Frigate (October 2022)
- When I worked at frigate.ai, I was reporting to Karthik, the co-founder and CPO of the company. He is extremely smart and has accomplished a lot in a short period of his professional career. Frigate was my first ever real job, working from an office space. In just 15 days, one critical feedback I got from Karthik was that I lacked the drive to do something big in life. He said I wanted constant motivation to do the next tasks and that I was not self-initiated. I had the skills but was not a good fit for a fast-growing startup.
My Reflections:
- I completely agree with Karthik. Yes, I lacked the drive to do the next tasks and was not self-initiated to lead new initiatives, but in someone else’s company.
- Before Frigate I was freelancing, running my own business.
- When I joined Frigate, I was lost in my life and clueless. Also, I needed money to pay some bills. In such a situation, the only incentive I had was money. Nothing other than that.
- I was actively looking to start my next startup and was working on 2-3 problem statements.
- So, both of us felt Frigate & I were not the best fit for each other, so quit the job.
- After that, I found some clarity in life and started working on my own projects. Actively did cold outreaches, took projects, and worked on my own timelines. Most of my clients are happy and come back for more.
- Since I left Frigate I started 2 companies, a Tech and a Media firm. Made 10x the money that I was paid for a month there. Worked with 10+ startups as a consultant/freelancer.
- Everything was self-initiated, no one pushed, motivated or forced me. It is just that I found the work that I felt like play than anyone else. This time I had enough drive that money didn’t even matter. I did projects for my dopamine hit rather than for the money that came after it.
- So I was at the wrong place I would say. Frigate is an excellent company, they will surely become a unicorn. Just that I wasn’t a fit there.
- But thanks to Karthik he swiftly assessed me and gave timely feedback. Had he not done that I would still be in that constant loop.
Time for Unsolicited Advice:
- Try to do things on your own. Find your work that feels like play, work on your own projects, on your own terms.
- Don’t optimize for money. Optimize for work, money is merely a by-product, it will follow automatically.
- Motivation is for losers. Winners have discipline, internal drive and consistency. Most important they have unmatched perseverance.
- If you need somebody to ask you to do it, you are not going to become great at it. You are just coping to live and do it for the money.