Polyglotte startup story

We've updated our startup story on SlideShare!

http://www.slideshare.net/Polyglotte/polyglotte-startup-story

Entrepreneurship and chaos - lessons learned

The mark of a successful entrepreneur is adaptability. The fate of a startup in the beginning depends on how well and how quickly it can manage risk. Small companies usually go through a trial period, which some refer to as the 'Valley of Death', where most startups go to die. During this time, dogged determination and fast-paced problem-solving skills are critical. My humble advice: Embrace chaos. What won’t kill you will make you stronger, so don’t cry over spilled milk. No time for that.

As solo founder and CEO of a startup, I’ve learned to pick myself up after a fall. On November 22, 2013, a skateboard accident landed me on my head, which resulted in a concussion, four stitches, and an out-of-body experience. This was followed by a month of dizziness, during which my company, Polyglotte Inc., launched an Indiegogo campaign. It wasn’t successful, but we learned so much, it didn’t matter. We learned what it was to organize weekly SCRUMS, to work with a small team of volunteers and contractors. And all the while, I didn’t know which way was north. I knew however, where we were going. And most importantly, we kept going. Lesson number one: Never stop. We had planned to do this crowdfunding campaign, and we were going to do it no matter what. Although it didn't go perfectly, Polyglotte gained more exposure and a helluva lot more experience. Now we have a clear inventory of what we should and shouldn’t do for next time.

A month later, the chaos began to settle. Would it burn off like San Francisco fog? Actually, it started raining cats and dogs, and with the rain, a tree fell on my house. PG&E cut the power lines the tree had fallen on, and everyone on the block had electricity except us. This lasted a week, and suddenly I was obliged to spend more time outside of the house. No more early morning tweets from my bedside and occasionally working from home. Second lesson: Force majeure; an entrepreneur has to be prepared for anything, including natural catastrophes.

A week after the electricity was restored, another event caught me by surprise. I was at my part-time job as a tour guide, driving a little bus, and we’d stopped at Twin Peaks. As I got out of the vehicle to take pictures of my tourists, somebody pulled up in a car, broke the front window of the bus, and stole my bag. Luckily, they didn’t steal my phone. Third lesson learned: back up and encrypt your information, because there's nothing like peace of mind. Also, if you’re driving in San Francisco, never leave anything in a parked car. That day, I had a $700 loss. Luckily, I had enough money in the bank to buy everything back and pretend it never happened.

So again, a few lessons for budding CEOs: Wear a helmet, never stop moving forward, adapt quickly to crazy situations, and try to always have a little savings in case something unexpected happens.

We're ready to launch a Kickstarter campaign, and we're kicking it off with a Launch Party and a keyboard exhibit in San Francisco! Locations and times to be announced. We're excited to show you our new physical keyboard!

Stay tuned for more information:

www.polykeyboards.com

Daniela Semeco

CEO/Founder

Polyglotte Inc.