Hey, I'm Nick 👋

I paid off $18K in student debt in 13 months.
Now I'm Chief of Staff at an AI robotics company.

The two are connected. Financial freedom gave me career freedom — the ability to take risks, join startups, and build a career that doesn't follow the traditional playbook.

I write about the things they never taught us in school: how money actually works, how to make smart career bets, and how to build systems that compound over time.

Read My Story Browse the Blog

Two journeys. One thesis.

My story has two parallel tracks that reinforce each other. Master your money, and you unlock the freedom to take career risks that actually matter.

Track 1

Financial Freedom

• Paid off $18K student debt in 13 months
• Traveled to 16+ countries (mostly on points)
• Built automated investment systems
• Portfolio doubled through 401(k), Roth IRAs, HSA

Track 2

Career Freedom

• Deloitte consulting → Startup operator
• Early employee at Clubhouse during hypergrowth
• BizOps at YC-backed healthcare startup
• Now: Chief of Staff at AI robotics company

What I write about

Money

Budgeting, debt payoff, credit card optimization, investing basics — the stuff that actually moves the needle.

Careers

Navigating job transitions, startup vs. big company trade-offs, and building leverage over time.

Systems

Automation, habits, and frameworks that compound — so you can spend time on what matters.

Featured articles

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Apr 24, 2025 · 2 min read

Beyond Deep Work: Why the Future of Productivity is Intelligent Orchestration

Deep Work is evolving. I'm no longer the only one doing the doing — I'm orchestrating outputs across multiple tools and agents simultaneously.

Apr 23, 2025 · 1 min read

Why I'm Going All-In on Building Again—And How You Can Too

I've locked back into builder mode. Not just tinkering, but creating something end-to-end. Here's why orchestrating AI tools is becoming a superpower.

Apr 30, 2025 · 2 min read

Ship Fast, Build Strong: Avoiding the Straw House Trap When Going from Prototype to Production

Ever feel like your quick prototype is a straw house, perfect until a gust of real users blows through? Here's how to navigate the ship vs. scale dilemma.

Hey there!

I'm Nick Ayala

I'm a first-generation college grad who went from eating Top Ramen at SJSU to running strategy at a venture-backed Physical AI Robotics company. Along the way: 3 years at Deloitte, founding team at a cleanroom startup, early employee at Clubhouse, and operations roles at YC and venture-backed companies.

I've led teams of 30+ people, managed ~$400K/month in P&L, and traveled to 16 countries — most of it funded by credit card points and a system I built in my twenties.

Proudly 🇨🇳🇵🇷

Read my full story →

I paid off $18K in student debt in 13 months. Now I'm Chief of Staff at an AI robotics company.