#16 Mike Paduada – With a resource list that’ll knock your socks off
Mike is an app developer, having recently made the jump from an eclectic career that has included consulting, dancing, writing, and occasional gigs with startups. He and his wife have been living in Shanghai for nearly three years. Also, Mike is Canadian, and he’s pretty proud of that.
No matter how limited my resources may be, I can still do something. That’s my choice.
Show Notes
How he got to China
Mike and his wife, Abigale, began looking for overseas opportunities in September of 2011 and in the next three months, quit jobs back in Canada, got hired in Shanghai, got engaged, got married and sold off a bunch of things in order to make the move! Talk about a whirlwind tour!
His current project
Mike is a full-time app developer who works from the comfort of his own home (most days!). What enticed him to actually dive into this was learning more about how accessible technologies really impact people’s lives and behavior. As training ground, he is now focusing on casual games because it’s an easy place to learn the app landscape.
Failure moment
A while back, Mike started a small communications agency with a couple of other independent consultants, with the vision for it to scale and take off. At one point, they were managing about 30 consultants, but in the end they just couldn’t get it to scale. The lesson Mike took away from that experience is that they were handling problems and challenges as independent consultants, maintain their own silos as opposed to relying upon one another’s strengths to coordinate and move forward.
Lessons learned along the way
- Keep an open dialog with your spouse if you’re looking to leap into an entrepreneurial venture. You’ll need their support!
- Connect with other entrepreneurs.
- Get hooked up with a co-working space if a home office isn’t working for you (see below for links!)
- Keep working on your idea every day.
Mike’s resource list for balancing life
His wife who is always in his corner, dreaming with him where this entrepreneurial endeavor can take their family. And of course, ayi, who takes care of their baby during the day, freeing Mike to move full steam ahead.
What’s next?
He loves collaborating with a team and has spent time contemplating the right timing to bring more team members into the picture. With one app in the store and another on the way, he’s on the lookout for someone to do digital graphics or social media.
Episode Links
- Kokapog.com – Mike’s first app available on the app store!
- Interaxon – collects brain data
- Shanghaimamas.org
- Chinalawblog.com
- Popupchinese.com – free podcasts
- Saving Face in China – book, by Anne-Laure Monfret
- Torguard – VPN
- Logsit App – tracks activities, makes new habits or breaks bad ones
- Accidental Genius – book, by Mark Levy
- Morning Pages – and another resource to get your started on Morning Pages
- 90 – 90 – 1 Rule
- People Squared – Co-working space
- Dutch Design Workshop – more co-working space!
Connect to Mike
Email Mike@Paduada.com
