NITM’s Paul is Helping Startups Build and Scale
I had the pleasure of interviewing Malcolm Paul, a tech lover, life long learner and entrepreneur. Hailing from the Caribbean island of Dominica, he brings cultural diversity and perspective to his life’s passion.
Since college, Malcolm has focused on working with startups to advise, build and help grow early stage technology, a critical milestone that many tech startups fail to reach. A milestone even more out of reach for founders of color and women.
With his team at NITM, he handles critical technology needs such as: Product Management, team management, documentation, cloud strategy, technical advisory and development, when needed. All ingredients for creating empathetic technology.
Thank you so much for joining us!
What motivated you to launch your startup?
Well I wouldn’t say that we’re a startup per se. The core of what we do at NITM was seeded years ago, while I was still in school. If I were to pick the reasons for launching it would be:
- I knew I didn’t want to be dependent on someone else’s vision for my life
- I knew I wanted to be challenged in life. With the success coming from overcoming those challenges
- I wanted to be in a position of capability to be able to help my family, friends and people who look, speak and walk like me. Of course I work with anyone who has the drive to take the entrepreneurial risk
What is it that excites you about what you’re building?
Such a good question! The thought of knowing that nothing is outside of my capability as a person and that I can at least try to tackle something. A failure to reach that vision for me simply means that we aimed too high and only got so far and that we have many other opportunities to adjust and try again for an even higher target.
When I speak with people about what they’re envisioning I get excited about the potential opportunity to help bring that idea to reality.
What has been your biggest challenge when growing your startup?
Asking for help and depending on others. It was always easier for me to think that I can do what I need to do because I’m only accountable to myself. Placing trust that others have your back, that’s a bit scary but also necessary and rewarding once you trust and see how things work. This, funnily enough is a constant theme in my life: vulnerability.
Once you get over that it’s a matter of the larger vision that you want to execute on and ensuring that you balance the costs and rewards that come with it.
What are your future plans for your startup?
We’re structuring ourselves better to help more startups, reaching out to portfolio companies whose companies may benefit from our expertise and also working on launching internal projects that showcase our ability to conceptualize, plan and deliver solid products.
Basically continuing to run our core product and technology consulting while also eating our own food by bringing our own, non conflicting, services and products to market.
If you had to share, “words of wisdom,” with a Founder who’s about to start their own startup, what would they be?
It really is a journey. A small step, forward or backward, is an opportunity to seek humility, learn and grow as a person. Everything else follows from your lead so take care of yourself first and ensure you’re good enough to take care of your team.
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