If you're a founder dealing with behind the scenes: how we built an async, stop what you're doing and read this. Seriously.
After years of trial and error, I finally cracked the code on async communication AI. I'm sharing the raw, unfiltered story of my struggles and the hard-won victories so you can skip the mistakes and get straight to the results. It wasn't easy.
What I've Learned From 128 Companies
After investing in 200+ startups and running two companies to successful exits, I've developed a pretty clear picture of what works with behind the scenes: how we built an async.
The biggest misconception is that you need to most founders overthink this and underspend on execution. That's backwards. The companies that win are the ones that the best solutions are often the simplest ones.
I remember sitting with the Anthropic team early on and discussing how they thought about behind the scenes: how we built an async. Their approach was counterintuitive but brilliant.
The Reality Nobody Talks About
Most people approach behind the scenes: how we built an async with assumptions that made sense five years ago. The world has moved on. When I look at my portfolio companies, the ones that succeed are doing something fundamentally different.
The first thing to understand is that customer feedback is the only metric that matters. I've seen this play out across dozens of companies. The pattern is unmistakable.
At RemoteTeam, we learned this the hard way. We spent months going down the wrong path before realizing that simplicity beats complexity every time. Once we made the switch, everything changed.
What I Tell Founders
When a founder in my portfolio asks me about behind the scenes: how we built an async, I usually start with three questions:
- What's your timeline? Because the right approach for a company with 6 months of runway is very different from one with 3 years.
- What have you already tried? Most founders have tried something. Understanding what didn't work is often more valuable than knowing what might.
- Who on your team owns this? If the answer is "everyone" or "no one," that's your first problem to solve.
These questions seem simple but they reveal a lot about where a company actually stands.
This connects to broader themes around digital nomad AI tools, AI culture building, AI onboarding that I've been thinking about a lot lately.
The Bottom Line
Look, behind the scenes: how we built an async isn't rocket science. But it does require intentionality, consistency, and a willingness to learn from mistakes.
If you take one thing from this article, let it be this: start now, start small, and iterate. The founders who win at behind the scenes: how we built an async aren't the ones with the best strategy on paper. They're the ones who execute, learn, and adapt faster than everyone else.
I've been doing this for over a decade. The patterns are clear. The companies that take behind the scenes: how we built an async seriously outperform the ones that don't. Every single time.
If you're working on something interesting in this space, I'd love to hear about it. Drop me a line.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do all experts agree with this view?
No, and that's fine. The best ideas in business are often contrarian. I share my perspective based on my experience and data, but I encourage you to seek out opposing viewpoints and form your own conclusions.
How can I apply this thinking to my own situation?
Start by identifying the core principle behind the opinion, not the specific example. Then ask yourself: does this principle apply to my context? If yes, test it in a small, low-risk way before going all in.
What's the most common pushback you get on this?
People often push back by citing exceptions or edge cases. And they're usually right that exceptions exist. But building a strategy around exceptions rather than patterns is a losing game for most founders.
How has this view evolved over time?
My thinking on most topics has changed significantly over the years. Early in my career, I held many conventional views that experience proved wrong. I try to update my beliefs when the evidence changes.