Roles, changes, and constants

By Brent Dixon on January 16, 2008

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One year ago, Trabian was five people in a Plano, TX apartment. A few months before that, Trabian was three people on TV trays in a spare bedroom. Today, there are seven of us – spread across four states and five cities. Some of us work out of a proper office, some of us are back in the bedroom.

Since Matt began writing about Trabian’s role evolution, things have already changed. A lot. We’ve bid farewell to one team member and welcomed another aboard. The roles originally envisioned for that series of posts have transitioned into something new.

Some days Matt is more developer than CEO, and some days the opposite is true. Some days, Doug sells websites…some days he gets them built. And while I’m a designer through and through, there are times when I’m managing projects and go weeks without opening Photoshop.

We wear a lot of hats at Trabian, and I imagine (I hope) to some degree we always will. Part of staying agile and passionate is shapeshifting our roles to accommodate changing needs and our vision for this company.

Even as our role definition is somewhat amorphous, our shifts all play within genres that reflect our passions – both inside and outside of our jobs:

Matt will always be a visionary. I don’t think Matt can go a day without asking the question “What if?” Whether it means he’s developing new products for Trabian, envisioning the state of the industry in ten years, or helping us see our own potential, Matt’s eyes stay miles down the road.

Kelly will always be a caretaker. I have often said that Kelly is Trabian’s momma, she makes sure everything is okay. When our clients need something done, they go to Kelly because she’s sweeter than the rest of us. When I do something stupid and need help, I go to Kelly because she’s good at fixing problems. When we visit Trabian HQ in Indianapolis, she always makes sure we are comfortable and well-fed.

Brandon will always be a builder. Brandon tinkers and, somehow, is an expert at almost everything. He built and installed a computer (specifically, an “engine control unit“) in his car to make it race harder. He built an electronic drum-set…just because. He brews his own beer. At Trabian, he takes all of our pretty little ideas and makes them actually do something.

Charlie will always be a craftsman. Chaz has to create. He comes from a family of artisans – cobblers, knitters, and carpenters among them. He makes toys, illustrates with quill and inkwell, and paints (with coffee!). He’s a filmmaker, a brilliant designer, and crafts designs into prototypes that Development builds on.

Doug will always enable. The number one question Doug has asked me since he began at Trabian is “What do you need to make that happen?” Doug solves our pain-points, brings in new business, and empowers us to accomplish our goals. Doug is one of the most giving people I’ve ever met. In and outside of Trabian, if you need something Doug is all over it.

Derrick is brand new, so I don’t know his “will always” yet. But I can tell you this – he’s an incredible developer (sometime Brandon calls him “The Sledgehammer”). He’s already helped us make vast improvements in tools like our Content Management System. And what’s more – him and his wife Leanne are just good people.

(Matt stepped in to write mine, because talking about myself in third person is weird.)
Brent will always focus on impact. Before every decision he asks: “How will this affect the people it touches?” This could mean designing for user experience, developing educational sessions, or refining the production process for smoother sailing. He holds the rest of us accountable for the way we represent Trabian and the values we profess.

. . .

So whether we call ourselves Directors, Custodians, or Chief Whatevers…throughout the changes and reshuffling that comes with being a small company, our foundations will remain constant.

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