I'm a Staff Data Scientist at a big MNC in India and have just been promoted to Senior Staff. They are offering me a relocation to the US with a hefty raise – my current CTC is about 1 CR, so the US package would be a whole different ball‑game.
At the same time I'm juggling three side projects.
First, an open‑source dev tool for AI coding agents that just launched. We're already getting inbound interest from enterprises, which I didn't expect so quickly. No revenue yet.
Second, an AI interview‑prep platform I co‑founded with my partner. It's actually earning about 1.5L a month, covering DSA, system design, AI/ML – not enough to quit my job but it's real and growing.
Third, a voice‑AI tutor we built at a hackathon. It's still early, but the initial feedback feels different from anything I've launched before.
What makes the US relocation tempting, beyond the salary, is the ecosystem – being in SF or NYC gives you direct access to founders, events and a casual network you can't replicate remotely. If any of these projects need funding or I want to join an early‑stage startup, being there could matter a lot.
But I also see the downsides: a new city, corporate grind, less time for building, my partner has a stable job in India so she'd have to quit too. A big salary can also silently kill the urgency.
I keep feeling that quitting might be the right call, yet something holds me back and I'm not sure if it's rational or just fear.
You can't work on those side projects with an H‑1B or L‑1 visa. Talk to an immigration lawyer and keep it away from your employer. If the side hustles ever take off, the US is just a flight away.
Woah, congratulations! You've made it to the far right of the bell curve – a lot of hard work behind the scenes. Are you open to mentoring?
Edit: sorry, no advice, I'm just a kid with too many side quests.
I've been thinking about your situation, and this feels like one of those rare moments where taking the US option just makes sense.
Not because your side projects aren't exciting – they clearly are – but the move doesn't shut any doors. If anything, it opens more.
You'd get:
- a lot more exposure to the ecosystem you care about
- a stronger network and access that's hard to replicate from here
- a financial cushion that gives you freedom to take risks later
Your projects are still early enough to grow alongside this, so you're not walking away from something inevitable.
If one of them really takes off later, you can always go all‑in then, but with better context, connections and confidence.
So the US option gives you more upside while keeping your optionality intact. That's a pretty strong position.
If you're prepared for the ups and downs of the next five years – the J‑curve – then quit; otherwise take the US offer.
Damn, will I ever reach a 1 CR salary?
Mujhe AI interview‑prep ka link do, please. I want to practice my AI/ML skills.
If you have an entrepreneur mindset and eventually want to set up a startup, the US is the best place – that's where real VC money lives.
Fellow junior, I don't have any suggestions beyond best wishes and good luck.
I'd love to hear about your journey and how you reached the Senior Staff DS role, if you're willing to share.
You're a prime candidate for EB‑1A. Let me know if you want info on the same.
Is the project you're talking about Repowise? I haven't seen a commit in two weeks. Have you stopped building?