Nikolas, ThoughtfulGPT, LLC at Seed-Stage AIaaS Startup: Advize Career Interview
A career in finance and accounting at a seed-stage AIaaS startup offers incredible opportunities for rapid growth and diverse experiences.
A journey beginning with part-time accounting, unexpectedly utilizing coding skills, evolved into a full-time role and ultimately a pivotal position in securing initial funding for a startup, even while pursuing an MBA. This path highlights the importance of founder skills, independent learning, and adaptability in navigating a fast-paced environment.
The work involves financial modeling, hiring strategy, market sizing, and KPI analysis, all while collaborating closely with a small team, including the CEO. The most rewarding aspects include the freedom to explore diverse projects, contribute to product pivoting, and witness firsthand the rapid technological advancements transforming various industries.
Challenges exist in prioritization and balancing exploration with core responsibilities, but the rewards of contributing to a burgeoning industry far outweigh the obstacles.
Entry-level students can explore similar opportunities in financial analysis, FP&A, product management, or project management roles, leveraging networking and online platforms to uncover promising openings.
A key takeaway emphasizes the importance of actively seeking learning opportunities, building a strong network, and maintaining a balanced approach to academic and extracurricular pursuits to achieve career success.
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Nikolas Win
ThoughtfulGPT, LLC
Seed-Stage AIaaS Startup
San Jose State University
UCLA Anderson FTMBA (Class of 2025)
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Business Management & Admin, Finance
Technology
Business Strategy
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Career Path Of A Financial Strategist At A Seed Stage AI Startup
Nikolas's career began with a part-time accounting role at Dr. Krono, a SaaS electronic health record company, where "coding specific expenses" unexpectedly became a key skill. This experience led to a full-time position and ultimately a move to an AIaaS startup, coinciding with their MBA pursuit at UCLA Anderson, where they played a pivotal role in securing the startup's initial funding.
Main Responsibilities of a Founder at a Seed-Stage AIaaS Startup
Nikolas's responsibilities at the seed-stage AIaaS startup are diverse, reflecting the small company size, including creating "different types of financial models," strategizing hiring, and conducting market sizing to demonstrate product-market fit for fundraising purposes. This experience highlights the importance of founder skills in early-stage funding, as Nikolas emphasizes the need to "convince these investors" without a substantial track record.
A Day In The Life Of A ThoughtfulGPT LLC Specialist At A Seed Stage AIaaS Startup
A finance and accounting intern at a seed-stage startup spends their day collaborating closely with a small team, "meeting with all of the members...and the CEO," to align projects and analyze key performance indicators (KPIs) like customer acquisition costs and churn rates. The work is heavily Excel-based, focusing on "presenting data in a digestible way," a crucial skill given the CEO's background outside of finance.
Most Important Skills For A Finance Manager At A Seed-Stage AIaaS Startup
Nikolas, a ThoughtfulGPT employee at a seed-stage AIaaS startup, emphasizes the crucial skill of independent learning and expertise, stating "having the ability to learn everything on your own and being the expert in your position." This is particularly vital in their finance and accounting role, where the accuracy of "project[ing]...over the next like 12, you know, 24 months" directly impacts company decisions, a significant shift from previous roles where work was merely "a piece" of a larger process.
Favorite Parts of Being a Strategy Analyst at ThoughtfulGPT, LLC
Nikolas most enjoys the "freedom" of working at a small, seed-stage company, allowing exposure to diverse projects like strategy and go-to-market analysis—experiences unavailable in larger firms' structured roles. This freedom, while lacking the "formal training" of larger companies, provides opportunities for growth and exploration beyond a typical finance role, allowing the professional to analyze consumer trends and contribute to product pivoting.
Biggest Challenges Faced By An AI Startup Founder At ThoughtfulGPT LLC
Nikolas's biggest challenge at ThoughtfulGPT is prioritization; a tendency to get sidetracked by promising new ideas, as exemplified by diverting from expense analysis to developing a product pivot that ultimately secured funding, highlights the need for efficient daily task management to balance exploration with core responsibilities.
Favorite parts of working in the AI industry as an AI Startup Founder
Nikolas enjoys the rapid pace of technological advancement and its impact on various industries, noting that "the pace at which new products are coming out" is fascinating. This allows for an understanding of interconnected industry trends and the potential of AI to revolutionize other sectors, a perspective that is "a blessing."
What Type Of Person Thrives In AI, According To ThoughtfulGPT At AI Startup
Success in this industry hinges on a blend of adaptability—"people that are able to learn quickly"—and strong interpersonal skills, requiring the ability to "work with different personalities effectively," especially when navigating conflicting priorities and streamlining processes, as exemplified by Nikolas' experience simplifying software development procedures despite pushback. Effective communication, explaining "why this is necessary," is crucial for achieving buy-in and collaboration across diverse teams.
What a Startup Founder at ThoughtfulGPT Wishes They Had Known Before AI Careers
Nikolas, a ThoughtfulGPT employee, learned that internal roles at a seed-stage startup offer less project and industry diversity than external roles like consulting; the lack of exposure made solidifying career decisions more challenging, and they wish they had considered "those opportunities more than just saying, no," to external options before committing.
Entry-Level Positions For Aspiring Startup Professionals At AIaaS Startups
Entry-level opportunities for undergraduate students in the AI field include roles in "financial analysis, FP&A, or financial planning and analysis" at major corporations, offering remote work flexibility. Other options include "product management roles or project management roles," with the interviewee suggesting leveraging platforms like Handshake and networking with recruiters to identify suitable openings and avoid mistakes like targeting unavailable service lines.
Significant Career Lesson From a Professional at a Seed Stage AIaaS Startup
A significant career lesson for Nikolas is to "take every opportunity to learn as much as you can," even if that means working with difficult colleagues, viewing such experiences as opportunities to improve professional presence and build valuable relationships; this proactive approach avoids limiting future opportunities and ensures continuous professional development.
College Experiences That Helped a Founder at ThoughtfulGPT LLC Succeed
To achieve career success, a balanced approach is key: "set goals and work really hard, but not too hard," while actively building a strong network through extracurriculars and "case competitions," which significantly enhanced their resume and helped secure initial career opportunities. This holistic approach, combining academic achievement with social engagement, proved invaluable in their career journey.
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