Tuesday 31 March 2015

Working with a Startup.



Who'd have thought this time last year that I would now be working in Manchester for a Startup company? Not only that, but be their first employee. There's three of them, 'the guys' I like to call them. All co-founders of DueCourse (an invoicing tool - just incase you was wondering). Last year I was working at a Fruit & Veg shop... I had been for 2 years towards the end of uni. I loved it (purely for the gossip) but I knew it wasn't leading me into my dream career nor was it paying me well.


I also felt like I wasn't learning anything. Day after day was the same. There is only so much I can learn about the Fruit and Veg we sold or so much pride I can have at being the fastest till worker there. But working at DueCourse is the total opposite.

Each day is a challenge. Not in a bad way, but in a really good way. I'm in competition with myself from the day before and I love it. It was only recently we had to have the company re-branded before launch and I got to sit in on all the meetings, phone calls and emails. 'Lois what do you think about this logo?' 'Lois what colour scheme do you think will work well?' 'Lois can you send over your feedback today?' - My opinion counts.

In fact, last week we had a heated debate about the flow of our website. The room was divided in the solution but my voice was heard, as was all of ours, and we settled on a happy medium. We work as a team and because there is just 4 of us right now it really works.

And it was only this afternoon one of the guys said we need to finish work early tomorrow to go for drinks because we have all worked so hard this week. (Unfortunately I can't make it so we are re-arranging) but the point is all our hard work gets noticed AND rewarded.

If you are not happy with your job do something about it. I did, in fact to push myself to quit my first job I travelled over to Berlin for 3 months, so I didn't feel like I had quit 'for nothing'. I needed that push or I would (probably) still be there now. My goal was never to work for a Startup. Not least in Manchester. Yet I love my job. I am grateful that I have been given this opportunity. I worked hard as an intern and landed a permanent position. I believe hard work pays off. I believe you can do anything if you set your mind to it. Even if you end up doing something you didn't think you would - you will never know until you go out there and get out of your comfort zone.

I'm only 22, so I am aware that time is on my side. But in the same instance, I didn't want the years to drip by, leaving me to regret not doing something about my situation while I had the chance. I don't have it so easy as you think. It could have gone 1 of 2 ways but lucky for me I saved some money which meant I could leave my job and travel. I was always subconsciously preparing myself to take that step, it was just a matter of when.

My advice: Ignore luck. Just work really hard.

your Potential Confidant xxo

4 comments:

  1. "Ignore luck. Just work really hard." Brilliant advice. Congrats on finding a job you like... that's more difficult than it should be sometimes.

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    1. Thank you! :) It really is, but hopefully things will start to look up on the job front! :)

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