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CTO at a non-tech company (~75 people) that's trying to become more technical. On my own for a year, just made my first hire. I choose what I do and set my own

by llimos 6y ago

CTO at a non-tech company (~75 people) that's trying to become more technical. On my own for a year, just made my first hire. I choose what I do and set my own deadlines, no-one else in the company has any idea about the stuff I work on (besides for seeing the results.)

Jugurtha 6y ago
>CTO at a non-tech company (~75 people) that's trying to become more technical. Can you elaborate? What does this company do? Why did they view themselves as non-tech? What was the impetus behind the decision to become more technical? What are their goals in doing so? What would winning look for them? How do you plan this transition? What have been the problems you faced doing that? What's your experience hiring technical people for this 'non-tech' company; are they excited because everything is to be done or do they eschew it because they'd rather work for a tech's tech company?
- llimos 6y ago
  Sure. They do accounting and administration for alternative investment funds. Until I arrived, this was mostly managed through Excel files and emails, with a couple of vendor apps for the heavy lifting. They realized that tech could help them work faster, more efficiently, with less mistakes and with less things falling between the cracks. My philosophy has been not to fight head-on, to "embrace the Excel" and to build systems around it that provide the outcomes they need. Microsoft Power Automate has been a big part of it, at least at first, getting them used to the idea of automation while staying in their Outlook inboxes. From there I have a basis to build up into proper apps (which is why I have started hiring.) I was lucky enough to start with a large amount of buy-in from senior management, and after a few months I had the goodwill and appreciation of the foot-soldiers as well, by dint of having made their lives easier. (I set myself a principle to never make any single worker's life harder in the service of the greater good.) Hiring has been positive, people do like the idea of starting from a clean slate and having the freedom to do it their way. The fact that we set our own deadlines also means we have the time to do it the way we know we should.
  - Jugurtha 6y ago
    Thank you for taking the time. I wish you all the best.

by llimos 6y ago

Jugurtha 6y ago

>CTO at a non-tech company (~75 people) that's trying to become more technical. Can you elaborate? What does this company do? Why did they view themselves as non-tech? What was the impetus behind the decision to become more technical? What are their goals in doing so? What would winning look for them? How do you plan this transition? What have been the problems you faced doing that? What's your experience hiring technical people for this 'non-tech' company; are they excited because everything is to be done or do they eschew it because they'd rather work for a tech's tech company?

llimos 6y ago
Sure. They do accounting and administration for alternative investment funds. Until I arrived, this was mostly managed through Excel files and emails, with a couple of vendor apps for the heavy lifting. They realized that tech could help them work faster, more efficiently, with less mistakes and with less things falling between the cracks. My philosophy has been not to fight head-on, to "embrace the Excel" and to build systems around it that provide the outcomes they need. Microsoft Power Automate has been a big part of it, at least at first, getting them used to the idea of automation while staying in their Outlook inboxes. From there I have a basis to build up into proper apps (which is why I have started hiring.) I was lucky enough to start with a large amount of buy-in from senior management, and after a few months I had the goodwill and appreciation of the foot-soldiers as well, by dint of having made their lives easier. (I set myself a principle to never make any single worker's life harder in the service of the greater good.) Hiring has been positive, people do like the idea of starting from a clean slate and having the freedom to do it their way. The fact that we set our own deadlines also means we have the time to do it the way we know we should.
- Jugurtha 6y ago
  Thank you for taking the time. I wish you all the best.