First Community Mortgage

Andrew Badstubner

Driving rapid scale in a growing company can be exhilarating yet daunting. Working in an environment of limited information and fast-paced change requires quick decision-making. However, building a technology platform cannot be done in a "whiplash" manner, as reversing decisions can be costly and timeconsuming. To limit the risk of making bad decisions, focus on key pillars of solid technology projects that can provide a foundation for high growth. This article will explore important considerations for talent, processes, and technology platforms.

Talent:

Specialists in every business area may seem like a luxury, but team members with limited scope and vision and deep specialization can cripple a high-growth project. To reduce technical risk and the need for consensus from a large group of people to make decisions, you need team members with significant technical depth in multiple areas of expertise. They should make solid decisions based on their technical expertise in a broad range of topics. Ideally, these team members will have experience in technology or the business they support. The best team members will have been down this path before and can proactively build solutions to avoid risks that may not yet be on the horizon.

Processes:

When aiming to run fast, having the right level of the process is crucial. Too much process will cripple the project, while too little will result in excessive chaos. The best processes act as controls that allow teams to run faster rather than slow them down.

“With your experience and leadership, you can craft the foundation strategy that will most likely bring success to a quickly scaling - and likely very fun - project.”

The software build and deploy process is a good example of this principle. Having no tools or processes results in developers hand-crafting and manually copying files to production servers, introducing so much chaos and human variability that it creates more problems than it solves. In contrast, a process that is too rigorous or requires too much review slows down all progress and innovation, and you will find yourself lapped by competitors. The sweet spot is automated tools that build and deploy code the same way every time, reducing the risk of human mistakes and allowing the team to deploy code quickly and frequently, increasing your project's traction.

Platforms:

"Cloud First!" is the common mantra, but a more pragmatic approach is best. If your company and team have ready access to physical servers, you may save money and time by using the existing physical infrastructure. Those saved funds for capital expenditures or operating costs can be redirected into process automation or finding better talent for your team.

On the other hand, if you are starting on a greenfield project, it is hard to argue with the speed and flexibility of modern cloud platforms. If the cloud is the best option, consider going further than simply replacing physical infrastructure in the cloud. Maximize the opportunity by building your cloud infrastructure and configuration into your build and deployment tools. Start with “Infrastructure as Code,” horizontal scale, and Blue/Green deployments from day one. Make the investment to use the flexibility of the cloud as a strategic advantage, not just a simple replacement for physical servers.

Summary:

There are many pillars to a successful technology foundation. However, getting talent, processes, and platforms right can solve most of your other problems. The best talent can solve all unforeseen problems that are sure to arise. Solid, automated processes introduce rigor and quality while allowing your team to run faster with less stress. A flexible infrastructure will allow you to run quickly today and grow with you into the future.

There is no one-size-fits-all for a high-growth project. However, these common foundation blocks are found in all successful projects. With your experience and leadership, you can craft the foundation strategy that will most likely bring success to a quickly scaling - and likely very fun - project.