X at Y. Previously A, B, and C.

You’ve seen this type of bio all over the web. “X at Y. Previously A, B, and C.” I’ve been guilty of having this kind of bio since joining Twitter back in December 2011. I would list the company I’m currently at and those I worked at previously, without realizing it covers up who I truly am. I am not my job and my job isn’t me. There is much more beyond my online bios that makes me tick. Moving forward, I want to be more authentic.

This thought popped into my head on my daily commute into Manhattan from Brooklyn. I was listening to Marco Arment’s interview on the Inquisitive podcast. The first question asked was what he wanted to be known for¹. His answer resonated with me. Marco would like to be known for his principles. Whether he is working on applications like Instapaper or Overcast is transient. The guiding principles with which he builds these projects don’t change. That’s how Marco would like to define himself.

This theme reminded of why I rarely follow brands on Twitter. I’d much rather follow the makers behind the products and services I use every day. I want to hear about their stories, lives beyond the office, and breakfast disasters.

out of bowls, so this morning im having a plate of cheerios. 27 yrs old

— jacob October 2, 2013

Tess Rinearson sums up this trend of “personal branding” pretty well.

twitter dot com, where people think they're brands and brands think they're people

— Tess Rinearson August 26, 2015

I don’t want to fit this mold. So, let’s get to know the real Jasdev. I’m constantly building habits. My favorite emoji is 🚀. I used to compete on a bhangra team for three years. I probably follow more corgi accounts on Instagram than human accounts. I’m currently making an effort to read more books each year. Space will always fascinate me².

Now that you’ve learned a bit more about me, I want to hear about the real you online. That’s because beyond the “resume” lens of your past is an amazing person who deserves to be celebrated regularly 👏 Let’s sprinkle a bit more authenticity into the world.

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