Thinking about the business of cloud computing voice

when discussing cloud phones, there are many reasons to focus on human factors. It's not just that we're dealing with a traditional medium (think: The phone has been around for more than 100 years), but it's a highly regulated thing, which means that any cloud voice provider is actually an integration company.


　　


Author TJ Thinakaran is the COO of Callfire Company. Callfire, a cloud-voice start-up, has recently ranked 285 in the top 5,000 fastest-growing companies in INC500, ranking 15th in the communications industry. This article is an abridged version of his personal blog views.


　　


Cloud Telephony solution is the pipeline between several telephone companies and users, shielding the complexity of speech, giving people a simple illusion. If you think this seamless integration is a simple job, send your phone number to Google Voice to try. The upshot is that unless you're Michael Arrington, you'll be better off.


　　

The idea of
Cloud


　　


because cloud telephony is an integrated approach, teams that create such solutions have to have both a very broad range of skills and a very professional philosophy. So while tuning the Linux kernel, deploying the solution on demand, releasing complex functionality, and tracking any of the millions of phones that pass through our system, these are key skills, and more importantly, the tendency of the team to think laterally and the ability to circumvent boundaries. In short, this is a way to dabble in many different topics and areas and integrate them into a non-linear solution for all ambiguous issues.


　　


arrogance, on the contrary, is abandoned by the neglect of faith. Is stupid self-confidence. is not afraid of their own knowledge, financial strength and to face the problem and solve the problem of faith.


　　


In any case, these skills combinations and ways of thinking are hard to be unique. In fact, in a frequently cited MIT classic study, it has been proved that highly effective engineers are most likely to be those who can negotiate with experts outside the profession. They are aware of the complexities of their problem areas and are aware of the need to use a multidisciplinary framework to address these issues.


　　


This is especially important when dealing with telecoms operators known for their cautious change. As a former IBM, I was fortunate enough to work with a number of highly qualified people, but when I left the blue giant to Callfire, I knew that cloud phone start-ups needed a slightly different type of personality.


　　


Lesson 1: Ignorance


　　


is a bit shocking to say, but Callfire didn't start out with a particular business plan or feature. Although we have a wealth of technical experience, but for telecommunications is very little known. Callfire is born to the needs of customers, and its focus is on the delivery of customer-related functional features. Some of the actions come from this point of concern. This is very short, very fast, and there is little time to consider the long term vision and mission statement.


　　

It is difficult for
to accept the "don't know" feeling, especially since all your adult life has been deliberately created as an expert. You get your first job and shape your personal career by showing what you know rather than what you don't know. The entrepreneurial spirit, however, is constantly discovering ignorance. Keep you moving forward, is to solve the problem of concern, as well as the passion of their products.


　　


So, while we may not have a business plan, our focus on business is never lacking. Many of the solutions and means are not beautiful, but as the herd's Creed says, sometimes you have to "forget the damn rules and make the cow."


　　


Lesson 2: Arrogant


　　


Another lesson I've learned is that you have to show a certain degree of arrogance so that others know you are serious. Confidence has a clear connection to arrogance, and startups often touch that line. Faith is a basic belief, and you know what needs to be done, because you have the right tools, well trained, and you can do that. Arrogance, on the other hand, is the faith that ignores the upbringing. Is stupid self-confidence. is not afraid of their own knowledge, financial strength and to face the problem and solve the belief.


　　


arrogance is also a good way to compensate for the size of the heart. At IBM, you have to be humble, because you have a huge resource and a lot of ammo, and it's considered a 800-pound gorilla, which means that a hint of arrogance will alienate the client. As a start-up, however, you don't have this brand awareness, so the person sitting across from you can easily mistake your humility for lack of power. This is contagious and lethal and must be avoided at all costs.


　　


Remember, I'm not opening a blank check for arrogance. The willingness to learn from mistakes, and the need for a high degree of humility to listen to customer needs, is also critical to the company's survival. However, when you are still in the initial stage, you have to deal with so much criticism, rejection, villain and pressure (C.R.A.P), the light of confidence can not be done. You have to be thick-skinned enough to put all this behind you and keep forging ahead.


　　


Lesson 3: Passion


　　


I have the privilege of working with a group of people who work hard and are passionate. But I have to say this: In startups, passion is not an optional part. But a necessary condition for survival. At IBM, I might as well spend the weekend at the same time, but deep down I know that if there's a weekend when I don't work, or if I go home 5 o'clock one day, stocks don't fall. Conversely, in callfire work is not the same, the need for constant hard work, no passion can not be unsustainable. Start-up works on weekdays, but is built on weekends. Every weekend does not take time to build, the next week will be lost opportunity to show. This persistent effort, if not passionate, is absolutely unsustainable.


　　


Passion gives hope, makes work itself a reward, and provides the attention it needs. This is especially true when building a company, because there are so many things that need to be done by yourself, and there is no chance of working hard. Work harder, if not passionate, the company will not be cold efficiency.





Software is drudgery


　　


in fact, writing quality software has become, and always is, a hard job. The secret of cloud speech is, if any, to create something that is Gredy Butch (Grady Booch) as a simple illusion. The illusion is that the construction of high-quality software is basically complex, but the complexity of abstraction is the challenge for startups like Callfire.


　　


we always like to believe that we are special, but it is difficult to be unique. A lot of smart people are trying to solve some real cloud voice problems. Still, whether you're hiring or looking for a job, take a good look at the team, because anyone will tell you this: Even in hell, a good team can pull you back into the trenches.