I'm a writer who left LA for an AI startup in San Francisco. It was like stepping into a whole new world.

Erika Lee and her mom in front of the Golden Gate Bridge.

Courtesy of Erika Lee

I moved from Los Angeles to San Francisco because of a cold DM on X.I grew up in the LA suburbs, and after attending college there I built my career in journalism across the country, first covering local news, and then crypto. I liked my comfortable life with friends and family.Then in February, the chief of staff at Corgi, the AI insurance startup that recently went viral for its seven-day workweek, messaged me on X to ask if I would be interested in a role. I'd never heard of Corgi, but I'd seen a lot of people in crypto pivot to the AI industry and wanted to check it out.A week later, I flew to San Francisco to visit the team, and in March, I joined them as their Head of Brand. My entire life changed in an instant.Moving from Los Angeles to San Francisco felt like stepping into a completely different value system

Lee is Corgi's Head of Brand.

Courtesy of Erika Lee