Reflections from 2025
I’ve noticed that I usually pen down my thoughts either when something shifts or I return home from enriching experiences. This blog is a mix of both.
From mid-2025 onwards, there was a shift that felt quiet but significant. Not the kind you can immediately point to, but one that settles in slowly and makes you pause. After a long stretch of frozen thoughts and half-finished drafts, I found myself coming back to writing.
For the last three years, I have had a close window to Tech4Dev’s work, watching the team experiment, learn, grow, and steadily come into its own. I cheered that journey from the outside. This year, I joined in as Chief of Staff, becoming a very small part of the story myself.
As exciting as the role sounded, I knew it would mean becoming friends with ambiguity and allowing parts of it to unfold over time. I didn’t always know how to explain the role when I started, and in many ways, my answers are evolving. But, it’s a journey I have trusted because of the leaders here and the team at large.
There were moments when things felt calm and grounded, and others when they were fast, chaotic and slightly overwhelming. Oddly enough, those moments confirmed that I was exactly where I needed to be. I have realised that while I value coherence, I don’t mind sitting in the middle of complexity, asking questions, untangling threads, and sometimes simply being a fly on the wall. All of these, I want to do much more of in the years to come. As I write this, I know I have barely scratched the surface.
This year reminded me that growth isn’t always loud. Sometimes it shows up quietly – in better questions, clearer decisions, and processes that feel more streamlined than before.
With the team now 50 members strong, some ways of working may need to evolve. What once worked organically might require more intentional attention. Not in the way of just adding layers but to preserve ease as we scale. I say might deliberately, because it’s important to first understand where this is truly needed.
For me, this means deepening internal processes not for the sake of structure but to strengthen the connective tissue between people, priorities, and decisions. It includes investing more thoughtfully in conversations, addressing recurring hiccups and supporting the invisible work that keeps teams moving well.
More importantly, I have taken on a challenge for myself: exploring the Indian fundraising ecosystem. I understand that this is a space that will require patience, proactiveness and comfort with a steep learning curve but one that is essential. I am approaching it with curiosity and reminding myself to be deliberate. I intend to report back on this over the next few months.
And I’m excited to be here for this phase.
Signing off,
Chief
