While we seek to forge our own paths in life, our families and upbringing, whether we are aware or not, often play a major role in the choices we make and the directions we take. Today I’m speaking with Vamsi Kotla who began his journey in pursuit of a master’s degree in Computer Science at the University of Southern California. The dot.com bust, however, presented too many challenges for him to justify continuing his studies. Vamsi left USC to become an entrepreneur and ultimately to pursue building construction, the same career as his father. This proved to be expensive, difficult and time-consuming and he was beginning to question his decisions. His defining moment came when attempting to purchase a larger home for his growing family. Significantly outbid in a highly competitive real estate market, he came to realize that his experience was one example of a much larger problem. Affordable housing.