They built the digital world. Now they just want to sew and make chairs

Those who came up in the ‘move fast and break things’ era are learning to slow down and make things, writes Lisa Bonos

Haomiao Huang, left, says woodworking is ‘a great bonding experience’ for him and his wife, Lydia The (Kristen Murakoshi/The Washington Post)

On a typical workday, Haomiao Huang spends most of his time on Zoom calls, perusing spreadsheets and pitch decks, and trying to make smart decisions about which robotics and hardware start-ups to fund and which to skip.

He has also spent months, together with his wife, practising an ancient woodworking technique where two pieces of wood are meant to interlock seamlessly. After each failed attempt, these amateur woodworkers toss another expensive piece of white oak into their scrap pile.

“We’re patient,” says Lydia The after carefully running a piece of wood through a table saw. “We’re making the dining table we’re going to die with.”