I first came across Andy Johns through an essay that stopped me in my tracks—How to Know When to Stop. It was one of those rare pieces that doesn’t just resonate but shakes something loose inside you. Written with both clarity and depth, it offered a perspective on burnout I hadn’t seen before—strategic, yet deeply human.
The essay had been sent to me by J.D. Maresco, a good friend and one of my portfolio founders. He said, "You’ve got to read this—one of my investors wrote it. It’s the best piece I’ve ever read on burnout." Given that I work with high performers navigating the pressures of achievement and the throes of burnout, I couldn’t ignore it. From the first line—“In 2018, the universe sent me a sign: ‘Slow the fuck down!’”—I was hooked. But it wasn’t just the ideas that drew me in; it was the story and depth of the person behind them.
As I continued reading, what stood out wasn’t just Andy’s ability to explain burnout, but the way he dissected it—methodically uncovering its root causes, its cascading effects, and how to find a way through. His approach was a rare blend of empathy, personal insight, and strategic thinking. The depth of his knowledge and the compassion woven into his words proved that he was someone who not only understood burnout intellectually but had lived through it and come out the other side with hard-earned wisdom.
Naturally, I wanted to know more about the man behind the post. I dove into Andy’s tweets and found that the same thoughtfulness and reflective nature infused everything he shared. His clarity of thought was inspiring, and as I dug deeper, I realized we weren’t just aligned in our thinking—we had both been on intense healing journeys, drawn to similar teachers and exploring the same themes.
Like anyone intrigued by someone’s work, I started to casually stalk him online. After immersing myself in his tweets and feeling a growing connection to his ideas, I decided to make it official and slid into his DMs on Twitter. What started as a simple message quickly turned into deeper conversations. Before long, Andy was a guest on my podcast, he interviewed me for his video series, and soon enough, we were regularly diving into conversations about mental health, healing, burnout, and much more.
Earlier this year, Andy was one of the first people I told about Downshift, inviting him to be an informal advisor. He jumped at the chance, eagerly sending over resources and materials to integrate into our curriculum. When I asked him to be a guest lecturer, he didn’t hesitate, and his session became one of the most popular with our Downshifters. With each conversation, it became clearer how aligned Andy’s work was with our mission.
During one of our regular catch-ups a few months ago, Andy floated the idea of getting more involved. He was excited about what we were building and felt a deep connection to Downshift’s mission. Then he asked, "What if we explored working together more closely?" I was floored. Here was someone I deeply respected, offering to be part of our journey.
At first, I was taken aback—someone with Andy’s experience and track record was asking to join Downshift? It was surreal. My initial reaction was a mix of excitement and disbelief. I had admired his work from afar, and now the possibility of collaborating more closely felt like an unexpected but perfect alignment. The more I thought about it, the more it felt like a no-brainer. His vision, skills, and passion for healing and transformation fit perfectly with the direction we were heading.
Andy’s track record speaks for itself. He’s led growth teams at some of the world’s most influential tech companies, including Facebook, Twitter, Quora, and Wealthfront. He also served as an Entrepreneur in Residence at Greylock and a General Partner at Unusual Ventures. But it’s not just his experience in driving growth that stands out—Andy also has a deep understanding of product strategy. He’s been at the intersection of building products that scale while ensuring they meet users' needs at a core level.
During his time at Wealthfront, Andy faced a major health scare that forced him to step away and embark on a personal healing journey. It was this journey that led him to his own Downshift, where he stepped away from Silicon Valley and reconnected with a deeper purpose: helping high performers recover and heal from burnout and mental illness. Now, he’s ready to help others navigate the same transitions and challenges he’s faced, bringing a wealth of experience and wisdom to Downshift.
I couldn’t be more thrilled to welcome Andy to the Downshift team as our Head of Product & Knowledge, where he’ll lead product strategy and bring deep insights and wisdom to our work. His passion for our mission and his rare ability to think deeply about both the emotional and psychological aspects of our work, while bringing a sharp, systematic mind to strategy and operations, will be invaluable. His skill set complements our team in profound ways, and I’m excited to see what we’ll accomplish together.
This is a pivotal moment for Downshift. With Andy on board, it feels like the perfect alignment of values, vision, and experience. Together, we’re not just building a company—we’re creating something transformational.
Welcome to the team, Andy—I’m stoked for the journey ahead!