Gears Within Gears

About me

Sat, 24 Jan 2026 15:40:00 -0500

I’m Brian Guthrie, a software engineer, leader and entrepreneur based in New York City. I write about the intersection of software, talent, complexity, and systems thinking. Presently I lead a team at Justworks that helps ambitious firms grow globally. Prior to this, I founded Orgspace, led engineering at Meetup, and hacked all over the world with Thoughtworks, including, for a time, with Aaron Swartz.

I’m a software generalist: I have strong preferences about tech and process but my job is primarily to ship things that matter to people. I’ve held roles from CTO to tech support, and I’ve worked at every layer of the stack. I care about craft, but I care more about outcomes, and about building ways of working that serve both the people doing the work and the people relying on it.

Manager guide

Sat, 24 Jan 2026 15:40:00 -0500

Hi there! I’m excited to be working with you. This is meant to give you a rough introduction to me—how I think, what I value, what works for me and what doesn’t.

What success looks like

I want us to ship valuable software, quickly, sustainably, and at high quality. I want the teams I work with to be known for getting things done by consistently delivering work that matters. I want the people on those teams to grow in their craft and take pride in what they build. I want us to succeed, for the companies we work for to succeed, and for the work to matter.

Gears Within Gears

About me

Manager guide

What success looks like

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