Moving Out Of The Garage

I was pretty sure it was over. My first attempt at being what everyone likes to call an entrepreneur had failed.

I spent an entire, idealistic year working in a “garage” building a product that no one wanted to use. I spent all my money, time, and energy only to realize at the end that I forgot the most important thing. I was so absorbed in the little world I created that I forgot to ask my audience what they thought. By ignoring the end-user, we, as a company, doomed ourselves to failure.

Then came the day when I had to admit it was over — time to leave the garage and get a real job. I had gone without a paycheck as long as I possibly could. Failure wasn’t the worst part — it was that I would have to wait indefinitely for a second chance.

I was busy wallowing in my misery when I got the call. We were accepted into an accelerator program, but not because of our failed product. The decision makers at the IDC Elevator believed in us, in our potential to be successful entrepreneurs, which was far more gratifying than belief in a product.

Being a part of an accelerator program is a unique experience. I’ve gotten to know so many brilliant people — mentors, investors, and most exciting of all — an exceptional group of young entrepreneurs who share the same dream of building something substantial that people will use; to build a company that is not only innovative, but one that can make a difference.

Working out of an accelerator has the same starting-small idea as a business grown out of a garage, but with so many more perks. Aside from mentoring and funding, the most important thing about an accelerator is that it helps you stay focused. This well-stocked hub is full of people that genuinely care about the other companies growing around them. The network of entrepreneurs that becomes friends, of human beings who understand and make mistakes too – that’s something that doesn’t exist in the dark, lonely garage with a partner, and it’s priceless.

For the first month of the program, we searched for an idea. After three exhausting tries, my co-founders and I decided to start from scratch and then we came up with our new baby Swayy. grew out of a need that we came across in our own internet lives, and realized no one else was responding to. This time, we learned our lesson and spent endless hours in search of feedback.

Now, after months working in the accelerator, I feel that I’ve grown not only as an entrepreneur, but also as a person. Working in the accelerator gave me the second chance I wasn’t sure I would find; for this I will always be grateful. I might fail again, or I may succeed. After spending six intense months of learning how to build great products (and most importantly how to ship them), I feel that my odds for success have greatly improved.

The garage was a nice start, but the accelerator gave us the pick up and dust off that we needed.