Last year, I reached a point of high frustration: working on short-term projects alone. Not having a clear plan for the future.
I spent all my energy this year to change, ensuring I have an ambitious project, making bold investments, and taking personal risks to reach my ambitions.
The plan "Happy in 2025" is launched.
I stopped being a Solopreneur and raised money to build my new startup: The Mobile-First Company.
I invested most of my savings inside a 250m² Coliving in Medellin.
I made the decision to move back to Paris full-time until I reach profitability in my new startup.
Last but not least, we invested in 10 African startups with Kara Venture.
Every year, I write a letter to my future self, which helps me connect the dots. I made it public since 2021 to ensure I have social pressure to continue to achieve my goals and dreams.
This update will be different from the previous years, more synthetic, with a direct style, focusing on my professional project, leaving the personal on the side.
So what do I decide to include in this review?
🙌 What I'm proud to have accomplished this year!
Switching from Solopreneur to building a startup, I achieved unique milestone in 2023.
🤩 A list of unbelievable experiences I lived
Remember to offer you a unique experience and personal Gift. This year I authorize myself to invest more in my happiness.📱 Zoom on my new startup: The Mobile-First Company
What is a TMFC, and how we made it? Let me present to you the vision and where we’re.😠 Life is also challenging; here are my bad and frustrations during 2023
2023 was an weird year, and I have plenty of frustrations. It's very important to share them.
🎯 What are my goals for 2024?
Don’t tell people what you will do. Show them what you did! Ok, few pillars for next year.
Have a good reading 📚…
🙌 What I’m proud to have accomplished in 2023
Yes, it was a difficult transition year. I finished the year at the opposite of how it started. I learned a lot, and those learnings came with a lot of stress and risks. Looking backward, I'm proud of it.
Creating a startup, building a team, and raising Money
Unfortunately, I can't be fully transparent about it for the moment. After 24 months (the date of departure of Spendesk), I'm back in the Startup Nation, in the most difficult position: founder.
I'm doing a deep dive about it below.
Transforming a 250m² apartment into a Coliving in Medellin
Investing in Real Estate in Colombia is not easy; yes, profitability is attractive, but the system is 200% different, nothing works the same. You need to learn everything. The project that was planned to finish on the 16th Dec is 1 month delayed and will be officially open early next year.
The rise of Kara Venture
We finished the year with +10 investments in African Startups. The quality of the startups we back is improving. We entered more selective rounds earlier.
The key to a great VC is to invest in the best deal at the lowest valuation. We also continue to boost the brand and the community. We organized our first event in Paris.
Have a look at the Kara Venture Website and Portfolio.
Building the most advanced Database of Startups in Africa : AfricaX
On the side of Kara Ventures, we started to collect a massive amount of data and do a lot of enrichment, automation, and manual calibration. This tool, which has more than 6,000 startups, allows us to make data-driven decisions and connect with African Entrepreneurs earlier.
Mastering the Growth Advisor : Hyperline success story
I decided to go back to my first love: Growth. Before building The Mobile-First Company, I decided to accept a Growth Advisor position or “VP Growth Part-time” for Lucas (previous VP Eng @ Spendesk), who built Hyperline, the best Billing Solution. He was the only one to convince me to come back.
We worked on the launch of the company and released a Side Product (SaaS Pricing Explorer) that finished Product of the Day on Product Hunt with +1200 votes. 👏🏽
Scalability, the example that Growth can be externalized ?
As you may know, I'm a Board Member of Scalability, one of the best Growth Agencies specialized in Outbound. I've been helping them since 2020, and I'm amazed by how fast they are growing. This year, the team grew to 12 Growth Managers, and the average ROI per customer continues to grow. Ben & Vic are the only ones to make me think that Growth can be externalized.
The Second Edition of the Growth Awards 🏆
After the first edition last year with 300 people, I decided to change the format and make something more premium and exclusive. I invited 120 of the best VP Growth and Senior Growth profiles in Paris for a unique experience. We had Thibault (ex VP Growth Adobe and Github) as the main speaker, followed by a hypnosis experience.
Check out the After Movie of the evening !
