Hi! I’m Michelle Lim. I am working on a new venture.
Previously, I was the second employee at Warp, a Sequoia-backed Series B company reimagining the terminal for developers. I initially joined as their first software engineer and built the public beta product. Then, I led Product and Growth, growing their user base to hundreds of thousands of users. More on the transition here.
I also invest in and advise early-stage startups. I advise startups on their growth and data stack, growth strategy, and product/GTM hiring. If you’re looking for an advisor, feel free to reach out!
I live in San Francisco. In my free time, I like to write essays on engineering, society, and film. I enjoy watching films with friends, swimming, and Pilates. You can find me at Twitter, Linkedin, Github or email.
Sep 13, 2020
Stop just using “Frontend” or “Backend” to describe the Engineering you like —
Why the “frontend” vs “backend” engineering axis doesn't map well to engineers’ psychology. And how using just one division can lead to job mismatches, turnover, and even push some new grad engineers into product management.Jan 23, 2020
It's Not About the Stars —
My essay about why milennials and I love horoscopes unironically.Oct 24, 2019
Gold Rush —
I notice that the two main streets running through downtown San Francisco are Mission Street and Market Street. They run parallel to each other; they never intersect.Jun 26, 2021
Into the Fediverse —
Social media apps should share the same social graph by implementing ActivityPubMay 1, 2021
Federated Learning—a primer —
A quick introduction to the decentralized machine learning technology that's already changing the internet.Mar 27, 2021
Speaking in Tales: conversing in Chinese means constantly alluding to folklore —
Through my favorite Chinese idioms, I illustrate how the language efficiently packs historical folklore into 4-character expressions and discuss the implications.