5 Years CTO & Business Owner

 

 

Things I learned

Things I would do different

Things I would do again

 

Michael - @Schnitzel

Michael Schmid

@Schnitzel

 

Group CTO Amazee

​Zurich - Austin - Cape Town

Director at Large 
Drupal Association Board

 

Voting starts 7th March!

2010

  • Deputy CTO
  • Amazee Labs
  • 6 People
  • 2 Developers (me!)
  • Zurich
  • Drupal only

2015

  • Group CTO
  • Amazee Labs, Amazee Metrics
  • 35 People
  • 20 Developers (not me)
  • Zurich, Austin, Cape Town
  • Drupal not only focus


Hiring

Hiring

  • Hire slow, Fire fast
  • Adding one more person:
    You got a new team
  • Do not hire out of need
  • Open your vision

Hiring Process

  • Interviews
  • Team Lunch
  • Skills Test
  • More Interviews
  • Team decision

 

 

Take Notes!

Where to Hire

  • Job Platforms
  • Twitter, Facebook, StackOverflow
  • Friends
  • Family
  • Events

 

 

You are hiring all the time!

The first day

  • Everything ready
  • Blogpost, Website
  • Tech, Goodies

 

 

The first day is the first impression


Firing

The first f**king hard thing

Firing

  • Ask team members
    They will not tell you right away
  • Define clear goals and deadlines

 

 

A baby step is not a reached goal

Firing

  • Definitely don't wait too long
  • "How would I feel if that person is gone"

 

 

Your team is suffering and will get sloppy too


Careers

Careers

  • Think about career paths
  • Do not focus only on leadership
  • Ask!
  • Be clear about rights and duties

 

 

The best job is boring after 3 years


Delegating

The second f**king hard thing


70% Rule

70% Rule

  • 70% is good enough
  • Keep the 100% required tasks

 

WTF

Why to delegate

  • Task A: Business Impact: M
  • Task B: Business Impact: XL
  • 30% chance to fuck-up Task A
  • Non fucked up Task B protects Task A

 

 

They will fuck up

Why to delegate

 

You don't know yet what other tasks are waiting 

Failcake


Documentation

Documentation

  • One task, once a year
  • How can I prevent to explain something a second time?

 

 

Think about 5 years


Automation

Automation

  • Find good tools
  • Focus, Focus, Focus
  • Write your own tools if necessary

 

 

Let tools define your process


Focus

Focus

  • Define who you are
  • Focus on that
  • Think about possible costs

 

The first day is the first impression


Be flexible

Be flexible

  • Don't oversleep trends
  • Try out new things!
  • You might need it in the future

 

 

Flexible company gives flexible Teams


Personal

Personal

  • Sleep, at least 6 hours
  • Drink
  • Find something that relaxes you
  • Get a coach/group

Be reflexive

Take Notes during hiring!

You are hiring all the time!

The first day is the first impression

A baby step is not a reached goal

Your team is suffering and will get sloppy too

The best job is boring after 3 years

They will fuck up

Think about 5 years when thinking about documentation

Let tools define your process

Flexible company gives flexible Teams

Be reflexive

You don't know yet what other tasks are waiting 

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