I almost skipped this again.
Most things are still work in progress and there’s nothing flashy to report on the business front. But 2025 brought some deeply personal changes that reshaped how I live and think. So here I am, writing this while flying above the clouds, somewhere in transit.
The last couple of years, I’ve intentionally slowed down. I stepped away from work obsession and focused more on health and personal wellbeing. I learned the hard way that a healthy body and a stable mind are non-negotiable when others depend on you.
To avoid feeling overwhelmed, I simplified life. I keep things clutter-free. Same colors to wear, a very small circle, mostly the same meals, and minimal news intake. Less noise, more clarity.
Family
This year is special in ways words can’t fully capture.
We welcomed our baby girl, Pavika. I’m already proud of her and proudly embracing my new role as a girl dad.
Watching my wife go through this journey with so much strength and grace only reinforced one belief. Women are superheroes. I’m lucky to have strong women around me as my mother, sisters, wife, and nieces.
Pavika is almost six months old and has already taken her first flight to spend time with family and her siblings. Next up is her first international trip to what I call my second home, Malaysia.
Health and Wellness
In November 2023, I hit rock bottom with my health. Years of ignoring myself in the name of work led to emergency visits, scary tests, and uncomfortable moments. Thankfully, things turned out fine, but that phase changed me.
That was my wake-up call. I decided to choose myself first. I still remember waiting for reports, thinking how casually I had treated my own body for years. That moment stayed with me. Not out of fear, but clarity.
I started working out, eating better, and building a routine. Somewhere along the way, I became a morning person. Waking up at 5am now feels like my daily dopamine hit.
I built strength, ran a marathon, and pushed myself through endurance challenges that probably looked like a late-30s midlife crisis haha… I practice calisthenics too. Confirmed that abs are real, but I’m more of a bulking guy than an abs-obsessed one. Balance matters. Sustainability matters. I also learned to swim this year and plan to keep at it.
Out of curiosity, I studied nutrition and anatomy to understand the science behind it all. I may pursue certifications, not for titles, but to add credibility when I motivate or guide others. Coaching, most likely, will be voluntary.
Work
I won’t sugarcoat it. Early 2025 came with fear. Competition felt aggressive. We were slower, though steady.
That fear faded when I reminded myself of a rule I’ve always lived by. Focus on yourself. Be the best version of you. Don’t compare.
I’ve been building businesses since 2012. Mostly bootstrapped. Always lean. I’ve always preferred sustainable, long-term growth over desperate scaling.
I’m proud that we’ve often seen ideas early and predicted market shifts ahead of time. We didn’t ship everything, but competition helped validate both the ideas and the market size.
A shift in perspective changed everything. I stopped feeling threatened and started focusing on what we do well.
2026 is stacked with ideas and plans. The groundwork laid in 2025 gives me confidence that we’ll build with more clarity and intent.
Travel
Travel made a strong comeback this year.
I spent time in Switzerland for WordCamp Europe, met users and partners, and had conversations that reminded me why I enjoy building for people, not just metrics.
Cycling around Switzerland turned out to be one of the best travel experiences of 2025. Long stretches of quiet roads, cold air, and no urgency. Just movement and presence. Exactly my kind of travel.
Special thanks to my boy Alex Panagis for hosting.
This won’t stop in 2026. More travel is planned, with curiosity leading the way.
Personal
At heart, I’m a techie. A developer in a past life. Life had other plans, and I moved into no-code for years. No regrets. It paid the bills and kept me in the game.
With AI, I feel like I’m back where I belong. I’ve vibe-coded over 10 ideas that sat on my shelf for nearly a decade. Building functional PoCs and seeing ideas run on localhost has been deeply satisfying.
I’ll continue building with AI, mostly as a hobby, mostly for joy.
Fitness stays. Learning continues. New certifications will come in.
Looking Ahead
In 2026, I want to live more mindfully. Be more present. Less rushed. Less distracted.
I’m also open to helping early-stage startups with growth, voluntarily. If my experience can save someone time or mistakes, I’m happy to help.
Most importantly, I want to show up better as a father. Be present. Be calm. Be available.
That’s the real work ahead.
Here’s to building slowly, living intentionally, and staying present where it matters most.
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