So far this experience has been incredible. I have felt a true feeling of maturity overcoming the different cultures, the different foods, and differences in public transit. The issue is the differences continue into the business world. I am working for a company called Disrupt Digital and they help other companies market and scale their businesses. Their main clientele are startups and the startup world is fascinating to me so I am very excited. Although I have only experienced one day I feel like I will fit very well with what this company does. I feel as though I will be exposed to all different types of industry and all different types of businesses, through this I will have a better perspective on how businesses operate and succeed. The only thing is… in Prague many things are operated differently.

For me to excel in my position I feel as if I am going to have to adapt with the differences. For example my supervisor stressed the fact that he wants quality and he means QUALITY work. He talked about how many former employees from the United States got a lot done but almost all of it was low grade and unusable work. My supervisor said he would rather me work slowly and give him great material rather then work fast and botch the job. Another thing is I am going to have to be very flexible with my schedule. This being because in Prague there are a lot less hoops and regulations to jump through to have an event for clientele. For example my company was hired last weekend to hold a polo match for one of their clients. Therefore I have to be ready to not work in the office or to work an event at anytime. My company has worked up to three events weekly so I really need to be able to do the same. Lastly Prague is known to be very blunt in the workplace, if you do something wrong they are not afraid to tell you that you are doing so. Knowing this I have to take my supervisors words as positive reinforcement even if they have a negative tone. That is their way of getting their employees to be accountable for themselves and I have to prove that I am.

There are definitely important skills and strengths I must possess or learn to succeed in the startup and business culture. Above all, the most important skill needed is flexibility. Startups are full of surprises and inconsistencies, therefore to best suit a client I must be ready and able to adapt with them. Another important strength to have is time management. I will be working on many projects with many different clients. Due to this I will have to be able to allocate necessary times to each project and be able to prioritize by importance and due date. Doing this will keep me from falling behind and will keep the clients happy. Although I generally feel good about my time management, I have never had to manage others and it begins to make me nervous. If I do not manage my time well I will not only disappoint myself, but my company and the company I’m doing work for as well. The added pressure will definitely be something I need to get used to but my company seems more then willing to help. They said they will gradually build my workload so I can a feel for what I should be getting used to.

I am excited to see what the summer has in store for me. I have merely stuck my foot in to what appears to be an entire ocean of knowledge. I hope to be eventually confident and competent enough to take on my own projects and ideas. I am already happy with my choice to pursue this program, and this has come prior to my career benefiting from this experience. I am extremely confident that by the end of this program, I will be a better all around individual, both through my career and through my personal experiences. The feeling of independence is truly indescribable. I have grown up my entire life being told what to do and when to do it, so this is the first real taste of adulthood and independence I have had. To top it off, my place of work seems to stress the importance of independence, I hope to feel confident and ready for what ever may challenge me and my career moving forward.