Shannon & Parker Selbert, the creators of Oban, discuss the challenges of explaining tech concepts, transitioning from consulting to business, advancements in Elixir, and the potential of pairing Elixir with Machine Learning. They also explore the Open Core business model, senior developer salaries, authentication feature development, personal connections in the software industry, and challenges faced by indie business owners.
Oban offers Web and Pro packages with metrics and support, emphasizing long-term stability and customer satisfaction.
Elixir is favored over Next.js and Rails by Oban founders, who focus on growing the Elixir developer community.
Oban founders prioritize nurturing the Elixir ecosystem and content creation over direct competition with new players.
Background job processing with tools like Oban enhances efficiency in software development, enabling timely task handling.
Deep dives
Obin's Product Offerings
Obin provides two main paid packages on top of their open source offering: Web, a Live View powered dashboard for control and metrics, and Pro, offering advanced features via extensibility. They also offer a metrics package and support, with custom enterprise options for additional support.
Long-Term Strategy and Stability
Obin's founders prioritize long-term stability and customer satisfaction. They take a cautious approach to growth, ensuring that their roles are well-defined and their commitments to customers are maintained. Their freedom number, representing financial stability, is in the range of a quarter to half a million dollars, and they are comfortably over 200% of this goal.
Focus on Elixir Ecosystem and Content Creation
Obin founders believe in the superiority of Elixir as a language for web technology over alternatives like Next.js and Rails. They aim to grow the pool of Elixir developers by creating content that highlights the advantages of Elixir over other languages, contributing to the growth and strength of the Elixir ecosystem.
Business Philosophy and Direction
Obin founders are more inclined towards supporting and nurturing the Elixir ecosystem rather than engaging in direct competition with newer entrants. Their approach involves firming up their foundation through content creation and advocacy for Elixir, focusing on long-term stability and customer satisfaction as they navigate potential growth opportunities.
Effective Use of Background Jobs in Software Development
The podcast delves into the significance of utilizing background jobs in software development, recounting a scenario where the implementation of background job processing was critical to allowing users to edit comments on a platform before email notifications were sent out. The example highlighted how background job scheduling with tools like Oban enabled efficient handling of tasks like comment processing and notification initiation, showcasing the practical implications of integrating such systems.
Evaluating the Benefits and Challenges of Small Independent Businesses
Discussion revolves around the dynamics and challenges inherent in running small independent businesses, drawing parallels between personal experiences and entrepreneurial decisions. The conversation underscores the importance of maintaining autonomy and strategic control in business operations, reflecting on the balance between growth aspirations and preserving a manageable company size to ensure continued satisfaction and engagement.
Navigating Personal Growth and Decision-Making Amidst Changes
The episode delves into the complexities of personal growth and decision-making when faced with transformative changes, offering insights on adapting to new circumstances and embracing evolving perspectives. Through anecdotes and reflections on past experiences, the speakers explore the necessity of resilience, introspection, and adaptability in navigating uncertainties and seizing opportunities for professional and personal development.
Today you get Sorentwo for the price of one! We are joined by Shannon & Parker Selbert, both halves of the mom-and-pop software shop behind Oban, the robust job processing library that’s been delivering our emails & processing our audio for years.
Changelog++ members get a bonus 7 minutes at the end of this episode and zero ads. Join today!
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