When considering a career move or for those who will soon be leaving campus, landing a job at a tech startup might seem like a dream.

A fun & young atmosphere where individual contribution matters and innovation drives the business are often benefits attributed to startup companies.

In my view, startups are not just about innovation and a cool atmosphere.

After spending more than 20 years in major Medtech companies, I signed up for the job of CEO at SMADE.

Throughout my career, I worked in marketing and research & development all the way to sales operations. I climbed the ladder from inexperienced junior project manager to top management functions.

SMADE is by far my boldest and most challenging assignment to date. Still, the working experience has fulfilled me the most.

In this article, I share with you why working in a startup should be an exciting adventure

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“There is no rainbow without rain”

Life in a startup is changing every day. There is no routine, everything has to be created from scratch, from processes to the solution itself.

The thrill of starting from a blank page comes with a great deal of uncertainty and somehow an insecure feeling.

Even when you come up with a game-changing idea that will solve the industry’s major pain points.

Questions arise throughout the project development phase up to launch. Is the market ready for such groundbreaking innovations? Is the competition fierce? How about the costs?

At SMADE, we have listened to the market for a long time to turn implicit needs into powerful solutions. We’ve imagined tiny tech embedded in medical devices that can collect massive data and tell a hell of a lot of information from the field. That’s great. But it’s obviously not enough.

Before developing our solutions, the R&D team had to work hard to meet technical specifications. The device must be resistant to extreme environments such as sterilization cycles…and with a long-life battery.

Before launching our solutions, we had to run pilot phases, develop mock solutions, listen to customers’ input and feedback…And start again.

Thanks to the projects we have led for months with the market’s major players and most promising challengers, we have confirmed that our vision, conviction, and above all, our solutions were truly and deeply meeting their daily pain points: from better managing and optimizing oversized asset inventories for the biggest players to improving processes that will maintain or accelerate the challengers’ double-digit growth.

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Life at a startup can be sunny and exhilarating. It can also be stormy.

An appetite for risk is part of startup companies’ culture. Boldness is rewarded. Though a thin line separates boldness from recklessness and carelessness.

As the old saying goes “ there is no rainbow without rain”
When pushing the door of the office, I take my umbrella with me 🙂

“Together we go further”

One distinct benefit startups usually offer is creating strong bonds between team members.

Sharing the same passion, thriving towards the same goal, and being energized by the same ideas, facilitates teamwork dramatically.

Startups offer this amazing feeling that you can be instrumental.
Instrumental in your job.
Instrumental in changing the status quo.
instrumental in disrupting the industry.

It means that in a startup, collaboration is not an option. It is just natural to work well together and be encouraged to share ideas and thoughts.

Even in a remote environment.

What bonds the team together is also good for the company, its partners, and its customers.

Passion and excitement can be dangerously contagious 🙂

I often consider my team and I as a crazy crew that will embark on a spaceship.

I consider myself a team lead rather than a CEO, in charge of the adventure.

My success as a team lead greatly depends on my team’s success. When I doubt, my team comes up with a brilliant idea. With my team, I can get my energy back.

“Together we go further” are not just words. It’s our credo. And that’s invaluable.

At a time when employees are looking for consistency between their values and their employer’s values, working at a startup certainly ticks the box.

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