NFX Guild: The Journey Home

I’m writing this on the plane — back to Singapore and Melbourne for a short visit — after an incredible three months in the NFX Guild Winter 2016 Class. (NFX is an incubator focused on networks and marketplaces.)

Getting into NFX

Just six months ago — on 1st September last year — I was on a plane ride from Singapore to San Francisco.

My mission — was to bring The Commissioned to artists and clients in the US. And — to get accepted into NFX Guild.

Why?

I thought the article on Market Networks — by NFX Guild Founder, James Currier — was sheer brilliance. He understood everything that was happening in the world today — and distilled it into a clear, single thesis. Whenever you find yourself in a jungle, you look for the guy with the map and compass. And you follow him.

We HAD to get in.

There was one problem. Application was by-invitation only; and I didn’t know any of the 30+ NFX Scouts with the password to the application page. Heck, I didn’t even know too many people in Silicon Valley.

Somehow, I had the good fortune of being introduced to a couple of very respected VCs and an entrepreneur who knew James. After meeting, they each sent him emails to introduce us, and to recommend that James considered my team and I for the Winter 2016 Class. Boy did I follow up on those emails.

Many emails, and seven weeks later — still no reply. The application deadline was in four days, and I didn’t even have a password for the NFX Guild application page.

Late that night, back at the apartment in Palo Alto, I was tired from the work involved in pulling this stunt at Vanity Fair’s New Establishment Summit. It was past 2:00 am, and I decided to take a quick look at events that were taking place in the city (San Francisco) that very day. I saw an interesting talk, clicked on the link , and found out that James was on the panel.

I had to be there. I decided to drop two other events on my schedule — so that I could meet James that very evening, and get that invitation code!

Here was the other problem — tickets to the talk were sold out.

I decided to turn up anyway, and I did. I went up to the door and gave them my name, hoping they would simply let me in. They didn’t. But they didn’t ask if I registered either. So I stood there, and waited, while two rather confused people managing the attendee list wondered why they had nothing on me. The line started to form behind me.

My phone needed charging, so I offered to get out of the doorway if they could point me to a power outlet for me phone. They did, and I stepped into the event venue to charge my phone. As fortune would have it, right after I plugged my phone into the outlet, I saw James and two other panelists — in the speakers’ holding room.

And that was it. One long plead, and multiple conversations later, I received the acceptance letter.

So I went back to Singapore to prepare; and on 1st December, I was on the San Francisco-bound plane again — this time with my co-founder and our families — headed back for Day One of NFX Guild.

Why am I telling this story now? Three reasons:

1. To remind myself to be relentless for what matters.
2. To leave a lesson for my children — this is what we do.
3. To let startups know — that the NFX Guild is worth paying this price — and more.

And here’s more…

Day One. And what happened after.

Day One of the program — especially for someone who comes from outside Silicon Valley — was wonderful and inspiring.

On Day Two — we had a hard talk on the potential market size for commissioned art (it wasn’t going to be explosive) and the challenges involved in building a blue-ocean business. My co-founder and I were all-in to get as much coaching as possible from James, Gigi and Stan — so we chose to pause development on The Commissioned, and focus our efforts on building a second product for the (same) company — a completely different business.

The Other Valley

I was drawn to Silicon Valley; but I didn’t realise I would soon find myself in another valley — an emotional trough. After we shifted our focus to the new business, and started working on it — I experienced very challenging December-January dealing with:

• The complexities of making a very quick and significant change to the business
• The felt pressure to build a completely new business — and gain significant success by Demo Day on March 1st
• Illness and allergies that came with the late nights and winter cold

I’ll say it simply — it was a trying time.

But it was all worth it — because of the people.

James and Gigi — with whom I’ve had the amazing fortune of interacting with more regularly — are two of the most incredible people I’ve ever met in my life. They care more deeply than many people I’ve met. They care about impact — the impact they will have on the world, and the impact that we will. More importantly — they care about us.

I’ll say this to start-up founders, and I’ll make it really simple… …

What you really want to do, is to do what it takes to get them to care about you. And don’t expect to walk away the same person, the same start-up; and without being inspired to do the same for others.

And it’s more than just the three partners at NFX. It’s the community of people they are building.

For three months, I was surrounded, learning, working alongside a group of people who amaze me, inspire me, and encourage me at every turn.

It wasn’t just in the big things.

It was in the little things:

• The honesty they have about their business
• The things they deal with (i.e. couldn’t pay rent just days before they got accepted into (and funded) by NFX)
• The lessons they share — so that we could all succeed together
• The brutal, honest feedback to hone my thinking, pitch and product
• The walk-and-talks, coffees and drinks with other founders
• and more…

Each of the points above — is worth a post on its own. And they all form part of one of the richest, most rewarding experiences in my life. My co-founder and I walked away with all that, and of course, a brand new business: Merlin — a Market Network for Marketers.

When I started writing this post, I merely wanted to list some important memories. But as I got to the end, I realised that all the emotions and recollection I had, were about one thing…people…

I have nothing but gratitude, admiration and love for the leaders and the class of NFX Guild Winter 2016.

And so — NFX Guild Winter 2016 Class — it has been a privilege and an honor.