5x Founder & CTO | Author of Product Driven | Bootstrapped to 9-Figure SaaS Exit | CEO of Full Scale | Teaching Product Thinking to Engineering Leaders
Most leaders never learn to ride the architect elevator. They either stay on the top floor, talking strategy, vision, and OKRs. Or they stay in the basement, deep in architecture, code, and delivery. But great engineering leaders move between both. They can go up and speak the language of business. Then come down and make it real with the team. For me, that’s always been my superpower. I can talk to customers, other business leaders, and engineers. It’s almost like speaking three different languages. You have to be fluent in all three if you want to build products that actually matter. It’s not just translation. It’s connection. The ability to align what the company needs with what the team builds. If you only live on one floor, you lose half your influence. So… can you ride the elevator?
Matt Watson: "they stay in the basement, deep in architecture, code, and delivery". Architecture in the basement? What the heck are you talking about ?!? Architecture lives in the penthouse! 😊
When I was first stepping into leadership, I knew I had to offer more than just technical skills. So, I rolled up my sleeves and dove into the groundwork , not just the code, but the business strategy, the product roadmap, and most importantly, the customer's reality. It was the hard conversations that shaped me the most. Struggling to explain technical debt in terms of business risk, or advocating for a customer's need against tight deadlines... these were my training grounds. Those tough moments didn't just nurture my skills , they built the bridge between being a contributor and becoming a leader. And Yes I am still learning 🙂
Love riding it. Favorites part of my job.
Bridging that gap between boardroom vision and ground-level execution really makes all the difference. It's pretty clear when someone genuinely understands both perspectives.
3+ Years Building Scalable Web Apps for Startups & Businesses | Full-Stack Web Developer (Next.js/React)
13hBridging business goals with engineering realities is where influence and impact meet.