Matt, the clock starts now. So how has choosing Laravel shaped the way you hire, train, and run projects at Tighten? Yeah, because Laravel is such a full stack framework, we have the opportunity to bring on one person that can do an entire feature the whole way through, or two people that can work on it together. We don't have to build these giant teams where you've got 20 people on backend and 20 people on front end just to get anything done.

where you've got 20 people on backend and 20 people on front end just to get anything done. And the ability to trust one person to be able to do something the whole way through, doesn't mean that they always will, but it means that you can know that they're gonna understand something the whole way through. So even when pairing is happening, we don't have a lot of those shortcomings that come from backend, people trying to speak front end language or vice versa.

of those shortcomings that come from backend, people trying to speak front end language or vice versa. So I think like the shapes of our individual people impact the shapes of our teams, which impact the shapes of the engagements that we're doing. And all those things kind of allow us to be much more nimble. We can still build a big team, but a team doesn't have to be big in order to work with Laravel.

but a team doesn't have to be big in order to work with Laravel. Makes a lot of sense. Uh, I've read that Tighten doesn't do detailed estimates, so how do you scope projects and manage expectations without traditional budgeting? Yeah, so clients ask about budgets because they need to know how long is it gonna take and what is it gonna cost, and nobody really knows that. So everybody's guessing

and what is it gonna cost, and nobody really knows that. So everybody's guessing and they're gonna do a whole bunch of upfront research that may or may not be reflected in the reality when the project actually happens. But most likely what happens is either the a at the end are stressing their developers saying, going faster, faster 'cause the sales guy promised something for you. And then they're also potentially eating some costs or the client thinks everything's gonna fit

This is just a simple explanation with no code.

and we're gonna have to adapt and we can adapt by cutting scope as we go, or you know, saying, oh, you know, there's an 80%, you know, cost version of this that we can do for you, that's gonna, you know, it's one of those, you know, 80% of the value in 20% of the time. So we're constantly working to match their expectations, but they also know that if at some point they want more than we originally talked about, they're gonna have to potentially go a little bit longer.

This is just a simple explanation with no code.

This thrilling episode of Running Clock is proudly brought to you by Lara Cast. Yes sir. Yes ma'am. It's the root Iist Ville Screencast, this side of the Information Highway. And back to the show Christian, question from Jeffrey. Wait, uh, you are the author of Laravel up and running from O'Reilly. Uh, considering the substantial time investment,

This is just a simple explanation with no code.

to happen in the community, absolutely. I'm very, very happy with what it's done for other people and what it's done for me I think is also valuable. 'cause I have a degree in English, right? I don't have a, you know, a computer science degree. I don't have any credentials that would really convince somebody that I'm a programmer, but I have this book and it's the O'Reilly Animal book saying, Hey, I'm the guy that did Laravel and to me that helps me in terms

saying, Hey, I'm the guy that did Laravel and to me that helps me in terms of my reputation, but also helps Tighten. 'cause Tighten can say, Hey, we literally wrote the book and it's actually true. We did literally write the book. And that's a really great kind of marketing tool showing, hey, we really know what we're talking about here. Yeah, you get exposure and reputation through that. You got it. Um, next question. Yep.

Yeah, you get exposure and reputation through that. You got it. Um, next question. Yep. What is one thing most solo developers do not realize about running an agency? Yeah, I mean there's that, I'm gonna say one but I'm gonna sneak in a second one. The number one thing about it is that people who imagine what running an agency specifically like is they think about it, about being, building a team and writing code and being creative.

it, about being, building a team and writing code and being creative. And what they don't think about is the fact that it's actually running an agency. You know, that's the biggest thing and that's true for anybody who wants to start a business. You know, people want to start a business and so they can do the thing they like doing, uh, with control. But what happens is you start a business

uh, with control. But what happens is you start a business and now your job is running the business and you're paying other people to do the thing you like doing, right? So that's like the one piece. And the second piece is people starting an agency or think about starting an agency don't often think about how much of your job has to do with business development. When you're a freelancer, you just have to come up

how much of your job has to do with business development. When you're a freelancer, you just have to come up with your payroll very quickly after starting an agency. You have to come up with six figures of money every two weeks. And that's just a totally different world That is very different indeed. Yeah. Uh, last question. Is there a kind of project where you would say, Nope, not using Laravel here, pick something else?

Is there a kind of project where you would say, Nope, not using Laravel here, pick something else? It's if there's an off the shelf tool that Already's does everything that they want, they don't need to customize it and they're already comfortable with it or can get comfortable with it quickly. So that might be WordPress or maybe a CRM or something like that. There are great needs for Laravel based CMSs

or maybe a CRM or something like that. There are great needs for Laravel based CMSs for a large number of clients, but sometimes WordPress does everything they need and their marketing team already likes WordPress or they want a CRM and it's already off the shelf. There's no rea neat reason to reinvent the wheel. That is a very pragmatic answer. And Matt, we are all out of time. Thank you so much. You did great. Thank you.

And Matt, we are all out of time. Thank you so much. You did great. Thank you. Having the timer is so helpful because when I did this with Michael, I could just talk forever, right? Like each of these questions, I could have gone for five minutes, so I'm like, thank you. That was very helpful. I did have Michael on the show and he said, dude, when you have Matt Stauffer, make sure,

I did have Michael on the show and he said, dude, when you have Matt Stauffer, make sure, make sure the timer is right there. Really make sure you have The timer.