Truth, Lies and Work 189. How to build a $10M company without meetings or managers, with James Hawkins, Co-CEO at PostHog
š§ Welcome back to Truth, Lies & Work, the award-winning psychology podcast from the HubSpot Podcast Network, hosted by Chartered Occupational Psychologist Leanne Elliott and business owner Al Elliott.
This week, weāre joined by James Hawkins, co-founder and co-CEO of PostHogāa dev tools company turning $10M+ ARR without any managers, meetings, or micromanagement. Jamesās approach? Treat your company like a bunch of tiny startups.
š If youāve ever wondered what work would feel like without middle managers, weekly check-ins, and change committeesā¦ this is your episode.
š” Key Takeaways from James Hawkins
āļø Small Teams > Big Bureaucracy
James explains how structuring PostHog into autonomous 2ā6 person teams has helped them ship faster, stay scrappy, and avoid the productivity drag of large orgs.
š Engineers Lead, Managers Step Aside
Forget micromanagement. At PostHog, engineers decide what gets builtāand team leads donāt even get paid more.
š„ Just Ship It
Forget pre-meetings and permission-seeking. PostHog favours ābuild it and test itā over endless validation and speculation.
š Radical Transparency
From salaries to sabbatical policies, PostHog runs almost everything in public. Their internal company handbook? Itās online for the world to read.
š Chaos is a Feature, Not a Bug
James shows how a dose of āorganised chaosā can unlock innovation, ownership, and next-level productivityāif you hire the right people.
š Resources & Links
PostHog website
James on X (Twitter)
PostHogās Newsletter
https://newsletter.posthog.com/
š¢ Enjoyed this episode?
Follow or subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, leave a review, and share this episode with a fellow founder, engineer or curious manager who wants to do work differently. And come say hi on LinkedInāweād love to hear your thoughts.
š§ General Support with Mental Health and Well-being
If youāve been affected by anything in this episode or are currently struggling with your mental health, the following resources may help:
Mind: https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/
Samaritans (UK): Call 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org
š¬ Connect with Al & Leanne
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/truthlieswork/
Al: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thisisalelliott/
Leanne: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meetleanne
Email: hello@truthliesandwork.com
Book a call: https://savvycal.com/meetleanne/chat