Extendmac has, legally speaking, been around since May 22nd, 2007. In that time, with the exception of some brilliant people who’ve helped out, everything has been done by me, Brian. For quite some time now (on the order of three months), I’ve been thinking about that. And I’ve come to the conclusion that it’s got to change.
Why?
Mostly because it shouldn’t have been that way in the first place. As I said, I’ve done this on my own for more than a year now, and I’ve seen firsthand why it’s important to have a team (albeit a small one) of really talented people. When it comes to design, focus, priority, and as Paul Graham puts it, “moral bearing,” having a second pillar of input, opinion, and support is indescribably useful.
Furthermore, there are things I’d like to work on (namely, a mind-blowing iPhone app) that I simply can’t do at the moment. I’ve had a concept stuck in my head since WWDC, but I know full-well that there’s just no chance of doing it without letting Flow suffer at the moment. That’s a reality that’s depressing, yes, but exciting because it’s something that can be fixed.
To be absolutely clear, though, these changes don’t mean Flow will be receiving less attention than it was before. In fact, bringing in an extra person (or two?) to Extendmac means just the opposite. We’re going to do more, faster, and probably better. (And I can stop feeling awkward when I say “we” — it’s always been a point of contention for me, because saying “I’m going to move faster”, for example, just sounds odd.)
Alright, so now that you’re convinced forming a team is a good thing, we need to talk about who, and how.
Who?
As I say on the newly updated about page, “if you’re a highly-motivated and passionate person who either knows Cocoa, breathes pixels, or wants to learn, we definitely need to talk.”
A few questions you might have, answered:
Does location matter?
No, I don’t think so. If you’re right for this job, you’ll be excellent at communicating, so location really shouldn’t affect too much. If you’re in the San Diego area, though, it’s definitely a plus.
How much does it pay?
Working at a startup means both high-risk and high-opportunity. At first, you are not going to make as much money as you would at a larger, well-established company — Extendmac is not venture-capital backed. If financials are a serious consideration in your decision to apply, don’t bother. I’m looking for people motivated the way I am — by passion, not profit.
That being said, the positions I’m talking about here are first employees, so if we do well, you’re going to do very well.
What type of work are we talking about?
That depends on your skillset. If I feel you’re skilled enough, you’ll be working on Flow itself and potentially on the aforementioned iPhone project. If you’re not quite there yet but I think you have the potential to be, think of it as an internship. I’ll put in the time and effort to train you to my standards, and in return you’ll eventually work on a few projects.
Does age matter?
No, it doesn’t. Who I chose (if anyone) is entirely based on attitude, passion, and skill-set.
Is this part-time or full-time?
Whatever works for you, truthfully. If I think you’re a match for Extendmac, we’ll work something out.
Is there a time-frame on this?
Nope! I’m committed to finding people who I fully believe would be a good fit for Extendmac. I have extremely high standards, so it very well might take some time — in fact, it probably will.
How?
If you’re interested in working with me, I strongly encourage you to get in touch. Format really doesn’t matter, but be sure to include why you think you’re a good fit for Extendmac, any work you’ve done (code, designs, etc.), and any additional information you might consider relevant.
