I joined Gata Labs before we even had a product out. I was an early member of the team and the first business analyst. It was my first job out of university and I was still trying to figure out what I wanted to do. I only planned on staying at Gata Labs for a couple of months, but I started to really believe in our business.
Fast forward almost 2 years later and I’m still here. After witnessing the creation of our product and the growth of our business, I’ve become personally invested in the success of Gata Hub. I stuck around because my experiences here have had a major impact on various aspects of my life. Here are some of the reasons working at Gata Labs has changed my life.
Personal Growth
My personal growth is tied to Gata Labs. For starters, I wasn’t a tech guy – I studied finance throughout university. However, I was able to use my analytical skills to adapt to my tech-related responsibilities. Because of this, I became more confident in my abilities. I also learned to overcome any and all challenges that pop up along the way. These skills helped me excel not only at Gata but in my everyday life as well. With that being said, there’s still plenty of room for improvement and much to grow. One thing I want to improve would be the ability to lead a team effectively. I think that Gata will continue to give me the experiences necessary to build on my leadership skills and I look forward to the years ahead.
Exposure
Gata Labs opened my eyes to the technology industry. I had little knowledge about the industry but I learned that it’s something I really have an interest in. I can see myself in the tech space for a long time. It’s also important to be surrounded with supportive and like-minded individuals. Being around so many passionate entrepreneurs, I found myself being more interested in brainstorming tech business ideas in my spare time. I never saw myself as an entrepreneur, and I’m still not sure if I do, but I’ve definitely become less risk averse and gained more confidence. I realized that anything is possible if you surround yourself with smart people, and working at Gata Labs allowed me to build a strong and reliable network.
Passion
It’s not easy to find something you are passionate about, and for me it’s hard to be passionate about something if you can’t see the impact of your work. This played a huge part in why I found working at Gata very rewarding. When dealing with local businesses, you get to see first-hand how your product impacts them and their relationships with their customers. You learn a lot about their place in the community and how you can help improve it just by your interactions with them. While using Gata myself (and with my friends) in Toronto, I have been able to drive to improve this experience for both the merchant and their customers.
I have a good feeling about the future. I would love to be a product manager and have the chance to make an even bigger impact at Gata. I’m excited to see where we go from here and where we’ll be in ten years. It’s amazing how we started in a small townhouse, then moved into a basement of another company, and now we’re here. Hopefully we’ll get our own place soon.
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