Are you Dead yet? No? Then Keep Going.
Sometimes, it takes tragedy to remind us how short life really is.
Why do we always need tragedy to remember Life is Short?
On Feb 3, I heard the news that Barbie Hsu, an actress I grew up watching, passed away at just 48 years old. That's very young. It hit me hard. It’s funny how we always need something tragic to remind us how short life really is.
Just days earlier, I had attended TechLadies (Jan 17) and Hedera Workshop (Jan 21) organised by Aspire, both of which shifted my thinking in unexpected ways. I had gone into Hedera to learn about blockchain, but instead, I walked out questioning my product.
And then Barbie Hsu died. Her passing made me realise something profound: If I’m not dead yet, there’s still a chance. So, I’m moving forward.
The $2.6M USD Punch in the Gut
At the Hedera Workshop, I was there with my partner to explore how blockchain could fit into our app.
During my post-event research, I found out one of the event partners, Tenity, had backed a startup almost identical to my MVP, just few months ago. They raised $2.6M. Another U.S. competitor? $4M USD.
It felt like a gut punch. My mind started racing:
“Am I already too late?”
“Why would anyone choose my product over theirs?”
“Should I even keep going?”
What if this was all a waste of time? Should I quit now?
The Brutal Truth from TechLadies Event
A few days earlier, at TechLadies event, I had heard Melissa Bates say something that now felt relevant:
👉 "Push the boulder, but don’t be Sisyphus."Translation? Startup life is hard, but don’t let it be pointless. Move with intention. Adapt. Pivot. Find your edge.
Then came Seema Chokshi’s story—from corporate to academia to startup founder.
👉"There is no ‘perfect path." Stop waiting for certainty. Just start.I didn’t realize how much I needed to hear that—until Hedera workshop made me question everything.
So, what does this all mean?
Am I broke? Spent all my money? Lost everything? Am I dead yet? No? Then it’s not a problem.
So, my competitors raised $2.6M USD and $4M USD. What does it mean?
I got great ideas, it's idea validation worth million. hehehe
Competition isn’t a sign to stop—it’s proof this space matters.
If investors are pouring money in, there’s opportunity.
My edge? I’m not playing the same game as them.
They focus on travel—and that’s a big part of the market. But there's another gap. That’s why I’m working on something that helps people manage their finances in a smarter, more sustainable way.
What's Next?
This week has been nothing short of chaos. Validation has been harder than I imagined, and it feels like every decision I make only leads to more questions. Wahahaha!
Next week, I’ll be sharing all the chaos, the feedback I received from the survey, and how it’s shaping the future of what I’m building.
I’m refining my MVP to focus on this new angle, doubling down on what makes it unique and valuable. I targeted to launch it in March.
Stay tuned and stay alive,
Peggy.T
Chief Moonscaper
