The end is just the beginning

Before the class…

I heard that this class had a very heavy workload. People said that the class was hard and the most amazing class they had taken at the same time. For me the workload was not a concern. We are in CCA after all, more work means tolerating a bit more pain. I thought this class was all about business and learning business practices. Little did I know what the class was actually about. Which is good, I like knowledge thrown at me mercilessly.

Activities

Boy where do I start. There is just so much I have taken away from this class that I believe picking out one thing would not do justice. Speaking from impact of practical knowledge, I can confidently say learning about the business model canvas takes 1st place. Understanding the puzzle pieces of a viable business was a revelation to learn.

The 2nd would be teamwork. I would given this the 1st place but for a class learning about business the BMC makes sense for that. I believe now that when you have a great team with you, you can tackle any challenge thrown your way. Apart from knowledge of how to start a company, who you work with will absolutely make or break you. I was fortunate to switch teams to work with people I can be a better version of myself and keep getting better.

Empathy Day!

Empathy day was really powerful for team heart workouts and I loved the chair listening (name?) activity that Christina instructed about. That deep is emotional connection is a crucial unifier when the going get tough as a team in the future.

What I learned

I learned that it IS possible to start your own company. It is NOT this impossible mountain of scary failure that people don’t want to touch. It is scary, exhausting, frustrating etc but when you heart skips a beat when you see your startup actually being real it makes it all worth it. I’m so proud of the hard work my team has put in and I am beyond happy to be in a position to say Algowork has the potential to make peoples lives better in some way.

CMO Practice

As the Chief Marketing wizard I realized my digital growth hacking skills were in their infancy. So I decided to take it up a notch doing this weird thing called talking to other humans. I felt really comfortable talking to potential customers with being very clear on the value. I learned that it is also very important to be in a environment where your target customers are comfortable. The common space next to the library in SF State was perfect. Talking to people in person was more efficient for me to get quality sign ups compared to online methods.

When I venture out into the world…

The number one thing that I would shout at myself first then other people to do is bootstrapping your startup. Getting VC funding is selling your soul and your startup to people that will never share that fire in your heart. You will be forced to grow into things you never imagined chasing profits.

Best Team!!!!

Another is having the chance to work again with awesome people like Ola, Jennifer and Skylar! I had so much fun with them and I believe we will get together to work on Algowork in the future. It’s such a joy to work with people that have a shared understanding and have each other’s back when things are not going well. I learned a lot from them and hope to continue to learn in the future as well.

Final Words

Christina, Kate: This has been hands down one of the best classes and you guys are the some of the best instructors I have had the pleasure to learn from. I wish I could take this class forever and keep making amazing things in the world with your guidance. Wherever the road takes team Algowork, we will honor both of you at ever milestone. Thank you.