Interview with Rahul Pandey

In a captivating interview, Wilson Lim Setiawan sat down with Rahul Pandey, a YC founder who famously left his $800K job at Meta. What unfolded was a candid and engaging narrative, tracing Rahul's journey from Stanford's tech-rich environment to the high-stakes world of startups, peppered with hard-won lessons, unexpected regrets, and a clear vision for the future of career growth. This conversation offers a raw look at the decisions, challenges, and motivations behind a modern tech entrepreneur's rise.

The Fork in the Road: Stanford, WhatsApp, and the Weight of Hindsight

Rahul Pandey's tech journey began not with a clear path, but with a pivotal choice between two esteemed institutions. Initially, Caltech was his dream, largely influenced by his older brother and the school's reputation as "the place for nerds." However, a visit to Stanford revealed a different, more vibrant energy. "I felt like the vibe was better at Stanford," Rahul recounted. "I kind of went there like oh my gosh there's like people here who are just doing so many more exciting things frankly." This shift in environment profoundly shaped his trajectory, pulling him from math and physics towards computer science as friends around him launched startups and built profitable iPhone apps.

The most vivid early career regret, however, stems from an internship decision in 2013. Faced with offers from both Facebook and the then-relatively small messaging app, WhatsApp, Rahul chose Facebook. Despite meeting WhatsApp co-founder Jan Koum for dinner, Facebook's bigger brand, free food, and proximity to Mark Zuckerberg swayed him. It was a choice that would haunt him with the knowledge of what could have been. "I missed WhatsApp," he reflected. "I have a regret that I did Co and I still have a bit of regret... if I had actually gone to WhatsApp and gotten Equity... that Equity would have also been worth millions of dollars for me immediately after graduating." It's a stark reminder of the unpredictable nature of the tech world and the heavy weight of hindsight.

Key Learnings:

• The profound impact of one's immediate environment and peer group on career direction.
• Understanding that even seemingly minor decisions can have massive, unforeseen long-term consequences.
• The importance of learning from past choices, even those steeped in regret, to inform future actions.

The Rollercoaster of Early Startups: Kose and the Acqui-Hire Reality

Fresh out of Stanford, still grappling with the "fear of missing out" from the WhatsApp saga, Rahul felt compelled to carve a unique path. He turned down an offer from Google to join Kose, a startup founded by one of his professors, driven by a desire to be a "special Snowflake" rather than just another engineer in a large corporation. The initial narrative seemed like a dream: Kose was acquired by Pinterest within six months. However, the reality behind the scenes was far from glamorous.

Kose was an "acqui-hire," meaning Pinterest was acquiring talent, not a product or IP. This distinction meant Rahul and his fellow engineers had to re-interview for their jobs at Pinterest with just a weekend's notice. "I was border line like I got I did the interviews they called me back for a second day of interviews saying hey you know we still are not entirely sure if we want to give you an offer or not can you come back and like I I was very panicked," he shared, highlighting the immense stress. The experience left him feeling a significant "lack of control" and ultimately "more negative than positive," despite the external perception of success. It was a harsh lesson in the nuances of startup exits.

Key Changes:

• Shift from seeking external validation and "special Snowflake" status to desiring genuine control and impact.
• Realization that perceived success (like an acquisition) can hide internal stress and lack of agency.
• A deeper understanding of different acquisition types and their implications for early employees.

The Leap of Faith: From Big Tech to Startup with Taro

After 4.5 years at Meta, Rahul found himself at a crossroads. While his career was stable, he felt he had "hit that plateau in terms of compensation" and desired a broader skill set beyond deep specialization. More importantly, the enduring "minimization of regret" spurred him to finally take the entrepreneurial leap. "I missed WhatApp I like I have a regret that I did Co and I still have a bit of regret about that because like it ended prematurely I was not in the driver's seat I like I really want to do this before I'm too late in my career," he emphasized. Having accumulated sufficient savings, the financial risk felt manageable.

