From Obsessive Practice to Intentional Mastery
Before embarking on a career as a software engineer during the Dotcom boom, I pursued music with my whole life (along with starting to code as a kid). I was certain that was my career trajectory, and started out as a music major where I learned to practice obsessively for 8 hours a day just to keep up.
I still know a lot of what was ingrained during that time about discipline, theory as empowerment, and the understanding that we really do get better at what we practice. What has stuck with me more than all of that, though, is the statement, “You can’t break the rules until you know them.” This is the difference between an amateur playing out of tune and a revered musician playing “out” to tell their story.
Know the Rules Before Breaking Them
This becomes profoundly important at this stage of my decidedly interesting life and career in software because I know all the rules, the frameworks, the expectations, and formalities. I know what works and what… doesn’t. I know what has the appearance of success in boardrooms and to VCs, but derails teams who align with disempowering programs instead of clarity and trusted expertise. This reality check, and ultimately deep collaboration on shared principles are why ShanVic exists.
Systems Built for People, Not Extraction
At ShanVic, we’re choosing to question legacy methodologies that value extraction over humanity. We’re using AI and automation to free people to communicate, collaborate, and create instead of chasing throughput for meaningless numbers in a spreadsheet. We challenge the notion that “It’s just business” and that the “right seat” is simply a slot to be compliantly occupied. We already know from the experience of growing startups and billion dollar companies that the “Done” swimlane is deceptive. None of it exists unless the People, Processes, and Products are aligned with agency and purpose.
We Are Writing the Future Without Permission
We’ve all read the same books. Some of us are writing new ones, and while many boardrooms imagine the future, we’re building it now with authenticity, alignment, and clarity. Without permission.
