Our reading notes

How to build a startup engineering team

Guide by Kevin Stewart / Increment

How an engineering leader can adapt large-company experience to a startup without losing the ability to grow.

The idea to take with you

Align with founders on the vision and responsibility boundaries before trying to improve the engineering organization.

What to look for

01
Clarify what goes to the CTO and what goes to the VP Engineering.
02
Prepare recruiting and career expectations before growth makes inconsistency expensive.
03
Borrow practices as tools for a particular constraint rather than a complete operating model.

The author explicitly offers contextual tools rather than universal prescriptions. Its sample titles and reporting relationships are starting points.

Put it to work

Ask a founder and two engineers to describe your leadership role. Compare the answers and resolve one boundary that differs.

Notes and exercises by Awesome CTO. The original work belongs to Kevin Stewart / Increment.

Our CTO role guide connects the reading to a practical approach and a template.