The Search For My Next Big Thing šµļøāāļø
Hi, Dan here. Welcome to the 9th edition of my bi-weekly newsletter.Ā š
This week I get personal and talk about my current (and challenging) search for my next big thing.Ā
Maybe youāre going, or have been, through something similar?
(If you make it all the way to the end, thereās also a preview of something new Iām working on, that you may be interested in)
From reading my previous posts about productivity, habits and focus, you could be forgiven for thinking I have it all figured out.
I donāt.
Pretty f*ckin far from it at the moment to be honest!
I think Iāve partly been writing those posts to try to psyche myself up, to get productive, and figure out what (the hell) to do now.
Back in that hotel quarantine room in May, being laid-off wasnāt just the end of a job for me, it was the end of something much bigger. My personal mission, my lifeās work for the better part of a decade, was suddenly over.
Nightlife, and bringing people together at all in IRL, was over too (at least for now).
That was my thing. And I was all-in. I didnāt have a back-up plan.
š¼ The (Job) Search
So I had to start from scratch in figuring out what else I wanted to (and could) do.
I came to the conclusion I wasnāt in the position (or right headspace) to start a new company again. Plus the only ideas I was really passionate about still involved bringing people together offline. Pretty tough in a covid-world!
So the job search began in earnest.
I narrowed down the sort of companies and roles I wanted to go for. It was important to me that I was aligned with a companyās mission, that it was still somehow about bringing people together, and ideally Iād already be a user of their product or service.
I wanted to stay in tech, at a fast-growing startup, in a lead role ideally related to community. If it was in travel - even better. Importantly I wanted to aim high, be challenged, and have a real impact wherever I went.
āHead of CommunityāĀ was the ideal job title I found, but those roles were few and far between (especially in Amsterdam). So I was flexible and a cast a wider net - Iāve also worked a lot on growth, product, marketing and content, as well as recruited and lead teams in the past. All things tech startups need and are hiring for.
But I soon found job hunting to be an unenjoyable uphill battle.
It definitely didnāt help that I hadnāt looked for a ārealā job in about 10 years. I had my own online marketing company, then founded Party with a Local, and even at Airbnb - I never applied, they asked me to join.
Iāll also admit I searched half-heatedly for the first couple of months. I had some serious family things going on, so I focused on supporting them, plus I had a bit of a payout-cushion from Airbnb (to last me a few months). And there were just so few jobs or companies that excited me, that I didnāt bother applying much.
I also started seeing other Airbnb alumni quickly getting new jobs, and posting to thank everyone for āthe overwhelming support and amount of new job offers!ā they had gotten. I half thought I might get approached too. Airbnb, Startup Founder & CEO, Techstars, Lonely Planet - should all look alright on CV, right?
But I didnāt (still havenāt).
I quickly learned that a (cold) application via a companyās website or LinkedIn never works. Most of the time I didnāt even get a āSorry, youāre not a fitā email. Nada. Sometimes not even get a āThanks, we received your applicationā one. Seriously? Itās so easy (and humane) to automate that shit!
š Help!
I needed help.
I found some from a career councillor, an Airbnb recruiter as well as volunteers from Airbnb who offered to support laid-off employees. All very nice people and good conversations, and I really appreciated the support. I made some good progress on my CV and LinkedIn, and started to get more focused in my job-hunting approach.
Itās all about warm intros (of course). I think I have a good network and am pretty good at reaching out and making connections. This proved a bit better than the cold approach (at least Iād get a response), but not that muchā¦
I get it that I have a weird profile. I guess most people just see āNightlifeā and canāt see how I could fit with anything else.
But Iāve experienced first-hand how startups and tech companies work. In my opinion above all else they need people with a founders mindset - people who can learn quickly, adapt, try things and take initiative to make things happen in a constantly changing environment. Thatās literally what I can (and love to) do!
In the rare case I managed to get past the first application screening, I did pretty well interviews. Itās just the getting to that stage much which has been my challenge.
Then about a month ago, I finally started to feel like I was getting somewhere - interviews and quickly advancing to 3rd and 4th rounds, and doing well in them. Thenā¦ no news.
The role I was most excited about - Head of Community at a fast-growing startup, got put on hold until further notice. Iāve been waiting for 2 weeks to hear if Iām into the last round of another one. Sometimes I think Iām really getting somewhere by interview #3ā¦ until I learn thereās 8 interviews (plus a mini-project and a presentation to a panel)! š
Keep on truckinā I guess.
š¤ What Else Could I Do?
Over the last couple of weeks, as I keep applying for jobs and waiting, I also started to think about creating something myself again.
I also thought - what if my next thing was still something like the old big thing (that I was so passionate about)? Something that could appeal to the same people, but also be a bit different?
Yes, nightlife and travel arenāt what they used to be, but human connection and community will always be important. Maybe more now than ever?
So Iāve just started building a community platform, again.
Unlike job-hunting, this has come naturally to me, and Iām getting excited the more I work on it!
And I also thought - maybe this doesnāt have to be my ONLY big thing. What if itās a small-medium sized thing that satisfies my need of creating something that brings people together?
Iām calling it āSuper Localsā for now - an ode to the most-engaged users of Party with a Local.
š¦øāāļø Super Locals (Preview)
Super Locals are...
š²Ā CuriousĀ - constantly inspired by discovering new things and meeting interesting new people
šĀ OpenĀ - open-minded, welcoming, inclusive and respectful of all diversities, ethnicities and backgrounds
š¦øāāļø Local HeroesĀ - know and love their cities, have their finger on the local pulse - if something new or cool is happening, they're the 1st to know (and share). Some organise social events and host local experiences.
šĀ Global CitizensĀ - world travelers, expats, global adventurers and discoverers of new things, ideas, people and places
š Ā CreatorsĀ - of connections, events, experiences, music, startups and businesses. Super Locals make things happen (we're also building this community not only for, but WITH them)
š¶Ā Young (at Heart)Ā - people who have never grown up (in a good way)
šĀ GivingĀ - members spend their precious time connecting with others, giving tips, sharing feedback and making intros.
š“šµ We don't discriminate, but find most Super Locals are in their late 20s - early 40s.Ā It becomes harder to connect with new people as you get older, right?
Curious? Iām currently testing it out with some first members. Interested?
Cheers,
DanĀ š¤