1st10 Podcast

On the fourth episode of the 1st10 Podcast, we are joined by Jono Spiro, the Principal Software Engineer for Fractal Software. Fractal is a unique venture studio that “provides ambitious entrepreneurs with the support, insights, and capital needed to build generational businesses.” Jono joined us on the show to discuss the concept of founding engineers and early engineering teams in startups. He shared insights from his extensive experience advising Fractal’s 145 portfolio companies on engineering, product development, and team building. Listen to the whole episode to hear Jono talk about: Founding engineers - “Find somebody that compliments you as a CTO that's ideally better than you, if possible.” (9:46) Spotting talent through resumes - “"Reading resumes. It's an art. It's also BS." (12:06) Take Days Off Regularly - “if you find yourself (burning the midnight oil) all the time, you're doing it wrong.” (20:05) Consolidating Knowledge - “Pick a place to store your company's knowledge.” (28:56) Advice for Early Engineers - “Make sure that you're ready to join a startup. You're going to make less money. You will not have job security. You're going to meet some scummy people.” (30:58) Chapters 02:45 - Jono's Background & History 03:44 - What’s a Founding Engineer? 07:01 - How to Identifying and Hire Early Engineers 20:35 - Building Early Engineering Teams & Fostering Culture 25:40 - Tools for Remote Work & Knowledge Consolidation 29:27 - Advice for Founders & Early Engineers 36:18 - Additional Thoughts on AI, Take-Home Assignments, and other stuff Connect with us Website: www.1st10.com Podcast: www.1st10.com/podcast  Twitter www.x.com/1st10engineers LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/1st10/ YouTube: www.youtube.com/@1st10podcast  Links Fractal Software: www.fractalsoftware.com Jono Spiro's GitHub: www.github.com/jspiro Glitch & Tiny Speck: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glitch_(video_game) Game Neverending and Flickr: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flickr Producer: Shrikant Joshi Music by ⁠Roman Senyk⁠ from ⁠Pixabay⁠

On the third episode of 1st10 Podcast, hosts Boris Epstein and Alexis Munger draw from their experiences working with startups to come up with SEVEN simple tips for founders looking to build early-engineering teams. These tips cover a wide gamut of all things startup-related - ranging from recruiting, to culture-building, to crafting compelling company narratives. On today’s episode, Boris and Alexis discuss 7 tips on how to attract and retain top engineering talent for your startup. Here’s a quick glimpse into some of the key takeaways… “Recruiting is all momentum-based” - Interviewing multiple candidates in a single day (rather than over several days)allows you to compare and contrast candidates better. (6:15) “Leverage your network” - Your network is a goldmine for finding top talent. If you can effectively tap into your connections, you will be able to build a strong early-engineering team. (9:36) “Hire for aptitude” - Problem-solving skills and adaptability are crucial for early-stage success. (13:07) “Define your culture early” - Culture isn't just a document on the wall. It's the essence of your company. (20:17) “Craft a compelling story about your company and your product and what your mission is.” - Your startup's story is your secret weapon in attracting top talent. (25:31) Oh, and you’re gonna LOVE tips 2 and 1 - make sure you listen all the way to the end of the episode! Chapters Introduction (00:00 - 03:28) Tip #7: This is what all your hires will ultimately focus on. (03:32 - 05:42) Tip #6: Gaining an advantage in THIS aspect is critical for startups. (05:42 - 9:41) Tip #5: Sometimes the right candidates are really, REALLY close. (9:41 - 13:07) Tip #4: If you find someone good that you don’t particularly need… (13:07 - 20:23) Tip #3: Know what you are all about. (20:23 - 25:31) Tip #2: How to be a superhero from the get-go. (25:31 - 31:33) Tip #1: The most-obvious truth is also the most-easily-missed... (31:33 - 43:26) Follow: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/13UwWOSV1KrJBJgIdt8bJ7Amazon: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/7e8ec9af-f38c-4cd9-8c68-1c1dd4516b 27/1st10-podcastApple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/1st10-podcast/id1760411207 Podcast: https://www.1st10.com/podcast YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@1st10podcast Connect with us Website: www.1st10.com Podcast: www.1st10.com/podcast Twitter www.x.com/1st10engineers LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/1st10/ YouTube: www.youtube.com/@1st10podcast Links:Episode Cover Art via Pixlr Music by Roman Senyk from Pixabay Producer: Shrikant Joshi

