What I learned getting acquired by Google (shreyans.org)

Article summary

The article describes the author's experience of getting their startup acquired by Google and rebuilding their product using Google's infrastructure and methodologies. The author highlights the unique aspects of working at Google, including its scale, insularity, and bureaucracy. They also discuss the challenges of navigating Google's complex organizational structure and the importance of finding the right people to support one's projects. The author reflects on what they learned from the experience, including the need to adapt to Google's way of doing things and the value of persistence and strategic thinking.

Main themes

• Google culture and bureaucracy
• insularity and disconnection
• professional achievement and fulfillment
• big tech and societal perception
• organizational complexity and navigation
• persistence and strategic thinking

What commenters say

• Working at Google can be both exciting and frustrating due to its unique culture and bureaucracy.
• The company's insularity and focus on ad-funded products can lead to a lack of support for users and a sense of disconnection from the outside world.
• The idea that working at Google or a similar big tech company is a pinnacle of professional achievement is no longer universally accepted.
• Some people feel that working at a startup or a big company like Google can be equally cog-like, while others believe that smaller companies offer more autonomy and opportunities for meaningful work.
• The perception of big tech companies like Google is changing, with some people viewing them as dystopian or problematic.
• The importance of persistence, strategic thinking, and finding the right allies is crucial for success in a complex organization like Google.
• The trade-offs between supporting a large user base and providing personalized support are a challenge for big tech companies like Google.
• The article's portrayal of Google as a dysfunctional or dystopian workplace is not universally accepted, with some people defending the company's culture and practices.