AI is changing so much my way of working
2023 is the year where I switched my ways of working using ChatGPT, from Cleaning datasheets to producing strategies and content. My job is not the same! Focusing more on the strategy rather than the form, I will be more productive. I believe we're just at the beginning of how our jobs are changing, and in 10 years from now, our meetings, tasks, and types of work will be so different from the ones today.
This year has been intense on the personal side:
Spent 6 months in Colombia and 6 months in France
During this year of transition, I succeeded in splitting my time between Europe and Latam. I continue to love the advantages of Europe while having a healthy and comfortable lifestyle in Medellin.
We also made the decision with Maria to relocate full-time to Paris for the next 2 years (at least). By the way, Maria is looking for an International Customer Success Position in Paris, can you help her?
Travel Less, Learn More : Cuba & Egypt
2023 is also the end of the remote lifestyle. I spent less time traveling and decided to focus on countries with strong historical cultures. I celebrated my 28th birthday in La Havana and visited my 12th African country, Egypt.
Egypt was the most productive Kara Venture Trip, and the first one done together with Réna; we invested in 3 startups: Swypex, Axis, and Gameball.
Bringing my family to Colombia
I finally got the chance to show my second home to my brother, who came two times in 2023 to Colombia. Lucky guy. The first trip was in February with my mom; we took 3 weeks off to travel across the country, the 2nd time was for Christmas and New Years.
If you are interested, we made a guide about traveling/living in Colombia for your next trip: https://colombiawithus.guide/
I’ve done more sport, with my new addiction to Padel 🎾
I played my first game in September, and since then, I’ve been addicted; I play almost 3 times a week (5 hours of game) and have a personal coach to help me progress. I never played racket sports, so starting from 0 it’s not easy. I hope to find a way to success.
Continuing to renovate my flat in Paris
I worked hard with my dad during the summer to renovate the bedroom of the flat in Paris. After 2 years, the flat is almost 100% renovated. We still need to change the showers in 2024 and maybe build a terrace.🤞
After being lost for 2 years and leaving Spendesk without a clear plan, it took me a while to know what I wanted to achieve in my life and the environment and routine that I need to be happy.
Maria and I worked on a plan for 2025; this year is the year of hard choices and transition to start being on track for 2025.
🤩 Here are some of my best memories of 2023
When my brother, Geoffrey, signed his first CDI in a Tech Startup. Proud of him!
When I destroyed the 19th walls of the flat in Medellin and started to make over. Four months later, I believed real estate mean “Solve problems” 😂, and in Colombia, there are a lot of PROBLEMS!
When we attended the concert of Sofiane Pamart in Medellin, a precious moment.
When I signed my first Term Sheet!
When I hiked the Pyrénées with my mom.
Bonus: all the moment spent with Maria (14th July on a rooftop, visiting inside the pyramid..)
It was a year full of memories, but to be honest, it was not an easy year. I feel heavy and impacted by this year. I hope the hard work/choices will pay off in 2024.
📱 Zoom on The Mobile First Company creation idea 💡
– Can’t be fully transparent and share too much details.
In 2023, my primary goal was to launch a startup. I dedicated January to brainstorming and refining my first idea, FreeX.
The concept aimed to assist remote workers in getting paid and managing their taxes directly, bypassing intermediaries like Remote.com or Deel.com to maximize income. We also aimed to address the credit aspect, helping them secure loans for personal projects.
I interviewed lawyers, remote workers, and garnered interest from venture capitalists, but doubts crept in. Concerns arose regarding market growth, with many tech companies discontinuing remote policies. I feared I might have missed the wave (2019/2020). Moreover, associating with tax optimization gave me a pause, even though I still believed in its profitability.
After weeks of contemplation, I shifted my focus to a new idea, tackling a broader problem: How can more people to use software?
Having spent six years at Spendesk, I mastered the SaaS industry, from value persuasion to distribution, and believed a different playbook was possible.
While most tech firms concentrated on the Mid-Market, building complex all-in-one platforms and using costly acquisition channels, I envisioned an alternative. This approach is centered on two key factors:
The speed at which users perceive the software's value
The global significance of the problem being addressed.
