Searching for new software can really suck. I’m not just talking about the comparison conundrum. Weighing up features while wading through the treacle-like sales copy that plagues so many products, to find some semblance of differentiation. 😩 Really, that’s the least of my worries. Because for us, it’s

The journey back from the HelpDocs retreat in Panama was always going to be long. In fact, despite being around 4 hours shorter, it felt infinitely longer than the outgoing journey—a result of general end-of-trip fatigue and a lackluster customer experience that felt like pulling teeth. Our trip was

We had a short debrief on Slack before Jake and Jarratt disappeared into the night, retreating back to their much-earned glasses of wine. I, on the other hand, got thinking about how the perception of fault and blame is attributed to small and large companies. Who says I don’t

Over the past few weeks, I’ve been struggling with measuring the ROI of my work. And it wasn’t until I brought it up with the rest of the team I realised I shouldn’t be trying to measure it at all. I’ll explain! It’s no secret

49% of all working days lost in 2016-2017 were due to work-related stress, depression or anxiety. Let’s take a moment to think about that for a second. Work is the single biggest cause of stress for the UK population—though given recent events, I imagine global politics is running

As the wife of a HelpDocs remote worker, I've read many blog posts that talk about what it’s like to work remotely. A quick Google search returns pages and pages of listicles full of top tips and tricks to be a better remote worker. They generally cover

A couple of years ago, I took my first stab at co-working. I was a freelancer at the time, exploring new ways to build out a small network of contacts. Taking the advice of many a blog post that being around likeminded people would help, I decided to give it

I was reading a blog post earlier from a moderately well known social media company. The post, whilst framed as educational, was almost entirely dedicated to pedaling their wares and establishing the founder as a thought leader. Editor’s note: this post is a bit ranty, and a departure from

Who knew hiring as a small, bootstrapped team was so tough. A few months ago, we began our search for a Customer Success Manager. It was an entry-level position. The short version is we wanted someone to take the heat out of the relatively low (but still distracting) volume of

Rejection is my biggest weakness. Whether it’s me saying no, or me on the receiving end, I’m just not good at it, at all. I can take criticism. I'm a pro at that, assuming the criticism is constructive and intended to better my work. But outright

When does a startup become a company? Is it a case of profitability? Team size? Revenue? It’s been on the front of my mind recently. Part of my job is to manage perceptions of HelpDocs as a brand, and I’m becoming more uncomfortable with the inferences that come

I have to admit something. HelpDocs is not the only software your support teams will ever need. And we have no plans to be. As a marketer, it feels a bit strange to write about our limitations. In any other company, my job would be to gloss over them. Normally,

When I first joined HelpDocs a few months ago, my experience with support docs, and enterprise knowledge base software was pretty limited. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve been in marketing in some form for many many years. I’ve worked in big data and enterprise companies. I have

Around 18 months ago, I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror, and it made me feel sick. A couple of years before, I'd quit a 14-year smoking habit, and had replaced the behaviour with endless snacking. 🍿🍰🍩🍪 I’d spent those years munching on crisps, chocolate, biscuits

When I took the leap to go freelance, one of my first roles was helping flesh out the blog of a branding agency. The company I was working with, Motto [https://wearemotto.com/], is a visionary agency who help their clients realise, embody, and communicate their purpose, vision, and values.

Regular readers and followers on Twitter [https://twitter.com/HelpDocs] might have already picked up on my love of balance. The Swedes have a word for this, Lagom, which roughly translates to something like “just enough”, or “moderation”. In practice, lagom is the pursuit of balance in all things. ⚖️ It’

Since working at HelpDocs the past few months, I’ve become a pro at explaining what remote work is and how it works. So much so, I’m thinking of adding it to my CV under “additional skills”.

I’m perched up against a cushion with my legs splayed out on a super soft grey sofa. On my desktop I have 5 terminal windows messily scattered around, two Atom code editors lying around, and a pull request yet to merge. A few years ago I wouldn’t have

As I write the bulk of this post, I'm sat at my desk, tucked in a nook in the dining room of the Grade II listed country cottage I rent with my partner. My 2-year-old cocker spaniel is sat in the window in the next room, observing the

When I began working remotely full-time in 2015, years of occasional freelancing had skewed my expectations. I'd become convinced life would be greener if I were only freed from the shackles of the office. I was right. Kind of. I've long had issues with the traditional

A couple of years ago, I first wrote [https://medium.com/@MattMadeThings/what-being-crap-at-carving-taught-me-about-perfection-8dfaeb6a28fa] about venturing into the splintery world of woodcraft. I had no idea it would turn into an ongoing obsession. I had even less of an idea that some two years later my now fiancée, Cat, would be

For us the benefits of being a remote company are obvious. You can work when and where you’re most comfortable, you’re able to travel or spend time with family, and you can skip the office politics [https://open.buffer.com/state-remote-work-2018/#benefits]. But despite software making it easier

Building a new marketing site from scratch is daunting. There I am with a blank screen and a gazillion possibilities. The job sounded simple: convey HelpDocs and its purpose to new visitors. But as many designers and developers know, it’s never that simple. I think everyone finds a certain

As a technical founder it's my job to prioritize what to build, what to improve, and what to chuck away. A.k.a managing "the roadmap". When you're working inside the product day-to-day, just how do you decide what needs the most attention? We&

If you're anything like we are as startup founders, you'll have considered joining an accelerator program. At least once. I mean, it seems like a great deal, right? You get some money, some mentorship, and the chance to pitch a group of investors looking for the