Jamming Together To Deliver Success

Today, we had the pleasure to talk to Shunji Lin, a full-stack engineer and one of the early members of amptalk, to hear his story that led to his current job. In this interview, we explore his journey from completing his military service in Singapore to the initial days of working with the founders of the company in a small room in Tokyo.

Envisioning clients’ success with amptalk

-- Please tell us how you started working in Japan.

In my career journey, I've had quite the varied path. In Singapore, where I’m from, it is customary to do military service before going to college. I was planning to stay in the country after I finished my duty, but I enjoyed the overseas military exercise programs and decided to do college abroad. As my mom is Japanese, I decided to go to a university there, where I delved into classical AI search and planning algorithms at a lab at University of Tokyo. After that, I explored different industries, from autonomous cars to finance and real estate startups. 

-- How did you start working at amptalk?

It was through a LinkedIn message from Inose-san that I stumbled upon amptalk. Initially, I wasn't actively seeking a new job, but Inose-san's persistence intrigued me. As I started part-time and visited the office more frequently, I realized that amptalk offered something unique. At my previous roles, there was often a disconnect between client needs and engineering teams, which were more focused on technical issues. The work was challenging but I couldn’t connect to the client as I didn’t understand why the features were needed. On the other hand, amptalk fostered a collaborative environment focused on solving clients' problems. It felt like the perfect fit, aligning with my passion for working closely with clients and understanding their challenges. I was also fascinated with the great opportunity to start a team with the CEO. 

A different gig for every problem

-- What is your role at amptalk?

As a fullstack software engineer at amptalk, my day-to-day involves a bit of everything. From crafting new features to keeping the existing ones running smoothly, I dive into both frontend and backend tasks. Working within a tight-knit software team of fewer than 10 people, we handle a diverse array of responsibilities. Whether it's planning out new features, documenting our code, reviewing each other's work, or squashing bugs based on user feedback, there's never a dull moment. What sets amptalk apart from other companies is our team structure. While many companies divide their teams into frontend and backend specialists, amptalk takes a different approach. Here, we form teams based on the specific problems we're tackling at any given time, allowing for more dynamic collaboration and problem-solving. It's this flexibility and focus on teamwork that make every day at amptalk an exciting challenge.

-- You have seen amptalk grow from its very early stages. What makes amptalk unique in your opinion?

At amptalk, we take a different approach to development than many startups. We're all about embracing the main principles of agile development to ensure quick deliveries without any bottlenecks slowing us down. One key aspect of our culture is empowering everyone on the team to tackle problems and contribute to delivering production-ready code. Accessibility is a top priority here, meaning anyone can quickly get up to speed and start making meaningful contributions. To further streamline our processes and remove any potential bottlenecks, we've implemented an automated quality control system. Unlike other companies that rely on manual checks, our system automates many aspects of quality control, from toggling features on and off to applying changes only to specific sets of users. This focus on automation and constant improvement is something our CTO is particularly attuned to, and it's been a real blessing for our team's efficiency and effectiveness. We operate on the principle of making minimal changes at a time, eschewing major updates in favor of tiny steps of constant improvement. It's this dedication to agility and innovation that sets amptalk apart in the startup landscape.

Ownership, which is at the core of our culture, also distinguishes amptalk from others. We believe in giving every team member a sense of ownership over their work and the direction of the company. One way we reinforce this is through bi-weekly retrospective meetings, where we gather on Miro to reflect on the highs and lows of the past two weeks in terms of business and product development. This open discussion allows us to address issues head-on and celebrate successes together. Here, anyone can propose changes or improvements to our processes or products. Of course you've got to convince the team of the change's merits. If the team agrees, we're all in – and that change gets implemented. It's a collaborative and democratic approach that fosters innovation and empowers every team member to make a difference.

Making a great piece of work with collaboration

-- That is truly impressive for an organization that is still at its early days of foundation. What kind of team do you envision in the future?

At the heart of our team's success at amptalk lies a dedication to collaboration and teamwork. We recognize that bringing together diverse perspectives is key to solving complex problems effectively. That's why we actively facilitate communication between individuals on the business side, customers without technical expertise, and our engineering team. Our feedback channels are open to everyone, but it's typically the customer success and sales teams who report issues and propose improvements. There's no designated engineer monitoring these channels – any member of the engineering team can jump in to address a problem or suggestion. We understand that different stakeholders bring valuable insights and ideas to the table, enriching our discussions and driving innovation forward.

-- How do you specifically achieve that?

Through platforms like Slack and other direct communication methods, we foster direct dialogue between engineers and the business team, enabling us to swiftly address concerns and discuss potential improvements. This collaborative approach recently led to the introduction of a bilingual chatbot into our Slack channels, a direct result of a fruitful discussion with various departments in the company. It's these interactions and connections that truly set us apart and drive our success as a team.

Putting the old together to build something new

-- What kind of people would be a great fit to the company and why?

As a jazz enthusiast and software engineer, I've noticed a lot of similarities in the two worlds. In Japan, it's not uncommon to find jazz players who are also skilled software engineers, and I believe it's because both disciplines share a focus on pattern recognition and improvisation. Just like jazz musicians rely on patterns while improvising in response to their environment and fellow players during a performance, software engineers draw from their knowledge of patterns to tackle unique engineering challenges daily. Much like in jazz, I value engineers who not only understand the established methods but also strive to innovate and push boundaries. For me, it's akin to appreciating jazz musicians who are well-versed in the classics but also seek to pioneer new musical territory. For example, Martijn van Iterson sounds like a classic bebop player but his “dexterity” is modern. 

-- That is a very interesting and compelling comparison! 

I'm drawn to engineers who challenge themselves and push me out of my comfort zone, while also demonstrating a deep understanding of the work's background and context. Moreover, I admire those who can synthesize existing ideas and solutions to create even better ones, just like jazz musicians blend influences to create something uniquely their own.

We’re Hiring!

Today, we spoke with Shunji, our software engineer. How did you find it? If you’re even slightly interested in amptalk, please apply for a casual interview. We look forward to meeting you!

APPLY HERE:
Software: https://herp.careers/v1/amptalk/5EjSzqgVpdzl
Open Position: https://herp.careers/v1/amptalk/PVDmOTCQ8NNf