What I’ve learned working in a Start-up

You’ve likely heard that working at a start-up is like building a plane while flying it. The start-up world has its own set of challenges, and Laura Behrens Wu — cofounder and CEO of Shippo — enlarges on one: “Working at a start-up is like building the jet engine while you’re flying the plane. And likely there’s also a fire on the plane.”

It’s been a special two years at FenaPay, I wanted to share what my experience has been like, I decided to write down some thoughts that came up along the way. Working in a start-up provides you with an experience that is truly unique. Here are five take aways I’ve learned from working in a start-up:

1. Write down what problem you plan to solve. Ask your smart friends (and a few of your least-impressive friends) to help you formulate a general plan for tackling the problem, then give them specific tasks to help flesh it out.
2. Sometimes, in interactions with fellow co-founders, you can find yourself on the receiving end of advice you may not have asked for. Rather than feeling hurt by this, try to listen and to hear the advice from the viewpoint of one who is giving it with your best interest in mind.
3. Become a learning machine. Be committed to finding solutions to problems. It’s one thing to identify issues, but what the company/team needs are owners and people who will fix them!
4. The most important lesson I learned is that momentum is the elixir that helps start-ups to continue operating. A lack of momentum can cause fear, uncertainty, and doubt to take hold in a fledgling company.
5. Wear as many hats as possible. Job descriptions in start-ups may be vague because of limited staff. In one week, you could be creating social media content, editing the newest blog post, researching everything and anything, featuring in the launch campaign commercial… If you are comfortable tackling many different responsibilities, working in a start-up environment might be a good fit for you.

“Don’t lose yourself in your work.” James Mawaka, Cofounder of FenaPay

Remember: Your work won’t love you back. It’s amazing to build something from nothing. Yes, a huge investment can change your life. But don’t lose yourself in your work. Pay attention to your relationships and family. Make time for them and take advantage of the moments when you can rebalance the scales.

On a final note, take ownership of what it is you’re doing today, it will come in handy down the road. You are creating something bigger than yourself and your piece of the puzzle is crucial. Don’t fear uncertainty. The fun lies in the adventure ahead. Most importantly: Get involved. Who knows, we might see you hear at FenaPay!