At the end of 2025, I took on a new project: joining a startup team to launch a cruise ship.
On paper, it sounded exciting. In reality, it was one of the most uncomfortable, demanding, and emotionally intense experiences I’ve had in my career. And one that reshaped how I think about work, people, and building from the ground up, pushing me far beyond my comfort zone.
For the first time, I found myself working closely with people from vastly different backgrounds — marine engineers, F&B operators, IT teams, sales and commercial leads, gaming specialists, terminal officials, ferry operators, distributors, marketing teams, crew members, and front-of-house staff. Everyone spoke a different “language,” came with different priorities, and operated under very different constraints.
If my earlier roles helped me enter the startup world, this project dropped me straight into the deep ocean. No floaties. No shallow end.
There were days when frustration turned into tears. There were moments when exhaustion blurred judgment. But there were also moments of clarity — when you see real impact happening in real time, and you realise you’re building something that didn’t exist before.
This is the side of startups we don’t romanticise enough.
When things break, results matter more than procedures
In theory, startups talk about processes, workflows, and frameworks. In reality, when things go wrong — and they often do — no one asks for the SOP first.
They ask: Can we fix this? And how fast?
This project gave me a full taste of what “results-oriented” really means. When a problem escalates, the priority isn’t whether the issue fits neatly into a process. It’s about ownership, speed, and outcomes. You do what needs to be done, figure out the documentation later, and move forward.
That doesn’t mean procedures are unimportant but in the heat of execution, adaptability beats perfection every time.
Also Read: Why AI startups across Southeast Asia are shipping themselves into churn
SOPs matter, but everything changes in a heartbeat
Yes, startups need SOPs. Especially when safety, compliance, and customer experience are involved.
But startups are also living systems. Things shift constantly — partners change requirements, customers behave unexpectedly, resources tighten, and timelines move overnight. What made sense in the morning may be outdated by the afternoon.
What really matters is how you keep the team moving forward with the right spirit, while juggling customer complaints, management scrutiny, partner constraints, and limited resources — all at once.
One lesson that stuck with me: don’t use an AM mindset to judge a PM situation. Context changes. Decisions need to adapt to it.
There is hierarchy, but courtesy matters more
When things move fast, it’s easy to become laser-focused on execution and forget that every person involved has their own role, responsibility, and pressure.
In startups, you often ask for help that sits right at the edge of someone else’s scope. Sometimes beyond it. That’s when gratitude matters most.
Never take support for granted — whether it comes from a junior crew member or a senior leader, a partner team or a “sister” department. A simple “please” or “thank you” goes further than most people realise, especially under pressure.
Speed does not excuse a lack of respect.
Your job title should never limit your contribution
In a real startup, job titles are guidelines at best.
On this project, everyone did a bit of everything. That doesn’t mean you personally execute every task with your own hands, but it does mean you own the problem until the loop is properly closed.
Sometimes that means finding the right person. Sometimes it means unblocking someone else. Sometimes it means stepping in temporarily, even if it’s not “your job.”
Startups reward people who go beyond defined lanes — not because they are overworked, but because they care about outcomes.
Also Read: How startups and VCs can propel Indonesia’s energy transition
Corporate vs startup: know what you’re signing up for
This journey is very different from the corporate world. Neither is better, but they are not the same.
If you’re considering joining a startup, here are a few signs to check within yourself first:
- Be ready for work that was never mentioned in your job description and often has nothing to do with your title.
- Learn to be a problem solver, not someone who hides behind procedures or waits for perfect clarity.
- Build resilience. Frustration, criticism, repetition, and emotional swings are part of the package. You fall, you stand up, and you keep going because you know you’re building something bigger with people from all walks of life.
Startups are not glamorous most of the time. They are messy, demanding, and deeply human.
But if you stay long enough, they shape you in ways no classroom or corporate training ever could.
Enjoy building — and get stronger while crushing problems along the way.
In the end, cruising the startup ocean is about learning to build without a playbook and becoming more adaptable with every wave you face.
This article is part of Cruising the Startup Ocean, a series exploring the real challenges of building in fast-moving startup environments.
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