Project Bly had been just an idea for years. The first seed was planted when I spent several months looking for a one-of-a-kind rug with history and story. It grew after a trip to Sao Paulo where my online research for the best flea markets and street art resulted in over 20 open tabs. And then it all came together on the streets of Mumbai: I wondered, why weren’t there any travel sites focused on street culture? Weeks later, I sat down and wrote a business plan for a travel and design website built on the philosophy that to really know a city, you must wander its streets.
Project Bly was built in San Francisco coffee shops, filled with other entrepreneurs huddled over their Macs — all more than a decade younger than me. Intimidating? Maybe at first, but once I actually started building my company, I realized that 35 is a great age to take the leap to entrepreneurship. Here’s why.
1. I’ve worked with all types of people. With over a decade of work experience, I’ve had to work with different kinds of people and personalities. I’ve worked with difficult people, as well as people whom I admired and respected, people who inspired me and others who advised and mentored me. I’ve worked for the boss who gave me more responsibility than I wanted, but I rose to the occasion and made him proud. On the other hand, I’ve also had the boss who micromanaged and belittled me. These experiences have taught me not only how to get along and work as a team despite potential personality conflicts, but also what kind of leader I want to be with my own team — and what kind of leader I don’t want to be.
2. I’ve got perspective. Much like being thrown together with different kinds of people, having worked in different companies has given me invaluable perspective on the kind of company I want to build. I’ve experienced how demotivating hierarchy can be and seen layoffs go badly. I understand that company culture is more than a foosball table and free food; it’s about creating an environment where intangible values like respect, honesty and kindness are always in the forefront.
3. I’ve got the confidence to learn what I don’t know. I’ve learned over the years that I will not know how to do everything, but what I don’t know, I can learn. I didn’t have an engineering degree when I applied to my first job, but once I got it, I learned what I needed to. Being thrown into the deep end is one of the best ways to learn, and knowing I’ve swam before has given me the confidence to keep going. From design to accounting, I’ve taught myself what I need to know to run my company, including learning enough to put together an extremely smart and talented team.