Burnout Doesn't Look Like What You Think It Looks Like
72% of entrepreneurs are impacted by mental health conditions. 77% never seek help. Peer-reviewed research shows detachment doesn't work for founders — but control does.
Amelia S. Gagne
Behavioral insight meets technical execution.
CEO of Kief Studio. In tech since 2012. Perplexity AI Business Fellow.
About
Executive. Developer. Operator.
I'm CEO and co-founder of Kief Studio, a technology studio I run alongside my co-founder and spouse, Brian Gagne (CTO). We've been building together since 2012 — the partnership predates the entity by a decade.
My work sits at the intersection of engineering and behavioral science. Credentials in marketing psychology, consumer behavior, and positive psychology shape how I read customers, build products, and communicate. The code and the people questions aren't separate tracks — they're the same discipline.
14+
Years in Tech
Perplexity
AI Business Fellow
100+
Professional Credentials
800
Pages (co-authored book)
Latest
Writing
What I Stopped Outsourcing (and What I'll Never Build In-House)
Average DevOps engineer tenure is 2.3 years. When they leave, months of institutional knowledge walk out the door. The build-vs-buy framework that accounts for departure.
Start With a Monolith. Seriously.
42% of companies moved back to monoliths in 2026. For teams under 20 engineers, microservices solve problems you don't have yet — and create problems you don't need.
Reach out
Let's talk.
Personal-advisory questions route to me directly. Team-scope engagements route to Kief Studio. Both inboxes are monitored within 48 hours on business days.
Or use the intake form for anything that warrants a proper brief.