In this episode, Keith Casey of Blue Parabola talks about managing a successful PHP company with  a 100% distributed team, being a buffer zone between corporate and open-source worlds, and what mainstream companies look for in hiring remote workers.
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Show Notes:
PHP Architect
Web2Project
CaseySoftware
Twilio
02:06 – Keith Casey introduction and background
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- Software developer based in Austin Texas
- Primary focus is PHP community
- Blue Parabola 100% distributed
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03:12 – History of Blue Parabola as a distributed team
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- Natural progression
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04:20 – Blue Parabola
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- One of the more active, unheard of, PHP companies
- Runs PHP Architect Magazine
- Runs PHP Tech, a conference in Chicago
- Contracting, consulting, training
- Works with companies of people trying to understand the PHP community
- Buffer zone between corporate world and open-source world
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06:30 – A day in the life with Keith
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- Varied work schedule/time zones
- Chat channel/status calls
- Twice a week daily stand-ups
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08:22 – Useful tools
09:05 – Web 2 Project
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- Lead developer
- Web-based formal project management
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13:45 – Ups and downs of working from home
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- No commute time is nice
- Stopping at the end of the day is difficult
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14:38 – Communicating in person as a team
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- Try for once a quarter
- Conferences
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16:45 – PHP Community
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- Mainstream companies doing big things who hire people wherever they are located
- Hiring experienced people
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19:20 – Advice for future dispersed teams
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- Open up channels for communication and get used to communicating there
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