lu-izms

An Incredible Experience and a New Journey: My Time at Techstars NYC

Sometime around three months ago I moved to New York City with two bags, no place to stay, and one awesome opportunity. That opportunity was Techstars NYC. Up to that point of my life I’d never even stepped foot in New York City… and as for my place to stay, let’s just say I’m still working on that.

To quickly and quite frankly, unjustly, summarize Techstars NYC…it was simply a one of a kind opportunity in my eyes from the start and a no brainer to be involved with. I had no doubt in my mind it was the place I wanted to be, which was the driving force behind me working extremely hard to get here (a post I plan to write about when I finally get the chance). And was an opportunity that I was granted thanks to David Tisch and Adam Rothenberg, and I couldn’t be any more grateful to them for the opportunity to take part in such an awesome experience. They ran an incredible program. 

I plan to elaborate on this much more at a time when I have a few more hours of sleep under my belt, but in one sentence…it was everything I expected and much, much more.

So, as I sit here 3 months or so from showing up absolutely clueless to what I was getting myself into… sleep deprived, on the eve of demo day, and surrounded by just as many crazy people as me (which I love btw), I can say I honestly feel I’ve found something special here in New York. I can only speak for the people I’ve been surrounded by, but it’s been a pleasure to be around so many truly amazing and talented people for the last 3 months.

As for my next step, I couldn’t be more humbled to say, starting friday, I’ve accepted a position with one of those amazing Techstars NYC startups…Bondsy.

From day 1 of the program, I’ve had the extremely fortunate opportunity to cross paths with a solo founder that made my experience an unforgettable one. It took no longer than our first conversation to know Diego was exactly the type of person I set out to work with when I moved here cluelessly 3 months before. As a solo founder, this guy has truly inspired me with his ridiculous work ethic and detailed approach to everything he does. He’s pushed me to be better and I feel very fortunate after these 3 months of spending nearly every hour of the day together (and I mean that literally) to say he’s not only taught me a great deal but someone I consider a great friend.

I couldn’t be more excited to join the Bondsy team and begin on this journey to hopefully build something people will love, as much as I’ve loved working on this product.

Tomorrow will mark a monumental day in every start-up at Techstars NYC’s lives, and I’m extremely grateful to have the chance to be there to support them all. They’re all going to absolutely crush demo day and go on to build some ridiculously game changing businesses. And I sincerely mean that. So, stay tuned!

Don’t Rely on Humble

For most of my life I’ve lived under the assumption that if I stayed true to being the most selfless, humble person, I could possibly be, I would stand out in my own right for doing so.

Always reflecting praise, never patting myself on the back, cringing at the thought of a brag. Old fashioned hard work. That’s what I’m about.

I truly hope that those closest to me could say that I’ve lived up to that standard I’ve set for myself…

But, somewhere along the line I realized…humble, only goes so far.

Taking a step back…this is a hard reality to accept. Being truly humble is like believing in good karma.  At your very core there is a belief instilled in you, that if… and only if, you stay humble, under all circumstances, that the natural order of things should go your way and reward you for your selfless hard work.

…If only that were the case.

The truth of the matter is, nothing is this simple. And unfortunately operating under these assumptions will get you in just as much trouble as it will good fortune. Humble is an amazing thing to be, but it’s not enough to set you apart…plain and simple. And I will be the first to say, I’ve made this mistake many times in my life and paid the price every time.

Take a look at your life…are you where you want to be? Are you anywhere close to where you want to go? …If you are, then ask yourself, did you get there by being humble and hoping for the best? Or did you get there by taking the bull by the horns and controlling your destiny?

I still have such a long way to go before I will be anywhere close to where I want to be.

And each and everyday I am grateful for the opportunity to take one step closer in getting there…but to answer my own question — the results are clear, every important step I’ve taken in my life has been because I showed people why I deserved to be considered, to be accepted, to be taken noticed to.

If you want people to want to get to know you, you have to first show them why they should. If you think you deserve recognition, odds are you will have to go out of your way to show people why you deserve it.

I’m not saying there is no value in being humble, I’m saying, it’s only one part of the equation. So, don’t be afraid to be over the top. Be the most over the top you that you can possible be. Show the world who you are. And do so by staying true to yourself.

…for me it always seemed, some level of loud and arrogant must be the other half of the equation. Problem was, that’s just not me…

My days will always be a failure if I’ve heard myself speak more then I did others.

It’s a personal choice…I don’t consider myself shy or introverted. I just have an inherent belief that you can learn from everyone you come across and you miss out on opportunities to do so when you’re talking most of the time.

I enjoy learning from others and collecting my thoughts. And when I speak I speak with a purpose. I believe this is how I personally add my best value. This is why I love to write. I love to think through my thoughts and express them in a well put together manner. I enjoy expressing myself through my writing, so I write.

The point is, there are so many ways to show the world what you bring to the table. But being humble is only a part of it. And unfortunately it’s not a forcing function to others. So, don’t rely on it…do it because it’s the right thing to do. But understand, it won’t take you all the way.

Is your humble side telling you to disagree with this post yet?

Don’t let it. Let go of the contradicting thoughts that tell you it’s not ok to brag about yourself once in awhile. Allow yourself to stand out. And most importantly, give people the chance… to in return, give you what you deserve.