Integrated Development
Build, test, and trigger Stripe flows inside your editor
See it in action below (or click to read the full Tweetstream):
Notes:
Very impressive. Stripe here again leading the way developer integration tools.
There is a full product in VSCode extension Stripe created. The extension allows developers to control the entire development process directly IN the code editor. Whenever one is developing with a 3rd party API — having an easy way to mock and trigger the various expected responses locally is invaluable and saves an enormous amount of time and energy. Local development means faster development — but all the plumbing work to get a local setup that a 3rd party service can talk to (e.g. Stripe) is non-trivial and then developers still have to figure out how to trigger the desired flows. It’s often incredibly tricky. Developers wait until they see new types of responses in production. Stripe’s development is a significant step forward and something I hope we see become the standard for empowering developers to consume services internally and externally.
What’s the equivalent of Google’s Free Food in 2021?
Google’s free Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner was a significant recruiting and retention tool, moral booster, reason for gathering/chatting (and swapping ideas), time saver and on average likely caused employees to stay later and work more.
So, in 2021, what is the new benefit? Something that benefits the company and blows the socks off employees and potential recruits?
My thoughts:
Interesting work - this always has been and always will be the most powerful recruiting and retention tool for great people.
Work tours - Assume your company allows for permanent remote work. This represents significant savings in terms of office space. Can the company take this budget and now fund teams to travel the world and work? Imagine a team once a quarter picking a city and getting $X dollars per team member to travel to that city and have a work summit. I don’t think the company needs to foot the full expense — but being supportive of such optional travel AND providing budget to enable it will create a work environment that the younger generations (Millennial, Gen Z) will love.
Remote work kits - Currently tech/information workers have the luxury of working remotely (COVID) — but how many of them are just working on a laptop with no proper desk, chair, monitor, or webcam + mic? Yes we all know how to Zoom — but for every Zoom I attend, a few minutes go to making sure everyone has their mic and camera set properly. Companies that want to excel at remote should buy special hardware for each employee — so they have an incredible remote working setup. The usual of a desk, monitor, and chair are all expected at a corporate HQ — so why not invest in your employees to help them do their best work and provide a great camera + mic + light. As an aside, I’m starting to think the best webcam is a 2-3 year old used iPhone - as in a second iPhone, plugged into your laptop, with a proper mounting clamp to get the optimal angle. Why? A 2 year old iPhone is relatively inexpensive, has a significantly better camera than the one built-in to your laptop and still better than most similarly priced webcams. The trick is the iPhone has great on device image processing — it can live alter the image (think instagram filters for your live video) so you put your best face forward. See Camo.
Catered dinner - What?!?
The company finds a way to have catered dinner brought to an employee’s house or neighborhood on weekly basis. Does this feel over the top? Absolutely. But I think it will happen. Sure it could be as easy as Uber Eats / DoorDash credits - but I think we will see something more personal. Maybe it is setting up a corporate tab at restaurants local to employees.
Solving the problem of eating “good” food — without the hassle of cooking and cleaning (i.e. time-savings) is something employees will love. Especially, if it can be extended to the family. You might say “just give them cash” — but there is something different about meal/food benefits. And for those of you struggling to swallow the extravagance - then imagine it starts with high-end coffee or fresh baked bread. The emotional impact of this benefits/“gift” on a monthly or weekly basis is significant.
Tesla
Tesla has single-handedly doubled the value of the automobile industry in a year when overall volumes and sales shrank.
That means that either there will be twice as many cars as we have now or they will be twice as expensive or they will be twice as profitable. And all that will happen really soon. We can’t have twice the cars since there will be nowhere to park them. We can’t double the price unless we double our wealth. We can’t make them twice as profitable unless we disable competitive forces and change the production system.
Or, it could be that half the assets (all the other automakers) are worthless.
Something has to give.
Source: http://www.asymco.com/2021/01/13/the-entrants-guide-to-automotive-industry-updated/
Notes:
TSLA should issue more stock. Repeatedly. Build up an impregnable war chest.
Elon’s narrative ability is absolutely incredible. And “startups” are half narrative.