Openly newsletter interview

How long have you been with Openly?
I was the 1st Software Engineer specifically hired to work on the Frontend of Openly’s technology way back in August of 2020, so going on 4 years.

Why did you join Openly?
I joined Openly for 2 main reasons. The first, I live in the rolling hills of Tennessee 1 hour north of Nashville where there aren’t any jobs for writing Software with a reasonable commute time that pays market value for my skills. Openly being a remote-first company—even before the pandemic—has allowed me to put my talents to good use without short-selling myself due to geography. The next reason is that Openly had a vision that was not only spoken but felt. Our CEO, Ty Harris,’ presentation from TechStars Boston in 2018 had me hooked. I still remember showing that video to my entire family saying “I don’t care what it takes, I’m going to work at this startup. They are doing something very right.” Openly was the first company I came in contact with in my career that simply wanted to make people’s lives better—where making money was just a necessity in continuing to do just that.

What is your favorite thing about being part of the Engineering team?
I love the people, the community, the growth of both, and solving interesting problems that matter together with technology. I firmly believe that—just like a molecular compound—the individual bonds between people is what builds strong teams and solve hard problems. This idea is quite sacred to me, and I put in extra effort to build relationships 1-on-1 because of it.

What advice would you give to someone new to Openly?
Tylenol helps with the pain from repeatedly pinching yourself. Just kidding, but on a serious note, I experienced—and have often seen others experience—a “this must be too good to be true” culture shock that seems to be fueled by some unrecognized career trauma of being pushed too hard, trusted too little, or worse. It is important to be mindful of this, actively work through it with your manager, and remember that you were hired for a reason that sometimes you can’t see yourself.

What is your favorite work tip?
Send your clones! Always look for opportunities to maximize your value creation by making content to distribute an idea from your brain to a limitless-sized audience across time. This allows for your impact and influence to go beyond the live conversations you have and into yet unknown moments.

What advice would you give to your younger self?
Developing a love for learning will accelerate whatever you aim to do in this life, but it isn’t merely the act of learning that will grow your love for it, it is the transformation of everything around you after you apply your unique mind to the world.

If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why?
My superpower would be the ability to experience and share pure peace at will, no matter the circumstances. Life is unbelievably complex, challenging, and short while also being extremely simple, beautiful, and long all at once. This would help me help myself and others make the most of the limited time we’re given.

What are you listening to now?
Though my favorite band of all time is an alternative rock band called Copeland, I am currently listening to a metal band called The Plot in You. Heavy music has always held a very special place in my heart because I grew up playing drums in a hardcore band in the Nashville metal scene, and I’ve never been able to shake the feeling of when a good breakdown hits.

What are you currently binge watching and/or reading this week?
My wife and I absolutely love reality TV competition shows like Big Brother, The Challenge, and The Traitors, so we’re likely going to be binging something like that. However, a book I am reading again this week is Where Good Ideas Come From by Steven Johnson. It influences a lot of my thinking around the power of connecting ideas and being courageous enough to share hunches, feelings, and signal with others because you never know what single puzzle piece is holding you back from something revolutionary.

What is a skill you want to learn?
This is an old answer to the famous question “What do you want to be when you grow up?”, but I’d love to be able to make video games end-to-end. They have evolved into an incredible form of art that mixes technology, creativity, storytelling, and psychology. But right now, all I can do is dream of how cool it would be to architect an entire immersive world for others to experience.

What is your favorite vacation spot and why?
I love Chattanooga! There is water, mountains, caves, good food, great culture, and plenty to do with my wife, Cassie, and son, Echo. We go there every year across Memorial Day weekend, and I would move there if I didn’t have such deep roots where I live today.