Operator Spotlight #34: Andrew Williamson, Software Engineer at Pareto

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Andrew Williamson is the Product Engineering Lead at Pareto. He is responsible for defining, forecasting, and coordinating the engineering roadmap at the company. Armed with a B.S. in Computer Science and a minor in business from Virginia Tech, Andrew boasts a stellar track record of over four years in the startup SaaS industry, spanning from pre-seed to series B stages. Andrew's forte lies in his adeptness at thriving outside his comfort zone, his ability to excel across the tech stack, and his ability to translate tech jargon into layman's terms and vice versa. With a keen eye for human challenges and his commitment to delivering technology solutions, Andrew is poised to revolutionize the industry through his unique perspective as an engineer in the product space.

Frederick Daso: What was your journey to becoming a software engineer (SWE) at Pareto?

Andrew Williamson: Technology has always fascinated me since childhood. My passion was ignited through my involvement with FIRST Robotics in high school. However, despite being more inclined to mechanical systems in high school and college, I realized the potential of software to achieve more with less.

In the first couple of years of college, I faced challenges securing engineering internships over the summers off. In that absence, I decided to work at a startup energy drink company called X2, where I gained valuable entrepreneurial experience. When I finally landed a software internship with Booz Allen, I quickly discovered that the corporate atmosphere wasn't the right fit for me. The COVID-19 pandemic hit shortly after, and I decided to dedicate most of my time trying to work on my own projects and start my own company with a couple of friends.

Unfortunately, our projects didn't find any traction, and ultimately, I found my way to Reprise, where I immersed myself in the architecture team, taking on challenging tasks to accelerate my learning. I met many amazing colleagues who gave me some great insights about working in the software industry and working closely with a product department. I was fortunate to be able to hone my technical skills in a fast-paced environment filled with immensely smart people.

After leaving Reprise, Pareto truly reignited my enthusiasm. Working through tough challenges and embracing a problem-centric approach has been immensely satisfying. And as time goes on, I am finding myself deeper in the realm of product development, which is my next adventure.

Daso: There's a lot of conventional career advice about being a successful software engineer, but are there any unorthodox lessons that you've learned through experience or been taught through mentorship that more of your fellow SWEs should know?

Williamson: When starting my career, I took huge risks and bet on myself. People around me always tried telling me to take the safe route. Finish college as soon as possible. Get a safe job in a big tech company. Really glad I didn't take that advice, given the mass layoffs at Facebook, Google, etc. Instead, I took an extra year to graduate because I wanted a business minor and tried to parlay that into starting my own company. I have taken an unconventional route, but I have taken every opportunity by the horns and, as a byproduct, learned so much. I wouldn't trade that experience for anything.

Daso: What's the toughest project (professionally or personally) that you worked on as a software engineer or in general? What were the most important lessons you learned from that project?

Williamson: The startup I worked on in 2020-2021 was easily the hardest. Not only were we operating out of pocket, but we were also operating pre-revenue. We were just so inexperienced with business at the time. When starting a project and trying to monetize it, I realized that everybody has to be everything at once. There's no such thing as being 'just a dev.' I found myself writing pitch decks, doing product discovery, researching architecture, negotiating quotes with hosting providers. Starting a company is some of the hardest work I've ever done, and we didn't even make it to launch. I learned that it is so important to achieve alignment with the team, be as strict as possible about the definition of a minimum viable product, and that it requires everybody to be 'all in' from the beginning.

Daso: Who are some of the most inspirational people you've gotten to work with during your career in tech? (This is an opportunity for you to explicitly shout out awesome people who you've worked with and positively shaped your career!)

Williamson:?

Chris Colson: Chris was not only the first tech lead I worked under but also the de facto technical lead of the architecture team at Reprise, where he currently serves as the Chief Architect. He played a pivotal role in building the foundational infrastructure of our company's highly technical product, which immediately caught my attention and curiosity.

I actively sought to learn from Chris by attending architecture meetings, participating in lead office hours, and eagerly taking on challenging tasks under his guidance. His thought process and problem-solving approach were invaluable to me, and I absorbed as much knowledge as possible during my time on his team.

I'm grateful to Chris for providing me with the opportunity to be part of one of the most challenging teams at the company. His support and mentorship were instrumental in my professional development, and I owe much of my growth to his guidance.

