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Start-up Weekend Johor Bahru, or SWJB is an activity that enables entrepreneurs-to-be to flex and learn through experience. Let’s first walk through the basic information of the activity: the activity is held from 15th November 2019 to 17th November 2019, for a total of 3 days. The main venue of the activity is in Centre of Student Innovation, KTC. Throughout the activity, the participants are demanded to provide a business solution that is not only capable to satisfy and resolve problems of our modern world but at the same time fulfilling the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (also known as SDG) that is put forth and manifested by United Nations (UN).
I personally feel very intrigued and excited while I was introduced to this activity. For I had been anticipating interest in entrepreneurship for some time, and carrying my past entrepreneurial experience, I think I should not waste this opportunity to, and give myself a chance to try something new. Knowing that we need to work in groups, I invited another course mate of mine to participate the event together and to work as a team.
The first day of the event starts on an evening around 7pm. I can still recall that was a Thursday as we still have classes to attend earlier the day. We arrive at the venue, and was greeted by the friendly crew for registration. As time passes, the venue started to become crowded as more participants continue to arrive. Me and my teammate bears a hint of awkwardness as we are the only 2 participants from the School of Computing, which is the minority. The majority of participants are from School of Engineering, where most of them are seen comfortably socializing around. This situation is a clear reflection of lack of entrepreneur value in me: socializing skills. I discover that I was hard for me to step out of my comfort zone to approach new people, and I have the tendency to stick around with a close circle of close friends. I figured out that I should adopt a more outgoing personality in such aspect, which can help in forging meaningful and beneficial connections between people. Although it can be quite scary, but I learn that I should at least make my attempt to break the ice.
The event marked its’ start as the facilitator stood in front of us on the platform and started to introduce herself to us. Our facilitator explained that she is also a former Start-up Weekend participant who successfully took the role as an entrepreneur where she kickstarted a business that is actively undergoing development, all thanks to Start-up Weekend. She expressed her gratitude towards Start-up Weekend, and hope that we can also enjoy the event as much as she does, and most importantly, build something impressive at the end of the day. Listening to her speech, I can’t wait to get my hands dirty and can’t help but only to feel excited. I realise that Start-up Weekend has been an important and effective channel to culminate successful business: some of the big name also has roots from as a Start-up for example AirBnB, Grab and much more. Realizing this fact has dealt great impact on me as I had never understood such big companies had such humble roots, which further proven that everyone, when equipped with the right mindset can build their own fortune. Inspired, I could not help but only to admire them, hoping that I could come to rub shoulders with them one day.
The facilitator continues to explain the agenda of the event. As mentioned in the earlier part, we are required to form into groups, where each group will work on one solution. But before we are broken into each group, we are first required to briefly pitch our idea. Pitching is an activity where we given a short amount of time, usually ranging from 1 to 3 minute, to convey our idea. Since the time is very limited, the speaker has to pick the word wisely, accurately in order to give a clear and functional, if not complete picture of the whole idea. All participants are given 2 votes to vote for the pitched idea they like most, and only the top 10 ideas would be able to proceed to develop into more refined solution. In fact, I had been sketching ideas after I signed up the event, but never expected to pitch in such an early stage. For one moment, I felt nervous, stressed and panicked for knowing the fact that I am required to pitch in front of such a crowd. I doubt that people might mock at my half-baked ideas, and it would turn out embarrassing. However, I braced and convinced myself that since I had decided to participate in this event, I should go all out to challenge myself. Settled down, I started to discuss and refine the idea with my group mate, to iron down keywords that will help sculpture and define our idea.
Our idea is a community food delivery service that will answer not only to Sustainable Development Goals, but also to majority of university students. We figured out that most of the food delivery service is slow, expensive, and have very limited service hour. Our solution aims to solve just which employs the economy sharing methodology, which eventually build a community that can help serve the community. Without us realizing, it’s time for us to pitch our idea. I reach to the platform, and grabbed the microphone handed over by facilitator. Standing on my soft legs, I started my pitch. I realize my voice is lightly shaking, hoping that the crowd might not notice such unconfident flaw. Before I finish, the countdown behind me had reached zero: my pitch is over. I withdrew back to my seat, and continue to impress by our participants’ amazing pitches. We are asked to write down our ideas in a piece of mah-jong paper: everyone is given 2 pieces of stickers, and vote is casted by attaching the sticker on the idea information. After a round of pitching, the vote has finally started. Anxiety strikes every time when people stop by to read our idea. Fortunately, our idea made it into the top 10 list.
