How Lion and The Family are changing my life and maybe others’
I first heard of Koudetat, an online video program when I still lived and worked in California. Koudetat led me to The Family (the group of people behind the content), which later put forward Lion. Lion prepares startup employees to excel. I started working in Silicon Valley in 2013 and really wish I would have had a similar training then!
There is a clear discrepancy between what is taught at school and what is asked of you in the workplace (and in startups). Our world is changing fast with technologies. If you don’t adapt your mindset you might get left behind. It is like learning a new language. If you pass on this new language you might miss out on a whole world and possibilities.
A Mindset
Lion gives you tools to succeed and network and also the opportunity to choose for yourself.
It gives you a mindset and the best setting to thrive.
The program is good for anyone but is in my opinion most valuable for us Frenchies (no offense!). Our school system tells us to stay put, be perfect and wait for the teacher (authority) to tell us what to do. I have always been a good student in France and was surprised when I received a mediocre participation grade during my US MBA. I believed I was OK but my teacher explained that I needed to debate, ie contradict, engage, push others’ limits. This came out quite as a shock and changed me. Lion pushes you to have this type of mindset. It fights the bad side of French culture, which lacks entrepreneurship and thrives on pessimism. It shows you to not wait for others to tell you what to learn, be curious, learn to trust yourself and discover your passion little by little.
A Win-Win-Win Model
Lion is a win-win-win model.
Win for you: you get free access to the most up to date techniques, best teachers/successful professionals/entrepreneurs, a unique environment, a community of like-minded people and job opportunities
Win for startups : startups can reach the best talents (already selected by the program’s selectiveness — 8% gets in) and trained to excel (through the program)
Win for Teachers : they get a unique insight on the fast evolving tech market and talents
A Stellar Environment
You often hear that you should choose the people you surround yourself with wisely. Consciously or unconsciously you take on bits of others’ personalities. Without a doubt, the environment you evolve in now has a huge impact on your future. Lion gives you access to a unique setting. Students come from many places, backgrounds, jobs but have a common drive; They are optimists, believe in innovation, are open to others, are humble. They consequently easily align with the program’s values :
- Pay it forward
- Say YES to challenge
- Embrace responsibility
- Don’t judge
- Never take it personally
- Choose courage
Being in such a great environment can give you wings, the push you need to find your calling or your next step in life. I am an optimist brought up in a wonderful country (France) but I sometimes focus on the negative side of things too much. I am beyond happy to have found The Family and Lion.
There is also no discrimination at entry. If you have access to internet you can learn about The Family, educate yourself and apply to the program. Anyone can apply for Lion and be picked, no matter where they come from. Motivation is key!
A Few Tips
I’ll leave you with 3 quick tips that struck me so far
1.‘Don’t pay attention to headlines, read qualified content written by entrepreneurs’ Oussama Ammar (Co-founder @ The Family) (a good source is Medium :))
2. ‘Organize yourself like a machine’ (but don’t be too hard on yourself). Organization is freedom. Jean de la Rochebrochard (Kima Ventures / Investment @ The Family)
3. ‘Learn Every Day, even a little’ Oussama Ammar. This will set you apart, make you stronger, grow, and help others around you (because you will be a better person). If you put aside a bit of time every day/every week to learn something, you will soon see it add up and make a difference in your life.
