I have often been asked about my entrepreneurial journey—how I transitioned from corporate life to building FAVORIOT from scratch. People assume that technical knowledge and business acumen are the key ingredients, but there’s something else—something that I rarely talk about but has been my secret weapon all along.
What’s this secret skill?
Adaptability.
It’s not flashy, and people don’t usually admire adaptability in the same way they admire confidence or leadership. But let me tell you, adaptability is the difference between thriving and fading into obscurity.
The Shift from Corporate to Startup Life
When I left the structured corporate job environment to venture into entrepreneurship, I was stepping into unknown territory. For years, I had worked in environments where resources were plentiful, teams were in place, and projects had budgets and timelines that made sense.
Now, I had none of that.
I had to build everything from scratch. There was no IT team to help me set up emails, no HR to handle hiring, and no marketing department to promote the company.
I became all of those things overnight.
I had to learn to wear multiple hats and switch between them at a moment’s notice. One day, I was designing IoT solutions; the next, I negotiated with clients or handled company registration paperwork.
That’s when I realized—my ability to adapt was my biggest strength.
Learning to Navigate the Startup Chaos
Unlike corporate life, where things follow a set rhythm, startup life is unpredictable. Some days, I feel on top of the world because we closed a big deal. Other days, I wonder if FAVORIOT can survive another month.
This is where adaptability became crucial.
I had to quickly analyze problems, adjust my approach, and keep moving forward. Here are some of the ways adaptability helped me:
1. Pivoting When Necessary
I initially thought that smart city solutions would be FAVORIOT’s main market. But after months of trying to gain traction, I realized that local councils weren’t ready for IoT adoption at scale.
Should I have waited for the market to be ready?
No. I adapted.
I shifted my focus to IoT training and education—something universities and professionals were eager to explore. This move helped us generate revenue and positioned FAVORIOT as an authority in the IoT space.
If I had been rigid, FAVORIOT might not have survived.
2. Embracing Digital Marketing
Before starting FAVORIOT, I had never focused on social media marketing or personal branding. But as a startup founder, I quickly realized that visibility is everything.
I began writing blog posts, creating LinkedIn content, and engaging with the IoT community online. I even started making educational TikTok videos—something I would have never imagined doing in my corporate days.
Was it uncomfortable at first? Absolutely.
But again, adaptability helped me push through that discomfort and build a strong online presence that drives business to FAVORIOT.
3. Listening and Adjusting
I thought I knew what the market wanted, given my decades of experience in the industry. But the reality was different.
Many times, my assumptions were proven wrong.
Instead of resisting, I adapted by listening more—talking to customers, understanding their real problems, and refining our solutions. This ability to adjust based on feedback greatly impacted how we positioned our products and services.
4. Surviving Financial Uncertainty
Running a startup means facing financial ups and downs. There were months when revenue was strong and months when it felt like we were running on fumes.
In a corporate job, salaries are stable. In a startup, nothing is guaranteed.
I had to constantly adapt our financial strategy—cutting unnecessary costs, finding alternative revenue streams, and making tough decisions to keep the company afloat.
Adaptability is a Survival Skill
Looking back, I realize that adaptability is not just a skill; it’s a survival mechanism. In entrepreneurship, things will go wrong, plans will fail, and markets will shift.
But those who adapt don’t just survive—they thrive.
Many people get stuck because they expect success to come in a straight line. They refuse to change course even when things aren’t working, which is why so many businesses fail.
I have always believed in my vision for FAVORIOT but have never been too proud to adjust my approach when needed. That’s the secret skill that has kept me going.
Final Thoughts
People often ask me what skills are necessary to succeed in entrepreneurship. They expect me to say technical expertise, business knowledge, or leadership. But the truth is, adaptability is the real superpower.
The ability to embrace change, learn new things, and shift strategies when needed can make or break a startup.
If you’re on your own entrepreneurial journey, ask yourself—how adaptable are you?
In the world of business, it’s not the strongest who survive but those who can adapt the fastest.
Dr. Mazlan Abbas 