Lessons In a Startup: Part 1

For my project work at school I was fortunate enough to serendipitously fall into a role at an Italian Based, Global, eCommerce start up with clients around the world. First off, how did this all happen?

Well since I made the move to Milan and started Grad School, I was challenged to start blogging, and as I learned about finding my style and my voice in my blog, I wrote a post that exploded, ‘My Grad School Adventure: Football (American) in Italy’. I had a blast writing about my experiences and lessons, as well as educating my family, friends, and readers about my experience here. This lead to one Tommaso Finadri, President, CTO, and Co-Founder of Beast Technologies to read it as he is a player on the Parma Panthers American Football Team (the same Parma Panthers from John Grisham’s book ‘Playing for Pizza’, side bar: read it, it is a lot like the experiences I am having here). 

When I first got his email I was cautious, I had made the decision to leave a good Sales Job to explore the world and get a Master’s in Milan with the thought that I was going to fall into working at a Big Luxury Fashion Brand and live the life of the Fashion Industry (think ‘Devil Wears Prada’). But I entertained it and after learning about the product, a Strength Tracker that hinges on Data Analytics and IoT or internet of things, I was very intrigued. Also the name was Beast Technologies and the quote I have had as the background of my computer since I made the move was, “Everyone wants to be a Beast, until it’s time to do what Beasts do”, coincidence?

While I was in B2B Sales and Marketing I worked in the IT industry and learned a lot about technology and start ups and paid careful attention to the start up scene in Des Moines and followed companies like Dwolla. I have always been an early adopter of Social Media and jumped on the Spotify and Snap Chat train from day 1, just like I did with Twitter and Facebook in high school. I also love the laid back culture you get inside a startup.

So I decided to jump in head first and see what I could do to help a startup that launched just 2 years ago, into a new market, grab its footing and grow the company. My role at Beast was to come in a put on many hats blending my experience in Account Management and Sales, with my passion for Content Creation and growing our Social Media footprint. I currently am the Content Marketing Manager and Head of International Partnerships. In my role I manage a small team of 5 across Marketing, Sales, and eCommerce/Customer Support. 

Things I have learned and like about a startup, freedom to try out new things. I have established a Content Marketing Roadmap, something we did not have before, and have the freedom to try and do things to create buzz and generate awareness. I am getting to blend my schooling with my passion. 

Working in a startup is dynamic, different, always changing, and you have to be able to handle multiple roles and have the ability to pivot as needed, a skill I learned in Sales and honing here. I was able to spend some time with a professor in Barcelona who has founded 2 startups and after talking to him about the future of startups, I couldn’t be more excited about my role here and all the lessons that lie before me.

I love to compete, I love being the new kid on the block, the underdog, and I love to surprise people, so what better opportunity to drive this and work in a startup. To end with an often overused quote, “I didn’t choose the startup life, the startup life chose me.”

I am excited to see where this next journey will take me! 

Living and Studying Abroad: Challenges

Studying abroad whether you are in undergrad, or for a Master’s program provides a unique and unforgettable experience! That experience will come with memories, friendships, and moments captured that you will never forget. 

But what about the challenges? Studying and living abroad provides a number of challenges. One of the biggest challenges for most people who go abroad is the language barriers. Going to a new country where you do not know the language or where that language is not your main fluency is tough. It takes a lot to overcome this. Always try to study and familarize yourself with the language of the country you are going to and most definitely study the language while you are there. You might never become fluent but knowing how to accurately order food or ask for directions is more helpful than you can realize.

In most places you can get by with English as it is a very international language.

Another challenge is getting lost, it is bound to happen and often. And if you rely on public transportation expect delays, strikes, and most definitely you will forget your stop and not know where you are. If you are directionally challenged (like me) make sure to download apps that you can use (even without data) like Google Maps, or City Maps 2 Go. I cannot tell you how many times they have helped me out while getting lost in Italy, Germany, Paris, etc. 

But also you can turn getting lost into an adventure, sometimes the best way to acclimate yourself to a city is to get lost and explore!

Another big learning curve or lesson is the culture. Now this is an ambiguous term, so maybe better would be to acclimate yourself with some of the major customs and way of doing things. There are always going to be some cultural norms that will be very different than the country you come from that will be odd, annoying, or frustrating because you just do not understand. 

Learn to roll with it, take it as a learning lesson and use it to grow both personally and professionally.

In a new city or country please do not be afraid to ask for help, it is not easy trying to figure it all out on your own, use the tools and network you have to get accustom to your surroundings. Always be aware of your surroundings, many people get things stolen or they lose things, while being caught up in a new city. Understand that this may (and for some of you) will happen. Be prepared, it is part of the travel experience.

Always have a copy of all your ID’s and Cards saved at your apartment or where you are staying. It is a pain but having copies of everything could prove very beneficial.

Things like cues, vary from country to country. In Ireland every might get in a straight line to cue for the plane or to get food, where in Italy you just kind of get in a big group and work it out. It is always easy to hear about how amazing traveling and studying abroad it, and trust me it is. But understand that something will always go wrong, it wont always go as planned, and that is okay. Realize that it is all part of the process. Learning to overcome these challenges will only make the memories sweeter, and the experience more memorable. 

Be prepared to be uncomfortable, be open minded to learn new things, and be open to the world. Studying abroad is life changing and when you look back you will be thankful, but know that it is not easy. It only takes one bad experience to make you want to go back home, but if you prepare yourself and face these challenges head on, you will be amazed at what you can accomplish as a person.

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.

Mark Twain.