Developer Relations: From Startup to Enterprise

DEVREL FROM STARTUP TO ENTERPRISE

Phil Leggetter - Director of DevRel @ Nexmo (seed) (pre series A) (series D) (enterprise) ACQUIRED MATURITY @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 @leggetter

DEVREL STRUCTURE: PUSHER (STARTUP) ▸ 1 Developer Evangelist ▸ Help across the company Icon made by Freepik, Creative Commons BY 3.0 @leggetter

STARTUP: LEARNINGS & ADVICE / COMPANY ▸ DevRel can ▸ Reach a wide audience ▸ Learn what works ▸ Hire ▸ Strong technologist, well organized, entrepreneurial, trustworthy ▸ Generalist ▸ 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: OBSERVATIONS ▸ Growth = specialization ▸ Folks in DevRel tend to like variety 42% + ▸ Put DevRel in the department that aligns with your goals for the team Image from State of Developer Relations by Hoopy https://devrel.net/ dev-rel/state-of-developer-relations-2019 @leggetter

PRE SERIES A: LEARNINGS & ADVICE / COMPANY ▸ Focus on content: ▸ Hire Developer Educators ▸ Great social ▸ Work closely with Growth. ▸ 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

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 ▸ 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. ▸ More change! You won’t stay in Series D forever. ▸ Team can be small enough to have a say in everything ▸ Make the most of a bigger team and voice within the company @leggetter

(series D) (enterprise) MAY 2016 ACQUIRED NEXMO (WITH DEVREL TEAM) Source https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/VG/chart

SCENARIO: VONAGE (ENTERPRISE) 📈 👾 LISTED ON NYSE 10+ PRODUCTS & SERVICES 🧠 ⏳ 2300+ EMPLOYEES FOUNDED 2001 @leggetter

DEVREL GOALS & RESPONSIBILITIES: VONAGE (ENTERPRISE) ▸ AAARRRP Goals ▸ Awareness ▸ Acquisition ▸ Product ▸ Revenue (2019) 🌏 🎪 TUTORIALS/BLOGS EVENTS: TALKS & HACKATHONS 📒 🛠 DOCS SDKS {} API STANDARDS @leggetter

DEVREL STRUCTURE: NEXMO (SERIES D) ▸ DevRel own department via Product ▸ 50/50 Product + Marketing You? ▸ 26 people. Growing to 38. Community ▸ 2 Community Managers ▸ 1 Engineer DevX DevEdu Extend ▸ 2 Technical Writers ▸ 5 Developer Educators ▸ 16 Developer Advocates https://nexmo.dev/join19 Icons made by Freepik, Creative Commons BY 3.0 @leggetter

ENTERPRISE: LEARNINGS & ADVICE / COMPANY ▸ DevRel can transform an organisation; product and culture ▸ 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 ▸ Get ready to frequently explain what DevRel is across the organisation ▸ Work hard to keep rest of team informed ▸ 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

SUMMARY: FROM STARTUP TO ENTERPRISE ▸ Yep, expect change ▸ Focus/specialize to scale ▸ Align DevRel with departments based on goals ▸ Keep experimenting and demonstrating business benefit ▸ DevRel is evolving. We’re all still learning. @leggetter

You? Thanks! https://nexmo.dev/join19

DEVREL FROM STARTUP TO ENTERPRISE