Things I Believe

Shipping fast beats the best strategy

Speed is a superpower
Create a bias toward shipping
Small teams ship faster
Landings > launches (i.e. product adoption > shipping code)
Listen, build, ship, tell the customer, then repeat forever

You have no career ceiling

Grit > talent
There’s no substitute for putting in the hours
Get 1% better every day
Do it yourself, don't wait for someone else
Being helpful compounds

Be ruthlessly truth seeking

The truth can be painful
You can just change your mind if wrong
Have strong opinions, loosely held
Maximize your exposure hours
"Anecdata" > data
Seek the collective truth, not just one opinion

Communication is the job

Clear writing is clear thinking
Everyone (yes, you) needs to become a better writer
Leaders step up to provide clarity when absent
Be the person taking notes, even if it’s just for yourself
Mismatched expectations lead to sadness
Slack pro tip: anticipate objections before hitting send, then address them

Leadership doesn't require fancy titles

Influence > titles
Leaders do the work themselves and delegate
You can write your own playbook
Study what worked for others, then take your own path

Work can also be your hobby

This doesn’t mean you can’t have other hobbies
Passion + boundaries > mythical "work-life balance"
Your best work comes from following your curiosity
It's hard to beat someone obsessed who is having fun

Hiring should feel like chewing glass

There are two hiring answers: hell yes or no
Growth potential > current skill
Hire people you can learn from
Hire people you would someday be happy working for
Favorite interview question: what work are you most proud of?

Always try to assume good intent

Lead with empathy
They might just be having a bad day
Criticism is good feedback if you listen unemotionally

Demos > memos

You could have built a prototype during the meeting
Only ship things you're excited about yourself