Issue #38: Engineering in Logistics

I posted about this last week, but I figured I would double down on my thoughts around hiring.

In the world of rocket ships and roller coasters, otherwise known as startups, attracting top engineering talent is a critical piece of the puzzle. Over the past six years, I’ve had the privilege of building two companies—Forager and now Cargado—and through this journey, I’ve gained invaluable insights into what truly matters to software engineers when they consider joining a startup.

While I’m not a software engineer myself, leading these companies has given me a front-row seat to understanding the dynamics of what makes an engineering team tick. From conversations with engineers, to observing team dynamics, to seeing what resonates in hiring discussions, I’ve identified a few key factors that repeatedly surface as priorities for engineers evaluating potential opportunities. These aren’t exhaustive by any means, but they capture some of the essential elements that can make or break an engineer’s decision to join a startup.

1. A Clear Vision and Product-Market Fit

Engineers are problem solvers by nature. They want to work on meaningful challenges, but more importantly, they want to be confident that the problems they’re solving matter. This is where the concept of product-market fit comes into play. Before committing their time and expertise to a company, engineers want to know that the company has a clear plan and that there are real signals of product-market fit.

At Cargado, we’ve made it a priority to be transparent about our roadmap. We’re not just building features in a vacuum; our direction is informed by the needs of our paying customers who are actively using our product. It’s not uncommon for us to receive requests from users asking us to accelerate the development of certain features because they see the immediate value these features could bring to their operations. This kind of feedback loop is crucial—it not only validates our roadmap but also shows our engineers that their work has a direct impact on real-world users.

Having a vision is one thing, but having customers who are excited about that vision and willing to pay for it is quite another. It’s this blend of strategic planning and market validation that gives our engineers confidence that they’re working on something that matters.

2. Financial Stability and Backing from Top-Tier Investors

Startups are inherently risky, and engineers—who often have their pick of opportunities—want to minimize that risk. One of the most effective ways to do that is by ensuring the company is well-funded and financially stable. This not only reassures potential hires but also allows the engineering team to focus on building great products without the constant worry of whether the company will run out of money.

At Cargado, we’ve been fortunate to raise nearly $10 million from a stellar group of investors, including Primary Venture Partners, Ironspring Ventures, Zenda Capital, Wischoff Ventures, Proeza Ventures, and Sahil Bloom. What’s more, we’ve been prudent with our spending, meaning we still have the majority of that capital in the bank. This financial cushion gives our engineers the peace of mind that they’re joining a company with a strong foundation and the resources to execute on its vision.

3. A Strong Team and Collaborative Culture

A great product starts with a great team. Our co-founder and CTO, Rylan Hawkins, has done an incredible job assembling a group of engineers who are truly next level. The team brings together a decade of FAANG experience, deep freight tech expertise, and, most importantly, a shared passion for building exceptional software. This isn’t just a group of talented individuals; it’s a cohesive team that thrives on collaboration, open communication, and a culture that fosters learning and growth.

We value individuality, independence, vulnerability, and trust in everything we do. This approach has helped us build a high-performing team where everyone feels like they have a voice. We’re committed to maintaining and protecting this culture as we grow because we know that it will be critical to our success.

4. Professional Growth Potential

Career growth is a significant motivator for any engineer. At Cargado, we offer multiple pathways for professional development. Whether you’re looking to deepen your expertise as an individual contributor or aiming to take on a leadership role, there’s room for growth here. We’ve been incredibly thoughtful about our tech stack, choosing modern and widely used technologies like TypeScript, React, NextJS, Postgres, Prisma, and Node. This ensures that our engineers are not only working with relevant tools but also gaining skills that will be valuable in the broader tech industry.

For those interested in leadership, the growth that Cargado is experiencing is an exciting opportunity. As we expand, there will be more leadership roles available, providing a clear path for those who want to move up the ladder.

5. Solving Interesting and Complex Problems

Logistics is a complex and dynamic field, far more intricate than it might initially seem. As Steven Wojcio, our engineering lead, noted, when he first entered the logistics industry, he thought it would be a straightforward problem of graph traversal. However, he quickly realized that the reality is far more complicated, with many large pieces of the puzzle still unsolved. The work we do at Cargado involves tackling classic technical challenges around scale and maintainability, but it also delves into the realms of psychology, economics, and linguistics. This blend of disciplines makes the problems we solve not only interesting but also incredibly rewarding.

Steven also shared that there’s no chance of getting bored at Cargado—there’s always a new challenge around the corner, and solving these challenges is what drives our team.

Building a successful engineering team is about more than just offering competitive salaries or cool perks. It’s about creating an environment where engineers feel valued, where they can see the impact of their work, and where they have confidence in the company’s direction and stability. At Cargado, we’re committed to fostering this kind of environment, and we’re excited to continue growing our team with engineers who share our passion for innovation and impact.

A special thanks to Steven for contributing his insights to this discussion. His thoughts and experiences have been invaluable as we continue to build a world-class engineering team.

If you’re interested in joining us on this journey, check out our open positions and apply to be part of our engineering team here.

P.S.: Want to know more about the brilliant mind behind our technology? I recently had a great conversation with my co-founder and CTO, Rylan, which I covered in my newsletter. You can read more about it here.