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Why Self-Made Generalists Will Shape the Next Big Thing | Nad Chishtie, Lovable

Jan 20, 2026

Join Nad Chishtie, Head of Design at Lovable and former game developer, as he shares his unconventional journey from dropping out of university during the early days of Gmail to leading innovative design projects. He discusses the advantages of being a self-made generalist in a rapidly evolving tech landscape, the importance of embracing AI as a creative collaborator, and how perfectionism can stifle creativity. Nad advocates for playful experimentation and emphasizes the future of democratized software creation, where everyone can be a builder.

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ANECDOTE

Gmail Moment Sparked A Career Leap

Nad dropped out of university after being blocked from using Ajax in a coursework project, which pushed him to learn independently.
That choice led him to lead e-commerce at 18 and scale it to seven figures, proving his instincts early on.

INSIGHT

AI Makes Institutional Paths Optional

Nad argues AI lowers barriers so builders can create end-to-end without needing traditional credentials.
He says ownership mindset matters more than institutional pathways in modern tech.

ADVICE

Play To Become AI-Native

Be AI-native: play with AI tools and treat them as a playground to gain an advantage.
Experiment frequently to build intuition and practical skills ahead of peers.

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In the first episode of the new Growthmates season — The Creator’s Path, Kate Syuma sits down with Nad Chishtie — Head of Design at Lovable, founding designer, and former game developer who has built products used by over 50 million people across Asia.

Nad shares his unconventional path — from dropping out of university during the early days of Gmail, to building games, products, and AI-powered tools that lower the barrier to creation. They discuss why rigid systems don’t work for curious builders, how being a generalist became an advantage, and why perfectionism holds creators back.

This conversation explores AI as a creative playground, not just a productivity tool — and what the future of digital creation looks like when anyone can build without permission.

Listen now on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGntQ4Bz9QM&t=264s

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Welcome to Growthmates with Kate Syuma — Growth Advisor, ex-Miro. This season, The Creator’s Path, explores unconventional journeys of designers, founders, and builders redefining what it means to create — especially in the age of AI.

Growthmates is where top product and growth leaders share real strategies and insights to help you turn ideas into successful products. Learn from experts at Dropbox, Adobe, Amplitude, Canva, and more in deep dive interviews with Kate Syuma, ex-Miro Head of Growth Design and founder of Growthmates.

🔗 Find more insights on growthmates.club and follow on your favorite platforms for more episodes.

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Key highlights from this episode 👇

Dropping Out as a Design Decision: Why Nad left university when innovation outpaced the system — and what that taught him about learning.

Generalist Advantage: How being “B+ at many things” enables faster creation and better end-to-end ownership.

AI as a Creative Playground: Why treating AI like a collaborator, not a tool, unlocks better outcomes.

Building Lovable from Scratch — Three Times: How AI changes the cost of rebuilding and encourages bold experimentation.

Creating Without Limits: Nad’s vision of a future where anyone can build digital products tailored exactly to their needs.

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Where to find Kate Syuma:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ekaterina-syuma/

Newsletter: https://www.growthmates.news/

Where to find Nad Chishtie:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nadchishtie/

X (Twitter): https://x.com/nadonomy

Lovable: https://lovable.dev/

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What we covered:

(00:00) Introduction and Nad's creative beginnings with vinyl scanning

(03:00) The Gmail moment: dropping out of university at 18

(08:00) Breaking free from traditional expectations and limiting beliefs

(13:00) Career breakdown at 18 and moving to Asia

(17:00) The most pivotal decision: trusting your own instincts

(20:00) Silicon Valley dreams and cultural realizations

(26:00) The generalist mindset vs. specialist pigeonholing

(32:00) Redefining who can be a creator with AI

(37:00) Personal software for neurodivergent users

(45:00) Rebuilding Lovable three times from scratch

(49:00) Cutting overhead and protecting creative work

(56:00) The future of creation for the next generation

(59:30) Overcoming perfectionism and embracing optimism

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