How this works
I keep a small amount of time each week for conversations with people outside my day job. It's not paid, it's not a program, and I don't pretend to be a professional advisor. It's just a way to stay connected to the wider craft — and to return some of the generosity other operators have shown me over the years.
If any of the formats below fit what you need, email me with the subject line you see, and I'll send back times.
15 min — Coffee chat
For one specific question. A decision you're stuck on, a hire you're deciding about, a doc you want a sanity check on — something with a clean shape. I'll give you my honest read and a few follow-up questions. That's usually enough.
Good for: - "Am I thinking about this the right way?" - "Have you seen anything like this before?" - "What would you do in the next two weeks?"
Email me with subject line: Coffee · your topic → tqhuy1991@gmail.com
45 min — Deep dive
For something that needs real thinking. Bring a one-page doc (or a deck) describing the situation, the decision you're facing, and what you've already tried. I'll read it before we talk. We'll spend the first 10 minutes on clarifying questions, 25 on the actual conversation, and 10 on what you're going to do next.
Good for: - Agentic QA strategy — harness design, trust boundaries, where to draw the line between agent and human - Platform bets — whether to build, buy, or wait - Team rituals — rebuilding a product operating cadence that isn't theater - Terminal-first operating systems — wiring up your own personal agent
Email me with subject line: Deep dive · your topic → tqhuy1991@gmail.com
Async — Send a plan, get pushback
Sometimes a call is overkill. Send me the doc you're stuck on and I'll send back 3–5 bullets of direct pushback, plus the two or three questions I'd want answered before I'd sign off on it myself.
Good for: - A strategy doc that feels too clean - A plan you know has a weak spot but can't find - A principle you're not sure your team actually believes
Email me with subject line: Async critique · doc title → tqhuy1991@gmail.com. Paste the doc (or a link) in the body. I respond within a week, usually faster.
The honest fine print
- I'll say no sometimes. If the topic is outside what I know, I'll tell you straight instead of winging it.
- I don't do vendor intros. Not because I'm allergic — I just want this to stay a conversation, not a sales funnel.
- I save no attribution. Nothing you share becomes material for a blog post unless we explicitly agree.
- I learn from these chats. That's the selfish part. I ask because you'll probably teach me something I didn't know.
If you're nervous about whether your question is "big enough" — it is. Send the email.