Farewell to Octo...and My Next Chapter

⭐ All good things come to an end… otherwise, they’d never end. ⭐

Cocktail - Tom Cruise

This quote, often attributed to Chaucer and later modified by Tom Cruise in Cocktail, has always resonated with me.

The fleeting nature of our greatest experiences is what makes them truly special. If they lasted forever, they wouldn’t hold the same significance.

🔹 Closing a Chapter

Last week marked the official close of my tenure with Octo (now part of IBM). This transition, planned from the outset, comes after 25 months of me voluntarily working alongside IBM’s leadership to integrate Octo. It has been an intense, transformative period—one whose success has now afforded me the opportunity to step away.

I was 30 years old when I founded Octo in 2006, driven by ambition, a bit of ignorance, and the belief that we could build something special. Even in my most aspirational moments, I never could have fathomed that Octo would become part of a $1.3B exit, announced on CNBC.

The 17-year journey that followed was remarkable. Words cannot fully capture how much this experience has shaped me—not just professionally, but personally. Octo is not just something I built; it’s a part of me, as essential as any bodily organ. It is not something that can ever be transplanted or excised.

🔹 Gratitude to Those Who Built Octo

To EVERY EMPLOYEE who was ever part of Octo—you built something truly special, brick by brick. Your commitment, sacrifices, and belief in our mission made Octo what it is today. Many of you took a leap of faith in joining us, and I hope you look back with pride when you see the Octo logo on your LinkedIn profile.

You are and will always be Octo’s legacy.

🚀 Special thanks to the following executives - whose shoulders I was proud to stand on:

💡 Brian Swenson & Jack Arthur - Early pioneers who shaped Octo’s foundation. Thank you for taking a chance on me, building our culture, and laying the groundwork for what was to come.

💡 Suneet Gupta – My late cousin, first mentor, and role model. Thank you for believing in me, encouraging me, and setting the example of the mentor that I aspire to be to others going forward.

💡 Robert McCord – Your leadership took us from a small business to a thriving mid-sized (and more) enterprise. Thank you for your experience, tough love, and for transforming our business in ways we never could have achieved alone.

💡 Jay Shah – Your loyalty, attention to detail, and patience made all the difference. I am grateful for your friendship and unwavering commitment to Octo.

Sujey Edward | Jeffrey Cook | James Vant | Samuel Stollar | Hannah Pourmohsen | Charlie McQuillan | Tom Lee | Laura Hoffman | Mary Malone Hess | Evelyn Boyajian Avanesian | Ethan Meurlin | Meghan Gifford -Thank you for helping to build Octo, thank you for your loyalty, thak you for your leadership, and thank you for your friendship.

🔹 To Our Customers & Partners

To the customers who entrusted us with some of your most mission-critical systems—thank you. Your confidence in us enabled our success.

🌟 Special acknowledgment to the late Dean McDaniel and his successor Robert Pitulej - our very first customers at the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. You took the first chance on me and our firm to modernize the agency's most critical mission system and for that, I am forever grateful.

To our investors & partners:

🤝 Michael Lustbader, Ben Ramundo , and Arlington Capital Partners – Thank you for your belief in our leadership and for helping Octo grow into a differentiated technology firm and enterprise.

🤝 Paul Papas, Susan Wedge & the entire IBM Leadership Team – Thank you for believing in and investing in Octo’s vision. It has been an honor to see Octo become part of IBM's 100+ year legacy in technology and one of the world's most admired brands.

While my time at Octo has ended, its legacy and success within IBM are inextricably linked to my own. I look forward to being just a phone call away, cheering from the sidelines as it continues to thrive.

🔹 So... What’s Next?

For the first time in a long time, I have something new: the privilege of time.

⏳ Family First – I look forward to being much more fully present with my wife Hema and our now teenage children. Time with them is something I had to sacrifice along the way, and I am fortunate to now have the ability to gain back some time to invest with them that I had lost during the Octo journey.

🎓 Philanthropy & Giving Back – I am proud to give back to my alma mater Virginia Tech, which has shaped everything good in my life. Hema and I are honored to have endowed the Sanghani Center for AI & DA at our school , which will open in the coming weeks at a new campus in Northern VA.

I also look forward to dedicating time to additional causes close to my heart—food security, healthcare access, and educational opportunities for those in need.

🛠 Mentorship & Investing in the Next Generation – While my time as a day to day executive has ended, I am eager to serve on corporate boards with those who have invested in me and to mentor the next generation of technologists and entrepreneurs. My late cousin did this for me, and now it’s my turn.

Those who have reached the penthouse have an obligation to send the elevator down for those striving to rise.

While it's an extremely tough pill to swallow.....I've come to ACCEPT that I will NEVER be able to recreate the magic of the amazing Octo journey—but that doesn’t mean the magic is gone.

It just means a new chapter is waiting to be written.

✨ A New Beginning, Rooted in Gratitude.

🔁 If this post resonates with you, please like, share, or comment—I’d love to hear your thoughts on new beginnings, mentorship, and the power of building something greater than yourself.

#Leadership #Entrepreneurship #FarewellOcto #NewBeginnings #Mentorship #Gratitude