Hey everyone, Farid here. Let me take you back a bit. When I was just 10 years old, I coded my first software application for MS-DOS. It had this neat resident side feature (which, believe me, was all the rage back then) that let users capture screenshots. I even added a demo mode to show off those screenshots with cool effects. My neighborhood library saw some potential in it and decided to buy it. But life has its quirks – on the day I was delivering it, someone swiped my bicycle. So, my very first business venture ended with a net loss. But hey, we live and learn, right?
From there, my love for tech just grew. I built an elevator controller for a local company (all coded in Assembly for the 8051 microcontroller), dabbled in multiple projects, and then launched my first startup, TELTUB. This was a time before iPhones ruled our world, and TELTUB aimed to let users install apps in the cloud for their phone service. My inexperience and I were quite proud when it led to a modest acquisition.
After that, I entered the world of software security. Initially, it was all about researching new vulnerabilities and keeping everyone updated. But as time passed, my role evolved, and I found myself consulting and selling services, diving deep into things like PCI and HIPAA audits.
Then came my stint at Bittorrent. I began in engineering, but the product world beckoned. There, I had the chance to create Bittorrent Bleep—a serverless chat app that was all about private, secure communication. Think of a chat service with no metadata—that was Bleep.
Following that, I founded Soothing Dental and its software counterpart, 2Dental. Think of it as a one-stop solution for running dental offices, from communication to HR and analytics. This journey too had its climax when it got acquired, post which I donned the hat of a Chief Product Officer.
Lately, I’ve been wearing my investor hat, primarily focusing on health startups and occasionally lending a helping hand to other companies.
Life in these companies? Let’s just say if it were a movie, you’d have everything—from edge-of-the-seat excitement to moments that tug at your heartstrings.
So, why this blog? It’s simple. I want to share bits and pieces from my experiences. Whether it’s about engineering (yes, I still code!), crafting products that people genuinely love, or just navigating the roller-coaster world of startups—I’ll be sharing it all here. And every once in a while, I might sprinkle in some personal anecdotes because, well, life’s not all work, right?
Thanks for joining me on this ride. Let’s dive in!
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