Ben R
I was taking out my laptop at a bar when i noticed the impeachment trial was playing on a nearby tv. A congressperson was on the senate floor giving an impassioned speech about the service of a young man. He then started talking about the Ukrainian city, "Keev".You might wonder how a...
Ben R
One of the common mistakes among startup leadership is the belief that culture comes from the top. This is incorrect. The culture of a small company is an organic, evolving thing. It will grow and respond in unpredictable ways. Believing you can control it in any meaningful sense is a bit...
Ben R
What are some traits shared by the best programmers you know? I'd wager things like introversion, thoughtfulness and detail orientation show up on your list. While none of these are requirements for a great programmer, they appear disproportionately represented among the best coders i've worked...
Ben R
For the last 4 years i have been the head of technology for MeetMindful (TS W16). I moved on a couple of weeks ago. It was time.Being away from the hustle and bustle has afforded me a chance to reflect on how things went over those years. I started as the first employee after the cofounders and...
Ben R
There are at least two ways to prioritize a company's money and efforts: you can prioritize for growth or you can prioritize reducing operations. The second option is one too few companies take.When companies prioritize for growth, a familiar pattern appears. The company needs to raise money to...
Ben R
The startup scene is, in many ways, a plethora of good. The number of jobs, wealth, tools and services created by startups in the last few decades is difficult to even quantify. But as the saying goes, the brightest lights cast the darkest shadows. Let's take a moment to acknowledge, and add some...
Ben R
One of the first things new team members learn about me is my outspoken detest for the word "manager". I am not a manager. My job is not to manage people. My job is to hire and nurture engineers who do not need to be managed. Such engineers share a few traits. For one, they are all passionate,...
Ben R
If you had to pick a pair of everyday words to describe the nature of your codebase, what would they be? Take a moment and fill in the following blanks. "I would describe my codebase as ______ and ______" Now, answer a similar question about your ideals: "I would describe my ideal codebase as...