Phoebe Yao: Phoebe started Pareto around the same time I co-founded my company. Her strategic prowess is evident through her ability to secure investors and achieve product-market fit.

Witnessing Phoebe's achievements firsthand has been incredibly inspiring to me. Her ability to build and lead Pareto from the ground up showcases her talent and tenacity. Under her guidance, our team at Pareto has experienced unprecedented growth fueled by Phoebe's vision and determination.

Personally, Phoebe has been instrumental in providing me with opportunities to showcase my leadership skills as an engineer. Additionally, her support and confidence in my abilities have empowered me to contribute meaningfully to our product development strategy, helping to lay the foundation for our continued success.

I am immensely grateful to Phoebe for her mentorship and guidance and for the chance to be part of this incredible journey. Her leadership has not only shaped the trajectory of our project but has also played a pivotal role in my own professional growth and development.

Daso: How would you define your company's culture, and how does it create an environment where you can do your best work?

Williamson: At Pareto, there is no tolerance for BS, and as a result, we do things that work and cut out what doesn't. We've fostered a community that isn't afraid to ask for help when needed while ingraining a rapid learning mindset into our DNA. These are all core to my work philosophy, and that is rare to find in a workplace.?

Daso: What are the most important skills you've had to develop in your job, and what specific projects or assignments did you work to develop each core skill?

Architecture tradeoffs

Nothing teaches you about tradeoffs when it's coming out of your pocket. When starting Apokoz as three college students, we were really concerned about operating costs and how we'd be able to afford to scale our product. We had to think deeply about how traffic and other factors would affect things like hosting costs. These skills were further refined by working with the architecture team at Reprise. We were constantly optimizing our infrastructure to better improve our B2B product. At Pareto, we've had to flex this muscle often since we've pivoted to accommodate a completely new feature set under a new tech stack. Navigating each of these situations required a lot of critical thinking and research.

Communication

Reprise spent a lot of resources building out a product department that could really understand the problem set and deliver solutions that would further lead us to achieve company goals. I spent a lot of time getting to know how this team operated and what their procedure looked like. Ultimately, their success came down to communication between stakeholders and managing expectations. Although Pareto solves completely different problems, the required product skill set is largely the same. We have to manage the expectations of a wide range of stakeholders, including our internal operations team and our end users. It was imperative to accumulate as much feedback as possible so we could make informed decisions about our product direction and roadmap.

'All in' mentality

It's hardly surprising that in order to succeed, one has to fundamentally believe that success is attainable. Call it the 'law of attraction' or outright determination. Either way, maintaining unwavering commitment can be challenging. There are plenty of situations where things can seem pretty hopeless.

Working as a sales representative for X2 planted that seed in my mind. I managed about 80 convenience store accounts. Some stores thrived with the product, while others did not. Convenience store owners are quick to identify what products work for them and which ones do not. Ultimately, they need to make the best decisions for themselves as this is their livelihood.

They need to stock the store with high-volume movers. However, as a sales rep, that meant hearing 'No' sometimes—sometimes, a lot. The moment you allow yourself to become discouraged, you're not operating at your peak. That attitude can have a domino effect. So, believing in oneself to almost a delusional degree is crucial because that will yield the best results.

Daso: What's one interesting thing (non-work related) that more people should know about you?

Williamson: I love to cook and bake. I find it so interesting how different ingredients interact to create a final result. Experimenting with whatever is in my pantry is a guilty pleasure. Although sometimes I feel like the next Gordan Ramsay, I have had my fair share of Kitchen Nightmares.

Daso: What's something you want to accomplish in your career that you haven't yet? What motivates you to get there?

Williamson: I want to start a project that reaches an IPO. Since I was a kid I had this dream of being a renowned inventor. I never wanted to be a star QB, instead I was watching all the Apple releases fantasizing about being the next Steve Jobs. In a way, I'm still that kid following the same dream and I'm confident that one day I'll get there.

Are you an operator or tech employee looking to learn how to build your startup from founders? Are you someone interested in joining a startup as an early-stage employee? Subscribe?to my newsletter, Founder to Founder (F2F): f2f.substack.com .

Check out my latest F2F story: Startup Spotlight #212: TruePlayers