Ben Horowitz talks about both the importance of training your team and how to set up a training plan. This is such a vital part of building an effective team, yet it blows the mind to see how little thought many companies put into it. Big and small. Ben nails it: > Almost everyone who builds a technology company knows that people are the most important asset. And: > Training is, quite simply, one of the highest-leverage activities a manager can perform. Well said. Who should be doing this tra…
All posts in work
Elea Chang makes the case for focusing less on any new titles for workers, especially tech workers. Her thoughts are a response to Chris Messina’s glorification [https://medium.com/@chrismessina/the-full-stack-employee-ed0db089f0a1] of the employee who gets it all, from ideation, to strategy, to the technology that enables it all to happen. I love Elea’s point here: > Unfortunately, the continuous pursuit of professional skillsets tends to diminish the boundaries between work and everything e…
Despite all the talk about how to run a successful remote team, there's a lack of focus on what it takes to be a good remote employee.
In the past several years, I have worked on several side projects that have never seen the light of day. For those who are not familiar with my story, I cofounded Fusion Ads [http://fusionads.net] and ran that business for several years before selling it late in 2011. While I was running Fusion, I launched several other projects … some to mediocre success, some to no success at all. When you start a business that does well, then move on, there is a constant internal pressure to repeat your succ…
On the subject of creating with an iPad, I'm a bit of a Johnny-come-lately. Yes, creating on the iPad has been possible since the day it launched. And yes, I’ve used it for a bit of writing. But I never embraced it like many others have. I was of the opinion that my more powerful and functional laptop was always the better option. Until recently. I've been working on a side project for the last five months. Like many of you, I've a full time job to take up most of my time.…
The term craftsmanship brings to mind skills of yesteryear. Woodworking, textiles, cobbling, and smithery all come with the connotation of years of honing one’s ability, of apprenticeship. And, in our modern world where most of us don’t know how items for purchase come into existence, I often mourn the loss of the careful consideration men would give to their craft in these professions. But my sense of loss also comes with hope. The reason is twofold: we're seeing a resurgence in young people p…
As I've worked with and observed online businesses, there are three concepts that have become the pillars of how I believe companies should conduct themselves. They are: 1) charge for your product or service 2) give amazing customer service and 3) invest in and empower your team. Charging for your product or service seems overly obvious in most markets, but not so with the web. Sadly, build first and (try to) profit later is the norm in a bourgeoning industry. There are a few shining examples a…
What is about about new spaces that are exhilarating? For me, it's the intrigue. When I travel to a new city, I love to simply wander, to get a feel for the people, the smells, the layout. Most of all, I want to learn of the history. What has happened that contributed to making the city what it is. Sydney has not disappointed. It has much in common with Vancouver, a city I have much familiarity with. And so, exploring Sydney has been an experience of peaceful curiosity, allowing me to dally my…