In this latest episode of the Distributed podcast, host Jack Hannah interviews Colin Sidoti, Clerk Cofounder & CEO, to discuss what’s allowed them to grow so rapidly and deliver such an incredible developer experience for users. Colin reflects on how limited process fosters growth and allows his team of engineers and designers to excel.

Colin also provides insight into the nontraditional ways Clerk streamlines work, including their hiring practices and unique team dynamics.

Highlights:

• Understanding how Clerk has grown through a highly autonomous team culture
• Colin's insights on the importance of fluid communication in a distributed team
• The pivotal role the DX Guide plays in creating an amazing product
• Empowering teams by trusting their instincts and encouraging adaptability

In this episode, we cover:

(00:00) – Kicking things off with Colin Sidoti

(03:26) – Product development at Clerk

(08:29) – Remote work dynamics: synchronizing across time zones

(12:54) – Importance of fluid communication: using Tuple for efficient syncs

(14:44) – The role of DX Guide: maintaining high standards in product experience

(22:28) – Building a culture of customer-centric development

(17:40) – Evolving product offerings: from auth to billing and beyond

(25:56) – Hiring for passion: finding team members who care deeply

(31:55) – Simplifying user onboarding: eliminating friction for developers

(33:34) – Impact of removing friction: boosting adoption with minimal steps

Where to connect further:

Connect with Colin Sidoti on X and Clerk

Follow Tuple

Want to hear more? Check out distributed.fm

Connect with Jack Hannah

Engineering teams whose work leaves an impact thrive on trust, collaboration, and the appropriate technical practices.

In this episode of the Distributed podcast, host Jack Hannah sits down with Ryan Bergman, Principal Engineer at John Deere, to explore the impact of Extreme Programming (XP) and agile practices on software development. Ryan shares how XP principles helped stabilize a struggling startup, why pair programming is essential for team cohesion, and how behavior-driven development (BDD) builds confidence in large-scale systems.

They also discuss the challenges of remote collaboration, lessons from scaling software at John Deere, and what it takes to align distributed teams around a shared technical vision.

Highlights:

• Rescuing a struggling startup by embracing Extreme Programming to improve collaboration, code quality, and technical execution
• Strengthening engineering teams with pair programming and the right balance of structure and flexibility
• Managing large-scale software development at John Deere
• Building trust across distributed teams through clear communication, shared technical vision, and an emphasis on psychological safety
• Using Behavior-Driven Development (BDD) to create reliable, well-tested systems that give teams confidence in their software

In this episode, we cover:

(00:00) – Kicking Things Off with Ryan Bergman

(01:10) – Ryan’s Journey: From Graphic Arts to Engineering

(03:59) – Discovering XP: How Extreme Programming Saved a Startup

(08:09) – Pair Programming and Agile Coaching: Rebuilding from the Ground Up

(14:14) – Navigating Large-Scale Systems at John Deere

(16:22) – The Power of Trust: Autonomy, Collaboration, and ‘Vampire Rules’

(21:37) – Building Strong Engineering Teams Through Open Knowledge Sharing

(26:49) – Pair Programming Pitfalls: Fixing What Doesn’t Work

(37:11) – Behavior-Driven Development: Creating Confidence in Complex Systems

Where to connect further:

Connect with Ryan Bergman on LinkedIn and check out John Deere

Follow Tuple

Want to hear more? Check out distributed.fm

Connect with Jack Hannah

Anthony Eden started DNSimple as a remote first, mostly asynchronous company in 2010 before it was cool.

In this episode of the Distributed podcast, host Jack Hannah sits down with Anthony, Founder and CEO, to discuss the intricacies of remote-first companies. Anthony shares his journey of building DNSimple as a remote-first company, highlighting how asynchronous communication and flexible structures foster a thriving tech culture. The discussion touches on what shapes a successful organization and the challenges he’s faced over the years.

Anthony also shares his experience with Shape Up and how it’s improved his team’s productivity and trust in each other.

Highlights:

• Remote work norms and fostering collaboration across different time zones
• Anthony’s journey with Shape Up
• How to facilitate trust among team members
• DNSimple’s culture of collaboration

In this episode, we cover:

(00:00) - Kicking things off with Anthony Eden

(00:55) - Founding DNSimple: Anthony’s journey to remote work

(02:47) - Embracing remote work: the time zone challenge

(04:02) - Company growth and team structure at DNSimple

(06:56) - The shift to Shape Up: solving development challenges

(10:42) - Facilitating trust and commitments in remote teams

(16:06) - Asynchronous collaboration tools

(21:45) - Aligning remote work practices: learning from experiments

(31:20) - The human side of remote work: building emotional connections

(35:43) - Conclusion: looking ahead with a growth mindset in remote work

References mentioned:

DNSimple’s time tracking experiment

Shape Up

Where to connect further:

Connect with Anthony Eden on LinkedIn

Follow Tuple

Want to hear more? Check out distributed.fm

Connect with Jack Hannah