Do Something that Scares You

The moment had finally arrived.  After months of agonizing uncertainty, our dream had come true and it was time to pull the trigger on the opportunity of a lifetime.  There was only one problem -during the longer than expected wait...life happened.  We managed to convince ourselves that the Start-Up Chile door had shut in our faces and it was time to start making other plans.

While Ray and Melissa were falling deep into their whirlwind romance, I started preparing myself for a cross-country move to start a new chapter and new challenge in New York City.  And just like that, the stakes had changed.  What would have been a no-brainer a month earlier, was now a choice with considerable implications.    

It's not that Ray and I had taken the decision to quit our great jobs and comfortable lives lightly, it was that now there was another life that was going to be greatly impacted by our decision.

In the end, the decision came down to four relatively simple factors:

• We were a team
• We were more than just partners, we were best friends
• We had a great idea
• Ray had found himself an amazing girlfriend

or in other words-

• Either we both went, or neither of us went.
• We would support each other, however things turned out.
• Wolo
• Melissa supported Ray and told him to follow his dream, even if it meant moving 6,000 miles away weeks after she had just moved across the country to be with him.

With the tough decision made, we had lots of work to do and loose ends to tie up.  In addition to breaking the news to work and our roommates, we somehow had to obtain letters from our doctors and the FBI proving we were free of disease and criminal records.  Against all odds, one month later Ray and I were granted visas and we set out on our journey to the other side of the world.

Although exhausted from travel (this place is seriously on the other side of the world), the excitement and adrenaline of touching down in my new home kept my energy and spirits high.  As I made my way to the Airbnb, though, I started to get a little worried.  I wasn't sure what I had expected, but as I looked out my window at a gray, dilapidated city, my excitement started to fade.   Soon after, doubt and fear started to creep into my mind as I started to question our decision - had we just made a huge mistake?

Start-Up Chile Acceptance

Months had passed since Mike and I submitted our application on September 30, 2015. As Mike mentioned in Hurry Up and Wait, our friends and family persistently asked us for updates that we didn't have. As time went on, our lives kept moving forward - full speed ahead.

Mike was progressing in his career and enjoying life in San Francisco. Having nearly given up on Start-Up Chile, he decided to plan an awesome bucket list trip to Carnival in Rio.

Meanwhile, I was living in New York, progressing in my career, and taking advantage of my ability to work remotely. I met a girl in Santa Barbara and fell madly in love. Luckily we were able to travel often and see each other at least once every 2 weeks. My girlfriend, Melissa, started looking at jobs in New York. She eventually found her dream job at Columbia University working with the health promotion site Go Ask Alice!. After a few weeks of interviewing and presenting, she found out on December 18, 2015 that she landed the job.

We couldn't believe it! After living almost 3,000 miles apart for months, we would now be in the same city! Melissa and I popped a bottle of champagne and toasted to the end of our long-distance relationship.

Just two days later, I received an email that would change my life forever (and Mike's, and Melissa's)...

2015 Application Process

Your startup has been selected!

Dear Raymond Collins,

Congrats! Your startup “Bucket List Sherpa” was selected to participate as part of Start-Up Chile’s new generation. You are about to begin a once in a lifetime experience: to build your startup along with a community of entrepreneurs from +70 countries is something you’ll never forget. Together we will build great companies and lead the startup revolution taking place in Chile. Welcome!

As stated in program´s Terms and Conditions, you will be the legal beneficiary of the capital and the one who must live in Chile for the seven-month term of the program.

These are the team members who you stated on your application. Please remember that the Beneficiary and team members CANNOT be changed:

• Michael Swisher

The following steps in the process are as follows:

1) You must answer to admission@startupchile.org with either:

• “Yes, I will participate. My arrival will be on February 15th, 2016"
• “No, I won’t join the program”. It would be great to know why you chose not to join us.

***Please make sure to let us know whether you’ll join the program or not before December 25th. If you fail to do so, we’ll assume you chose not to join the program***

2) Once we get your email answer, we’ll get in touch with you within one week to provide all the information required for your arrival to Chile.

**Please DO NOT ENGAGE in any expenditure related to Start-UpChile until we get in touch with you with specific instructions on that**

We look forward to hearing back from you and meeting you within the upcoming months!

Kind regards,

Start-Up Chile Team