The multi-tenant database solved our scaling problem. Data updates that had previously taken weeks now flowed to subscribing clients automatically. Onboarding went from a technical project to a configuration exercise. The foundation was solid. But a database isn't a product. Our clients weren't paying for a well-designed schema; they were paying for access to healthcare … Continue reading Building a SaaS Platform from Zero, Part 2: The Product Architecture That Powered the Business
Author: Jim McMullen
Building a SaaS Platform from Zero, Part 1: From a Dozen Databases to One
When I walked into The Ignition Group for the first time, the company had about a dozen paying clients and a proof of concept that had been duplicated for each of them. In one of our first conversations, the founder was straightforward with me: "We know this setup isn't going to work long-term. That's why … Continue reading Building a SaaS Platform from Zero, Part 1: From a Dozen Databases to One
Your First Engineering Hire Shouldn’t Be a CTO
When I joined a healthcare data SaaS company as their first senior technical hire, nobody called me the CTO. The CEO needed someone who could build the product, and that's what I did. I reported directly to him, I wrote code, I designed the database, I directed a small, contracted engineering team, and I started … Continue reading Your First Engineering Hire Shouldn’t Be a CTO
Designing Dependency Models Across Distributed Teams
Large technical programs succeed when the work across teams is intentionally connected. That connection shows up as dependencies - one team's output becomes another team's input - and managing those dependencies deliberately is what separates programs that deliver predictably from ones that constantly react. In distributed environments, with multiple teams, vendors, and time zones in … Continue reading Designing Dependency Models Across Distributed Teams
Most Program Failures Aren’t Schedule Failures — They’re Dependency Failures
When a large technical program begins to slip, the galvanizing statement is usually, “We’re behind schedule.” Milestones move. Forecasts change. Leadership demands more frequent reporting. In complex enterprise environments, the schedule is usually the most visible indicator of trouble, but it is rarely the original source of the problem. By the time delivery dates begin … Continue reading Most Program Failures Aren’t Schedule Failures — They’re Dependency Failures
Try Fail Learn Grow 