Co-Founder & Head of Data Engineering Tim Gamble Interviewed by Business Insider

Our Co-Founder & Head of Data Engineering Tim Gamble was recently interviewed by Business Insider about his decision to leave a VP role at a publicly traded company to begin his HelloData journey.

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Enjoy a snippet of the interview below, and read the full interview on Business Insider.

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We started with six separate ideas before moving forward with HelloData.

Leaving a stable job and co-founding HelloData.ai wasn't a quick decision

Deciding to leave my stable job took a year of wrestling with questions, especially from my family. Security, prestige, and a steady paycheck — why trade those for the unknowns of a startup?

There was no one answer, but I had several realizations I couldn't ignore. First, I craved the startup energy. The constant challenges and rush of innovation lit a fire in me. My job was comfortable, but I missed the adrenaline of pushing boundaries and overcoming hurdles.

Then there was my role at W&D, which had shifted from creating to maintaining. Building new systems and implementing fresh ideas were the activities that fueled my passion. I needed to be challenged, and the corporate ladder didn't offer that kind of growth. Managing a bigger team or getting a "senior" title was less appealing than the chance to learn and innovate in a rapidly changing field.

Finally, there was AI. It was starting to sweep across industries, and I didn't want to be a bystander.

Deciding to leave my VP role was scary but the fear of complacency and the prospect of looking back with regret for not pursuing my passions were far greater motivators.

I knew I needed to challenge myself to grow

Walking away from a role that may seem perfectly set up for you, especially when it feels like golden handcuffs, requires a deep understanding of what you value most. For me, it was about continual growth and not wanting to get left behind as the pace of engineering, especially in AI, began to accelerate.

Don't shy away from the discomfort of leaving security behind. In that discomfort, you'll find the most significant opportunities for growth and innovation. Trust in your ability to navigate the unknown, and remember that the skills and resilience you build through this process are invaluable assets.

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