In the Face of All the Unknowns, Just Be Brave

“In the face of all the unknowns, just be brave.”

“Have faith – that we will not be forsaken.”

The two sentences of strength I received from Dr. Suraya Abdul Rashid.

Once every six months, Suraya and I sit down for a founders’ catch-up – sharing whatever’s confronting us at the moment. Qarbotech was founded 5 years before Remote Work Malaysia, so a lot of what I’m facing now – cofounders, hiring, go-to-market – she’s already been through. I get to learn from her experience.

This round, we were both sitting with a daunting first. Suraya is raising her Series A – the first time for her team at that size. I’m going to the B2B market for the first time – making flexible workspace a corporate solution. Different stages, same feeling inside: making calls we’ve never made before, not knowing the answer, not knowing which is right.

“How are you managing all this stress?” I got curious.

That’s when the two lines shook me.

Just be brave. Even if you don’t have the answer at the start, enter the path anyway.

You won’t be forsaken. As long as you’re doing something valuable, you’ll be held.

For founders sitting with your own first right now – I hope these two lines find you the way they found me. Be brave in the face of your first. And have faith – you won’t be forsaken.

I hope you find your Suraya. Or be someone’s.