Welcome — I’m Adil
Most people don’t follow a straight line.
I didn’t either.
I’ve spent the better part of the last 15 years working in and around finance, risk, operations, and technology helping large organizations fix broken processes, untangle regulatory messes, modernize systems, and make better decisions with data. On paper, that sounds clean and linear. In reality, it was anything but.
Along the way, I became obsessed with a simple question:
Why do smart people and well-funded companies still struggle with obvious problems?
That question led me deeper into consulting, then into automation, then into AI and eventually into building things myself.
Why This Substack Exists
This Substack is a place for thinking out loud.
It’s where I’ll write about:
Business & money — how companies actually work (and why many don’t)
AI & automation — what’s real, what’s hype, and how it’s changing work
Decision-making — risk, incentives, tradeoffs, and second-order effects
Building — products, side businesses, systems, and sometimes mistakes
Life in between — work, family, ambition, and learning in public
Some posts will be practical. Some will be opinionated. Some will just be me connecting dots that don’t usually get connected.
My goal isn’t to be loud or viral, it’s to be useful, honest, and a little uncomfortable in the right ways.
Who This Is For
This is for:
Operators who are tired of buzzwords
Builders who want clarity, not motivation posters
Professionals navigating careers that don’t fit neat titles
Anyone curious about where AI, finance, and work are actually headed
If you like frameworks, real examples, and thoughtful takes you’ll feel at home here.
A Bit More About Me
I’m a consultant by training, a builder by instinct, and a lifelong learner by necessity. I’ve worked with large financial institutions, helped launch and fix complex programs, and now spend a lot of time experimenting at the intersection of AI, products, and small businesses.
I don’t pretend to have all the answers, but I care deeply about asking better questions.
This Substack is part journal, part lab, part signal-filter.
What’s Next
If you subscribe, you can expect:
Short essays and longer deep dives
Clear explanations of complex topics
Honest takes from someone still in the middle of the journey
Thanks for being here at the beginning.
Let’s see where this goes.
— Adil