Jordan Bench

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1PR4T85d_xpo_o3lTUqE-6NGKAaZRIb_ykFNzX5maMSs/edit?tab=t.0

The day I decide to treat my job like a startup

Yesterday marked 8 years since I started working at Podium. Ironically, I've never felt more excited about the work I'm doing at Podium. If you told me that’d be the case even 2 years ago, I wouldn’t believe you.

For years I’d show up and ask the PM to tell me what to build.

Something changed in the last 6 months, and it’s made all the difference. In compensation, in job satisfaction, and in creativity and excitement to go to work.

I started pitching ideas and building things the way I think they need to be built. Because I haven’t had an active side project in 2026 (aside from the basement), I’ve used Podium as a place to let my ideas fly.

I’m learning that it’s quite tough to sway people in an organization. You can just tell them. You have to build the thing, and show them for anyone to buy in.

I used to be afraid of sharing what I truly thought. I think it was fear of the idea being accepted or not. Or maybe it just wasn’t possible to build a proof of concept of my idea before Claude code style building became a thing this year.

You could say claude code or AI in 2026 has given me the confidence to bring my ideas to life and show people around me what I think could move the needle for our team.

What does that look like in practice day to day?

It starts with winning the hearts of your coworkers. I’ve had to build a reputation. I’ve had cases where the founders see my ideas and praise them in front of the group. With more reputation and more wins under my belt, I’ve started to notice people around me pay attention more to what I think. They want my feedback from a design, product, or technical perspective.
Once you start to gain a voice and receive the recognition, pitching ideas becomes a little easier. People still don’t care about your idea until you show them something working or the results. But at least they listen.

So I can’t pinpoint a single day where I started treating my job like a startup. It’s been a series of days starting in 2026 where I decided to not be afraid to be myself and to share what I think about the product we’re building for customers that has made my job more fulfilling and just outright fun.

Maybe it’s the increase in recognition from leadership. But when you have an idea and you’re able to articulate it, even build it, and get it in the hands of customers and see it resonate, nothing feels better than being recognized.

Running List of Ideas @ Podium (links in google doc):

The day I decide to treat my job like a startup