15: Leading Engineers at a Remote-First Scaling Startup with Co-Founder & CTO of Kyo Health, Kainar Kamalov
Jul 4, 2023
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Kainar Kamalov, Co-Founder & CTO of Kyo Health, shares his expertise on leading a remote-first, scaling startup. Topics include the challenges of onboarding new team members, the importance of clear communications in a flat structure, and strategies for working across multiple time zones. The speaker also discusses maintaining productivity in scaling startups and differences in scaling a startup versus startup mode.
Building trust through clear communication and intentional team structures is vital for leading a remote-first scaling startup.
Having dedicated chunks of time for synchronous communication, aligning meetings across multiple time zones, and fostering team alignment are essential for successfully managing a remote team.
Deep dives
Leading at a Remote First Scaling Startup
In this podcast episode, Kynar Kamalov, co-founder and CTO of Kyle Health, shares his experiences leading at a remote first scaling startup. He discusses the importance of being intentional with company culture, handling emotions in a remote first setting, and ensuring team alignment. Despite the challenges posed by time zone differences, Kynar emphasizes the significance of having dedicated chunks of time for synchronous communication and meetings. He also highlights the benefits of keeping product teams small and nimble, allowing for faster growth and easier information flow. Overall, Kynar emphasizes the importance of building trust, clear communication, and being intentional in remote first companies.
The Trading Platform for Recurring Revenues
Kynar describes his company, PIPE, as the world's first trading platform for recurring revenues. He explains that PIPE allows companies with recurring revenue streams, such as subscriptions or D2C products, to trade their future revenue as an asset. By selling their future revenue, companies can access capital upfront and use it for scaling their operations. Kynar emphasizes that PIPE's goal is to help companies grow on their terms by providing a platform that enables them to monetize their predictable revenue streams. This innovative approach to financing capitalizes on the product market fit of businesses to offer them more financial flexibility.
Navigating Challenges of a Remote First Team
Kynar discusses the challenges posed by having a fully remote team and spans several time zones. He notes that despite the difficulties, remote work enabled PIPE to hire talent from various locations globally. Kynar underscores the importance of setting specific chunks of time for synchronous communication, aligning team meetings with multiple time zones. He also highlights the need for clear communication and active listening to understand emotions and ensure team members feel seen and heard. Additionally, Kynar mentions the company's quarterly and bi-weekly meetings to foster trust, alignment, and transparency among the remote team members.
Transitioning from Startup Mode to Scaling
Kynar reflects on the transition from startup mode to scaling at PIPE. He highlights the importance of finding product-market fit early on, which facilitated their rapid growth. He compares his experience at PIPE to his previous company, noting the difference in pace and how quickly PIPE found product-market fit. Kynar explains that having a clear purpose and seeing the impact of their work on customers and businesses is motivating for the team. He also emphasizes the need for intentional team structures, clear communication, and learning from past experiences when scaling a company.
The world has been working remotely for three years - Kainar Kamalov has been doing so for more than eight.
All the challenges that we’ve faced, he’s already grappled with, and having held leadership roles in a remote-first, scaling startup, Pipe, he brings his expertise to such a challenging business environment.
Since recording this episode of Leaders Unscripted, Kainar has taken yet another step in his leadership journey, putting his skills into practice as a new Co-Founder, but you can join us now for his masterclass on leading a team in ten time zones.
This episode covers:
How scaling is a challenge, balancing new team members with drop in productivity while onboarding
An essential focus on team structure
Pipe’s flat structure and clear communications
The hardest aspect of remote-first teams and how to overcome it
Differing experiences in companies who have and haven’t found their product-market fit