They Took My Key Card: The Day a Pink Slip Unleashed My Entrepreneurial Dream

The year was 2014. By all appearances, things were going well. I was living the classic “Jamaican hustle”: juggling a demanding full-time job as a financial analyst at a large telecommunications company while building my passion project—a successful wedding photography business, Mike Bamboo, on the side.

I had the steady paycheck, the benefits, the pension—the classic American Dream safety net. But I was running on fumes, and a voice in the back of my head whispered that the corporate walls were starting to feel less like a harbor and more like a cage.

The Corporate Cage Door Closes

I had dedicated seven years to that company, building relationships and expertise. But that year, the atmosphere shifted. Our team was shrinking, and shrinking quickly. People were being called downstairs, receiving the dreaded “boot.” After lunch one afternoon, I thought I had dodged the bullet.

Then, the phone rang.

Firing Director: “Hey, Mike… Can you come downstairs?”

Me: “Is this THE call?”

Firing Director: “I’m going to need you to come downstairs.”

There I was, in that small, sterile room, facing HR and the Director of Finance, as they delivered the final verdict. The financial analyst job was over.

The Director, perhaps sensing my calm, asked the standard question: “Are you okay?”

My response was genuine, if a little strange: “To be honest, I would be more upset if I dropped a plate of food.”

I’m not entirely sure where that came from, but it’s the truth of my mindset. I simply don’t get upset about things I can’t control. The reality was, that forced exit was the exact push I secretly needed.

Then, the final, symbolic act: They took my key card. The door to that chapter slammed shut.

Breaking the Safety Net

Why did I say I “kinda” wanted to leave? Because it’s hard to walk away from comfort. It’s hard to let go of solid relationships, great money, and reliable benefits. These are the things that keep you tethered, making it almost impossible to fly toward an untested idea.

On the other side of that coin was the raw, terrifying void of entrepreneurship: no guaranteed income, no benefits, and you’re entirely on your own. I craved being a full-time entrepreneur, but letting go of that corporate safety net felt impossible.

The next two years were grueling. My mood was a roller coaster. Transitioning to full-time photography meant a relentless grind. It wasn’t easy, but I was finally doing work I loved, and every challenge I overcame was a brick laid for the future. That hustle, that resilience, made it much easier to eventually launch the project that would change my life again: AUXGOD.

An Idea Strikes: The Birth of a Game

July 1st, 2016 (Canada Day)

The inspiration for AUXGOD didn’t come in a boardroom; it came at a backyard barbecue with my best friends. I was playing DJ on a Bluetooth speaker, mixing new school with old school, keeping the party vibe high.

Then, a guest issued the ultimate challenge: a music battle. We split into two teams, and the hosts started spontaneously shouting out categories. It was pure, chaotic magic. My team was plotting, I was dancing on a chair, and everyone was laughing.

I was hooked.

I got home that night, and all I could think about were the songs I should have played. The next morning, still buzzing from the energy, I scoured the internet. I tried every combination of keywords: music battle game, party song game, DJ challenge.

Nothing.

In that moment, on July 2nd, 2016, the mission became clear: I decided to make the game myself.

From Idea to Funded Reality

Growing up, games were a huge part of my family’s culture. Game nights with my aunts and uncles were a big tradition—a way for us to connect, create memories, and enjoy each other’s company. Because of this, the idea of creating a game wasn’t an impossible leap; it felt like a natural continuation of a legacy.

Four months later, in November 2016, after relentless writing, design, and planning, we successfully launched a Kickstarter campaign, fully funded by friends, family, and a few key strangers. We were in business.

While I loved photography, I wanted a project where I could touch more people with my creativity. AUXGOD was that opportunity.

The AUXGOD Definition:

AUXGOD: A person or team that can play a hot song at any given moment.

We knew we had something special when the customer videos started flooding in. Seeing real people playing at their house parties, baby showers, and holiday gatherings—that never gets old. The clips of you all getting crazy while battling are proof that we’ve tapped into something truly universal.

I never would have thought that my curiosity in 2016 would lead me to hire incredibly talented writers who know Pop and Country music so well that the cards speak with stunning authenticity. Our passion now extends far beyond Hip Hop & RnB, connecting music fans across every genre.

The loss of that key card was the beginning of my freedom. It forced me to bet on myself, and because of that day, AUXGOD is now a vibrant reality.

What genre of AUXGOD should we dive into next on the blog—Pop or Country?

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