E4: Travis McPeak - Resourcely - How building cloud security at Netflix informed his startup's focus
Figure out where you fit in a startup's journey: are you a Pioneer, Settler, or Town Planner?
In this conversation we learn about how the technology and culture at Netflix shaped Travis McPeak’s approach to building a security startup. We learn about the “Lemur” tools he built, the “paved roads” philosophy to simplify AppSec, and the surprising alliances across competitors such as Facebook, Apple, and Google to collaborate on playing defense to cybersecurity threats.
We also discuss the "Informed Captain" principle at Netflix. This principle empowers the person closest to a problem to make the decisions efficiently. He's adopted this same principle for decision making at Resourcely. We also cover the following:
The roles in a startup's journey: Are you a Pioneer, Settler, or Town Planner?
Netflix's mantra: "We're a sports team, not a family." It's all about the game, not just the time spent on the field.
Travis’s advice to new technical founders: restrain your instinct to start by writing code and instead spend your time learning from prospective customers.
The “Build vs. Buy” dilemma: how do organizations decide to build solutions rather than to buy an existing one?
Travis is building a culture of entrepreneurship at Resourcely designed to nurture teammates into the next generation of great founders
Topics
(00:00) Precision in cybersecurity defense against attackers.
(02:49) Netflix's cybersecurity strategy: "Lemur" and the "paved roads" approach.
(06:03) The varied landscape: How different companies integrate security measures.
(15:08) The evolution: Moving from mere technical hacking to broader strategic cybersecurity.
(18:21) Tech giants unite: The surprising collaboration among Google, Facebook, and Apple to defend against cybersecurity threats.
(29:06) Resourcely: From its inception to securing early customers.
(37:24) Co-founding a startup and the essence of complementary skills.
(44:11) Roles in a startup: Pioneers, settlers, and town planners.
(52:56) Envisioning the future: Resourcely's aspirations in cloud security and role of AI
(01:08:44) Hiring, firing, and everything in between. Travis provides a glimpse into Netflix's distinctive work culture and its trade-offs.
Great interview, DK! I admire how bold Travis is in defining the Netflix-inspired culture he's building.
"Resourcely will be awesome for you as long as you're the best at your job, and if you're not the best at your job, then you're not going to be here anymore."