Apr
28
Hitting our stride
Filed Under management styles, production | Leave a Comment
After a lovely weekend in Charlottesville, Va at the Foxfield races, we’re back to work in Atlanta.
Starting the third week of full-scale production, our team is really beginning to hit its stride. We’ve worked out a few of the kinks associated with working in different locations and having the development team split between Atlanta and Jacksonville. I’d like to give credit here both to our development partner, Hashrocket, Andrew (our front-end guy), and Tristan. Specifically Tristan has really taken up the responsibility of making sure all of the pieces are moving smoothly and making sure everyone has the direction they need to move as quickly as possible.
Because of the progress we’re making, we are hoping to have a private alpha version of Event Seek available for testing by friends and family in the next month or so. We’ll put up a semi-working version of the product for everyone to check out and give feedback on. You’ll all be part of the development process, sharing what you like, don’t like, what you want to see, and what you managed to break. Keep your eyes open…
I’d like to take a moment as well to comment on some of the production tactics we’re using that have been working well:
- Front-end driven development - Thanks to the hard work put in by Tristan and Andrew, much of the design for the product is already completed. This allows them to sit down with our development team and walk them through how the site will actually work when it is being used. Nothing paints a picture for developers like the ability to “see” the finished product.
- Output focused - The team overall is very focused on generating valuable output. Rather than tackle big meaty problems off the bat, we’ve tried to break them into smaller pieces that can be completed and show meaningful progress. Not only does this keep me (the end client) happy, but it also allows us to very clearly track and understand our successes and what is holding us back.
- Distinct roles and responsibilities - Even though I struggled with the idea at first, we have all begun to really adapt to our different roles. Everyone on our team knows what they are responsible for and is focused on delivering their piece of the puzzle. This makes sure that we aren’t all looking over each other’s shoulders and second guessing work. At the end of the day, I believe this is making everyone more productive and happier.
Tristan and I certainly didn’t plan all of these facets in advance - it is a very organic and constantly changing and improving process. Our production processes will continue to get better and better over time. I just keep my fingers crossed that we don’t screw up anything big before then.
Kudos to the team for their progress to date. Next time maybe I’ll talk about all the things we’re doing poorly. I wouldn’t hold your breath though…
Apr
23
Vote for Event Seek
Filed Under Begging | 2 Comments
As many of you know (and more of you don’t), Event Seek is participating in a business launch competition here in Georgia. The winner of the competition receives $100K in seed funding and ~$200K in in-kind services.
Not surprisingly, this would be a huge benefit to Event Seek as we’re actively searching for investment.
Part of the competition is “American Idol” style voting on our 60 second pitch. If we’re one of the top two videos receiving votes, we’re automatically entered into the next round.
So……please go online at vote for Event Seek! You can laugh at us, get excited with us, or just clamor that we hurry up and build the website, but please, please, please, vote for us. Oh, and tell your friends as well. And in case our desperation wasn’t enough, check out posts #13 and #17, they are great!
Apr
22
Time to grow up Peter Pan
Filed Under management styles | 1 Comment
Yesterday was a big day. I let go. Yup, me, Connor Fee.
I stepped away from something I have a very direct interest in, and let someone else have control.
I think this is a step in AA or something.
Ok, for clarity’s sake, I didn’t really step away so much, as Tristan took control away from me. Details…
Tristan runs production here at Event Seek (when he’s not doing pretty much everything else). He makes sure our back-end and front-end development teams are getting the product built, meeting deadlines, and keeping us informed of their progress. It’s not an easy job, especially when your CEO (and business partner) asks you every 10 minutes when he can see the latest progress. I don’t envy him.
So, here’s the real problem: I’m demanding, never satisfied, always asking for more, changing my mind midway through, and *mildly* arrogant. These qualities make me the worst person ever to be involved in production. However, I believe these same qualities make me a great leader and a great entrepreneur (yet to be proven).
Now you really want Tristan’s job right?
Yesterday really was a big day. It was a kind of a “Time to grow up Peter Pan” day. Tristan and I agreed that I would step out of production for two weeks. I’m not allowed to interject how I would run the teams, what pieces we should focus on first, or what I think of our speed thus far. Time to leave production to the guy who has experience running a production team. It’s the right thing for us to do. It’s the right thing for Tristan’s sanity. It’s the right thing for my sanity.
But yet, I suddenly feel distant, removed, unable to impose my will. I guess that is sort of the idea.
How does it start?
- I admit that I am powerless over my need to interject, production has become unmanageable.
- I have come to believe that there is a higher power…
Apr
22
My first post
Filed Under Uncategorized | Leave a Comment
Welcome to the Event Seek blog!
We’ll be using this blog over the next few weeks and months to keep everyone updated on our progress (and pitfalls). For those of you who have been receiving our update emails, think of our blog as smaller doses, but more often. Oh, and this is going to be a very relaxed place. Emails are formal, blogs are for dumping thoughts on a page.
We’ll write about our successes, difficulties, good days, bad days, and everything in between. Most of all, we’ll fail at being funny.
Stay tuned…