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kbruce

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=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= I build cool things!

engineer / architect / product owner / researcher / business exec wrapped in one quirky bundle

eat large contexts for breakfast, attention to detail for lunch, and compassion for dinner

ex @Microsoft

https://kanebruce.com/ =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

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Ask HN: What happened to startups, why is everything so polished? 2 years ago

just depends on your perspective imo... my startup (ctx: I'm the CTO) is lean, pretty mean, and a modest bit scrappy under the hood!

B2B means making sure our customers feel the weight of the value we deliver (why should they care), which means more emphasis on direct relationships beyond just our website. but we have learned considerably from our advisors and industry peers the right way to do a lot of things, meaning that we don't have to figure it out again. but there's always something new to figure out! the website should clarify the immediate value to the target customer profile, and pass the "surface" check so to speak.

part of this I think is also shaped by what those sly VCs are looking for, in that they have a higher confidence bar required to feel confident in the sales engine (underpinned by security/compliance, engineering, etc).

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Ask HN: What's your opinion on weekly 1:1s? 3 years ago

I've been fortunate to set the pace, culture, and flow of information at my company from the bottom up. As both an engineer and an exec, I say it should be on a per-person basis, and that the manager shouldn't be the one setting the status quo.

I have a VP with whom I spontaneously meet or even go to eat with, cuz it works best for them. I have engineers who enjoy the pace and cadence of a regular sync to chat about anything and everything (or just major progress), and I have engineers who will just poke me if anything comes up. And they love it!

If you have to question the potential ramifications of this, it means you should look more carefully at your culture and who you're hiring (and perhaps yourself, to validate if your concerns are even justified).

It's all about what works best for you, so I believe a good manager will let their engineers set the pace -- I encourage everyone under me to do the same, and it's been phenomenal for our collective dev health and passion as my #1 focus... the progress and profit will come as byproducts.

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