Always pass on what you have learned

How did we go from a hackathon to working in applied research and then to building a product studio? We get asked this question a lot in our LinkedIn DMs. So, we thought, why not answer it through a blog post?

Everyone knows that to do great work you need both natural ability and determination. But there's a third ingredient that's not as well understood: an obsessive interest in a particular topic. - Paul Graham

I recently attended an event hosted by my incredibly talented friend, Lika Tan, whom I had the pleasure of meeting during a hackathon. The event dove into career advice, entrepreneurship and the importance of surrounding ourselves with good friends and the kind of people we aspire to be. This got me reflecting on my most impactful friendships throughout my life.

Discovering my love for startups was an ikigai moment—the perfect intersection of what I love, what I do best, and what I believe I can give to the world. The rumors are true - startups aren't perfect. But it's in this chaos that I find my most creative self flourishing.

A crucial step towards professional excellence involves surrounding ourselves with the right people, prioritizing our mental and physical health, and staying informed about relevant developments. To this end, I've found newsletters to be an invaluable resource for education, inspiration, and staying current on topics of interest.

Code reviewing for the first time in my life made me realize how difficult the task is. As a first-time code reviewer, I found myself staring at the code, pondering about what could be done to make it better. Feeling rather lost. I came up with some mediocre suggestions. Nothing too great. Nothing that I felt truly satisfied with suggesting.

On May 6th, 2023, I took part in the Thinking North Smart Cities Hackathon, organized by Seneca College. 713 people registered as participants for the event from all over Canada and beyond. My team, Foam on Latte, won first prize in the hackathon.