Remote SaaS playbook: why freedom beats control with Andreas Creten @madewithlove

saas.unbound is a podcast for and about founders who are working on scaling inspiring products that people love, brought to you by https://saas.group/, a serial acquirer of B2B SaaS companies.

Episode #47 is the special episode where Tobias Schlottke takes over the hosting of the podcast to welcome Andreas Creten, Co-founder and CEO at madewithlove.

In this in-depth exploration, we sit down with Andreas Creten, the Co-founder and CEO of madewithlove, to uncover the secrets behind their successful remote-first approach. From fostering a vibrant company culture to navigating the complexities of hiring and managing distributed teams, Andreas shares his insights and strategies that have propelled madewithlove to new heights.

The mission of madewithlove: bridging the gap between technical and non-technical worlds

At the heart of madewithlove’s mission lies a deep understanding of the challenges that arise when technical and non-technical teams collide. As Andreas explains, “The most important thing we’re trying to do is bridge the gap between non-technical people and technical teams. That’s something I realized throughout my career – the ability to translate the technical language into non-technical terms and vice versa is a valuable edge that my team and I bring to the table.”

madewithlove’s core services revolve around providing technical expertise and support to startups and scale-ups. From staffing engineering teams to conducting technical due diligence for investors, the company’s team of seasoned CTOs and engineers work tirelessly to ensure their clients’ success. But it’s not just about the technical prowess; it’s about bridging the communication divide and fostering a shared understanding between the business and technology sides of the organization.

Embracing the remote-first mindset: lessons from madewithlove’s journey

madewithlove’s journey to becoming a remote-first company is a testament to their adaptability and forward-thinking approach. As Andreas explains, “We used to have an office where everyone was co-located, but then people had to travel like sometimes two hours to get there. When the lease of our first office was ending, we decided, ‘Let’s not have one office anymore.'”

This decision to embrace a distributed workforce was not made lightly, but it has paid dividends for the company. Andreas emphasizes the importance of not just allowing remote work, but truly embracing it as a core part of the company’s culture and operations.

Fostering a vibrant remote culture

• Equality in interaction: “Whenever you do something, you factor in that some people might not be present on the same place, so that basically you try to make the experience the same for everyone.”
• Knowledge and respect: “Our culture is built up around knowledge and respect, where most of the interactions we have with each other is about knowledge sharing and making sure that everyone understands what we care about and what we’re working towards.”
• Intentional collaboration: “We have this system we call Café, where basically every week you get paired up with a random other person in the team for a short 30-minute one-on-one.”
• Embracing asynchronous communication: “We have an internal blog where people can write about their experiences, share knowledge, and have meaningful conversations.”

By prioritizing equality, knowledge-sharing, and intentional collaboration, madewithlove has been able to foster a vibrant remote culture that keeps their distributed team connected and engaged.

Navigating the challenges of remote hiring and diversity

Hiring for a remote-first organization presents its own unique set of challenges, especially when it comes to building a diverse and inclusive team. Andreas acknowledges the difficulties, stating, “It’s very hard because we’re only technical people when we talk about diversity. It’s always easy for companies, for example, if you’re a marketing agency, and you want to be diverse, you can do that a lot easier than an engineering team, sadly enough.”

However, madewithlove has made a concerted effort to create a balanced and inclusive workforce. “In our team, we try to make sure that we have a good balance. We have transgenders, we have women, we have non-white males. We try to make a good mix,” says Andreas.

The key, according to Andreas, is to focus on the quality of the candidate rather than their background or identity. “We don’t really care about the background or the who what they identify as. We look at the qualities of the person,” he explains. By maintaining this meritocratic approach, madewithlove has been able to build a team that is not only highly skilled but also reflective of the diversity they value.

Free range management: empowering employees to thrive

At the heart of madewithlove’s management philosophy is the concept of “free range management,” which Andreas and his team have explored in depth through their book, Free Range Management. This approach is rooted in the belief that knowledge workers, such as developers, perform best when given the freedom and autonomy to do their work.

