October 2015
Listing 2.0 startup status: hold
Summaries
On My Listing-2.0 Startup? -> Archived!
Remember Jimmy? Me and Indra are planning to pitch Listing 2.0 to Jimmy — -even though we didn’t have any plan to execute it soon. We tried to pitch him to join this future initiative because beside he has good business instinct, he has some experience in psychology testing and recruiting business.
I delivered the pitch, as usual, with my passionate style.
Turned out, Jimmy didn’t like the idea. That’s okay. A lot of people didn’t like the idea. Great idea is often ridiculous at first, Paul Graham said that. The problem was, Jimmy pointed the loophole assumption of my big idea.
It was “are you really sure Indonesian companies, right now, are really that care with personality test result?”. Then he gave me some facts from his industry.
I didn’t expect that statement came from someone with psychology testing background.
To be honest, I bought his point. The core of this startup idea, the personality stuffs, is a risky assumption. It needed to be validated first. Listing 2.0 need to be downgraded to Listing 1.0 — -the quite conventional one.
Again, to be honest, I think I didn’t have a lot of drive to execute conventional business. My motivation is never money. I want a business that disrupt human psyche, positively. Listing 2.0, if it works, does some part at happiness in working place. Listing 1.0 doesn’t.
So, this Listing 2.0 idea was archived, at least until I see the real demands.
On My Mom Sadness & Mine
After that shocking meeting, I was still in the room, alone, my mom was calling me. She’s quite surprise with wedding invitation from Reza — -my close friend in Junior High.
She was sad, comparing my struggling path with Reza’s. She felt sorry that, our family condition leads me to this. The last time she was this sad is when my cousin wedding.
It made me cry on the phone too. I’m sad when my family member is sad — -for whatever reason. Full stop.
For a moment, my old past insecurity reappeared again, my tears burst outs.
“What if i don’t have this startup personality?”
“What if I took that job offer from Microsoft Indonesia?”
“What if I could make high-paying salary?”
If I chose that path, this phone call won’t be exist — -assuming I were already married also. :p
But I will lie to myself, to my personality.
The way out is clear. My parents are supporting the path I chose. Now, I must prove them that I could be financially success, as I my friend who work at big corporate.
ASAP!
On My Agile Training Business
I asked Indra to join AgileCampus.org. He was okay. But somehow, someday later, he could convince me to get more broad, even changing the brand of the company.
He want to make innovation consultancy firm.
I said, “as long I still could sell my Scrum training, I’m okay.”
For my agile training business, it’ll help improve my credibility, and it might help the software designing side of ecosystem. Which isn’t really served well with agile educators nowadays.
And oh yeah. Remember Saska? The one who pitched me to join Labtek Indie last year.
He is one of Indonesian expert in Design Thinking. I told about him to Indra. Turned-out, they quite know each other well.
On My ‘Terong’ Experiment
Agile training business is not my long-term goal. FYI, I did refuse a co-founder share offer from a continental-wide Scrum training company. A continental-wide!
My long-term goal is to create a product that improve humanity. I thought Listing 2.0 will, by helping organization to find potential member with matched vision and personality.
But this month I realized, some stuffs there needed to be validated first.
Talking about ‘validating’. I actually have a long-time pet project that had been validated — -in a small group of people. The problem is, unlike Listing 2.0, this pet project is not a cash machine. It’s too early to call it as a company or a startup.
Unless an angel investor wired his money to me right now. Which might be happen only if I live in the crazy Silicon Valley — -I heard it right from a coder had been working there.
I pitch the idea to Indra, he is also an angel investor from angel.id. He said it has a chance. But I need to prove the traction first to secure the investment.
In the end of this month, I successfully asked Rahmat Awaludin and Kun Yahya to join ‘Terong’ experiment.
Moment
1st — The Indian Guy
Oh yeah, this morning, a startup founder from India came to my incubator. Since there were no other mentors, I helped management guys to escort him. After some formal discussion about his needs by visiting here, we talked about random interesting stuffs:
- Compared to SV, IT guys in India are more eager to buy a car. Which makes Bangalore always getting more crowded.
- 3 Idiots movie did make impact on changing Indian parents perspective on controlling their children’s future. But they still, however, try to influence their children choice — -by lobbying. Old habit die hards.
1st — Deal!
