
