Lessons in design, strategy, and leadership from an unexpected place
My first job wasn’t in design, technology, or strategy.
After completing a Web Engineering and 3D Modelling course, I was waiting for a placement. In that in-between phase, I took up a job at a game parlour — managing machines, guiding players, handling customers, and keeping daily operations running.
It wasn’t high-paying.
It wasn’t aligned to my “career plan.”
But it became one of my most formative professional experiences.
On the floor, I learned real-time problem solving — dealing with people who were impatient, excited, confused, or unhappy. There was no theory, no buffer, and no time to overthink. You learned fast or you fell behind.
Behind the counter, I got my first exposure to how a small business actually functions:
- Daily cash flow and margins
- Peak vs slow periods
- Weekend marketing tactics
- Customer retention over one-time transactions
- Operational highs and lows of a startup environment
Without realizing it, I was learning the foundations of user experience, customer behaviour, marketing strategy, and operations management — lessons that still influence how I approach design and business today.
That job taught me something every founder eventually understands:
no job is wrong if you’re present and paying attention.
The confidence to handle pressure, make quick decisions, and take responsibility didn’t come from a classroom — it came from experience.
A reflection for young designers and founders
Your first job doesn’t define your career —
but it shapes how you think, work, and respond under pressure.
Don’t underestimate roles that seem “temporary” or “off-track.”
They often teach you the skills that matter most later: judgement, discipline, empathy, and resilience.
Learning compounds — if you let it.
I’d love to hear from you:
What were your first few jobs, and what did they teach you that still shows up in your work today?
👇 Share your story in the comments below.
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#StartupLife #UserExperience #BusinessLearning #LeadershipDevelopment #CareerLessons #AlvitoUnfiltered
