Farhan Thawar

Guest: Farhan Thawar - Vice President and Head of Engineering at Shopify. Farhan is a seasoned engineering leader with a rich background in tech, having worked with notable companies and individuals, including Chamath Palihapitiya and Toby Lutke, and is known for his innovative approaches to engineering management and culture building. Key Takeaways: Choose the Hard Path: Opting for more challenging tasks can lead to greater learning and collaboration with smart individuals, even if the outcome isn't successful. Create Intensity: Focus on achieving more in less time rather than extending work hours. Techniques like pair programming can enhance productivity and learning. Meeting Management: Shopify's "Meetingageddon" involves deleting all recurring meetings to encourage more intentional and necessary gatherings, reducing unnecessary distractions. Hiring Practices: Emphasize real-world trials over traditional interviews to better assess candidates' fit and capabilities. Internships serve as effective long-term interview processes. Code Simplification: Regularly deleting and refactoring code helps maintain a clean and efficient codebase, enhancing performance and maintainability. Topics Covered: Creating intensity, pair programming, hiring strategies, meeting management, code simplification, remote work culture, intern programs. Farhan shares insights into how Shopify maintains a high-intensity culture that prioritizes efficiency and learning, while also highlighting the importance of strategic hiring and code management to support long-term success.