As Andreas explains, “The idea is that when you manage knowledge workers, it’s very important to give them the space to do their work. They’ll do their work better. It’s the opposite of micromanaging.”

Fostering accountability and responsibility

Free range management is not about abandoning all structure and oversight; it’s about striking the right balance between freedom and accountability. madewithlove has implemented a system of “responsible developers,” where each team member is expected to be proactive in managing their own work and reaching out for help when needed.

• Proactive communication: “People need to be proactive and they need to reach out. ‘Okay, I’m stuck here. Can someone help?’ or ‘I’m done with what I’m doing. What else can I work on?'”
• Peer-to-peer mentorship: “When you join our team, you get a buddy assigned to you. They’re in charge of the first three months of onboarding, where they will show you where to find the documentation and have weekly check-ins.”
• Formal feedback and reviews: “We have a semester review, where every six months, everyone goes through a review process. We collect feedback from peers as well.”

By empowering employees to take ownership of their work and fostering a culture of peer-to-peer support, madewithlove has been able to unlock the full potential of their remote workforce.

Navigating the complexities of client selection and due diligence

As a company that provides technical expertise and support to other businesses, madewithlove has developed a keen eye for identifying the right clients and conducting thorough due diligence. Andreas emphasizes the importance of client selection, stating, “It’s very important that we know that we can make an impact on the company. If we have the feeling, for example, we’re not fully supported on all levels, it doesn’t make really sense to start.”

Ethical considerations and client alignment

madewithlove has a strict set of ethical guidelines when it comes to the clients they choose to work with. “We’re not going to do the oil and gas industry. We’re not going to go into gambling, for example. We have pretty strict rules on that as well,” says Andreas.

Beyond ethical considerations, madewithlove also prioritizes alignment with the client’s values and goals. “The customer is not King. I think that’s very important, and people know that as well. In the end, we want to do the best for the company, and that does not always mean that we’re following, for example, the CTO or the CEO who has a certain idea,” Andreas explains.

Uncovering the truth through thorough due diligence

When it comes to conducting technical and product due diligence, madewithlove takes a unique approach. Rather than relying on lengthy questionnaires and document requests, they prefer to engage in open-ended conversations with the target company’s team.

As Andreas shares, “Our approach is that you don’t need to prepare at all, and we do that very deliberately. We don’t ask anything up front, and we try to make the process as easy as possible for the target company. It’s an enjoyable experience for them.”

By focusing on in-depth interviews and fostering a collaborative environment, madewithlove is able to uncover the true state of the target company’s technical capabilities, processes, and challenges. This approach has helped them identify and address potential issues that may have been overlooked in a more traditional due diligence process.

Hacking remote culture: strategies for thriving in a distributed world

As remote work continues to reshape the landscape of the SaaS industry, companies like madewithlove are leading the charge in developing innovative strategies for building and sustaining vibrant remote cultures. Andreas shares two key “cultural hacks” that he believes can benefit any organization embracing the remote revolution:

Hire public speakers

According to Andreas, one of the most valuable traits to look for when hiring for a remote team is the ability to communicate effectively. “Hire people that are not afraid of talking. I’m not going to say they all need to be extroverts, but if you hire people that can go on stage and talk in a remote context, it’s highly beneficial,” he explains.

By prioritizing strong communication skills, companies can ensure that their remote employees are able to express themselves clearly, collaborate seamlessly, and foster a sense of connection within the distributed team.

Cultivate a culture of knowledge sharing

Another key strategy that has worked well for madewithlove is the implementation of an internal blog. “We have an internal blog where people can write, ‘I’ve had this situation with this customer. This is how we solved it,’ or ‘I’ve seen this information,'” says Andreas.

By encouraging employees to document and share their experiences, insights, and problem-solving strategies, madewithlove has been able to create a rich knowledge base that benefits the entire team. This asynchronous communication channel allows for deeper, more thoughtful exchanges, and helps remote employees stay connected and continuously learn from one another.