By: AllyKeller

When I started college in the spring, I didn’t want to waste anymore time trying to figure out what direction I wanted to take my career. I had dropped out for roughly a year and a half, and my heart was set on discovering a career worth pursuing. I’m a passionate person, and I wanted work experience that would be impactful and fulfilling, I just never anticipated finding it in the atmosphere and grind of a startup. Interning at Countr reinvented my expectations of what an internship can be, taught me how to hustle, and made me love work.

In college, startups have a tendency to be spoken about as being risky. There are professors who are advocates of the liberation and knowledge gained while working at a startup, and there are those who are extremely frightened by the gamble and lack of structure that a new company brings.

If you’re a student reading this, a recent graduate, or even just someone looking for a change of pace, my best advice is to jump in and go for it. Working at a startup above all things can provide you with an eye opening experience and if you’re looking for your calling the way I was — it’s worth taking the risk.

The work I’ve contributed to during my time at a startup, has transformed my life. Below are some of the most valuable lessons I’ve learned along the way.

Lesson #1 — Find a mission that resonates with you

When your work is dedicated to a mission or vision you believe in, it’s easier to find passion in what you contribute to.

When I moved to New York, I realized many people weren’t happy with their jobs. Without a mission, common dream, or goal, work can kind of suck and it makes staying inspired really difficult. During my first year in the city, I worked in tech, but it wasn’t hands on enough for me and I quickly became bored and uninspired. I wanted to love work because it was challenging and motivating, not because it was something I had to do to pay my rent.

Countr is building a platform that gives customers the power to aggregate their shopping related data and use it to build leverage with merchants while they shop. As an avid shopper its exciting and inspiring to work with individuals that strive to empower customers.

I feel connected to the mission and its deeper purpose because it gives people the power to benefit from their individuality. Being a part of Countr challenges me to create work that is both unique and impactful. Watching my ideas come to life, has not only fueled my creativity, but it has helped me deeply connect to the mission at hand.

Whether what you are creating is something of small or large impact, it’s fulfilling to be part of a team whose mission is to positively influence people’s lives.

Lesson #2 — Culture is the foundation for building an incredible team

Culture is defined by the values of your founders and the behaviors of the people you work with. It isn’t always explicit, but it’s what gives your work meaning and enables you to create with purpose.

Working with people that believe in building a great company culture, has redefined the way I approach work and has helped me become a more passionate and driven individual. I share the same beliefs and values as my coworkers and that has drawn me closer to not only our mission, but to the people bringing it to life.

“At Countr our culture is built upon our ability to collaborate, communicate, and continuously learn and grow together.”

It’s present in everything that we do and is core to how we innovate and stay ahead. From the product we are working to create, to the way we share our ideas — language and common values are where our culture thrives.

Lesson #3 — Be valued as an employee from day one.

Working on a team that values its people no matter what title they hold radically changed my perspective on how easy it is to love work.

I’m treated as a true team member, which means I attend meetings, collaborate during brainstorming sessions, and come up with solutions. From day one, I have been entrusted with providing feedback on the product being built and my insights have allowed us to improve the value of our product.

In my previous work experiences, junior employees typically don’t get to contribute their ideas. But, at Countr I work closely with the founders, and regardless of my position as an intern, I’ve never felt that my voice wasn’t being heard.

At Countr I have worked closely with our founders to bring my individual visions to life. Position titles still exist but I’ve never felt that my voice wasn’t being heard simply because I’m an intern.

Being empowered to contribute to a startup in various aspects has been an essential part of my personal development and has challenged me to deliver my best work. Countr has presented me with the tools to grow more in 6 months than I have in a year at other companies because I have been provided the opportunity to contribute to projects I love.

Lesson #4 — Learn to hustle by wearing multiple hats

Working at a startup teaches you how to hustle, QUICKLY. Being able to hustle means being able to prioritize tasks and focus on the few things that matter in order to get things across the finish line. When it comes to building a new product, you have to be scrappy and resourceful, and as part of a small team I had to quickly learn how to wear multiple hats.

Every day I grow at Countr because I’m not forced to do the same tasks day in and day out. I started out managing our social media communities, have gone to participate in user testing/research, designed pieces of visual content, and I currently work alongside one of our co-founders to strategize our recruitment efforts.

Having the opportunity to dabble in a variety of projects within the company is what keeps me eager to discover solutions. It’s helped me to establish my hustle and made me love the work I contribute.

There’s always a new project to tackle and a new 2-week sprint to implement. Being on a team where I can wear multiple hats challenges motivates me to be even more creative and innovative. Knowing that my feedback contributes to innovating our product, feels personally rewarding.

The hustle I’ve gained has become a part of my journey and contributes greatly to the motivation I find in my creative process.

Lesson #5 — Learning to fail forward

Startups know how to fail well, but I’ve learned its not about the failure, it’s about the process; building, and learning from mistakes in order to “fail forward.”

Countr has helped me overcome my personal fear of failure, because I’ve learned the value of putting ideas out there. I have to admit, it took me multiple attempts on assignments to realize that not getting something right the first time didn’t mean that my ideas weren’t valuable.

I’m much more prepared to tackle the unknown and ambiguity in both my professional and personal life, because I’ve learned there are valuable lessons to be discovered while searching for the solution.

At an early stage startup there is no right or wrong answer, and throughout my internship, I have learned the importance in embracing trial and error. I am no longer afraid to have the wrong answer, which has become the most liberating component in learning to how to hustle.

Lesson #6 — Innovation takes practice

Innovation doesn’t come in an immediate “Aha” moment. It’s a multitude of steps — testing, iterating, and repeating the process, which eventually translates into a giant leap.

Throughout my time at Countr I’ve realized that technology is changing and it’s changing rapidly. There’s a constant need for innovation in the tech industry, and that requires a team to constantly iterate and reiterate ideas in order improve the product they work on.

When our team approaches a problem, it’s my hustle that helps me stay motivated to contribute to the solution. Being able to think and contribute on the spot has helped me learn how to take ideas through the iteration process. Working at a startup taught me that sometimes testing an idea is the only way to find the best answer, and remaining silent only hurts your chances of finding a solution.

There have been times where my ideas were successful, and many where they have failed, regardless; there was a lesson to be learned. Developing the ability to think on the fly has taught me how to take steps towards discovering innovation. It takes time and practice to create an idea that is functional, but that’s a part of the journey!

Working for a startup is full of challenges, but it’s equally motivating and rewarding.

Countr took my career in a direction that I seriously would never have imagined, and I couldn’t be more grateful!

As a student, internships are meant to help you gain experience in order to find your place in the workforce, but to be honest, I’ve always had trouble discovering a field I loved. Finding passion in my every day actions started when I was hired at Countr. The complexity and responsibilities of being a team member at a startup has made me more ambitious. Work should fulfill you to pursue something you deeply care about, I found my mission by working at a startup, where will you find yours?

Hey, I’m Ally! If you found some value or clarity through reading this article, I would love to hear from you! You can find me here — AllyKeller.com

Be sure to check out Countr’s publication page on Medium.

Countr is a New York City based and funded startup looking to shake up the retail and payments industry. Our vision is to create the platform for the fair exchange of products and services, and where we the customer, have as much of a voice as the merchant.

Check us out to find out more about the game changing product we are building. We’re Hiring! You can find more information about our open positions on our website— www.Countr.com

6 Lessons That Jumpstarted My Career was originally published in Countr Publications on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.