The first day’s agenda is approaching an end: our facilitator explains about things we should get ready for tomorrow’s mentoring session. We quickly beak into our group and started our preparation right away. We are required to prepare business model canvas, a document that helps visualize idea, and thus identify the strength and weakness of the idea. This had given me an exposure to the proper tools for entrepreneurs, and this tool eventually made it into my common arsenal in deploy. The usage of such tools has greatly improved efficiency, reminding me of the quote: using the right tool for the right job. We signed off as soon as we wrapped up our preparation for the next day.
The event is following by a series of mentoring session by different mentors. The organizing crew had invited professionals and entrepreneurs from all walks of life, whom generously poured their acute critics just to whip our idea into a better shape. There was one mentor, that has paid special attention to our group as she states that our idea is genuinely interesting. She had provided her professional suggestions, and help envision who our delivery service would look like in real life, thus improving our business model into a more practical one which could actually make ends meet in reality. This experience is truly eye opening: our mentor had given a picture of what it looks like in the actual industry, hence made our business model closer to reality. It was from that moment I realize that many things can sounds good on paper, but can fail awfully in operation. Hence, it is crucial to validate our ideas with the end users, so that our solution really solve their problems.
By the end of day 2, we had refined and solidify our business idea. We started to build our pitch deck, which is a slide show that will be used during our final pitch. We also started building our prototype as a Proof-of-Concept as out Minimum Viable Product. These is to add value to our idea, and ultimately to convince the judges during the final pitch. It was a busy day, also a busy night: we stayed at the venue until around 4AM. Exhaustion had beaten us hard, but me and my team tried to be persistent until we wrap up our preparation for the final pitch. Speaking of delayed gratification, this event really gives us a real taste where we have to work really hard even by sacrificing our sleep, in order to seize achievement.
We do not have the leisure of free time: we quickly progressed to the last day of the even, where the final pitch is just around the corner. We are required to hand in our materials including our pitch deck and our prototype prior the start of the final pitch. I handed in our pitch deck - the gimmeFood pitch deck, the result of my team’s effort, and also the blessing of the mentors. The final pitching kicked off with the introduction to the judges. I feel very nervous while receiving pitching from other teams. I feel stressed, panic but at the same time also impressed by the excellence in other teams’ idea. Everyone here seems went all out for the pitch.
Soon, it’s my turn to pitch. I walked to the deck, grabbed the mic, and started to pitch.
“Hunger give stress, we give food. I’m Chan from gimmeFood”, I started my pitching by introducing myself along with the tagline. Quickly, I noticed I gathered attention as dozens of eyes started to stare at me. The glaze is surely terrifying, but I get used to the tense atmosphere soon, and even became comfortable to talk. I saw approval for my speech from the crowd’s facial expression, with nods that follow my tempo. Suddenly, I realized that it was quite an enjoyable moment for me. The prototype demo ran smoothly, but tables started to turn when the Question and Answer session strikes. The judges had directed critical and sharp questions towards us, and for one moment my mind just went blank. It is truly amazing coming to think that the judges could catch all these details in such a short pitch, and responded with critical questions. Luckily, I been able to respond to their questions according to what we already discussed in the team about questions the judges might raise. It had proven that our effort had paid off. My pitch ends as the countdown timer reaches zero. I thanked the judges, the host and the crowd, then withdrew myself from the stage.
As the last group finished their pitch, the judges left the hall to finalize the result in the meeting room. Now as the pitching is over, we finally can ease ourself. I personally feel this is an achievement for me as it is my first ever pitching. Although it is not my public speaking debut, but pitching is really challenging as its’ time is relatively short compared to any other public speaking format. I genuinely appreciate my team for granting me this opportunity and put faith and trust in me to be able to pitch, presenting our hard work to the judges.
The result rolled in approximately after 2 hours, we waited patiently before that happen, suppressing our anxious feeling. Everyone is literally dozing off after the final pitch, all trying to find a corner to lean on and rest after going through such a long journey. The host broke the silence by announcing the announcement will start in a moment: a suddenly everyone goes their back straight again, focusing the host.
Surprisingly, we got the second place. I feel very excited as this is my first experience in participating such entrepreneur activity. We gladfully walked onto the staged, shook hands and took photos. Although I am overjoyed, the thing I wanted the most at that moment is nothing but a good sleep.
One on the judges, Lawrence from Start-up Johor had praised us for our ideas, and happily braces us to continue develop our business idea into a real business. He even mentioned we could always reach out to him if we ever need help in any form. I feel so surprised and happy at the same time to get such a kind treatment, and feeling determined that I should probably continue in my entrepreneur journey.
This activity had left so many amazing experiences in me. I whole heartedly appreciate my teammates, organizing team, mentors and judges to had made all of these possible. Definitely, I would give another go if there’s another round again, who could turn down on such fruitful learning experience?