Vinay Hiremath, the Indian-origin co-founder of Loom, who sold the company to Atlassian for $975 million in 2023, recently opened up about the personal challenges he’s faced since achieving significant wealth.

In a blog post titled "I am rich and I have no idea what to do with my life," Mr. Hiremath reflected on his struggle to find purpose after selling his company. He shared, "Life has felt like a blur this past year. After selling my company, I find myself in the strange position of never needing to work again. Everything now feels like a side quest, but not in an exciting way. I no longer have the usual drive to make money or gain status." Despite having unlimited freedom, he expressed uncertainty about how to use it, admitting, "Honestly, I’m not feeling very optimistic about life."

Mr. Hiremath revisited moments in his life where he tried to find meaning. He revealed that his insecurities led him to break up with his girlfriend of two years, an experience he described as painful but ultimately necessary. He also offered an apology to her, writing, "If my ex is reading this: Thank you for everything. I’m sorry I couldn’t be what you needed me to be."

He also shared his internal struggle over staying with Loom’s acquiring company, where he was offered a $60 million package as CTO. Unsure of his next steps, he spent time in the redwoods to reflect and ultimately decided to leave, wanting "to do something. Anything. To feel alive again."

Mr. Hiremath explored other ventures, including meeting with investors and robotics experts about developing "arms and legs" for computers, only to realize it wasn’t his true passion. "I started to realize that what I actually wanted was to look like Elon [Musk], which is incredibly cringe," he wrote. "It’s hard to even admit this."

He then attempted a trek in the Himalayas with no prior experience, resulting in him falling ill and needing to be rappelled down a mountain while "tripping out of my mind." After recovering, friends suggested he reach out to Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy at DOGE. He landed a job but quickly realized it wasn’t the right fit.

"After four intense and exhilarating weeks, I called off my plans to move to Washington, D.C., to work with some of the smartest people I’d ever met," he wrote. "Instead, I booked a one-way ticket to Hawaii."

At 33, Mr. Hiremath is now learning physics with the goal of starting a company that focuses on manufacturing tangible products. He concluded by saying he is content with the idea that his new venture doesn't need to match the success of Loom.