Gagan Sandhu

What happened, I ended up again working in the mechanical engineering industry here in the U.S. That was my first job. But I kept at it. I kept working on the side and just doing things on my own, which helped me secure a job in tech, actually. That happened back in 2005. I know I'm dating myself here, but that happened in 2005.

What happened, I ended up again working in the mechanical engineering industry here in the U.S. That was my first job. But I kept at it. I kept working on the side and just doing things on my own, which helped me secure a job in tech, actually. That happened back in 2005. I know I'm dating myself here, but that happened in 2005.

And one quick note I want to share with the audience, given that people are looking for nuggets in terms of career and how to grow. I do want to share that by the time I got into tech, I was 29 plus years old, so close to 30. I was married and I had a child by then. So I just want people to realize and know that you can change careers and nothing's going to stop you if you put your mind to it.

And one quick note I want to share with the audience, given that people are looking for nuggets in terms of career and how to grow. I do want to share that by the time I got into tech, I was 29 plus years old, so close to 30. I was married and I had a child by then. So I just want people to realize and know that you can change careers and nothing's going to stop you if you put your mind to it.

I remember when my wife was pregnant with our first child and I was preparing on the side. I would take printouts, read all the time. I would install software on my laptop and write programs and write code and all that. And sometimes when my wife would have to, I would have to take her to the doctor's appointment for the wellness checks and all that.

I remember when my wife was pregnant with our first child and I was preparing on the side. I would take printouts, read all the time. I would install software on my laptop and write programs and write code and all that. And sometimes when my wife would have to, I would have to take her to the doctor's appointment for the wellness checks and all that.

While we were waiting for the doctor, I would be combing through the notes and the PDFs and all those things, and just studying, just reading. And all that paid off. I got into tech in 2005. I moved to Boston, worked at a tech company called Akamai Technologies. I worked there for many years, first as an engineer, then as a manager.

While we were waiting for the doctor, I would be combing through the notes and the PDFs and all those things, and just studying, just reading. And all that paid off. I got into tech in 2005. I moved to Boston, worked at a tech company called Akamai Technologies. I worked there for many years, first as an engineer, then as a manager.

Then I realized that Boston is too small for market, which we will talk about in more detail. But I realized that since I was 8,000 miles away from where I was born and where a lot of my loved ones lived, moving a couple thousand miles within the US wasn't going to make a big difference to me. So we moved about, this was around the time when I was still in business school.

Then I realized that Boston is too small for market, which we will talk about in more detail. But I realized that since I was 8,000 miles away from where I was born and where a lot of my loved ones lived, moving a couple thousand miles within the US wasn't going to make a big difference to me. So we moved about, this was around the time when I was still in business school.

We were still at Chicago Booth. And I got a job in Silicon Valley, and I moved about 10 years ago. to Silicon Valley. And I've been here, I've been working in many different companies. And then two plus years ago, I decided to launch Xilion, which is the name of my company, X-I-L-I-O-N. And we'll discuss more in detail in a little bit.

We were still at Chicago Booth. And I got a job in Silicon Valley, and I moved about 10 years ago. to Silicon Valley. And I've been here, I've been working in many different companies. And then two plus years ago, I decided to launch Xilion, which is the name of my company, X-I-L-I-O-N. And we'll discuss more in detail in a little bit.

But the idea was I became financially independent and I looked around and I saw that other people Well, especially people who were similar to me, people who work in comfortable jobs, have decent income. And I looked around and typically immigrants, I'm like, hey, I think I'm ready to hang up my boots, so to speak, to take a leap and build something on my own. They're like, how come?

But the idea was I became financially independent and I looked around and I saw that other people Well, especially people who were similar to me, people who work in comfortable jobs, have decent income. And I looked around and typically immigrants, I'm like, hey, I think I'm ready to hang up my boots, so to speak, to take a leap and build something on my own. They're like, how come?

I'm like, I think I've... Enough to, as you said, I have enough to achieve financial independence. And then they're like, but I don't. And I'm like, okay, here's the things I did. Have you done the same things? They're like, I didn't know that I needed to do those things. And I kept talking to different people. kept getting similar story.

I'm like, I think I've... Enough to, as you said, I have enough to achieve financial independence. And then they're like, but I don't. And I'm like, okay, here's the things I did. Have you done the same things? They're like, I didn't know that I needed to do those things. And I kept talking to different people. kept getting similar story.

And then I realized that actually there is need for something like Zillion, which can help people make great financial decisions and become financially independent sooner.

And then I realized that actually there is need for something like Zillion, which can help people make great financial decisions and become financially independent sooner.

Yeah, great question. I think if, as I said in the first question there, I started as an undergrad in mechanical engineering. And what I realized was I worked in the industry for three years after college in India. And one of the things I realized while working, it was an automotive manufacturing facility.

Yeah, great question. I think if, as I said in the first question there, I started as an undergrad in mechanical engineering. And what I realized was I worked in the industry for three years after college in India. And one of the things I realized while working, it was an automotive manufacturing facility.