keeping focus with a rapidly growing team
TRANSCRIPT
Keeping focus with a rapidly growing team
And trying not to drown
@JoshuaWohle
@JoshuaWohle - Keeping focus in a rapidly growing team
Agenda
● Something about me● Something about SuperAwesome● Learnings
○ from 1 to ±5○ from ±5 to ±10○ from ±10 to 15+
● Some General Tips & Tricks
@JoshuaWohle - Keeping focus in a rapidly growing team
Something about me
Started first company at 16
Building Large Web Applications & Systems
Co-Founder & CEO
Co-Founder & Chief Product Officer
@JoshuaWohle - Keeping focus in a rapidly growing team
Something about SuperAwesome● Started 2 years ago
○ from 5 people to 45+ today
200m+Kids on mobile and desktop web
70mAcross desktop
130mAcross mobile
210m+Online impressions (mobile/ desktop)
12 minsAcross mobile
20 minsAcross desktop
4London • New YorkBangkok • Australia
@JoshuaWohle - Keeping focus in a rapidly growing team
From 1 to ±5
Recruit only people you know
Focus on ownership
@JoshuaWohle - Keeping focus in a rapidly growing team
From 1 to ±5
Rules to keep focus (as much as possible)
● Rapid iterations● MVP without thinking big (yet)● Experiments die (and they should)
No custom frameworks or libraries!
MMO
Podcasts
Booking app
@JoshuaWohle - Keeping focus in a rapidly growing team
From ±5 to ±10
Communication is now a problem
Don’t bother with agencies unless recommended
@JoshuaWohle - Keeping focus in a rapidly growing team
From ±10 to 15+
Things have now spun out of controlBut that doesn’t have to be a bad thing!
Hierarchy creates issues with● Ownership● Team dynamics
@JoshuaWohle - Keeping focus in a rapidly growing team
From ±10 to 15+
Trust the team to deliver
Team 1 Team 2
Split team in 2 and switch every 3 months. Coordinators -- No hierarchy
@JoshuaWohle - Keeping focus in a rapidly growing team
Some Tips & Tricks
● Mentors● Hackweek
@JoshuaWohle - Keeping focus in a rapidly growing team
MentorsProvide perspective & slow down Point in the right direction
@JoshuaWohle - Keeping focus in a rapidly growing team
Hackweek
1 week away
Go remote Somewhere sunny, all under 1 roof
Make it cheap
Choose an existing product to focus on
@JoshuaWohle - Keeping focus in a rapidly growing team
Hackweek 2014
@JoshuaWohle - Keeping focus in a rapidly growing team
Hackweek 2015
@JoshuaWohle - Keeping focus in a rapidly growing team
Trust your intuition
Note: Not an actual quote, but paraphrase from Bob Samples
@JoshuaWohle - Keeping focus in a rapidly growing team
Summary / Overview / Main pointsDOs DON’Ts
0-5 ● Focus on ownership● Fail often, fail fast● Trust your gut feeling!
● Go too much beyond your own network to recruit
● Re-invent the wheel
5-10 ● Think about communication!● Trust your gut feeling!
● Accept a lower your hiring bar
10-15+ ● Split team● Trust your gut feeling!
● Think you have to introduce hierarchy● Be afraid to let go of responsibilities
@JoshuaWohle - Keeping focus in a rapidly growing team
Reading, Meetups & more● Creativity Inc. - Ed Catmull (Pixar)● The Hard Thing About Hard Things - Ben Horowitz
● Product Tank● London CTOs
This might get me killed but...
@JoshuaWohle - Keeping focus in a rapidly growing team
Questions?
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