I recently read an article in Forbes, “The Six Enemies of Greatness (and Happiness)” and it really resonated with me. It states that availability, ignorance, committees, comfort, momentum and passivity are the 6 factors that stops people from achieving their goals and being happy. I have always been in an environment where I was a follower, rather than a leader. I like comfort and dislike change; I prefer being in big groups because I am just one person our of many and what I think wouldn’t matter. But I wanted out! I wanted to do more, and I want to be great! Fortunately for me I got an opportunity to join Oxygen Cloud; a bootstrap startup, that not only changed my career but also changed my outlook on life.

My first week at Oxygen Cloud was a challenge, because  I wasn’t a startup person, I needed to make a change quickly or else my time at Oxygen would end faster than it started.

So how did I become the People Person that I am today? A person who doesn’t just accept what’s right in front of her, who doesn’t just get comfortable, who isn’t just a doer, but an innovator?

An Oxygener’s steps to success: Don’t be a sheep

 Our motto here is “don’t be a sheep” – dare to invent and just do it.

Availability: We don’t just hire anyone, we don’t fill warm bodies into empty seats. We make sure these people are not only talented but also “right for us”. This becomes a challenge to hire, but we want ones who enjoy being challenged every day and are always trying to learn more.

Committees & Ignorance: We work in groups of 1-2 so there are never “too many cooks in the kitchen.” This allows everyone’s creative juices to flow. The small team and flat structure makes it easier for everyone to shine and build something great.

Comfort: We never get comfortable nor would we settle for second best. We are building a technology platform for the future, and we work with all the latest, most cutting-edge technologies. We are a technology company.

Momentum: We’ll never let you get in a rut and there are always new projects to work on. If you are motivated then you’ll always find something to do!

Passivity: We never want you to give up and say “fine, whatever,” because that will get us no where. We always encourage people to speak their mind and share their ideas with others!

So don’t be a sheep! Join Oxygen Cloud today! It’s time for you to shine, to be successful and change the world!

- Hanh Huynh (@HanhtHuynh)
People Person of the Oxygen Team