Origin Story
About Beautiful Brain
Origin, shift, and operating system.
I am Jose Miguel Santos. Beautiful Brain is where I keep my thinking in motion: a place to learn in public, build in progress, and share what I am figuring out as I go.
"Beautiful Brain" started as a nickname from my wife, who noticed I solved problems in a different way. Co-workers and managers said the same, but I only understood why in my 30s. Even with positive feedback, I felt like I was underachieving because I would lose interest when ideas lost novelty.
The Shift
After a major depression episode and through therapy, I discovered I had ADHD. That helped me understand my patterns and reflect more honestly on who I am. I chose to step away from traditional corporate life to focus on well-being first and build a path that fits my brain.
Operating System
My strength is not a narrow specialty. It is bringing a different perspective to problems and connecting ideas across fields. Beautiful Brain is the operating system that helps me do that in public.
Who I Am Now
- Builder and lifelong learner
- Exploring neurodiversity, product systems, and AI-augmented work
- Sharing experiments, not finished answers
Values
- Temperance: I resist the constant pull of wanting more. I focus on what I can control, value experiences over possessions, and aim for sufficiency rather than excess.
- Complementarity: Each person has distinct strengths and perspectives. Self knowledge unlocks individual potential, and complementary differences make teams stronger than any one profile alone.
- Autonomy: People do their best work in environments that fit their rhythms and strengths. Remote and asynchronous work allow ownership, deep focus, and better outcomes.
- Continuous Growth: Staying relevant requires constant learning. I cultivate a growth mindset and intentionally dedicate time to developing new skills and perspectives.
Before Beautiful Brain
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Phase 01
McKinsey
Learned how to think and communicate clearly, and how to ramp up fast in new industries and projects.
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Phase 02
MSc Software Engineering
Learned the basics of software engineering and made lifelong friends.
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Phase 03
Columbia Business School
Immersed myself in a multicultural environment, developed a global network, and expanded my horizons (MBA).
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Phase 04
Google
Learned the ropes of product management, and how large companies can get trapped in the innovator's dilemma.
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Phase 05
DoorDash
Learned how one of the top startups operates and how to move really fast in validating assumptions, while building my first 0->1 product.
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Phase 06
Sword Health
Learned how to build a product team and set up product functions in a hyper-growth startup while working with the CEO/founder.
If you think differently too, I'd love to connect at jose@beautifulbrain.me .