Starting your own business can be a very daunting task, starting a technology company without any tech experience can even be more challenging.
In 2019, with no experience in technology my husband and I embarked upon a journey that has changed our lives and the lives of millions of college and university students worldwide. We created PS Remember, a new social media platform that connects high school seniors, currently attending college/university Students and Alumni in over 147 countries around the world. Today PS Remember represents a global initiative connecting over 2.5 million schools.
Many people have reached out to me, wanting to build their own apps and asking me to share details on my experience and journey in the tech world. That is when I realized that there are many people out there with amazing ideas but who are afraid to take the leap or do not know where to start because they do not have any tech knowledge. So, I thought, let me take a moment and share our own journey to help and encourage anyone with a dream.
Before I ascended into the world of technology my experience was in the field of the sciences, while my husband worked in the music industry. Because we knew we had a great idea; we didn't let our lack of technology knowledge and inexperience stop us from accomplishing the task. The road ahead was less than smooth as we encountered many challenges but also celebrated many victories.
Think big – Solve a problem
Our idea was big and bold, but did it solve a real problem or fill a void in the world? So, we asked ourselves the following questions:
Is there an existing social media platform that connects College and University students? No
Is there a website or an app where alumni can reconnect with their former classmates worldwide? No
Is there one specific platform where schools around the world can connect with prospective and current students? No
We knew then that we were solving a problem, we needed to create an app that would connects all the students in the world, allowing them to be social.
Overcoming The Obstacles
Now, we had this world changing idea but no knowledge on how to implement it. We didn't know how to build a website or knew anyone who could. So, we started doing research online to find a trusted team of talented developers who understood the vision. It took about 3 months to find and secure the right team. You may start with a team and realize that it isn't a good match, don't be afraid to severe ties and find a new team.
We were given an estimate of $200k to $300k to complete the website, the app and retrieve the database of over 2.5 million schools. We then found ourselves wondering "How were we going to pay for all this?" We had no investors, and we reached out for financial help we were told repeatedly "people do not invest in dreams or potential". So, we decided to invest in our dream and to do it one day at a time. What would have taken a team with large investors 6 months to build took us 3 years to complete. During those 3 years, we worked in concert with the developers, doing our own research, becoming more familiar with technology lingo and applications.
To cut cost, we took it upon ourselves to ascertain the database of every kindergarten, middle school, high school, college, and university in over 147 countries. By contacting the ministry of education of several countries and sharing our initiative we were able to obtain comprehensive raw data. The data came in a format that wasn't usable for our developers and instead of hiring 20 people to decipher all the data, I took my time and one by one organized and authenticated over 2.5 million schools. The data we received were in multiple languages such as Spanish, French, Italian, Portuguese, Swahili, Dutch, and many more, luckily, I can speak multiple languages and the process took about 12 months to complete.
Never quit never give up
Success does not always come easily, never talk yourself into giving up. Keep going, and you will impact a person's life with your idea. Have the courage to accomplish your goals despite adversities. Be bold, and you will break down barriers.
Be patient and work at your own pace, you are not in a race with anyone.
Better to be late than never
After 3 years of challenges, hard work, and determination, the website www.psremember.com is completed. The mobile app is now available in AppStore and Google Play.
Angelique Morrison, Vice-President, and Co-Founder of PS Remember
