It’s all about making the first move

Author: Sibella Knott-Craig
Venture: Tribage
Website: www.tribage.com

In 2012 our family did a fabulous campervan trip across the USA with our (then) two older children aged 4 and 1. It was obvious that we would never have been able to share this precious family adventure together had it not been for entertainment on our (their) iPads to help us across the Atlantic on a 26-hour journey.

This got us thinking. Every child should have the opportunity to engage with technology through quality educational apps in their mother tongue.

One thing led to another and today I run a small app studio creating educational apps for children in local African languages like Afrikaans and Xhosa. We also develop apps for clients wishing to enter the digital age.

Start-up life would never have worked for me if I weren’t comfortable with constant change, internal stability, an open mind, a definite vision, patience, aggression, interruption, focus, determination and the ability to walk away.

Happiness and consequently personal success happens at the sweet spot where skills and passion meet. My previous experience as a chartered accountant equipped me with some crucial skills. Full time parenting immersed me into a whole new world of acceptance, risk, uncertainty and ultimately limited time to really get to know my passions (when you have lots of time, you mistake things you enjoy with things you need).

[Tweet “I can’t tell my children to follow their dreams if I don’t also follow mine ~ @SibellaKC”]

And so it happened that after the birth of our third baby I overcame my fears and went out of the house into a little office to spec my first Afrikaans educational app for children, Slimkop ABC. With a lot of help from my husband, my friends and my software developer, I managed to build the first app, to create a website, a logo, open a bank account and register a company. One step at a time.

What secrets did I learn?

Make the first moveIt’s amazing how many things happen once you make your first move.

I launched my first app with very little experience and a tiny budget (and made many mistakes). Next thing destiny took hold and a TV station called me for an interview. This would not have happened if I didn’t make the first move.

Be comfortable with uncertaintyIn the early days you make many decision with little information. Many of these end up being wrong.

Take a stab at it and don’t be afraid to make a mistake or change your mind when you get new information. Its like a balancing beam, you have to keep moving not to fall. Constantly re-evaluate.

Baby stepsFirst you need a grand vision and then you need to look no further than one tiny step at a time, else it is too overwhelming.

Find a mentorMany have gone before us, remember that you’re not alone.

Experienced mentors give good advice and put things in perspective.

Read booksThere are a great number of epic stories by people who have started a business; read them.

My favorite one was Dream Big (The barefoot CEO) by Lisa Hammond. Her vision of including her children in the business, disregarding formalities, and rewarding suppliers generously really appealed to me.

Its still early days in the business and I make mistakes every day.

I love what I do. I love the flexibility. I love that its meaningful and helps both children and parents, that its far-reaching, and that I can learn while also setting an example to my children on how to follow their dreams even it if means spending time apart. It makes the time we have together even more fantastic.