"To tackle a complex, wicked problem like air pollution, you need to do all the things you need to do very well. That's why it gets very challenging. And that is really how when we look at any country, understand that we're only looking probably 1 way. It requires us to meet someone from that place and be there to understand anything at all. If I just make a conclusion about Kenya, knowing whatever I google, I probably might just end up with sensationalistic news or mainly negative things rather than seeing for myself how people there are very driven, and the young people are very energetic. They are trying so hard to get a better education. No news is thinking of putting that because they have a paywall and they need to get paid. So what do you get out of sharing these things that are probably not that sexy, not that sensationalistic, but actually very hopeful? And hope is something that, thank goodness from my lens as an Indonesian living in Indonesia, I see a lot of." - Gita Sjahrir
"The most memorable investors I had were the ones who listened to me. And the ones who at least would give me a shot or think the best of me, even though some of them never invested in me, but we became close friends because they listened and I realized listening to anyone at all is actually a super important skill set that is highly underrated in today's world. Because there's so much drive to prove we're better or we're smarter. There's so much drive to show off who we are that we forget to listen and make other people feel important. So I realized, although it sounds like, hey, everyone can listen, but that's actually not true. A lot of people cannot and probably because we've lost that skill set along the way in a world that is so loud and noisy." - Gita Sjahrir
"It's been super interesting seeing both the public and private sector view of Indonesia. The country has been fairly blessed with not going through a recession. There’s strong economic growth and inflation is under check at 5.1%, 5.2%. Is it a utopia? Absolutely not. Indonesia has a ton of issues. That's why it's so important to not see the world as very black and white and very binary. It's so important that everyone works together, and see where the values are aligned, and where they intersect because so many of the best things that Indonesia has done right have been when the public and private sectors worked together, collaboratively." - Gita Sjahrir
In this episode, Jeremy Au speaks on the founder to VC transition, Indonesia market narratives, and Kauffman Fellowship learnings.
Keywords: Gita Sjahrir, Founder to VC, Indonesia Market Narratives, Kauffman Fellowship Learnings, Indonesia, VC, Founder Story