Crucial to this decision was his co-founder, Alex. Their relationship, built over five years and multiple projects (including the free community Tech Career Growth), provided a solid foundation of trust and complementary skills. Rahul advises aspiring founders, "Your co-founder should be someone presumably already in your network who you've met three four years ago or a couple jobs ago like if you're trying to meet a coer today I don't have that much faith that that relationship will last." While their first YC application was rejected, they persevered, eventually getting into the summer batch for Taro. The idea for Taro stemmed directly from the mentorship gap they observed during COVID, where engineers felt "quite lost" due to remote work. They initially explored a B2B model but pivoted to a product-led growth (PLG) B2C approach, leveraging their existing Tech Career Growth community of 15,000 people.

Key Decisions:

• Prioritizing personal growth and avoiding future regrets over a comfortable, high-paying big tech role.
• Strategic selection of a co-founder based on a long-term, proven working relationship and trust.
• Adapting the business model (B2B to B2C/PLG) to leverage existing community and network for initial traction.

Building in Public: Growth, VC, and Impact

Rahul's journey into content creation started long before Taro, with Android tutorials for CodePath. He observed the impact of his early, unpolished videos and saw an opportunity. "I've went on YouTube I looked at other people making Android content and like I can do better than these guys I I can probably speak more clearly I can get a better microphone I can explain things at a more deep level and all that led me to say hey let me start doing that and see if I can just add value," he explained, carefully building his brand without making it too personal while still employed. Today, Taro’s most effective growth channels are YouTube and LinkedIn, leveraging trust and professional networking. Referrals are also key, alongside a long-term investment in Google SEO.

However, the path of a YC founder is rarely smooth, especially when it comes to fundraising. Despite YC's reputation, Rahul candidly shared that "90% of the people either rejected us or ghosted us." He realized that venture capitalists aren't interested in a clear path to $1-2 million in revenue; they're looking for an exponential story. "I think one of the things that was really I was hit over the head with is like you have to paint a very very compelling story on how you become big because that's really what VCS care about because if you like... I want you to get to a 100 million or a billion in Revenue right," he emphasized. The challenges extend to B2B sales, where the user (an engineer) and the buyer (HR/L&D) often have vastly different motivations and decision-making processes, making it tough to even get a foot in the door.

Key Practices:

• Consistently creating and sharing content to build an audience and establish trust over time.
• Understanding the divergent mindsets of investors (seeking massive scale) versus initial product-market fit.
• Navigating the complexities of B2B sales by recognizing and addressing the distinct needs of users and buyers.

The "Amazon Prime" of Career Growth

For Rahul, the most rewarding aspect of building Taro is the direct impact it has on individuals. He shared a recent example: "Literally two days ago someone sent me a WhatsApp audio message... basically was like a one minute monologue of him saying I got a job at Google and I talk to the recruiter and they're super excited I'm really excited and just would not possible without you or Tara and I was like wow like that's the kind of stuff that it it's so magical to be able to... see that there's a pretty direct impact on on on people." This immediate, positive feedback fuels his dedication.

A core habit that has served him well throughout his career and content creation is prioritizing "quantity over quality." He believes that continuous output, even if imperfect, leads to natural improvement. "Instead of aiming for 10 out of 10 content... aim for it to be like a six out of 10... and through the process of shipping way more whether it's videos or blog post or code you'll become way way better," he advised. Looking ahead, Rahul envisions Taro becoming "the Amazon Prime of career growth," offering unparalleled value through advice, mentorship, and partner discounts. His ambition extends beyond engineering, aiming to replicate this model across every job function, creating a vibrant community where professionals can truly help each other thrive.

"[I want Taro to be kind of like the Amazon Prime of career bro in the sense that like I think most people think about Amazon Prime as like you get so much value once you're part of that program... and I want that to be true for Taro we're like I want Taro I want myself and the company to provide so much value to you that you would be stupid not to have a membership in tar because you get so much good ADV advice so much good mentorship so many discounts on Partner products that you can actually start using today in a credible way.]" - Rahul Pandey