I delved into ERP research, complex software that resolves numerous business issues. Two companies fascinated me: Odoo 🇧🇪 and Zoho 🇮🇳, both profitable with oustanding growth, despite being older than me.
The key to these two players was their modular approach. Unlike SAP (the leader), which sells a single, intricate, expensive software, others allow users to solve problems by installing modules or different software. People seek solutions that definitively address their specific problems, not a single platform covering all their needs.
But why "Mobile-First" ?
The mobile aspect emerged later. Working with fast-growing mobile apps revealed the smartphone's potential :
More intuitive, user-friendly, and globally accessible (thanks to app stores).
Higher trust levels, as people prefer app downloads over signing up or booking through a landing page.
Enhanced capabilities, with unique mobile features (camera, voice, payment, WhatsApp), enabling the creation of unique experiences.
Cost-effectiveness, as developing a minimal app is cheaper than a complex SaaS.
With these convictions, I went all-in on this idea, pitching it to the top 30 CEOs in my software and mobile app network. Eventually, the company was incorporated with a well-funded bank account.
I then poured all my energy into finding a co-founder and assembling the core team (Head of User Acquisition, Head of Mobile, etc.).
Regrettably, I can't share more details at the moment, but we're well on our way to challenging the SaaS industry with a different breed of software, crafted by a talented team.
Stay tuned for more in 2024.
🤯 Life is also challenging ; here are my setbacks and frustrations during 2023
Being more RELAX
I discovered last year that I’m quite a stress person; I like conflict and I’m not afraid to argue for my ideas or opinions.
I have the feeling of not being at peace with myself and the society. I need to succeed to relax and enjoy simple moments of life.
Continuing to take risks?
It’s a mixed feeling; I take risks or make decisions without considering the consequences (for example, the financial risk of the coliving). I impose my choices on those around me. Yes, I'm advancing so fast in my life, but it's tiring.
I miss working with a team in the office.
Covid is over, and remote work is as well; it’s time for me to go back to "normal life," solving problems with a team and building memories. The Mobile-First Company will not be 100% remote, and the office will be a big part of the culture. Everyone changes their opinion, read my #2021 Review 😂
Lost motivation in my professional life
Being a freelancer was mainly driven by how much money I could make and how I could use this money to live experiences and invest in the future. Back in 2022, I felt unmotivated by what I was doing and took the decision to reduce my income and change the type of missions to feel more connected, starting a transition to be able to go back to a full-time job as a founder.
I built The Mobile-First Company based on the good memories of Spendesk and the frustration of the last 2 years as a freelancer. I believe I found the perfect match to achieve something big.
The impact of my choice on my wife's career
1 year ago, Maria made the decision to leave the unicorn Mercado Libre, where she had an amazing job full of responsibilities, to start as a freelancer to be able to travel more and spend more time with me in Europe. This was clearly not our best choice, and we’re working hard to ensure Maria joins an ambitious company in Europe.
Still need to improve my Spanish
I reached the point where I could survive in Colombia, but the Coliving project showed me that I’m far from being fluent. I still need to work hard on my Spanish to be able to argue effectively. Learning a language was never a strength for me; I'm still struggling with French and for that reason, I'm the first surprised that I'm almost speaking 3 languages now.
PS: I reached a 1,100-day streak on Duolingo, meaning that I used the app every day for more than 3 years.
🎯 What are my goals for 2024?
I will focus all my energy on ensuring that The Mobile-First Company is on the path to profitability and growth.
I still wants to post 150 times on Linkedin.
I will continue to invest in Africa.
I want to helps the people I love be successful in their careers and happy 🫶
The goal for next year is to be able to afford my dream house in Colombia in 2025!
PS: I also need to strengthen my back.
I’m 28 years old, and my mind is full of goals to reach before turning 30. Next year will be precious.
From Medellin, Jérémy ✌️
Jérémy.
That’s all for this year!
If you enjoyed this year’s review, hit reply and let me know. I love hearing from you!
I’m re-reading your past Substacks because I made the same decision you did: leave my stable CDI without a super clear plan, to figure out being independent and potentially starting something. So many things in your letter are so relatable. I wish you’d keep writing these!