Welcome to Crashing Up!
What to Expect?
Let me let you in on a little secret. Nobody actually knows what they’re doing.
Even the world's most successful people don't know what they're doing. They're just experts at figuring it out as they go. Even to these "experts" the path to success can feel more like a high-speed, collision course. This newsletter will provide you with the ideas and insights to make sure you’re crashing up.
The newsletter will be broken up into two parts, one delivered on Monday and one on Friday.
The Monday edition features a collection of ideas, interviews, and information on a wide range of topics spanning entrepreneurship, tech, psychology, sports, fashion, music and more.
The Friday edition is a shorter, links-based newsletter showcasing some of the coolest things that I’ve read, watched, or listened to during that week.
These topics are only a small glimpse of what I plan to cover in this newsletter, but in order for it to be as successful as possible, I'll need your help.
I want this to be a collaborative experience, something that you and I can both learn from. Is there something you want to hear more about? Something you think I should learn about? Let me know. Something you aren't into? I want to hear that too. Let me know by using the “like”, “comment”, and “share” buttons on each post.
Let’s get into it.
The Future of WFH 🏡
The idea of a fully remote workforce (also known as a distributed workforce) has been futurists’ wet dream for years. Yet even those most optimistic about this trend did not expect the shift to happen as quickly as it has. With a large portion of the country forced to work from home for the foreseeable future, many companies have now determined that office life is no longer essential. If employees are happier and more productive working from home, why pay for all this rent?
Big tech companies such as Facebook, Twitter, Square, and Shopify have quickly embraced this new reality, announcing that many employees can now work from home "forever." Tobi Lutke, founder and CEO of Shopify doubled down on this idea, stating in a recent tweet that "Office centricity is over."
These announcements have sent many tech employees and venture capitalists packing, rapidly abandoning sky high Bay Area rents in search of a more affordable and luxurious lifestyle. While tech has been the quickest to adapt to this new norm, it is expected that many other industries will follow suit.
In my opinion this is a rash and impulsive decision coming from some of the most historically thoughtful and strategic business leaders of our time. It seems like a cost-cutting play, disguised as a generous "people-first" minded benefit.
Productivity and Happiness - In an attempt to come off as the pioneers and "thought leaders" powering the WFH revolution, in my opinion, these guys have jumped the gun. As leaders who pride themselves on making strategic decisions backed by big data, two months of remote work does not seem like enough time to accurately judge which method is most enjoyable and effective for employees. This is less of an issue for companies who are still giving employees the choice, but seems shaky for those who plan to nearly abandon the office for good.
At this point in my life, I would hate perpetual WFH. For many companies, in-person connection and office culture are a deciding factor for potential talent. Doing away with this aspect completely could hurt the business a lot more in the long run than the marginal boost that they would get on the bottom line.
Pay - Office rent won't be the only costs cut during this move. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has already warned employees that those who move to more affordable cities may have to take a pay-cut proportionate to the salary rate of their new home. Even when living in areas with lower tax rates and cost of living, how will this factor in to people's decisions?
Promotion - Will those who decide to work from home be put at a disadvantage when it comes time for promotions? In a remote setting, employee performance might be judged based on different KPIs. For leadership roles, how do you choose someone who spends most of their time at home over someone who is in the office interacting face to face with people every day? It's apples to oranges.
Leadership - Being a remote manager and an "in-person" manager (sound's weird just to type) are two completely different jobs that require differing skill sets. As a remote leader, there is an even larger spotlight an accessibility and communication. "Management by walking around" isn't an option. It is also harder to make sure that teams are successfully working cross functionally. This connector role is especially important for a remote leader, although you need to make sure to not come across as micro-managing. As WFH becomes more popular, I expect companies to hire specifically those with remote leadership experience.
