In cockroach, we had a very high level problem definition. The way the problem was defined, some of the more senior engineers were like, o i've seen this problem before. This is where the novelty came in, because rather than build the same type of cost base optimizer that amazons data basis have, oracle has, we said, let's build it from scratch. What are the costs that we should take into account to day? And how do you find plans that minimize the network latency? So even in a globally distributed environment, we can get you fast results.
Today’s episode is with Nate Stewart, CPO of Cockroach Labs, the creator of database product CockroachDB.
In today’s conversation, we cover his essential advice for building a highly-technical product. He sketches out how the Cockroach team decided on the specific use case for its database product. Nate explains the steps the team took to reach conviction on their go-forward plan — which meant saying no to a lot of customers who didn’t align with the product roadmap. Nate dives into the tactical ways to avoid taking on too many customer commitments, which he calls tech debt for product teams.
Next, Nate dives into his advice for approaching design partnerships, especially when handling more conservative enterprise clients. He explains the different types of design partners, and why you should have all of those represented in the early days of your startup.
Finally, we wrap up with his advice for other product leaders, including how to create a rock-solid partnership with a CEO as the first head of product, and how he solicits honest feedback across the executive team.
You can follow Nate on Twitter at @Nate_Stewart
You can email us questions directly at review@firstround.com or follow us on Twitter @ twitter.com/firstround and twitter.com/brettberson