Kyle Lee | Kilo Loco

You can check out recallMEM which is the one project interviewers tend to be really interested in. github.com/RealChrisSean/Rec…

I think the problem folks run into is that they will only build something if they have a genius idea. As a result, you build less and learn less. I like the idea of just building anything you need or are interested in. Keep building as much as you can until you have that genius idea that could potentially help change or make your career. And yeah, YT has been amazing. I personally don’t share my YouTube or socials in my resume unless they ask for it. I want a company to hire me bc of my ability, not just my following, you know?

It’s a different feeling when you have options in life. When I was laid off a few years ago, it took me 9 months to get a new job. That’s when I realized… ok, I’m not as hireable as I used to be. So in December I made a change. I made it a goal to go all in on AI: vector search, knowledge graph DBs, voice AI, memory, agent infrastructure, etc. As a result… life has been great lol.

The reason I’m sharing this is because I’ve been chasing jobs paying over $300k in SF just to hit a new PR in base pay lol. But that really doesn’t matter since $230k in Vegas is similar to making $300k in SF. And I kept forgetting about my YouTube income. Let’s say I hypothetically make $250k at a new tech job. Well, if I were to include brand deals, my total income would actually add up to around $350k–$400k/yr. I kept forgetting how much money brand deals brought in and kept focusing more on inflating my own ego. Stupid me was willing to work 50–60 hours per week on-site in SF and sacrifice spending quality time with my wife and 11-month-old daughter at home just to reach a number that meant nothing in the first place.

The nice thing about having a side hustle is that a $300k offer from a tech company requiring me to move to SF is not as enticing as it used to be. I’m happy taking a lower-paying remote role that lets me stay in Las Vegas. With my side hustle bringing in six figures, I don’t feel as pressured to chase the highest-paying job anymore. I used to care about titles and promotions, but that often means more work just to get a $30k pay increase (which is a lot, but fortunately, I could make that in 2 months with my side hustle). That’s why I really don’t mind keeping a “lower” title anymore if it means I can stay where I want to live and continue building things I enjoy outside of work.