I’m a founder with no product to sell.


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About 3 weeks ago, at AI Extravaganza, Andrew Yeung’s electrifying flagship event for New York City Tech Week , I found myself in an unusual position:

I’m a founder with no product, no company, no app, nothing to pitch.

As an entrepreneur and someone who’s spent the last 15+ years building: from co-founding and running Wazi Group, a B2B firm in tech, branding, and procurement,

to launching ventures in microfinance, logistics and shipping (DoBuy Dubai), events (Festa Iquela), and most recently, co-creating the Open Learners Podcast in collab with MIT OpenCourseWare: this rare moment of pause felt strange.

I’m used to walking into rooms like this with momentum: something in hand, a project growing, a company scaling, something live, something to share.

But this time, there I was, surrounded by founders and investors passionately pitching their products, apps, and big ideas,while I had… just me. My story. My past. And the humbling awareness that I’m in transition.

And I’ll be honest: it’s a strange place to be.

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I wandered through the packed room of brilliant minds, each giving off clarity and conviction (its actually really fun good energy to be around if am being honest).

While There I stood: no pitch, no company, no product, no startup. Just me and a dozen raw ideas that haven’t yet earned their “build me” moment.

Most of my ventures have been handed over to others to run. My original company still exists but doesn’t demand my full-time focus.

So here I am in that foggy space between what was and what’s next.

It’s quiet here.

Uncertain.

At times, a little lonely.

But also… necessary.

It’s not often talked about, but many, even the most successful founders, go through it. The quiet before the next spark.

The soul-searching period where you’re still very much a builder, but not building yet.

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Don’t get me wrong — I have countless ideas brewing. But none feel worthy of building a company around. I know when the right idea comes, I’ll feel it in my core. Until then, I’m supposed to be patient, I guess.

Sometimes the most honest thing we can share is where we actually are, not where we think we should be.

If you’re here too — between projects, between clarity, between that “aha” moment — you’re not alone.

For now, I’m listening, exploring, and soaking in inspiration from rooms like these.

Because when the idea comes, I’ll know. And when I know, I’ll build.

Here’s to being a founder without a product, but not without purpose.

#NYTechWeek #AIExtravaganza #FoundersJourney #Startups #AndrewYeung #Entrepreneurship #Transitions #IdeasMatter #HonestConversations #ProductlessButNotPurposeless

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