Start-Ups Shape You Into An All-Rounder By Ruby Cheung

The first task I worked on was a competitor study about co-workspaces in Tokyo, where I looked into pricing, amenities, etc. by communicating with sales representatives. This gave me a much deeper understanding about the differences between the two markets.   Promoting the Garage Society x Jobable Platform involved a lot of communication with other startups. I looked into start-ups that are recruiting and reached out to them one-by-one to promote our new platform. Through liaising with them, I learned how to deal with external parties and potential clients in a tactful manner, which is a useful skill to have for my future career.

Aside from the above tasks, performing operations duties was also very interesting for me, as I had the chance to interact with members from various cultural backgrounds. Handling members’ requests efficiently while maintaining a high service standard is no easy task, and several months of doing so has greatly enhanced my multitasking skills. I came across many industries and business models I was not previously familiar with in this diverse environment through networking with individuals working out of Garage. Speaking with them allowed me to better understand mind of entrepreneurs and challenges of starting your own business. During my time at Garage Society, I was also interning at a multinational corporation. These two internships provided me with completely difference experiences. What I really like about working at Garage Society is that I was able to be involved in every aspect of business operations, whereas at the MNC, I was doing structured work within one specific department of the organisation.

Another notable benefit of working at start-ups is the environment and structure. There is no strict hierarchy at Garage Society, and everyone is encouraged to demonstrate individualism and creativity. The Garage Team is very dynamic and culturally-diverse, which brings about a lot of interesting interactions within the team. The working style at Garage Society definitely helped to improve my communication skills, and cultivate an open-mind on all issues. My journey at Garage Society has been fruitful and thrilling, and I am truly thankful for the personal growth that I have gained from my internship. I would also like to express my deepest gratitude towards Cheryl and everyone in the Garage Team for teaching and mentoring me throughout these six months, who provided me so many opportunities to explore my potential. Thank you and until next time, Garage Society!