From Sumatra to London: Folio’s early days Part 2

… I began drafting some preliminary ideas in my notebook. To leave the relative stability of a big four firm, I wanted to build something meaningful to me while adding value to people’s lives. Easier said than done.

I came up with various interesting ideas during my time at the hospital but none of them seemed feasible or interesting enough to keep me motivated in the long run. I knew I could do better than that. I also knew that I wouldn’t have the time to truly apply myself to a creative project once I start working 2 months later. This “now or never” feeling, this feeling of urgency was the boost I needed to create something meaningful but I didn’t know it yet.

What tasks could technology help me achieve more efficiently in my everyday life? I tried to answer this question many times but my initial ideas had already been built by someone else. Luckily for me, I had a lot of time to kill in this hospital bed and 8 months later, I now understand that this motorbike accident, while physically painful, was a blessing in disguise. It gave me the time and headspace to work on this problem.

A week after my injury, my best friend called me to catch-up. We studied together in London and she was now working in Bangkok. She was worried and advised me to come rest at her place and postpone the rest of the trip until I got better. “No way” was my first reaction. I had dreamt of Java and its volcanic landscapes for so long and I couldn’t conceive missing that. Regretfully, I still couldn’t walk properly and attempting to climb a volcano in that state was just silly. Reluctantly, I agreed and booked a flight to join her.

Three months later, we raised £160,000 to build Folio and the truth is, none of it would have happened had I not gone join her…

-Marvyn (Co-Founder)