Embracing New Paths - From Side Project to Resignation (Part 1)
TL;DR: I embarked on an entrepreneurial journey with SynchroCise, an app born from a hackathon win. Despite the initial excitement, market realities and continuous pivots highlighted the importance of genuine passion and starting with a real-world problem. While SynchroCise didn't make it to the market, the lessons learned paved the way for my next venture, Fleeting Notes.
There's been a barrage of questions headed my way, all curious about the why and how of me leaving my stable, full-time job. This post isn't just about addressing that curiosity. More than anything, I hope it might nudge someone out there to take a leap, or just provide an engaging narrative to those looking for one.
The Genesis
Post-graduation, I found myself at Geotab—a mere few months into the world of full-time employment. Life was comfortable. I had a role I was content with and no immediate ambitions beyond that.
However, life has a funny way of altering plans. One ordinary day, a buddy of mine, in a bid to jazz up his resume, asked if I'd be interested in joining a hackathon. Why not? Helping out a friend and potentially creating something fun seemed like a win-win.
Our collaboration led to the creation of an app—SynchroCise. And, to our amazement, we clinched the top spot at the hackathon! SynchroCise, in essence, was a platform where one could virtually synchronize their workouts with friends. Given our success, I thought, "If a panel of hackathon judges found value in it, surely there's a wider audience out there?"
The Hustle
Brimming with newfound enthusiasm, I took to developing SynchroCise alongside my day job. The ambition? Get this gem to market. But a nagging voice constantly whispered: “It’s not ready.” So, feature upon feature was added, but it never saw the light of day.
In pursuit of guidance, I enrolled in BET300 in Waterloo—an entrepreneurship course I can't recommend enough. A key lesson from there? Market research. And oh boy, was that an eye-opener! Our 'unique' app? Not so unique after all. The market had something eerily similar, with even more features than we had envisioned.
The Pivots
I wasn't ready to give up. Surely, there was a niche we hadn't tapped into? Personal trainers, maybe? They could synchronize workouts with clients! But, (you guessed it) someone had beaten us to it.
Pivot after pivot, trying to reshape SynchroCise to fit a specific need, I found myself weary. The realization dawned: I was pushing a solution without a clear problem. Moreover, while I reveled in the building process, virtual exercise wasn't my passion. The challenges of bringing something to market were more than I'd ever imagined.
The Lessons
The rollercoaster ride with SynchroCise taught me two invaluable lessons:
- Passion is key: Any entrepreneurial journey isn't a sprint; it's a marathon. And to keep at it, you need to be deeply invested in what you're building.
- Start with a problem: It sounds basic, but it's so easily overlooked. Solutions without problems are like keys without locks.
Post-SynchroCise, I reflected on problems I personally faced, pondering on potential solutions. That's when the idea of Fleeting Notes was conceived. But, dear reader, that story is for another day.
To anyone standing at the crossroads of starting something new: Dive deep into your passions, understand the problems of the world, and remember, the journey is as valuable as the destination.
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If you like this, you can read more at https://www.thinkwong.com/start-here
