Dana Alfaraj: Why did I choose to work in a startup right after the graduation?
After 23-year-old Kuwaiti Dana Alfaraj graduated from the American University of the Middle East in January 2016, she decided not to go with the flow and take some job in a public sector, but to start her career in a startup. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering and is currently working as an intern at Ghinwa, a startup that won the first place at recently held MIT Enterprise Forum Arab Startup Competition.
StartupQ8: What (or who) motivated you to start your career in a startup and not in a public sector? When did you decide to do so?
Dana: Ever since I was young, I lived an ordinary life like any other teenager. Half way through college, I had a turning point because I realized that I don’t want to live the routine life anymore since it is not who I am. I have many ideas in my mind that I have the potential to accomplish, but I never had the courage to take action. I shifted my perspective of life and I started liking change and taking the risk of trying new things.
My mentor Mohammad AlMunaikh, who is the CEO of Ghinwa, had a huge role in motivating me to enter the world of startups and stepping out of my comfort zone. Before graduating in a month or two, I made up my mind to go for it. In both cases, if it turns good or bad, I’ll learn something from it. So far, I love it and believe that I fit there perfectly because I’m learning a lot in a very short time and I’m enjoying the experience.
StartupQ8: Since the team is based in Dubai, from where do you work?
Dana: I work remotely in Kuwait, but I fly to Dubai whenever I am needed there. In general, most of our meetings are via Skype. Though, there are few meetings that take place in Kuwait. Eventually, when I get the full time job, I’ll be moving to Dubai.
StartupQ8: What is the most challenging part of working in a startup?
Dana: For me, I think the most challenging part is that we are all in different locations. I find it a bit hard sometimes to communicate with the team through Skype or Slack all the time. Although, it is getting easier by time. I also didn’t meet the entire team yet. I would like to meet them and know more about the people I’m working with. This is my first official job and all the members of the team are well experienced. Sometimes, I find it challenging to catch up and be on their pace. The good thing is that I get to observe and learn from their experiences.
StartupQ8: Is there any piece of advice you would like to share with fresh graduates when it comes to choosing private sector over public sector?
Dana: People have different backgrounds and experiences. Some people might fit in the private sector rather than the public sector and vice versa. From my experience, the best advice I would give is to try new things and give it time to discover what you really passionate about to end up in the path that you love. Simply, choose the job that makes you sincerely happy, because it will lead you to gradually succeed in what you’re doing. Make sure you live the journey that you want and enjoy the ride.
We couldn’t agree more with Dana.
