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Nuniek: Without the "Background" IT Can Business Digital


(Our Tech Blog) Digital Business is flourishing in Indonesia. Various start-up companies also appear. But did you know that the pioneering pioneering effort that drives the digital creative industry is not always people with background information technology (IT).

Look Nuniek Tirta Ardianto. As someone who has no IT background, Nuniek Tirta Ardianto remain confident running his online business HamilCantik.com. Mother of two children, besides taking care of its own digital businesses, is also a community manager Fimela.com, a lifestyle portal for women.

Not only that, Nuniek is one of the initiators of the community # startuplokal startup that invites activists to share experiences and network. He is the active care of these community meetings are held regularly every month. She and her husband Natali Ardianto, mengggagas Eden Project which later welcomed by Kevin Mintaraga and Megain Widjaja. As quoted from kompas, Today, the Eden Project has been running, is building the facility hackerspace in Menteng, and began to recruit teams to follow the start-up business incubator program.

Nuniek share about his journey to build a digital company and perspectives on the local start-ups in Indonesia to Kompas.com through an interview via electronic.

To tell the origin to be a digital entrepreneur? Why choose the digital industry, rather than an offline business?

Unlike most of my friends at other local start-ups who have a background in IT or business education, my educational background actually secretarial (LPK Tarakanita) PR and communications (Buana Mercu University). It was not me made obstacles, but it will force my positioning as a woman who engaged in the world of IT without IT educational background. Since the college in 1998, I was already interested in the digital world. After my college career at IT companies and is active in community in cyberspace.

How did the founding HamilCantik.com background?

HamilCantik.com established since February 17, 2008, when I was eight months pregnant, right on the first day of my maternity leave and a month before I gave birth to second child. At that time my maternity clothes are deposited with the advantages of friends, and my photo and send to the mailing list. Apparently a lot of message and ask for other models. Idly I just ask the husband to make a website, and voila ... Be Hamilcantik.com site in just 2 days: p

Can be told about the development HamilCantik.com until now?

It is very cupu HamilCantik website, templates and engines is also free. But it makes real money! It generates profits from day one, and until now still profitable. I know some websites with design and features super-sophisticated, but until a few years yet to make money, bleeding continued. Too bad.

Do before becoming entrepreneurs, worked as an employee of a company? If yes, in what company and how long?

Yes, ever. Because of my interest in the digital world, since college I'm targeting myself to work in IT companies. After college in 2001, I worked at the company's Internet provider, then in 2003 moved to WAP services company. In 2005 I moved to oil and gas services company. Then in 2008 I resigned because my second child can not be left. I am busy with taking care of business to fill an online boutique www.hamilcantik.com maternity clothes. In 2011 I was invited to join in Fimela.com to build community and social media.

If you previously worked as an employee, what difference is most felt, when an employee with when becoming entrepreneurs?

Differences which most feel is the freedom to manage time. When the entrepreneur, I am free to choose his own time. When an employee, however I am bound by company policy. Also a matter of income, regular employees receive a salary, while employers routinely give salary.

How do I set the time to be able to manage the business, plus a monthly community event should take care of # StarUpLokal and Eden Project?

Priorities. I usually make to do lists per day and per week and do the job based on the priority scale. Coupled with 2 toddlers at home, I usually reply to emails on the road, or when the kids are asleep. On daylight, I usually circulate from events to events and do meetings, and doing office tasks.

What are the constraints faced in developing an online business HamilCantik.com?

If HamilCantik barriers for retail, the challenge is to training staff to serve customers well. Moreover, pregnant women are usually more sensitive, so it should be dealt with super careful. Back then, we still educate people who are not familiar online shopping into believing that our site is not fraudulent sites.

After the success of the digital business, is interested in opening an offline business like a franchise or the other?

I'm in the process of making something for a larger scale, but still a secret. Just wait it updates its ...

About the community # startuplokal, how the process can be the initiator # startuplokal community?

Initially I helped Natalie antarpenggiat initiate start-up meeting in April 2011, and to broadcast via Twitter. We think that it comes only a dozen people, there were 33 people. It is # startuplokal first meetup. Then in May 2011 I made a mailing list to arrange startuplokal@yahoogroups.com for the next meetup. Now, the mailing list was developed into a very useful discussion place for friends start-ups.


Experience what is most memorable for the community care of # startuplokal?

Surely when invited by the Irish government start-ups represent Indonesia for a visit to Ireland to see how the industry start-ups in there. It was like a dream that the government of a country far away turned out to give attention to our movement. Lately the government of Indonesia have also begun aware of the movement # startuplokal by inviting us to their events and also we were invited to represent the start-up of Indonesia, speaking in front of reporters with Mother Minister Mari Elka Pangestu and director Chris Kansil GEPI. Government through the Ministry Pergadangan also sponsored # startuplokal meetup June 2011 and at the JCC, the event PPKI.


According Nuniek, what should the team start-ups to be able to run and develop the business?

Action. Some people say if you fail to plan, you plan to fail. But if you plan too much, you missed the moment to the make a change. So just action. Find the right partners, and expand the network.


Community # startuplokal now make Eden Project, tell how the process until the project is finally implemented?

The desire to make the incubator was already long existed in our dreams, long before we were invited to Ireland. After returning from Ireland, we see how the start-up there so are supported by the government and it was very spur the development of start-ups in there. We were so motivated to make the incubator WITH OR WITHOUT government assistance. Natali then pour that desire by posting here: http://startuplokal.org/2011/05/16/startuplokal-hackerspace-jakarta/

Two days later, Kevin Mintaraga called me and said he was ringing the reply can be used to it. Incidentally the previous night, Kevin's partner in the Jardin Tech, Megain Widjaja, as Kevin said, "I no idle space of 500 m2 in Menteng, delicious contrived what?" Kevin Natali directly demonstrate the writing. Kevin Megain agreed immediately and directly on my phone right then and there.


What hope Nuniek of Eden Project for the advancement of local start-ups?

My hope this project can realize the dream of eden anyone who wants to have a startup with zero material capital, enough with the brilliant idea, will and perseverance. In a broader scale, hopefully eden project as a startup accelerator is able to spur the growth of startup industry in Indonesia and it is not likely there will be a new Mark Zuckerberg from Indonesia:)

Project eEen've never done pitching, pitching from the experience, what is missing from the team of local start-ups? Any tips so that they can be ready in establishing and running a start-up?

Usually my friends think only in terms of technology, rather than what problems to be solved and how monetasinya. There are too technical to explain, so the audience does not understand what it means. There also are clueless when asked how monetasinya.


How Nuniek opinion about government support for local start-ups?

The presence or lack of support from the government in our opinion should be ok, as long as the government does not actually make the policies that kill or harm the movement startuplokal only. In Silicon Valley it is not a lot of mixed government and in fact they can actually contribute much to the revenue the government there.

How is the development of local start-ups in Indonesia by Nuniek? Are local start-ups can compete in the global marketplace? What should be prepared?

Development of start-ups in Indonesia is very rapid, so many start-ups emerging in recent years. In my opinion, can really compete in the global marketplace. Many really friends in Indonesia who has a brilliant idea, just how to shape and hone it so it can be really mature.