I totally agree! Starting a side project is amazing for your career and for your mental health. I’ve started 3+ in the past year. None have taken off quite as much as Tech In Boston, but now I have an iPhone app on my phone that I made and a new community of friends trying to build amazing things together (thanks Casey G!).

I would also add, working with other people outside of work revealed to me the dynamics I took for granted at work. By leading a Product group of non-pivots, I realized the little things we take for granted on our teams. Like the way someone facilitates the meeting leader from the sidelines. It becomes so much harder to lead a room on your own when you don’t have a support system on the sideline. And that’s just one example of the experience you get when you just work with different groups of people and experience what different patterns really exist.