When working in a bottom-up or top-down software company, it's crucial to understand the culture and values that outline this type of organization.
Bottom-up vs top-down culture
A top-down company is led by a group of people like executives, analysts, or other roles, who make the main decisions about the product and set the direction for software engineers. Features and goals are set by others and it's down to engineers to implement them. There is always feedback, of course, but overall you won't have to come up with the list of features or set of infrastructure changes you want to do from scratch or just to see the result of an experiment.
On the contrary, in a bottom-up company decisions are made collectively by the team and rely on the team to brainstorm ideas during annual planning or personal contributions.
I've been always working in a top-down company so it was really challenging to adjust to the other approach. I was not thoughtful enough to research the subject before joining, however, I'd suggest this should have been one of the most important action items.
What did I learn working for a bottom-up company?
Be proactive and take ownership. Since everyone is responsible for the success of the product, you should be proactive in identifying gaps and problems, and proposing solutions and improvements to the current state of things. Take ownership of your work and go above and beyond to ensure that your contributions make a positive impact on the company.
Communicate often, openly and transparently. Bottom-up companies rely on open communication and transparency to function effectively. Be honest and upfront about any blockers you might face, or issues that might slow you down, and work with your team and your cross-functional partner teams to find a solution. You might think that your problem is hard to fix, however, somebody might have faced it already and since you are in the same boat - don't be ashamed to ask for help. Share your ideas and feedback openly, and be willing to receive sometimes constructive feedback from others.
Collaborate with others. You can't underestimate teamwork in a bottom-up company. You'll be working closely with your colleagues to develop the end product, so it's important to maintain strong relationships and work efficiently together. Actively seek out opportunities to work on cross-functional projects. Help others and be ready to take over some part of their responsibilities to share the load.
Be ready for frequent and constant change. Bottom-up companies are often evolving and adapting to innovative changes in the market. Willingly take on new ideas and embrace experiments with new technologies and approaches. Push for innovative solutions to problems, be flexible, and don't be afraid to shift priority to the team goals, not you personally.
Give frequent updates on your work. Since you are working on a part of a bigger team picture, it is crucial to let other team members know your progress. Also, if the company is big enough, your team's projects might correlate with other teams. Remember, that nobody set a direction for the teams, they did it themselves, so you might work on similar solutions.
Conclusion
Surviving in a bottom-up company can be both challenging and rewarding. By following the above tips, you'll be able to thrive in a bottom-up software company and contribute to the success of the team and, consequently, help the company achieve its goals.
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