Hiring - Two of the largest barriers separating America from the rest of the world are the cost of living and the daunting immigration process. With the bulk of the world connected to the internet in one form or another, talent is everywhere. There is already a glut of software development jobs available and a short supply of qualified applicants. Add in the rise of the remote workforce and you get a very interesting predicament. By 2024, India is projected to have more software developers than the US, with Latin America and the Asian Pacific regions also growing swiftly. Although this example focuses on technology, this concept applies to all industries. With geographic limitations off the table, what is stopping these companies from hiring arguably more talented workers at a fraction of the cost? Can making the switch remote decrease your salary and your job security? If so, is it really worth it?
Where are we headed?
With much of the future WFH environment still unknown, it is too soon to say whether or not this move is the correct decision. Regardless of how large the migration is, companies will always need places for employees to meet every now and then. Certain tasks cannot be accomplished by remote teams, nor will all employees want abandon in-person work life completely. This creates a handful of new business opportunities surrounding the rise of distributed work. Could this be the lucky break that WeWork needs to rebound?
Let’s Get Technical 💻
A 2015 study estimated that .5% of the global population knew how to code. Although investments in STEM and computer science education have ramped up in the last few years and the younger generation is starting to experiment with programming at an earlier age, the total amount of programmers is still shockingly low, given the amount of demand there is in the job market.
I recently completed a twelve week front-end web development course. On the first day, I was floored when a ten year old girl waltzed in and plopped herself in the front row ready to go. By the second week, it was blatantly clear that she was picking up concepts better than 90 percent of the class. We are now entering the shift where Javascript and Python electives will be offered in place Biology and Chemistry. By the time that current middle schoolers are graduated from college and working, those who don’t know at least basic technological concepts will be at a severe disadvantage, regardless of what industry you specialize in.
The average American spends nearly 24 hours online per week, yet very few understand how the internet works or what powers all of the software applications that we have all grown to love. Here I will break down some of the five most basic, but important aspects and concepts of web development.
Front End - The part of the website or application that we can see and interact with. The images, design, text, buttons, animations. Users interact with the front end (clicking a link for example) and this information is sent to the back-end, which processes this request and then updates the front-end (showing you whatever the link you clicked was).
Back End - The hidden, behind the scenes part of the website or app. The backend stores and processes information which is then sent back to the users browser (front-end). Things like user data and passwords are stored in the back-end. All of this back-end data is stored in a database (think giant excel sheet) which lives on a giant supercomputer, also known as a server.
Let's say you are typing your email address into a form to subscribe to my newsletter. You type out your email address in the form on the front end. Once you click the “Subscribe” button, your browser makes an information request to the server, the server stores and processes your data in the database, and returns the information you requested in the form of a confirmation message on the front-end.
UI (User Interface)- A type of design that focuses on visual aesthetic. Images, styling of buttons, fonts, animation, layout etc.
UX (User Experience) - A type of design that focuses on making the app seamless and easy to use. Utilizes consumer behavior and psychology to adjust how the webpage is arranged.
API (Application Programming Interface) - A way for apps to communicate information between each other or a way to get an app to do something without coding it yourself. All of your favorite apps probably use APIs without you even knowing. Uber uses Google Maps API for their maps and location services. Ever log into a site using Facebook? That site is using the Facebook Log In API.
Find this interesting and want to learn more? In Friday’s newsletter I will share the link to a must-read book that breaks down all of these topics and more using all of our favorite apps as real-life examples.
Black Lives Matter ✊🏿
With the senseless murder of George Floyd sparking the chaos that has erupted around the country, it is more important than ever to speak up and stand for what you believe in. Behind each person and each corporation are a set of values, it is up to us to peacefully communicate these values and strive for positive change. Below is a list of companies who have shown that they are not afraid to stand up for racial injustice and support the BLM movement (as of the night of May 30th). No matter the effect this has on their business, they are more concerned with doing what is right. Continue to take note of the companies who have and have not taken a stand. This is important.
If you are looking for a way to help you can:
- Text FLOYD to 55156 to sign the Color of Change’s Petition
- Call the Minnesota DA Michael Freeman at (612) 324-4499 to demand justice
- VOTE in your local, state, and federal elections
- Donate to organizations bailing out protestors who are being arrested in the fight for justice here.
- Learn about the history of the movement here.