The Builder's Bargain

Finding Your Path When You Can't Build

You know how to solve the problem.

You have the tools. You could build a working solution in a day or two. But instead, you're looking at months of meetings, approval chains, security reviews, and architecture committees before you can write a single line of production code.

This has always been true in large organizations. But in the era of AI agents and rapid tooling, the gap has become unbearable. The distance between what you could build and what you're allowed to build has never been wider.

The Builder's Bargain is for the engineer who traded speed for stability—and is starting to wonder if the deal still makes sense.

In this book, you'll discover:

• Why organizations restrict tools and slow down building—and why it's not always irrational
• The widening gap between what's possible with AI and what enterprises permit
• A framework for assessing whether your current bargain is still working
• How to name the tension without sounding ungrateful or unprofessional
• Strategies for building in the cracks of restrictive environments
• The case for creating outside of work—and how AI tools have changed what's possible
• How to change organizational culture from within (and when to stop trying)
• The signs that it's time to leave—and what comes next

This book is for you if:

• You're a mid-career engineer (5-15 years) in an enterprise or regulated industry
• You feel the frustration of capability without permission
• You've wondered whether to stay or go, but can't articulate why
• You want honest guidance, not "just quit" or "just be grateful"
• You're looking for a framework to think clearly about a genuinely hard situation

This isn't an angry screed about corporate incompetence. It's a nuanced, honest exploration of a real dilemma—written by someone living that tension every day.

Shane Larson is a software engineer with 15+ years in enterprise environments, including the highly regulated financial services sector. He understands both the frustration of restrictive environments and the legitimate reasons those restrictions exist.

The bargain may be broken. But you are not.

Find your path.