Podcast #39: Luke Stokes and Brett Florio of Foxycart

Jul 4, 12 • In Featured, Interviews, Podcast

Luke Stokes and Brett Florio talk about what it’s like to be partners and co-founders of Foxycart, an eCommerce platform focusing on the cart and the checkout flow. They also talk about bringing team members onboard an already dispersed team, using different modes of communication, and overcoming hurdles in building a team that works.

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Show Notes:

Foxycart.com
Twitter:
@lukestokes
@brettflorio

01:06 – Background and History

Remote from the beginning
Don’t know how else they would work
9 team members
Like the flexibility of remote work

04:43 – Finding team members

No need to stay local
Django job board = more targeted than other job boards
Networking within the community
Local connections

08:55 – Bringing team members onboard outside an office sit-down interview

Emails
Skype/video interview
Campfire chat room = virtual office
People hired have had a history where Luke and Brett seen what they have done and what know they are capable of doing

14:30 – Business of Foxycart

Foxycart is an eCommerce platform focusing on the cart and the checkout flow
Built to integrate
Flexible

17:30 – Team Member Handbook

As the team grew, there were things that needed clarified
Security
Tool-training
Expectations

24:04 – Modes of communication

Google+ Hangout
HeyTell – push to talk
iMessage

28:00 – Culture

Similarities in age, marital status, family, passions, etc.
Personal relationships outside of just work

31:33 – Overcoming hurdles in developing a dispersed team

Team members disappearing
Developing a hiring process
Org charts
Distributing work to different members based on skills and what they want to do

37:35 – A day in the life with Foxycart

Wake up, check email
Read through Campfire logs
Read through forum posts
Read through support tickets
Jump into your individual focus
Work in blocks

44:05 – Advice for dispersed teams

Value communication
Founder/partner relationship building is critical

dispersed teams distributed teams Interviews podcasts remote work

About the Author: Avdi Grimm

Husband, father, software cultivator, and amateur community builder, Avdi has been leading and participating in dispersed software development teams since 2007. He works from home in Southern Pennsylvania, and loves the fact that working remotely enables him to spend more time with his wife and four children.