When I Was 25 - William Tanuwijaya (CEO of Tokopedia) │IDNtimes.com

Summary

This transcript provides a personal account of an individual's journey, reflecting on their early years in Jakarta, their love for the internet, and their aspirations to build an internet-based company. Despite starting in a corporate job and facing challenges, they nurtured a small dream of entrepreneurship. Influenced by figures like Sergey Brin and Larry Page, the individual draws inspiration from their courage and vision. The speaker discusses the importance of resilience, execution speed, and humility, as well as their own personal growth, leading to the founding of Tokopedia.

Takeaways

• 😀 The speaker reflects on their humble beginnings, living in a rented house (kost) in Jakarta in 2006, and how they were not yet dreaming of founding a company.
• 😀 Despite not having big dreams at the time, the speaker harbored a small desire to build an internet company, though they lacked the courage to execute it.
• 😀 The speaker became passionate about the internet in the late 1990s and early 2000s, especially during their time at university, where they worked at an internet café (warnet) and had access to endless information.
• 😀 They enjoyed participating in online forums, particularly one called ‘KafeGaul,’ which helped them express themselves and learn from diverse perspectives.
• 😀 The speaker admired global companies like Google, particularly Sergey Brin and Larry Page, for their vision of making information accessible to everyone.
• 😀 In 2006, while working in a content provider company and doing freelance website work, the speaker had a very simple lifestyle: work, reading, watching TV, and playing online games.
• 😀 During this time, they were inspired by the idea of building an internet company but lacked a clear idea of what problem to solve or what product to create.
• 😀 The speaker emphasizes the importance of inspiration from others, particularly young entrepreneurs who had big dreams and knew their mission in life.
• 😀 The speaker shares their personal philosophy for Indonesian youth, emphasizing traits like enthusiasm (fire), resilience (water), swift execution (wind), and humility (earth).
• 😀 The speaker also admires the 'bamboo runcing' (sharp bamboo) as a symbol of courage, determination, and hope, encouraging young people to challenge impossibilities and maintain hope in their pursuits.

Q & A

What was the speaker's initial mindset regarding their career in 2006?

In 2006, the speaker did not have a clear vision for their future. They were working in an office job and did not yet have the courage or clarity to execute their dreams, despite having a small aspiration of building an internet company.

What was the speaker's inspiration to work in the internet industry?

The speaker became fascinated with the internet during their time in college (1999–2003) while working at a cybercafé. They fell in love with how the internet could be likened to an endless book, offering vast amounts of information and connecting people from all over the world.

How did the speaker's involvement in online forums influence them?

The speaker's participation in online forums, especially the 'KafeGaul' forum, allowed them to express their personality in ways they couldn't in real life. This helped them discover and share their ideas, and it played a role in shaping their understanding of communication and expression online.

What role did Google founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page play in the speaker's journey?

The speaker admired Sergey Brin and Larry Page for their ability to create a transformative company like Google. Their story inspired the speaker to aim for building a significant internet company one day, even though they initially lacked the confidence and clarity to take that step.

What was the speaker's side project while working in a content provider company in 2006?

While working in a content provider company, the speaker pursued freelance work, creating company profile websites and developing software projects with friends during their free time.

How does the speaker describe their work habits and lifestyle in 2006?

The speaker's lifestyle in 2006 was relatively simple and centered around their work and hobbies. They spent time playing online games, participating in forums, reading books, watching TV series, and developing websites in their spare time.

What values does the speaker believe young Indonesians should embody?

The speaker believes that young Indonesians should embody four core values: a fiery spirit of enthusiasm (like fire), perseverance (like water), quick execution (like wind), and humility (like a rooted tree). They also emphasize the importance of having the spirit of resilience and determination, symbolized by a sharp bamboo spear.

What is the significance of the speaker's reference to 'bamboo runcing' in their philosophy?

'Bamboo runcing' (sharp bamboo) symbolizes courage, resilience, and the ability to challenge the impossible. The speaker believes it represents the spirit of a fighter who is unwavering and always hopeful in the face of challenges, staying determined to succeed.

Why did the speaker hesitate to apply to Google during their early career?

The speaker hesitated to apply to Google due to a lack of confidence in their English language skills and the fear of not being qualified. They admired Google and its founders but felt they were not ready for such an opportunity at the time.

What lesson does the speaker hope to impart to other young people through their story?

The speaker hopes to inspire young people to pursue their dreams and adopt a mindset of determination, quick execution, and humility. By sharing their own experiences, they encourage others to be brave in pursuing their goals and to always keep their hopes high, regardless of obstacles.