Oliver Alan Stafurik
Making a change on your own terms
Most people walk through pre-defined life, barely derailing from standards set by the world. It’s usually one of two streams:
- Elementary school -> High School -> University -> Stable Job (usually in a corporate) -> Family -> Retirement -> Death
- Elementary school -> Trade School -> Stable Job -> Family -> Retirement -> Death
For many people this might be the optimal way to live, and that’s why they choose it. However, for some (including me) this might be the scariest thing ever. Not even kidding, I am terror-stricken whenever I think 9-5 might become more than a stepping stone and I end up there for life. Trading time for money, not making a real change, not having a real influence in almost anything, being told when you are allowed to take time off, waiting for retirement to enjoy your free time when your health is not accommodating your life goals anymore.
The simplest way to avoid one of the two paths is to think outside the box. It’s 2024: there’s more than enough possibilities in our current age to achieve that. Creating a personal brand (Steven Bartlett), becoming an influencer (Casey Neistat), hard working towards your sports (Tom Brady) / music career (Taylor Swift) or finding a problem and a solution to the given problem (or as some may call it - creating a startup).
Problem solvers often choose to pursue startups. The startup world is a combination of constant uncertainty, quick decision-making, optimisation by the tiniest margins, and assembling the all star team. The charm lies in the varied nature of the work, ensuring no two days are alike. This might cause the boredom to go away, however sometimes (well, most of the time) you will feel like your brain is going to explode from overstimulation and the issues you are facing at all times. This might be a step too far from a 9-5 jobs that most people might not be willing to take.
In essence, the drive to forge our own paths, embrace constant learning, innovate against all odds, embrace failure as a learning opportunity, and think outside the box, is why we startup.
At the time of writing, Oliver is a Master Student at the University of Glasgow, Founder of veeno.sk, and Co-Founder of Founders' Fuel.