DEVREL FROM STARTUP TO ENTERPRISE
A presentation at DevRelCon London in December 2019 in London, UK by Phil Leggetter
DEVREL FROM STARTUP TO ENTERPRISE
Phil @Leggetter Senior Director Platform & Developer Experience Nexmo, the Vonage API Platform (seed) (pre series A) (series D) (enterprise) ACQUIRED MATURITY @leggetter
APPROACH FOR EACH EXPERIENCE ▸ Scenario ▸ Goals & Responsibilities ▸ Structure ▸ Advice ▸ For the company ▸ For the individual @leggetter
SCENARIO: PUSHER (STARTUP) 💵 👾 1 MILLION SEED 1 PRODUCT 🧠 ⏳ 7 EMPLOYEES YEAR 1 @leggetter
DEVREL GOALS & RESPONSIBILITIES: PUSHER (STARTUP) ▸ AAARRRP Goals* ▸ Awareness ▸ Acquisition ▸ Product 🌏 🎪 TUTORIALS/BLOGS EVENTS: TALKS & HACKATHONS 📒 🛠 DOCS SDKS ? 👝 SUPPORT BROWN BAGS
DEVREL STRUCTURE: PUSHER (STARTUP) ▸ 1 Developer Evangelist ▸ Everyone Helping across the company Icon made by Freepik, Creative Commons BY 3.0 @leggetter
STARTUP: LEARNINGS & ADVICE / COMPANY ▸ DevRel can help: ▸ Meet many needs of the business: Product, Engineering, Marketing, Support ▸ Reach a wide audience ▸ Learn what works ▸ Hire ▸ Generalist ▸ Strong technologist, well organized, entrepreneurial, trustworthy ▸ Track ▸ Signups for growth @leggetter
STARTUP: LEARNINGS & ADVICE / INDIVIDUAL ▸ A lot is being asked of you ▸ Big influence in early stages of the company ▸ Ensure you are rewarded accordingly ▸ Remember to still have a life @leggetter
(seed) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I5uinqFfl7w (pre series A)
SCENARIO: PUSHER (PRE SERIES A) 💵 👾 PROFITABLE 1 PRODUCT 🧠 ⏳ 25+ EMPLOYEES YEAR 3 @leggetter
DEVREL GOALS & RESPONSIBILITIES: PUSHER (PRE SERIES A) ▸ AAARRRP Goals ▸ Awareness ▸ Acquisition ▸ Product 🌏 🎪 TUTORIALS/BLOGS EVENTS: TALKS & HACKATHONS 📒 🛠 DOCS SDKS ? 👝 SUPPORT BROWN BAGS @leggetter
DEVREL STRUCTURE: PUSHER (STARTUP) ▸ DevRel in Marketing ▸ 1 Community Manager ▸ 2 Developer Evangelist ▸ Help across the company Icons made by Freepik, Creative Commons BY 3.0 @leggetter
PRE SERIES A: LEARNINGS & ADVICE / COMPANY ▸ Focus on content: ▸ Hire Developer Educators ▸ Great social ▸ Work closely with Growth ▸ Content can be used to activate ▸ Track signup funnel: Acquisition -> Activation -> Revenue and refine ▸ Deep dive on activation indicators @leggetter
PRE SERIES A: LEARNINGS & ADVICE / INDIVIDUAL ▸ Expect and embrace change ▸ An opportunity to specialize ▸ If you’re the generalist ▸ Adapt or leave ▸ It’s an opportunity to grow a team @leggetter
(pre series A) (series D) @leggetter
SCENARIO: NEXMO (SERIES D) 💵 👾 $28.1 MILLION 5 PRODUCTS ▸ API platform. Sales-driven organisation. 🧠 ⏳ 150+ EMPLOYEES YEAR 4 @leggetter
DEVREL GOALS & RESPONSIBILITIES: NEXMO (SERIES D) ▸ AAARRRP Goals ▸ Awareness 🌏 🎪 TUTORIALS/BLOGS EVENTS: TALKS & HACKATHONS 📒 🛠 ▸ Company Goal DOCS SDKS ▸ Be Acquired? {} ▸ Acquisition ▸ Product API STANDARDS @leggetter
DEVREL STRUCTURE: NEXMO (SERIES D) ▸ DevRel in Engineering/Product ▸ 1 Community Manager ▸ 5 Developer Advocates ▸ A startup within a startup Icons made by Freepik, Creative Commons BY 3.0 @leggetter
