Part 4: Joining thredspan

Before Day One

You've accepted the offer. Here's what happens next.

Paperwork

We'll send you:

Employment contract
Equipment preferences form (Mac vs PC, monitor size, etc.)
Bank details for payroll
Emergency contact information
Any right-to-work documentation we need

Get this back to us before your start date so we're not doing admin on day one.

Equipment

Your laptop and any equipment will arrive before you start. If you're missing something or it doesn't arrive in time, tell us immediately.

Access

On your first day, you'll have access to:

Email (Google Workspace)
Slack
Linear
Deel
The product itself

What to Read

Before you start, read:

This handbook (you're already here)
The culture framework

Don't try to learn everything. Just get familiar with who we are and how we think.

Your First Week

Week one is about connection and context, not productivity. We don't expect you to ship anything. We expect you to understand what you're joining.

Day 1: Founder Time

Your first day starts with a 90-minute call with the founder.

This isn't a lecture. It's a conversation about:

The story of thredspan (why it exists, where it's going)
Our culture and values (what they actually mean day-to-day)
What we expect from you (and what you can expect from us)
Your questions (whatever's on your mind)

This call happens on day one, not "when we get around to it." It's not delegated.

Day 2: Meet the Team

30-minute 1:1 with each team member. Not a formal interview. Just "hello, who are you, what do you do, what should I know?"

These conversations matter. Remote teams don't bump into each other in the kitchen. We have to be deliberate about building relationships.

Day 3: Product Deep-Dive

Use the product as a customer would.

Create a workspace
Enter sample data
Try the features
Break things (or try to)

The goal isn't to learn every feature. It's to feel what our customers feel. Where does it make sense? Where does it confuse you? Write down your observations. Fresh eyes are valuable.

Day 4: Customer Immersion

Listen to recorded customer calls. Read recent feedback. Understand what customers love, what frustrates them, what they're asking for.

By the end of week one, you should be able to answer: "Who are our customers, and what do they care about?"

Throughout Week 1

Self-paced reading: Operating model, key decisions, anything that helps you understand how we work
Slack introductions: Say hello, share something about yourself
Ask questions: There are no stupid questions in week one. Or ever, really.

Your Buddy

You'll be assigned a buddy. Their job is to answer all the questions you feel silly asking. "How do I expense something?" "Where does this go in Linear?" "Is it okay if I...?"

Use them. That's what they're there for.

Your First Month

Week 2: Ship Something Small

By the end of week two, you should ship something. It doesn't have to be big. A bug fix. A small improvement. A documentation update.

The point isn't the size of the contribution. It's the feeling of having contributed. You're not a spectator anymore.

Week 3: Join a Live Customer Call

Observe at first. Listen to how we talk to customers. Notice what they say and how they say it.

When you're ready, participate. Ask a question. Offer a perspective. The sooner you're in direct contact with customers, the better.

Week 4: First Feedback Conversation

At the end of your first month, you'll have a proper check-in with the founder.

This goes both ways:

How are you finding it?
What's working? What's confusing?
What do you need that you're not getting?
Here's how we think you're doing
Here's what we'd love to see in month two

Be honest. If something's not working, now is the time to say so.

Throughout the First Month

Weekly 1:1s with the founder. These continue fortnightly after month one.
Keep asking questions. The learning curve is steep. That's normal.
Start to own something. By the end of month one, you should have a clear area of responsibility.

Your First 90 Days

What Success Looks Like

By the end of 90 days, you should:

Understand our product, our customers, and our market
Have shipped meaningful work
Be operating independently (asking for help when needed, but not waiting to be told what to do)
Have met the team in person at least once
Have a clear sense of what you're responsible for
Feel like you belong

The In-Person Meeting

Within your first 90 days, we'll get you together with the team in person. This might be a quarterly planning day, a trip to meet colleagues, or the annual retreat if timing works.

Remote relationships are real, but in-person time accelerates trust. We prioritise it.

Two-Way Feedback

At the end of 90 days, we'll have another proper conversation. This one's more substantive:

What's working, what isn't
Where you're exceeding expectations, where you're still growing
What you need from us
What we need from you
Whether this is still the right fit for both of us

Remember: you're in a probation period. That means either side can end it with one week's notice. If something's not right, it's better to address it honestly than to pretend.

Questions You Should Ask

Don't wait for us to tell you everything. Good questions to ask in your first weeks:

About the company:

What's the one thing that would make this company fail?
What do customers complain about most?
What decision are we most uncertain about right now?

About the team:

What do I need to know that's not written down?
What mistakes do new people commonly make?
What's the best way to get help when I'm stuck?

About your role:

What does "great" look like in this role after 6 months?
What should I definitely not do?
Who should I build relationships with first?

If It's Not Working

Sometimes it doesn't work out. That's okay.

If you're struggling, say something early. We'd rather help you succeed than watch you fail silently.

If we're concerned, we'll tell you directly. No hints, no passive-aggression. Just honest conversation about what's not working and what needs to change.

If it's genuinely not the right fit, for either side, we'll part ways respectfully. No hard feelings. Better for everyone to figure that out in the first 90 days than to drag it out.

This is Part 4 of the thredspan handbook. Next: Part 5: Day-to-Day Stuff