Who are We?

I used to be just a designer.

Back in 2012, I was enjoying with making things look nice.

By 2017, I moved into Product Design, solving real-world problems with designs.

By 2023, I was managing entire fintech product lifecycles.

My huge turning point happened last year in March 2024 when I tried raising funds for the company I worked at.

That experience changed how I thought.

I started to learn, to not thinking just like a designer, but like a founder, a businessman, and even an investor.

Still remember a scene from Iron Man?

Iron Monger said:

"When I ordered the hit on you, I was worried I was killing the golden goose."

"But you had one last golden egg to give."

"Do you really think that just because you have an idea, it belongs to you?"

As a founder, you can have a great idea, but if you don’t understand how the business side works, or how to protect your company, your vision can easily slip away.

Tony's response: “How’d you solve the icing problem?”

Sounds familiar? haha

It’s not just about having a great product or idea.

It's about getting the right things in place. Whether it’s technology, the team, or the legal parts like equity.

Missing something small but important, like the icing problem, can cause big problems later.

Remember Steve Jobs? After being kicked out of Apple in 1985, he went on to create NeXT and helped Pixar grow. Later, Apple bought NeXT, and Jobs returned to lead Apple to huge success.

He said getting fired was the best thing that happened to him because it allowed him to grow and get even more creative. But if he had known more about equity and ownership, he might not have lost control of his company in the first place.

Founders must protect their vision and ownership, while investors can be powerful partners who bring the resources needed to make things happen.

Money, when leveraged properly, can fuel growth, but both sides need to respect each other’s roles to create something great.

Back to my Journey

I’ve learned that creativity isn’t just about making things look good anymore.

It’s about building systems, understanding business, and protecting your vision.

Right now, I’m not raising funds (yet) but I’m learning. I’m meeting with investors, listening, and observing.

This Friday, 25 April 2025, I have an Angel Investor Coffee Chat with AngelCentral. (I'm very excited!)

Not to pitch, but to learn from different perspectives. I believe good founders should know what it’s like on the other side of the table.

Here’s a thought I’ve been sitting with lately:

Sometimes, the great product doesn’t sell.

Sometimes, it's the one with distribution.

Sometimes, it’s the one with capital.

Sometimes, it’s just timing or relationships.

Investor money isn’t magic. It comes with expectations, influence, even redirection. And that’s okay as long as you know that.

Nothing is free. Everything has a cost.

The golden egg? It shines, but it always comes with strings.

And hey—quick life update:

I just had my first article published as a contributor on e27, the platform that curate information and connect stakeholders, driving the sustainable growth of the Southeast Asia tech ecosystem.

It's same article with what I had here in Moonshot Diary, but now you also can read it here.

So, who are we?

Creativity isn’t just about designing beautiful things. It's also a way of thinking that helps you solve problems in new ways.

In my journey from designer to entrepreneur, this mindset has been a valuable tool, helping me approach challenges from different angles and keep learning along the way.

All the titles we carry: Designer, Product Manager, Director, CEO, Founder, Investor are like Iron Man’s suits.

They’re tools. They help us do great work, protect what we build, and push limits.

But remember that scene Captain America once asked Tony:

“Take away the suit—what are you?”

And Tony proves it. Even without the tech, the armor, or the title… he’s still Iron Man.

I’ve worn different suits too.

But no matter how much I grow or how many roles I take on or what business I'm doing, that part of me who sees the world creatively, who solves through design never leaves.

I don’t just wear the suit. Like Tony said: “I am Iron Man.”

And me?

I am, and always will be, a Designer.

That’s all for now. Stick around.

You never know what’s coming next.

Peggy.T

Chief Moonscaper