Blog
How We Calculate Base Salaries for Remote Jobs
Learn how we calculate salaries for remote roles at a U.S.-based company.
The Differences Between Coaching and Managing
[Y]our role as a manager is not to solve problems. It’s to help others solve problems, themselves. – Claire Lew At Tortuga, we use the same words as Help Scout does for managers and individual contributors: Coaches and Players. We call our managers "coaches," not just because
Should You, the CEO, Hire a General Manager?
I didn't intend to become a manager. But today, I'm the CEO and the sole people manager of a 10-person company. I left Google in part because becoming a manager was the only way I could get another promotion. While I "consistently exceeded expectations"
Removing Barriers to Growth
> Your ability to succeed is in direct proportion to your ability to solve your problems. -Gino Wickman, Traction [https://www.amazon.com/Traction-Get-Grip-Your-Business-ebook/dp/B007QWLLV2?tag=fredperrott01-20] Success is dictated by your ability to identify and solve problems. Pursuing new opportunities is fine but secondary to solving problems. Put
More This, Less That
> A product’s position is a “location” in a more abstract space — the space of trade-offs. The decisions you make about which features to build and how to integrate them places you “closer” or “further” from other products. I love positioning. The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing [https://www.
Build a Product-Focused Audience
We did it wrong too. Most founders do what Jeremy and I did at Tortuga [http://www.tortugabackpacks.com]. They experience a problem, build a solution, then try to sell it to other people. This formula is a great way to find yourself sitting on inventory or, in our case,
How Do You Motivate Your Employees?
On a recent call with a fellow founder: Him: How do you motivate your employees? Me: I don't. Am I supposed to? I was joking to highlight a serious point. I am not a rah-rah, pound my fist on the table, give a rousing speech CEO. I won&
Entropy Between Retreats
Many remote companies write about their retreats. They highlight the exotic destinations and fun activities. They talk about why they have retreats. I love reading those posts and comparing notes. I've noticed something that happens at Tortuga [http://www.tortugabackpacks.com] that I haven't heard other
The Kernel of Good Strategy
Good strategy starts with a diagnosis, is framed by a guiding policy, and ends with a set of coherent actions.
Goal-Oriented Communication
Goal-oriented communication is saying the "what" and letting someone else figure out the "how." This style defines a leader, rather than a manager.