September 25, 2019
Let’s get the fact straight: launching a tech startup is definitely not easy. Let alone starting one in a developing country like Indonesia. There are various factors that one need to consider before putting 100 percent commitments into your startup. First thing that comes to mind is how and where do you start off. Here are the 5 things you should do to start a tech startup in Indonesia:
It is way much easier to start working on a product that you know people would need. There are countless problems in this world that require innovative ideas to make things work better and faster. Indonesia as a whole has different kind of problems on its own.
The primary goal to keep asking “Why?” is to determine the root cause of a defect or problem. However, not all problems have a single root cause. The key is to encourage you to avoid assumptions and logic traps, and instead trace the chain of problems.
Think of it as being a child again, where you used to annoy your parents and teachers by asking a question, them giving you an answer and you proceed to repeatedly ask why to every consecutive answer.
So to start off, just keep asking “Why?” until you get to the true cause of a particular situation or problem.
We often launch a business with several viable and marketable options, one of which might be your favourite. When the business has been operational for a few months, and the dust has settled, identify the one thing that is working for you and that the public is supporting, and focus on that. It might not be your favourite, but if the tribe has spoken, go with the tribe.
Jakarta is a city full of uncertainties, and you are bound to make mistakes while trying to aim high. You took some shots and made mistakes. Sure, one would certainly be discouraged by unwanted results. But as an entrepreneur, it is okay to make mistakes. Mistakes simply mean you are working hard and trying new things. It’s good. Learn from them and move on.
Do not wait. Get a financial and legal expert involved from the get go to ensure there are no loopholes or blind spots that could bite you in the butt down the road. Partnership discussions and potential agreements are another area where you definitely should seek legal advice, especially when a friend or relative is involved. Or anyone, for that matter.
Basing yourself in a coworking space gives the best benefit. Not only you connect with new people, but over the time you will start to develop a deeper and meaningful relationship that will help you to grow your business by sharing experience and knowledge. This is definitely the place you want to be when you are starting up!
Make sure you are ready before you trade your relatively secure and stable career for something that is high-risk, but high-reward as well. Ask yourself if you’re okay with going two years without an income to see your vision come through. As optimistic as you may seem, you’ll face challenges and setbacks, so be ready to deal with them.
Written by Danny Widodo (KONSAATO)