In the Elements: Nature, Software, and Shared Truths

We moved to the woods recently. It’s been incredible—but also, more dangerous. I’m a parent of three young kids, and out here I have to think about ticks, storms, falling branches, and the kinds of accidents that come with being outdoors for hours on end.

I’m much more aware of the seasons now. Weather patterns, wind shifts—how they shape our days. I even subscribed to a $100/year weather app just so it can warn me if anything’s coming our way while we sleep.

Back in suburbia, I loved my life. Nothing wrong with it. But I wasn’t connected to nature. I didn’t have to be. There were no coyotes to worry about, no trees that could crush us, no daily reminders that the world is alive and unpredictable. It was hassle-free, sure—but it dulled my senses.

I’ve realized the same thing happens in software companies.

When leadership is too far removed from the user experience, they lose the thread. They forget what it feels like to be in the elements. Distance creates blind spots—sales filters, support layers, layers upon layers of separation from the people using your product.

But when a user has that “aha” moment and tells us about it, it energizes me and the team. And when something’s broken or wrong, I hear about it directly. It can be embarrassing. It stings sometimes. But that’s part of the deal.

Because what’s the alternative?

Living in an echo chamber, insulated from ground truth? That’s not leadership.

Sure, as we get older we crave fewer frustrations—but unspoken frustrations compound. And our job as leaders is to root out the micro-frustrations before they bloom into macro problems for customers or teams.

The only real way to build is to live in the elements.

You have to be exposed—personally and professionally. You have to care about feedback. You have to seek shared truth. And you have to use that truth to steer the ship.

There’s only one way to build a software company now: leadership has to live in the elements.

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