Today, I'm announcing something that's both exciting and terrifying: I've started my own studio. It's called Mercen, and it's the most intentional thing I've ever built.

Intentionality & Meaning

Over the past 10 years, I've been on a journey; a quest, really, to build a meaningful life.

Many of us seek meaning without realizing it. We chase titles, compensation, relationships, or recognition, hoping that if we experiment enough, we’ll stumble into the right life.

Sometimes, it looks like others just got lucky. Like they landed in the right job or the right place by accident.

But real meaning doesn’t come by accident. It’s something we build on purpose.

That’s what led me to create Mercen: a company born out of intentionality, not chance.

The Shift

I’ve spent years building software; as a student, a developer, a manager, and a founder.

But I’ve never been as inspired as I am today. For the first time, we have tools that let us create meaningful human experiences at scale. AI has stripped away many of the traditional limits. What matters now isn't what you can build, but why you are building it.

I recently encountered an article by Joe Hudson, and his thesis rings true:

...when knowledge is no longer scarce, what remains valuable? Wisdom. You can get answers from AI, but how you use those answers takes wisdom.

It’s not enough anymore to just be a technologist. Or a knowledge worker. Or someone who completes tasks. We've entered a new era, one where wisdom is the key differentiator.

What remains is the intentional search for meaning.

Why Mercen

I started Mercen because I was tired. Tired of the lack of accountability in tech, of software that prioritizes features over function, of products that delivered complexity but not delight.

And I'll be honest: I've failed. I've been part of projects that didn't meet the standard I wanted to uphold. But failure is a powerful teacher. I've seen what happens when integrity breaks down. I've seen what excellence looks like, and what it doesn't.

And I want Mercen to be a response to all of that.

If knowledge is abundant, but wisdom is scarce, then we need studios built around wisdom: good judgment, deep experience, and the humility to say "no" when a product won't actually solve a real problem.

Mercen is my line in the sand. It's a studio that values function over features, joy over complexity, and integrity over growth-at-any-cost.

How Mercen Works

Mercen isn't here to build more software for the sake of it.

We're here to bring discernment back into the process. To make sure the things we build matter, solve real problems, and spark genuine joy. Technology is just the tool. The real value is in what we choose to build, and why.

And that is precisely why every product we create starts with a real problem.

If we don't believe a tool will genuinely improve someone's life or work, we won't build it. Products without purpose are just digital clutter.

Frankly, the software industry has missed the mark so badly that we're drowning in features nobody asked for and solutions looking for problems.

That's a huge problem, and I refuse to add to the pile of noise and waste.

Our focus on purpose is not a marketing strategy. It's a principle I hold sacred.

The value of features is waning. Maybe the era of integrity is just beginning.

Onward

If you've read this far, thank you. It means the world.

If you're creating with purpose, let's talk. The era of integrity won't create itself.

Onward,

Micah