SERIES D: LEARNINGS & ADVICE / COMPANY ▸ DevRel have to focus & prioritize ▸ Get the product right first ▸ Target specific developer communities and regions ▸ Content or events (or agree split) ▸ Empowering teams let’s them get stuff done @leggetter
SERIES D: LEARNINGS & ADVICE / INDIVIDUAL ▸ Being empowered is great. Avoid misalignment/ disconnection from rest of the company. ▸ Team can be small enough to have a say in everything ▸ Make the most of a bigger team and voice within the company ▸ More change! You won’t stay in Series D forever. @leggetter
(series D) t c a p im (enterprise) MAY 2016 ACQUIRED NEXMO (WITH DEVREL TEAM) p t o n : r e m i a l c s i s D n o i t a l e R v ro o t n e e h t e b Source https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/VG/chart e D f o o l e v r e p
SCENARIO: VONAGE (ENTERPRISE) - JUNE 2019 📈 LISTED ON NYSE 👾 + 10+ PRODUCTS & SERVICES 8 ACQUISITIONS 🧠 ⏳ 2500+ EMPLOYEES FOUNDED 2001 @leggetter
DEVREL GOALS & RESPONSIBILITIES: VONAGE (ENTERPRISE) ▸ AAARRRP Goals ▸ Awareness 🌏 🎪 TUTORIALS/BLOGS EVENTS: TALKS & HACKATHONS 📒 🛠 ▸ Revenue (2019) DOCS SDKS ▸ Product {} 🖥 API STANDARDS ONBOARDING ▸ Acquisition ▸ Activation @leggetter
DEVREL STRUCTURE: VONAGE (ENTERPRISE) ▸ DevRel own department via Product ▸ Product + Engineering + Marketing/Education + Community ▸ 27 people and growing ▸ 2 Community Managers ▸ 1 Engineer ▸ 2 Technical Writers ▸ 5 Developer Educators ▸ 16 Developer Advocates ▸ 1 Product Manager @leggetter
ENTERPRISE: LEARNINGS & ADVICE / COMPANY ▸ DevRel can transform an organisation; product and culture ▸ Identify gaps in product offering; experience and function ▸ Educate across the business - developer culture ▸ Business decision maker vs developer @leggetter
ENTERPRISE: LEARNINGS & ADVICE / INDIVIDUAL ▸ Responsibilities as a publicly trading company ▸ Build relationships internally as well as externally and explain “DevRel” ▸ You can transform an organisation; product and culture ▸ Mindset: may not be the right place for you Sen. Paul Sarbanes (D–MD) and Rep. Michael G. Oxley (R–OH-4), the co-sponsors of the Sarbanes– Oxley Act ▸ Demonstrate benefit to the business and you’ll receive more support and funding @leggetter
ENTERPRISE: WHERE ARE WE NOW? (enterprise) (enterprise evolution) ▸ Rebranding ▸ DevRel merged with Platform Experience Product portfolio group ▸ Continuing to grow and specialise @leggetter
DEVREL STRUCTURE: VONAGE (ENTERPRISE) ▸ DevRel in Product - Platform & Developer Experience ▸ Product + Engineering + Marketing/Education + Community ▸ 31 people and growing ▸ 5 Product Managers ▸ 3 Community Managers ▸ 1 Engineer ▸ 2 Technical Writers ▸ 5 Developer Educators ▸ 15 Developer Advocates @leggetter
SUMMARY: FROM STARTUP TO ENTERPRISE ▸ Yep, expect change ▸ Focus/specialize to scale ▸ Align DevRel with ▸ Supportive leaders ▸ department goals ▸ Keep experimenting and demonstrating business benefit ▸ DevRel is evolving. We’re all still learning. @leggetter
