One year of ThinkOut many more to come

Today we celebrate one year since we started building on our founders’ dreams, which quickly became our own just as much. From idea, to sketch, then strategy, code, beta version and…here we are today.

One year flew in a wink. Today’s anniversary almost took us by surprise, so absorbed by our everyday tasks, striving to make the product better, to spread the word, to answer to our users’ demands. But as much as we focus on the product and making the business running, we also need to sit back once in a while and notice the experience. Because seeing a startup being born, a new product brought to life by the combined efforts of the team is an extraordinary experience, in which every second is worth it.

So what can we make of this first year of ThinkOut? It seems that so little time has passed, yet so many things have happened. Our team already knew how to craft ideas into a product that works and is business worthy, but this time was different. We were doing it for us, with our own ideas and feedback. This time, we are more involved, we take it personally. And we learned to listen more to our public, to apply feedback, to have patience, to start things over when needed, to keep sight of what’s important. And we learned this together, as the ThinkOut team. Thus, what better way to celebrate than letting them tell you themselves how this year felt like:

Cristi – Co-Founder and Chief of Making Things Happen

Looking back at this year’s experience, a sharp image comes to mind: one demanding game of whack-a-mole. A lot of stuff to do, coming from all different directions, one more urgent than the other. Quite fun, quite exhausting; they don’t call it the start-up roller coaster for nothing.

Adrian – Co-Founder and UI/UX Designer

In the first year at ThinkOut, I was much more interested in who my colleagues are than what they’ve done. I understand that the value of a person can’t be summed up on a resume, and nothing is as important as being part of a team that can substitute you when you failed.

Irina – Communication Responsible and Word Wizard

A roller coaster of emotions. This is how I lived the one-year ThinkOut experience. Excitement, uncertainty, eagerness, more uncertainty, some drops of frustration balanced by loads of enthusiasm and a warm, comforting feeling of having such good people aside. I learned a lot about trust, optimism and relying on each other.

Maria – Software Developer and Explorer of New Worlds

Just like with every new-born, the first year of this project was quite a challenge. It meant a lot of adapting and learning new skills & technologies because of its complex and changing specifications. But in this way, I’ve witnessed what it means to take into consideration the feedback of the users (since we already rewrote it once) and how to build something that, although not very relevant to you as a tool, is very useful to others.

The feeling is that I’ve learned a lot and that it was important for my future career, and I was lucky to be part of a patient and helpful team.

Bogdan – Web Developer and Humour Responsible

For me, ThinkOut was a challenge, because it was the first startup in which I’ve ever worked. I really didn’t know what to expect, but it turned out to be exactly what I love to do, to take a project from scratch and to see how it grows day by day. I’ve dealt with a lot of challenges, but the best part was, I think, that I’ve always had fun working, it didn’t seem like a “Sisyphus work”.

Petrica – Web Developer and Solution Finder

This first year of ThinkOut was a challenge for me. I now get a nice feeling of satisfaction when I look at the product in this mature version of today, which not long ago was merely an idea. I learned a lot, not only technically, but also from the point of view of the working process and the challenges of the startup life.

Sorina – Communication Assistant and Enthusiast

One year ago, I was thrilled to enter the ThinkOut family. Since then, it has been an emotional roller coaster for me. I was excited, joyful, motivated to do the right things, yet I was often insecure. But I believe that’s the beauty of it, feeling everything at a high pitch. Being a part of ThinkOut made me realize that you have to love the problem, not the solution and that finding the silver lining is one tricky thing to do. But you know what? When you truly care about what is that you are doing, you will inevitably put everything in. And I know one thing for sure: in this amazing startup adventure, as I like to call it, there are no recipes. It is no good or bad. Maybe it is all about magic.

Bianca – Administrative Officer and Team Engager

When you see yourself slowly entering the adult life, uncertainty and self-doubting might become your ‘best buddies’. Here, among ThinkOuters, I found a suitable environment for me to pass over this transition in a joyful, but insightful way. Cheers to great people, ThinkOut!

By the way, in case you are wondering; yes, up in the photo is really our cake; home-made by Bianca, our Cake Master.