On this episode of The 1st10 Podcast, Boris Epstein and Alexis Munger interview Bobby DeSimone, founder and CEO of Pomerium, an early startup building an open-source internal access control and security platform. Bobby shares insights on building and nurturing great engineering cultures, with a focus on remote work, open-source development, recruiting, and maintaining work-life balance. Bobby also spoke about the specific impact of being an open-source product on company culture, transparency, and trust-building in the engineering community. Don’t miss Bobby’s reflections on starting Pomerium and the learnings and adjustments he has had to make to his life since its inception! On today's episode, Bobby talks about several topics such as:: Challenges of Remote Work Culture - Discussion about the challenges and benefits of building and nurturing a remote engineering culture at Pomerium. (10:05) Work-Life Balance and Startup Grind - Insights into work-life balance, flexibility, and the challenges of managing a startup while maintaining a healthy work-life balance. (14:10) Open Source Culture - The impact of being an open source product on company culture, transparency, and trust-building in the engineering community. (25:34) Challenges in Building Company Culture - Exploring the challenges of articulating and fostering a culture that brings out the best in the team. (30:24) Reflections on Starting Pomerium - Reflecting on the learnings and adjustments in starting a company like Pomerium. (32:15) Advice for Founders Building Early Engineering Teams - Providing advice on selecting passionate and skilled individuals for early engineering teams. (33:38) Chapters 00:00:00 Introductions & Background 00:10:05 Challenges of Remote Work Culture 00:14:10 Work-Life Balance, Startup Grind, and Navigating Burnout 00:22:00 Recruiting Early Engineers, the 00:25:34 Building Trust and Openness Through The Open Source Culture 00:30:24 Challenges in Building Company Culture & The Importance of Trust 00:33:38 Advice for Founders & Early Engineers 00:36:23 Importance of Early Talent and Team Building Connect with us Website: www.1st10.com Podcast: www.1st10.com/podcast  Twitter www.x.com/1st10engineers LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/1st10/ YouTube: www.youtube.com/@1st10podcast  Music by Roman Senyk from Pixabay Producer: Shrikant Joshi

On the first-ever episode of The 1st10 Podcast, Boris Epstein and Alexis Munger interview Prakash Janakiraman, co-founder and former CTO of NextDoor. Prakash shares his experiences in the tech industry, focusing on the founding and growth of Nextdoor, the significance of building a strong and collaborative team, and the challenges of scaling a startup. Prakash emphasizes hiring engineers who align with the company's mission and are willing to learn and adapt. He stresses the importance of communication and collaboration within the team and how the NextDoor interview process focused on technical proficiency, collaboration, and cultural fit. Don’t miss the valuable advice from Prakash for early founders and engineers at early startups! On today's episode, Prakash talks about: The importance of Cultural Fit - Building a successful team starts with prioritizing cultural fit and alignment to the company's mission over purely technical skills. (04:18) Hiring generalist vs. specialists - In the early stages, generalists who can handle diverse tasks are invaluable, while scaling requires more specialized roles. (09:25) Iterative Development - Quick iteration cycles and a tight circle of trust during early development stages lead to higher productivity and innovation. (10:49) Collective Code Ownership - Encouraging collective code ownership ensures flexibility and reduces dependencies, fostering a sense of responsibility across the team. (16:57) Continuous Learning - Continuous learning and adaptability are key to personal and professional growth in the tech industry. (25:18) Chapters 00:00 Introductions 02:15 Prakash's Background and Experience 04:27 Essential Ingredients to Building Nextdoor's Early Team 10:16 Challenges and Inflection Points in Team Building 13:58 Specialization and Mentorship in Team Building 17:55 Interview and Evaluation Methods 28:18 Recruiting Strategies & Transition to Management 36:01 Building a High Trust Environment 38:41 In-Person vs. Remote Work Cultures 42:36 Advice for Early Founders and Engineers

Yeah, we know this is 30 seconds of silence but, believe me, we have a LOT to say! Follow this podcast and keep an eye out for our first episode featuring Prakash Janakiraman, the co-founder of Nextdoor, which drops in on 2nd August 2024!