A letter from our Founder

Hey, I’m Shaina, Program Lead for Manual Override and Hello Generalist’s Founder. I’m on the same path you are: after spending a decade building tech startups, I now do fractional work, offer exec coaching, publish writing and podcasts online, and run Hello Generalist, my own solo tech-enabled service.

Way back in the olden days of 2022 when I started HG, I wanted to solve a very particular problem.

I wanted to make independent work more sustainable by solving the very hardest problem: It’s voodoo witch science, pain in the ass hard to get in front of the exact right companies, who need your exact help, at the exact moment they need it. As HG steps into it’s 3rd year, it’s extraordinarily clear that one intro can have an outsized impact on a business.

We’re starting Manual Override to solve the same problem HG solves, but with a twist. Instead of our platform (or any platform) controlling your intros, we want to empower you to take the wheel, and give you all the tools to do it yourself.

We are deeply inspired by the tech startup accelerators, like YC and Techstars. Our big reflection point was, “What would the best of those programs look like for an independent business?” We think you’ll find that Manual Override gets at that same spirit, bringing together a curated, exceptional group of entrepreneurs, teaching you what we know, anchoring on critical introductions, and leading with an’s investor’s mindset.

I’ve never been more convinced that independent work is the future, especially as tech reaches an inflection point: Full-time jobs are the not reliable path they used to be, and if you’ve got the energy, there’s just too much opportunity out there to not give it a shot.

Email me if you have any questions while considering this. I’m at hello@hellogeneralist.com.

Hope to see you this July, Shaina