Year 1: Reflection from a Unicorn Startup Employee
A personal guide for the “move fast, and break things” environment.
Disclaimer: This opinion does not represent or fully reflects the company that the writer currently works at. All views stated are my own, and their application is subjective — thus, it may not apply or resonate with everyone.
It has been a long time since I last wrote an article. (refer to my Indonesian diaspora in SF article, and my reflection of a 2-month career).
Here I am, after a year living in Jakarta, and working for the first unicorn startup in Indonesia, GOJEK. I happened to join the company at an interesting time. I was involved in the expansion of GO-PAY QR Payment, GOJEK’s digital wallet and payment product, from its infancy until its current status as the largest e-wallet in Indonesia.
I still remember the feelings of anxiety, joy, and excitement, as I went through the process of recruiting back in late 2017.
It seems crazy, looking back, because it definitely feels like I have been in this company for more than a year. Well, they say that working for a startup is counted in dog’s years. A year truly feels like 2–3 years (ha!).
I wish I had someone to ‘break it down’ for me before taking this fast track. However, the adventure would not be as exciting if I already knew the shortcuts.
So, these are the things that I would advise my younger self, or people out there who are about to embark on a similar journey:
1. Invest in Mentors, and Trusted Buddies
I define Mentors as people whom I trust and have significantly more work experience that I am, and Trusted Buddies as peers or people who simply believe in you and your dreams.
In your first-month, try to actively look for new people who can help you understand more about the company inside out. I think you can learn a lot from the experience of others, to see where you fit in the big picture.
Unfortunately, there is a tendency for fresh grads to get bogged down to their functional aspect without really understanding the vision — of the company, and of their personal vision — and how their daily trade contributes to that.
I do not deny the fact that some of us shy from this idea of approaching people or strangers — thinking that it may be too much, or having the fear of rejection or shame.
However, I believe in the thesis that ‘All people are generally nice. They have both good and bad sides.’ In the work context, those who are already accomplished and doing well have something more to look for. Maybe — they feel the drive to give back? to mentor younger employees? or even better, they see their younger selves in you. Think about the Self-actualization part of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs.
Given the proposition, you can tap into new networks with a genuine intention and personal touch. Though there are caveats that include 1) you don’t waste their time 2) you are genuinely passionate about the person and you have shared interests 3) you remain respectful and continually try to add value.
Something to try out: Reach out to your nearby work buddies, ask them out for lunch or coffee. Leverage LinkedIn, internal company messaging tool, or your ‘weak-network’ nodes (alumni, mutual friends, etc).
2. Hustle and Growth Mindset
I’d define hustle as the thirst to achieve (or the energy that fuels you to get to the desired destination). And, growth mindset (as opposed to fixed mindset) as the belief that you can continually get better at something.
Given your specific purpose — hustle and growth mindset will complement your journey. These two attributes will help you to chart into the unknown, and finish strong.
Hustle is what keeps you going. It has to be something that ‘strikes’ you directly. It’s either you have it or not. It’s a binary, within. To put it in a hyperbole — it’s the midnight oil, the blood, the sweat, and the tears. However, you’d have to balance this with self-awareness, because everyone has a different notch of hustle.
Furthermore, growth mindset is what differentiates a ‘learner’ from ‘non-learner’. It is THE comparative advantage. In this day and age, there are so many opportunities to learn, and improve yourselves!
I personally like to go to industry events to learn about the latest trends and connect with new people. Check out the latest events in your area here: Eventbrite, Meetup, Facebook Events.
Follow industry leaders on Twitter, listen to them in Spotify Podcasts, subscribe to their email lists, and read about their stories. (For starters I’d recommend: Zero to One, Lean Startup, Y Combinator’s Startup Library, a16z’s articles, and First Round Review).
Something to try out:
Constantly ask yourself, if you could improve a specific task by 1%, 5%, etc.
What does a X% improvement look like? What is considered to be a world-class performance in ‘X’ field? Who is a world-class performer in your role? How can I learn from him or her?
3. Balance Hard Skills with Soft Skills
Technical skills matter. It signals your competency. Your hard skills will get you the job and do the bare minimum task. For an analytical role at a startup, my advice is to get the basics of Statistics, Excel, SQL, and Powerpoint (#BeAScientist).
Also, not to forget these three underrated lifetime skills: reading, writing and public speaking. You’ll be surprised by how many, even those with more experience, do not exhibit these skills (#CommunicateWithPurpose).
Along with that, to grow and thrive, we’ll need to develop extreme curiosity, grit, ownership, humility and self-awareness (#ShootForGreatness).
And, all of the above are like muscles.
You train them with faith, time, and experience. To use the analogy of physical fitness — you need to warm up, train, nourish your body, lift heavier weights, do more reps, and perhaps help others in their last reps.
Sometimes you may have injuries, but that’s okay. You may have to rest, but you can rise up stronger!
Something to try out:
Sign up for ONE class that you have been wanting to take. Commit to it. GO to that conference or training. Invest in it. BUY that book. Nourish your mind. CONNECT with that one person. Build friendship.
If you get to this part, here’s the dessert:
One of the most rewarding things about working for a startup is that there are many examples of the highest standards set by different teams, and people.
And, the best part about it is that you can LEARN directly from them. If not, you can still LEARN from their work. It’s just so amazing to see the concentration of talents in a single company.
Moreover, you can make a lot of ‘mistakes’ (and, this is the highest form of learning), and it does not ‘cost’ you anything (but, of course, it may or may not ding your credential depending on the severity).
To sum up, I’d like to say:
Thank you to my mentors and trusted buddies — for you have allowed me to see the diversity of ideas, and the cool stuff that you do.
And, it inspires me to continually push my limits and be the best-iteration of myself.
And, I am grateful to be able to infuse my work with a blend of leadership, empathy, and purpose.
And, now, let’s spread the love through our work ❤.
Anyway, happy to share more and connect! Feel free to shoot an email, or send an invite. I can be found here, and here.
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