In the latest pitching last month, he asked me a cost-revenue projection. This day, I finally brought it. Gentlemen agreement with Indra Purnama. He’s okay to back-up AgileCampus.org with his legal company — -or funding, if needed. He also agreed to . We would focus on simple agile training business model, then move to listing-2.0 when we’re ready.
2nd — Sore Throat :(
Went to puskesmas. Couldn’t work well, but managed to finish email Indra about my strategy to join with Jimmy.
5th — My 1st Gastric Attack
I haven’t had it before — -we called it ‘Maag’ in Indonesia. My sore throat medication triggered it. It was so painful. Thanks I have dr. Rizka.
6th — Meeting on Training Cost Structure
Me and Indra discussing the cost structure of our training venture.
7th — Run & A Pissed Guy
Had a great 10 laps run.
My text pissed someone again. So glad, I could clear it up with voice call. I failed, and I learned. Thanks for the opportunity! I believe, it saves me from some future failures…. :D
8th — Saska’s Tears
On Technical Thursday event at BDV, Saska the facilitator of this Design Thinking workshop, opened it with a question : “when did the last time you cry? and how?” Every participant must answer that question. So interesting! He said this afterwards, “to be able to cry easily is a sign of kind heart”. So sweet! After he asked the participants, I asked him back. He answered “couple of weeks ago, because of a One Piece chapter.” Yay, we both read One Piece.
Other funny thing was the photo Indra captured candidly. It was me talking to my new friend — -a girl. He post in on mentor WA group, and put the caption “He moved from the back seat to front seat so fast, to seize the opportunity.”
I jokingly replied on the group, “agile”.
:D
8th — Silvi’s Social Initiative
Went to McD Dago. My friend, Silvia Rachmy, asked my advices on her startup. Her startup is kinda sweet. It helps blind people to get audiobook easily. For me, it’s a surprising move. I’m so happy that one more people want to create good long-lasting impact to society.
13th — Thought on Saska and Indra
At the noon, I told Indra, that last year (first time I went to Indigo Incubator), actually Saska pitched me to join his Riset Indie / Labtek Indie. At that time, he said he saw my expertise in Scrum. Maybe also my idealism vibe — -which he also had quite high.
Surprisingly, they’ve known each other quite well. Both were the leader of electronic student council back then in ITB. Indra is five years older than Saska, as Saska to me.
Since knew about the second coming of me to Bandung in this 2015, Saska wanted to have another meeting. We scheduled it tonight at Japati, his office. At first, he pitch me about the new era of Labtek Indie, and ask me on helping him
After his pitch to me, as my plan, I told him about my project with Indra, AgileCampus.org. I ask his opinion about it. He said Indra is one of people he looked up to, and was happy to know that Indra and me working together.
Then, somehow, I chose to told him about my pet project ‘Terong’. Saska is an experimental person. And love to tackle various problems. I see some of my self in him. I was really curious about his opinion on ‘Terong’. So I showed it.
And he loved it!
16th — The Turning Point
This day was about the meeting between Me, Indra, & Jimmy, on Listing 2.0. See the Summary section above for the detail.
16th — Mom’s Call
While still mourning the death of Listing 2.0 in my heart, my mom was calling me. See the Summary section above for the detail.
25th — A Hangout with Emil
It consist on there main parts:
- Me playing tennis with her friends (at Sabuga)
- Me asking her opinion on my recent and past romance problems (on the way & BEC)
- She giving me advice on my career (at Some Yoghurt Cafe)
Thanks Emil! :)
26th — First Indra-Rizky-Saska Meetup
We pitched Saska to join. He said okay if it doesn’t harm his Labtek Indie.
I also asked the possibility of investment on ‘Terong’ project to Indra. He said I as a very consumer app, I must prove the traction first.
27th — Rahmat Joined ‘Terong’ Experiment
I’ve known him for quite times. He is well-known author of Laravel tutorial book. In these few weeks, I saw him working on co-working space part of my startup incubators.
I asked to myself, why don’t I asked him
My pitch was successful. Surprisingly we have some similar views on religion and management. He is so super! I rarely find a passionate coder who also loves management topic. It’s a good start for a good CEO and CTO.
He also refers me to Kun as the design person to this experiment.
28th — Kun Joined ‘Terong’ Experiment
Accidentally, I met and talked with Kun severals day earlier. He’s an eccentric tall person. I clicked with him, just in 2 microseconds.
My pitch was successful too.
Even I spoiled my romantic story to him..
