Thoughts on my new job, some updates, and lots of links (#24)

The past two months have been a whirlwind. If you missed my last update, I started a new job as a Solutions Architect at Vercel. It's been incredibly fun, rewarding, and challenging.

This job includes many firsts: my first time working at a startup, my first time working fully remote, and my first time involved with pre-sales. Each first has required me to adapt and grow. I'm still new to the role, but here are my thoughts so far.

Truly remote work is a blessing. Like, the entire company is remote, no office remote – not "pandemic" remote. It requires a fundamental culture shift from in-person to asynchronous communication. At Vercel, we use Notion. I rarely need to use email. Real-time communication happens in Slack, and everything else becomes async. The flexibility of working when energized and engaged, versus the slog of 9 to 5, is utterly refreshing.

The verdict is still out on missing the in-person experience. If we weren't currently in a pandemic, I'd probably be at some form of a coworking space. I'm looking forward to our company retreat when the world returns to normal.

Highlights

Since my last update, I've been busy.

Last week, we held the first Next.js global user conference. There were over 80,000 registrants, 39,000+ live attendees, and so many incredible speakers and sponsors. If you missed it, check out Next.js Conf in 5 Minutes.
Some of the Conf announcements: Next.js 10, Next.js Analytics, and Next.js Commerce. Check out my deep dive on Next.js Analytics.
Only one new post these past two months: How Should I Style My React Application?
I joined James Quick on his live stream to talk about Next.js!
For fun, I created a fake MySpace page using Tailwind CSS (source).

Part of my job now includes creating examples for potential customers and clients. Here are a few you might find interesting:

Closing Thoughts

My wedding reception is in three days. I'm beyond excited to celebrate my marriage with my favorite people in the world and take some well-needed time off on our honeymoon.

P.S. if you attended Next.js Conf, let me know what you enjoyed! As always, feel free to reply and chat. My inbox is always open.