What I learned from working at a startup company in Indonesia

It is not surprising, the term of “startup company” is being adopted across the world, especially in the areas of the technology company. We overwhelmed with the success stories of how startup company can be brought better technologies into our life.

In Indonesia, the startup company is mushrooming in huge numbers today. Some of them now backed up with the big amount of money from their investor. The good news starts from one of the local internet companies, Tokopedia. In 2014, they got seed about 100 million USD from Softbank and Sequioa capital. Became the largest round for the Indonesian startup at that moment. From there, it is like the eye of the world is now overseeing the Indonesian startup ecosystem, and Now we can easily find the other splendid news from Indonesian startup companies who being backed up, or being acquired and even being born in this ecosystem.

In this article, I’d like to share what I learned (so far) from working in one of startup companies in Indonesia. Currently I am working as a UX designer at Tokopedia, part of the Tokopedia product team.

Fantastic Working Culture

I have experience living in Europe for several years, it is not secret anymore that people in the developed country are more likely open minded and could help you to improve your knowledge. The biggest thing that I scared off when I back to my Indonesia is the culture shock. I was scared that people, especially in my working environment would have a different culture that I used to feel while living abroad. I was afraid that I couldn’t adapt very well in the company.

I was wrong, absolutely wrong. From the first week working here, I felt that the culture is better than I expecting. They have the sincerity to share like a teacher, and humility to learn like a student. Yes, it’s true, I learned new things almost in every single day in here.

In the product team, we have a sharing session routines every two weeks. I believed another teams also have that kind of sessions. In the sharing session we shared everything with each other in the teams, from knowledges, experience, problem and tips and trick. The aim of the session, every each person in the team can grow their mindset together in the positive way.

Responsibilities are more, but the opportunities are more too

Since the very beginning, everyone was given the important task, I felt that people in the team trust each others. Your idea and your work will be easily noticeable, startup company has less people, it means everybody’s role is important. You will be more critical about your work, you will be more responsible and reliable.

At Tokopedia it self we have own internal hackathon, I heard some of startup in Indonesia also already start their own internal hackathon. This opportunity allows people in the company build their own crazy and impossible idea collaborated with people from different functions. The results are super amazing, many brilliant ideas come from this event and being implemented into real products or features.

Find new family

Because you work in a small team, you will be more close to each other in the team. Somehow, there will be a special bond with people in your team. You will be amazed by how people in your team care about you. They will always right there when you need them. You can trust them because they also trusted you. Tokopedia called the employees with “Nakama”, Nakama implies a much stronger or deeper friendship, and usually refers to someone who is like family. While it originated to mean a colleague or someone of like-minded-ness or purpose.

Work Hard , Play Harder !

Yes play harder than your work!, startup companies is fulfilled by many young talented people. So they design the working environment for the youngster soul. Cool working spaces, playground, gym facilities is not strange anymore that can be found in the startup office. Even you can use your shirt and sandals when you are working. Some of the company also gives the flexible working hours so you don’t have to wake up in the morning.

It’s sound interesting, isn’t? Yap, the article above is my humble opinion that I felt in this 9 months I’ve been working in a startup company.

If you never try, you never know

Good Luck !