Scaling Your Dev Team: Avoiding Costly Mistakes

Cats = Hope

Let's be honest, scaling a development team can feel like wrangling cats, where wrangling is losing, and cats is hope. You think you've got it under control, then suddenly there's chaos everywhere. That was me – overconfident and about to learn a very expensive lesson.

Fresh off a string of wins (i.e. a couple of successful investment rounds), I figured I'd cracked it. Our workload exploded and I went on a hiring spree. Big names, fancy tech backgrounds – I was blinded by their resumes, expensive watches and teeth. I was convinced these were the developer unicorns I needed.

And for a while, it worked. Sort of. We managed to cobble together a semblance of a team, and we threw ourselves headfirst into the project with all the reckless abandon of a bull in a china shop. We worked long hours, fueled by nothing but caffeine and sheer force of will, convinced that we were invincible.

Crying Mario

But boy, was I wrong in the long run. These corporate hotshots were more used to the slow-burn of giant companies and the typical fast-paced hellscape of a "disrupting" startup left them... flustered, to say the least. Worst of all, what was left of the investor funds were just a couple of golden coins not even Mario could look at without tears at his eyes.

It was a reality check like no other. Building a high-performance team wasn't just about "name-dropping". So, instead of chasing the biggest names, we hunted for passionate developers who believed in the product we were building. We revamped our hiring process, weeding out devs who are much more capable of building an incredible resume than a functional app. As for onboarding – it became similar to a bootcamp, ensuring every new hire hit the ground running.

Well, it wasn't a smooth ride. But hey, I've already had some experience riding unicorns and the only place they can take you to is Neverland. And we're not heading to Neverland. I my company, we're heading to Moneyland.

Life without you is unbearable

As for the investor funds we burned in the early days? Well, let's just say they're gone. As in, gone for good. But in their place, we gained something far more valuable: a team that's the heart and soul of our success.

...

God, who am I kidding? Come back, money! I can't sleep, I can't eat, I can't breathe without you. Every moment feels like an eternity spent drowning in regret and longing. Please, I beg of you, come back to me. I know I messed up, I know I hurt you, but I swear on everything I hold dear that I'll change. I'll do whatever it takes to make things right, to prove to you that my love for you is real and everlasting. Life without you is unbearable. The thought of never feeling your touch again fills me with a pain so deep, I can hardly stand it. Please, don't leave me in this agony. Give us another chance, and I promise I'll spend every waking moment making it up to you.

Okay, back to the topic. The team. It's far more valuable than money. It's the friends that we make along the way. Looking back, I'm grateful for the experience.

So, to anyone out there facing similar challenges in scaling their development team, I offer this humble advice: don't fall into the trap of chasing after shiny credentials or big-name hires. Instead, focus on building a functional team of people who actually know how to work together.

And remember, success is not a destination but a journey – albeit one that is best traveled with humility and perseverance. As for me, I'll continue to pour my heart and soul into building the best damn team in the business. Because at the end of the day, it's not about the money (baby, come back) or the accolades – it's about the people who stand by your side.

Scaling is the new failing

Actually, dev team scaling is what kills many successful IT startups. It's counterintuitive, but it's true – the need to scale comes only when you've had enough success. And it's oh so easy to get blinded by it.

It's natural to want to expand rapidly, to capitalize on the momentum and take things to the next level. After all, isn't that the dream? To see your company grow from a scrappy startup into a thriving enterprise, with teams of developers churning out groundbreaking products and raking in the profits?

But here's the truth: scaling too quickly can be the kiss of death for even the most promising startups. Too often, startups fall into the trap of chasing growth for growth's sake, without stopping to consider whether they're actually equipped to handle it.

And before they know it, they're drowning in a sea of technical (and financial) debt. The very success they once celebrated becomes their undoing. But it doesn't have to be this way. Instead of rushing into expansion, you'd do well to take a step back and take a look around. Are you truly ready to scale? Do you have the infrastructure and the resources to support a larger team?

If the answer is yes, then by all means, go ahead! But proceed with caution. Take the time to recruit the right people and onboard them effectively. Invest in training and development programs to ensure that your team is equipped to handle the challenges that lie ahead.

Welcome to Slowland

And if the answer is no? Well, that's okay too. There's no shame in taking things slow, in focusing on quality over quantity, in building a solid foundation before reaching for the stars. Here's your return ticket to Slowland.

So, are you struggling to scale your development team? Are you in need of experienced, vetted remote developers to help take your company to the next level? Match.dev could be the solution you're looking for. We connect companies with top-tier talent from around the world, and we do it fast. In fact, you might start working with your new developer as soon as in 48 hours. And bear in mind that you're not just outsourcing a dev – you're hiring a full-fledged team member who will seamlessly integrate in your team. Drop us a line and let's discuss your project: team@match.dev

‍

‍