Reaching Goals and Setting New Ones

Last year, I set a goal for myself. 

"Do something great before I turn 20."

 It was a very vague goal, with no measurements or events that would let me know if I've definitively achieved it, just "something great". I found out a few month later, however, that setting a goal so figuratively wasn't the best practice one should use but i decided to run with the idea and, with or without me knowing, the decisions I made from then on would lead me to achieving this goal a year early, at least in my standards.

Ideaspace #Technopreneur Bootcamp Bohol 2014

Just recently I had had the privilege to once again work with the wonderful startup community that led me to this path. Our friends at Ideaspace, after witnessing the success of Startup Weekend Bohol, wanted to hold Bohol's first Ideaspace #Technopreneur Bootcamp. Naturally, the local tech community and organizers of Startup Weekend Bohol _{(i.e. the TechTalks Tagbilaran community)} were contacted and tasked to be field organizers and prepare the group before Ideaspace arrived from other engagements.

Meeting New Friends

Much like our experience in organizing SWB, there was a deep low on the number of participants. Working with my friends in TTTagbilaran was clear as a whistle as everyone had the right connections and drive to push through all the technicalities and logistics needed for the event. Giving it our all, we only managed to get 15 to 20 pre-event submissions. 

Ideaspace arrived, the venue was set for an assumed 115 participants and the TechTalks Tagbilaran team were internally screaming. But lo and behold, 135 participants showed upa nd idea submissions bamfed up to 41 before the mentor's Cafe started, which immensely delighted our friends from Ideaspace. "You seemed like you weren't worried at all! You were so relaxed!" One organizer said to us, core organizers, referring to our mental and emotional state a day and a few hours before the event started when things looked grim. We awkwardly laughed and replied "It's because we couldn't do anything more to make the situation any better."

Startup Weekend Bohol 2014

The situation was just as grim in before Startup Weekend Bohol opened a few months ago with a high number of "free" participants and a low number of "participants who would pitch". Mentors and Judges, both local and international, were there at the opening night looking forward to hearing Bohol's bright ideas while the organizers and I looked at each other in the sidelines with weary eyes about the number of people we expected to actually go up front. Much of our efforts in pre-event bootcamp sessions were, although fun, only attended by a handful of people. We thought the event would be a bust since nobody had an idea to share but the people of Bohol thought otherwise. One stood and pitched, then a group of two then a third and the next thing I knew half of the seats were empty because everyone wanted to stand up and share!

My first ever Press Conference

So much to say, the experience of going out there and engaging with the local community opened my eyes and taught me many lessons. To never underestimate the ability of people and to never ever give up when a challenge has been put in front of you.

Hanging with the big leagues

Being able to organize two such prestigious events was such a mind-blowing thought to me when I realized I had actually reached my goal. Hopefully, I am proven wrong and another bigger chance for me to "do something great" presents itself in the following five months but basking in the afterglow which was the Symph experience, I just wanted to look back at the things I was able to do in just a year following my decision to make myself better and man did I do a lot.

Chilling at Geeks On A Beach 2

One of which "lot of activities" I got to do was attend my first ever Geeks On A Beach at Mactan, Cebu. I met new friends and reconnected with old ones and once again learned so much that my experience at GOAB2 deserves a separate post on its own.

All the reflection and self-praise aside, being exposed to these events and communities of such crazy and passionate people, you get to look deep into yourself and makes you think about what part you play in all of it. Saying that, I think it's time to set another goal for myself, with output i can actually measure this time so I can't cheat.

"Symph has to be a purely startup driven/developing company before I turn 23. By then, I also have to be an expert at Rapid Prototyping and reliable at Growth Hacking. " 

And when I say "purely startup driven", I mean "purely startup driven". No client projects, no odd jobs, just purely the team around a table working together to solve the world's problems.

That was quite an intimidating dream actually and I'm very tempted to change it, but setting such a high standard for myself will only benefit me in the end, I think. "It won't be too bad, I hope", says the idealist me as I type this last sentence sealing my fate to this three-year commitment.

Developing Startups and my Internship

It has been five months since Clint and I joined Symph as their newest Creative Interns and I have to say, it's been one hell of a ride. As I'm writing this, my time with Symph as their newest intern is ending. And in this post, I'd like the future me to know that whatever might happen, after I graduate university or when I seriously pursue my career, that my experience here in Symph had been a great one.

My story with them started two years ago in my first ever Startup Weekend Cebu. Dave, one of the Symph founders, approached me after my team mate, Lawrence _{(who ended up being my co-intern two years later)}, presented on Sunday Night. I vaguely remember Dave asking me if I did the graphics for our team and if I was still a student or not. Ever since, I've kept in contact with Dave and Albert and some of the Symph team members in some way and, if they ever knew it or not, they've continuously given me a source of motivation and inspiration to keep on doing what I was doing and to strive for the best.

Team Symph on their way to Team Lunch

Getting accepted into Symph the day we applied was like dream come true to me _{(statement justified by my reaction)} and it's hard to believe it's been five months since then. I can justify that the time we spent with them weren't all fun and games though. On the first day we officially entered the then old Escario office, we were tasked to help with data entry in one of the Wordpress sites the company was developing at the time. I was already familiar with it's interface, being in charge of media during Startup Weekend Bohol, so I was pretty ok with the task, as opposed to my friend who had looked at the dashboard for the first time.

Francis and Kai shenanigans

The following days were Albert, one of Symph's founders, getting us to learn Git, Python and Google App Engine and how it all plays out together in development. Clint opted out of the program and decided to focus on his design, working with Dan, the company's Chief Design Officer. A lot came out of that study for me. I learned how to apply what I learned in a working environment and I got to understand what it takes to be a developer in a startup _{(at least a taste of it)}. Albert assigned to me one of the old startups the company used to work on as my project for this internship. Askbuildshare is basically a list of problems and possible solutions that the public can access and validate or possibly help solve.

It started out that way at first but then, after a long talk, pivoted to a tool to help manage thesis projects for teachers and then pivoted again after testing to the original idea. The direction we wanted to take was that the higher ups in the academe would approve of the system so students can use it as inspiration for their thesis works. I went through the whole process myself from the development to the testing, leading up to the launch.

A lot happened in those months from staring at code for a whole weekend, trying to fathom where that id led to, to ending up deleting two months worth of code only to go back to phase one. The lessons I learned in that process were immeasurable though and I wouldn't change any of the challenges I faced then even if I could.

We are OKr

Of course, the fun part about working with a startup is the ability to see it grow and work on other projects that could possibly make the company big. Clint and I witnessed one of the company's milestones when we upgraded from the Escario office to the The TIDE, we've seen co-workers and friends come and go in the past few months and more importantly, we've got down and dirty with Symph's most recent startup, Outdoin.

We've obviously upgraded ourselves, practiced, watched tutorials, lazed around by ourselves or with other co-workers and just generally bonded with the team. I learnt so much in my stay with them and only hope to extend my experience with the company once I've graduated. A lot can happen in one semester and I can only hope Symph will miss me as much as I'll miss them. Thanks, guys v(=∩_∩=)ﾌ

Unexpected Inspiration Boost

Ms. Paola Galan's Comment and Picture that made my day :)

I met Paola at Startup Weekend Cebu 2 last year. I haven't really talked to her for that long so the fact that she's able to encourage me like this and make me do better is something pretty special.

I hope I'll be able to catch up to you guys in the future haha :D I'll do my best and thanks for the INSPIRATION!