Week 2 at I2N: Learning to Listen Before You Build
As Week 2 of the I2N Pre-Accelerator comes to a close, I’ve found myself reflecting more deeply than ever before—not just on my business idea, but on the mindset I bring into this journey. This week wasn’t about validation in the way most startup founders might expect. It wasn’t about confirming what I already believe. It was about letting go of assumptions and learning how to truly listen.
Before this program, I thought I was supposed to convince people that my idea — a digital receipt system powered by NFC — was the future. But I2N has flipped that narrative. I’m not here to sell. I’m here to listen, explore, and understand.
🧠 Customer Discovery: The Real Startup Work
The biggest takeaway this week was learning that customer discovery is not a checkbox activity — it's the foundation of everything.
We were introduced to the concept of “problem interviews,” where instead of pitching your idea, you focus entirely on the user’s lived experience. What’s frustrating them? What workarounds have they already created? What are the emotional and practical consequences of their problem?
I realized that in the past, I had rushed to solution mode. I thought that because I had a cool tech idea, I could shape the problem around it. But as our facilitators emphasized this week, that’s backwards. The goal isn't to make people care about your product. It's to care so much about their pain that your product becomes an obvious solution.
👥 Mentorship Begins: Meeting Eric Wedepohl
This week also marked the start of formal mentorship, and I’m incredibly fortunate to be paired with Eric Wedepohl.
Eric brings a unique mix of corporate experience and deep community involvement. What stood out to me was his empathy and intention. He’s not just here to help startups succeed — he’s here to help people grow.
He asked questions that made me slow down and really think:
What success looks like for you?
What are you assuming they know or want?
It’s refreshing to have someone in your corner who isn’t there to sugarcoat things but also isn’t pushing a one-size-fits-all playbook. Eric listens first, then guides. I’m genuinely excited about the wisdom I can gain from working with him over the next few months.
🎤 Inspiration from the Field: Abid Khan & Thermalog
One of the standout moments from this week was attending the Startup Success Stories event hosted by I2N on May 14, where we had the opportunity to hear from Abid Khan, the founder of Thermalog.
Thermalog is an innovative company that builds real-time temperature monitoring solutions designed for critical environments like healthcare, food, and pharmaceuticals — sectors where maintaining precise conditions is not just important but often a regulatory necessity. The technology offers automated alerts and analytics to help prevent costly losses, ensure compliance, and maintain safety across the supply chain.
But while the tech itself is impressive, what really struck me was Abid’s mindset.
He shared personal reflections on what it really means to be a founder — not the glamour we often see from the outside, but the hard, lonely, and often uncertain grind behind the scenes. He urged all of us in the room to pursue this journey if we truly wanted it, not following it will makes us regret later.
That message really landed with me. It reminded me that while I’m juggling a full-time job, this program, and a business idea still in its early phase — it’s all part of choosing the harder, more meaningful path.
Abid also shared that Thermalog wasn’t an overnight success. Like many startups, he went through the process of joining accelerator programs, facing product and customer challenges, and evolving the business model. His story gave a very real example of how structured startup support like I2N can be leveraged when you commit fully.
His clarity, honesty, and calm confidence reminded me that persistence is more important than perfection — and that no great product gets built without long periods of uncertainty.
🧭 Personal Reflections: Getting Comfortable With Discomfort
This week was emotionally challenging in a good way. I was forced to admit that, while I’ve been calling this a business, it’s not one yet. It’s an idea with potential — but only if it solves a real, meaningful problem that people are actively seeking a solution for.
That’s both scary and exciting. Scary because it means I don’t have control over the outcome yet. Exciting because now, finally, I’m asking the right questions.
I’ve also realized that being in I2N is as much about becoming a better version of myself as it is about refining a product. It’s about learning to approach people with curiosity, to take rejection as feedback, and to grow with humility.
🔜 Next Steps
Here’s what I’m working on now:
Scheduling and conducting end-user interviews
Avoiding “pitch mode” and instead asking open, thoughtful questions
Summarizing key patterns and insights
Meeting with Eric to review what I learn and refine my direction
Continuing to balance this with full-time work, fitness, and life
Yes, it’s a lot. But I’ve never felt more aligned with the direction I’m heading in.
💬 Final Thoughts
Week 2 has reminded me that startups are not built on ideas — they’re built on insight. And insight only comes from listening.
The I2N Pre-Accelerator is already doing more than teaching me how to build a business. It’s reshaping how I think. About people, about problems, and about progress.
To anyone considering a program like this: Do it. But come ready to get uncomfortable. Because that’s where the real growth happens.
Thanks for reading — see you in Blog 3. 👋
