It’s been roughly two weeks after Arno and I said goodbye to Tokobagus and the show must go on. I’ve received a lot of nice support from the community and a lot of people can’t wait for my next adventure, my next startup. “For sure it will be bigger than Tokobagus” some said. Well I seriously doubt that will happen, Tokobagus is huge and set for getting even much bigger. Besides that, I don’t think “big” is my target neither has it been so in the past.
Tokobagus started almost as a coincidence, both Arno and me so the opportunity and thought we could make something cool that people would actually use. “Big” comes with the territory of classifieds, in the end there will be only one so it was about outgrowing the market and competitors and becoming the clear #1 that people can rely on. But the motivation has always been doing something we like, with a team we love. Sure we thought about fortune and fame sometimes but it never was what got us out of bed every morning.
So the last two weeks I’ve mostly been at home, trying to relax and enjoy but somehow I can only think “What’s next”. I had this problem before in my life but this time it’s different. In the past I couldn’t afford doing nothing, I had bills to pay. Now I can afford to take some time off, travel a bit and enjoy. (Un)Fortunately that’s not me. Maybe my work has become an addiction, well, let me rephrase, for sure work is my addiction. As long as I can remember I had the urge to create something, to build something and to accomplish something. The feeling of fulfillment and satisfaction you get when you’ve created something is like heroine, it makes the desire for more even bigger. For some this might sound weird but money is the least satisfying reward.
Anyway, so the question on my mind is “What’s next?” Well, so far I’m pretty sure it will be in Indonesia, as said I fell in love with Indonesia and I’ve build a new life here so right now I don’t see any reason to leave.
Will it be an online tech company? I would be lying when I say I’m not interested in another tech-startup focussed online, it stays intriguing and challenging and I guess I’ve developed some skills in that area. However, I definitely see some nice opportunities outside of the tech-scene but they bring me somewhat outside of my comfort zone so I realize I need to be very careful.
The truth is, at the moment I have no clue. My mind is as always full of ideas and some opportunities already presented themselves to me but I’m not ready or willing to make any decision yet. I’ve seen to many people, who were successful once, starting new ventures thinking everything they touch turns into gold to then see them loose it all. So that’s one mistake I don’t want to make. I’m not scared to fail but I definitely don’t want it to be because I overestimate my own capacities.
“Succes is just a snapshot of a moment.”
I guess that searching for a new challenge is like searching for a wife. Forgive me the comparison but going out “looking” for a wife is in my opinion a bad strategy, you will have a much bigger chance finding a partner at moments you’re not looking for one. So that’s why for now I will retreat a bit and spend some time with my daughter and reconnect with old friends. I hope this will clear my mind and I will have another bright moment (probably in the toilet) in which it becomes clear to me what I want to do next.
Though I definitely prefer scalable things, big or small won’t be the main driver, it’s gotta be something I will be passionate about and enjoy doing for the next years. If you think you have the idea for the next big thing don’t hesitate to contact me. Cheers!