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From Startup to Corporate: Surviving the Culture Shock
Lessons from creating a successful career after a failed startup
I remember the first day of my first “real job” at the age of 27. As is customary, the new boss took me around to meet all the key people I would be expected to build relationships with. First, I met the people occupying 4-way workstation desks. Then the ones who sat in rooms the size of my studio apartment. One of these rooms belonged to a Director. I was introduced, and he asked, “Where are you from?”
That’s an odd question, I thought. I’m more familiar with “What’s your elevator pitch?” when meeting businesspeople. I gave a quick spiel about how my parents are originally from the south of China, but I grew up in New Zealand.
“No, I meant which company are you from?”
A frog was in my throat. What do I say? Thoughts rushed through my head: “A startup you’ve never heard of that was my life for four years up until recently because I burned out. I’m only here because I was able to spin my experiences into a semi-congruent and passable resume…”
“Oh, I had a business that digitized oral history.”
The first day and I had already made an ass of myself. I questioned why I was even hired. It was much later that I found out my…
