CEO Reflections: On taking a step back to move forward

Throughout 2022, Instellar was entrusted by multistakeholders to help more impact entrepreneurs. At the beginning of the year, we collaborated with the UK-Indonesia Tech Hub to organize CybHER, a program that aims to educate and empower Indonesian women through cybersecurity transformation. We were also entrusted by IKEA Social Entrepreneurship to run Instellar & IKEA Indonesia Accelerator (I-SEA), a program that focuses on creating opportunities for social entrepreneurs to have a positive impact on the environment and Indonesian society, especially those outside Java. At the end of the year, we held the culmination of the Hyundai Startup Challenge 2022 event where 15 startups pitched in front of leaders from the Hyundai Motor Group and venture capitals.

This year, we spread our wings to Eastern Indonesia. In West Sumbawa Regency, we’re implementing UPPAYA (Usaha Pemudi Pemuda Berdaya) and UMKM TELAS (Tumbuh, Berkembang dan Naik Kelas), an economic empowerment program supported by PT AMMAN. Together with MALA Ecotours, we hosted a webinar as a series of the MSME Recovery Program from the Covid-19 Pandemic funded by Facebook Ireland. In this webinar, we invited business people from Alor, East Nusa Tenggara, to talk about the challenges their communities face in doing business in the area.

Rest and gather

With the huge amount of client trust in us to help more impact entrepreneurs, this year we need to divide our time and attention as a team in running several programs at once. To answer these challenges, we take time to rest and gather together. At individual level, team members can take agreed-upon days off for rest. At the division level, each division is given a budget allocation to hang out. Meanwhile, at the company level, we held outings and team building for the entire team for 3 days and 2 nights. This activity was attended by team members who are domiciled outside Jabodetabek, even outside Java.

Taking a step back to move forward

As CEO, there is one important thing that I learned while leading Instellar throughout 2022, that is learning to be grateful for the progress we have achieved. It’s okay if there’s a target we do not or have not achieved. It’s better to take a step back, it’s better to stop for a moment to evaluate our abilities before continuing to pursue the what we want to achieve. We must be able to learn to say ‘it’s okay’ when our best efforts have not produced results. Maybe it’s not the time yet. Use the time to step back and evaluate.

CEO Reflections: On taking a step back to move forward

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