10 lessons from a decade at Robin

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Startups, like Taylor Swift, have eras. This was just one of many in Robin’s history. In the era that followed, we continued to build a great company.

We grew fast. We hired, acquired, and brought in new leadership like Micah and Britta and Ciara. We competed against companies many times our size and won. We onboarded thousands of amazing customers.

At a time where the market (and world) was just figuring out how to adopt flexible work, we had the good fortune to help shape the conversation. We worked together with hundreds of talented Robinauts across the globe to build the company we have today. It was a great era, and why I am confident this next era will be the best one yet.

Over the past ten years, I’ve worn many hats — including product, marketing, and customer experience. Ten things I’ve learned along the way:

1. Customer is a team sport.
2. Selling is recruiting great customers.

   Great doesn’t always mean perfect fit, and often the best customers will force the organization to stretch itself to the next level. We’ve grown fastest when we focus on customers, not competitors — even when the market gets noisy. Never forget that Robin did not have calendar integrations for the first year, and we sold it anyway.

3. Say the most important thing first.
4. Ego builds itself, not businesses.
5. Real experts will make you feel smarter, too.
6. Be useful.
7. Don’t take yourself too seriously, and extend the same courtesy to others.
8. If you’re stuck on something, go for a walk or join a customer call.
9. Assume your audience is smart.
10. Crisis is addictive, avoid chasing it.

I am proud of what Robin has become, and to have done it alongside you all. I am grateful you all decided to work here. A thank you is not enough, but it will have to do.

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