Q1: How did you guys meet and decide to found Codesmiths together?
Irene: That was when we were working on the first project earlier this year. Ashkan had just graduated a few months ago back then and he has this awesome ability of connecting people together. He spotted this project opportunity and brought us together to work on it.
When we were working on this first project, obviously there were times when we were not agreeing with each other, but we talk it out and work really hard together. We didn't mind helping each other out when the other person was busy. That was when we really felt the trust and decided to form a company together.
Ashkan: Back then I had a full-time job in business operation and I did experienced a hard time deciding whether I want to quit my job or not.
Three of us being able to trust each other and be open to each other really encouraged me to be able to make the choice and start Codesmiths with them.
Frenkie: It was a challenging and tough project that required us to really dive deep into the technical part of it. It was the most stressful time of my life. I don't want to do this ever again. hahaha .... Jokes aside, we also said that if we can accomplish this project, then we can do anything.
Q2: A lot of people want to put themselves out there and build a business of their own, but what does it really mean to "put yourself out there"?
Frenkie: Compared with building your own business, working for a company has a slower learning path because of a few reasons. When you have a supervisor to take responsibility for you, you are less motivated to work harder. Of course it’s not for everyone. But for me personally, many times before starting my own business, I thought I could have done that project better or like I can do that on my own. But I have to say that when you really start to do it on your own, you would realize that there are in fact many things you don't know.Overcoming the fear of the unknown and then figuring out the puzzles and pieces by yourself push you to grow faster.
Q3: Learning to code is not the best thing about Le Wagon, then what is?
Irene: Quitting a full time job and starting off by yourself is a risk and you really need that extra push to do it. One thing I really have to say about Le Wagon is that the alumni network really helps when it comes to taking that extra step to establish your own business or to quit your job. Because if I'm taking on this freelancing right after bootcamp, I would know that if I don't understand anything, I would get someone in the group that I can reach out to be able to help me out. After bootcamp, I’ve met other amazing people that have the same goal as me. Coding is not the biggest gain from Le Wagon, people I've met are.
Q4: Why do you need to find the right business partner? and what are some of the actionable advice for people who want to find their right business partner?
Frenkie: We all had the experience of working with other people. When you select the right person, it just goes so much faster. You see each other almost every day, you talk about ideas, you talk about the whole business operations, how to build a business, how to manage it and talk about everything. We do that and I would say that since we got together in a couple of months, we have achieved much more than 2 years.
Irene: Opportunities just fly when you work with the right people.
When you are looking for your business partner, hard skills like coding are certainly important, however there are other important aspects as well. Passion, soft skills, people skills are also playing a big role. It's about adding up different skill sets and making a good combination.
Q5: There are already a lot of digital agencies in the market, do you think there's still a potential market in this field? and what differentiate you from other agencies?
Irene: It still has a massive market. Even existing agencies don't have the capacity to take any new products, especially for mini programs. Now mini programs are created more for marketing or campaign purposes at conferences or events. What makes us different is that we try hard to really make sure we achieve a certain quality. We focus on the user experience and make sure the transition is very smooth.
Frenkie: Coming from a business background and having the programming skills, we all know how to communicate the right thing to our clients.
Ashkan: We think along with the client. When things don't make sense, we discuss about how to improve, give suggestions and explore the potentials together.
On the road of pursuing our dreams or goals, at one point, we need to stop and acknowledge what we have accomplished. Looking back at the motivations and goals of them three joining Le Wagon, we found that they certainly have reached the goal they set and achieved a lot more. Le Wagon is always here to accompany our alumni towards the success of their professional transition.
Are you ready to learn coding with your future business partners in 2021?
