MOON

This is the office for the AR department. I took a lot of detours since I first considered AR/VR back in 2015. I don't have much experience, but here I am!

FRIEND

That's incredible! A dream come true! You've always wanted to do that. It is okay, life's not a straight line. Right?

MOON

Yeah! Well the detours, those are stories for another day. But I think I told you this before, But AR/VR... it's not the ultimate dream. It's only a tool. 

FRIEND

A tool for what?

MOON

People might think differently, but to do what I believe Walt Disney wanted to do. Provide people with happy memories with their loved ones by giving them beautiful stories and fantastical places.

FRIEND

And AR/VR is gonna be your way right? So, why not animation? Film school?

MOON

Well I've explored other paths. Films, Pixar... I even truly believe they're great tools to achieve my dream! But that's a story for another time. Starting this month, I am going for AR/VR 100 percent. When I talk about Disney or my dream, it doesn't have to be the way that Walt Disney realized his dreams. It's about the dream, not the exact tools... I am going to do it my way. AR/VR, with my background in Math and Computer Science, my career so far in software engineering, even though it was in distributed computing and cloud security, I think it will be the best tool that I can build up on. It's where technology and my dream intersect.

FRIEND

Have you considered other paths too?

MOON

Movie director, even actor when I was in high school haha. Turns out I'm not that artistic or charismatic. When it comes to turning my imagination into reality. For me, everything is just a tool. Films, games, theme parks... it could have been cartoons, animations, film schools, or design schools. I seriously thought about Harvard MBA too, thinking it could accelerate things. I am also considering becoming a product manager.

FRIEND

So, you're keeping your options open?

MOON

Absolutely. Starting a company or joining VC are other options. Actually, becoming a manager at a top VC firm, starting a company, joining one as a founding member, or thriving as a manager in big tech – these are all great options, and I'm open to all of them. I'm still figuring out what I'm best at. I used to say I wanted to do a startup. But I don't think starting a company should be a goal in itself; it's a tool to achieve something else. If the right idea and great team members come along... and if I have all the qualities to build a great company and a product from the ground up, and if I have the right backers of my dream, then I'll be a founder myself. If not, maybe I'll join my future manager's venture if I feel like I am going to be a great asset. Or I may thrive as a manager in a big tech company. Working in big tech is great too because AR/VR is one of those things that needs the scale of a big company - software, hardware, design, research, infrastructure, distribution... VC is appealing as well. It could help me catch up in the AR/VR race. I feel like I'm late; maybe I could've been a founder of a game engine company ten years ago, or even a 3D operating system, or even an Oculus-like hardware company. If I am to make companies now and compete with them in those fields with fundamental technologies, I think it is too late to beat them. But as a VC, I can invest in those companies, find founders who have the same vision as mine... it's like time travel! I would have the same results as having founded the companies 10 years ago. Plus, diversification. If I start a company, I put everything into one basket. As a VC, I can invest in multiple companies.

FRIEND

That makes sense.

MOON

Some people want to become a VC because it seems glamorous, or some want to be founders because it's cool. I don't approach jobs like that. It is about what you are trying to achieve. It's the same with being a software engineer; I do it because I need to. It is not like I love coding, or I enjoy the concept of Computer Science. Actually, I don't even think I am good at coding, I just try to be good at it because I have to. If I found a company, it would be because it helps me realize my dream. I could have become a movie director, but my gifts weren't there. Why force it? Sometimes I imagine being born in the US. Perfect English, Harvard Business School, consulting... different path, same destination. It's all tools, all part of the story. I mean, whatever it takes to get there. Right now, making AR/VR work is my goal. Again, so I can use AR/VR as a tool.