The Intersection of Product, Hiring, and Values: Insights from Notion Co-Founder Ivan Zhao

The Intersection of Product, Hiring, and Values: Insights from Notion Co-Founder Ivan Zhao

In today's business world, Japan ranks as the second-largest market for SaaS and software, right after the United States. Building a successful business requires having people who understand the culture, network, and ecosystem of the local market. It's not enough to just establish a corporation and call it a day, as you would in the UK or the US. This is why we recently added sales and marketing professionals in Japan to our team. It's all about attention to detail. There's a certain craftsmanship in everything. Even before working in Japan, we recognized the importance of attention to detail. But living in a city like Kyoto, every day is a source of inspiration. Life here is simple, and there's no rush. Everyone lives with great care.

Another influence is hospitality. We see software as a service. Hospitality is a form of service. It's not just about providing a product; it's also about the human touch in support, sales, customer success, and more. It's a complex issue, but hiring the right people is the easiest part. At Notion, our company value is "craftsmanship." We call it "quality with speed." We strive to move forward quickly, like a startup, without compromising on quality. Balancing these two aspects is always a challenging task.

Internally, we have a framework that asks, "Can this decision be reversed?" When it comes to being firm about quality, recruiting is a critical aspect. Hiring someone is difficult to change later, so it's important to think carefully. One of our goals is to create better tools for this medium, allowing more people to participate in the creative process. That's what Notion aims to be. We are still a small company, with about 20 employees working on the product. Most of our engineers are product-focused individuals. All our designers are also engineers, and they possess business sense as well. Everyone understands the product and has opinions about its direction.

Regarding qualities, it's important to understand that "feedback is a gift." Notion has a very direct culture, and we provide feedback to each other to foster learning. Being able to focus is also crucial. Having a hospitality mindset and dedicating oneself to the work at hand can inspire the whole team. Therefore, we make many decisions based on whether they would be worthy of being featured on the front page of The New York Times.

In terms of visual representation, showing a person's face is not always necessary. In fact, by not showing faces and focusing on other elements in a photograph, it can actually make it easier for people to associate the image with a specific person. That's why we avoid using actual face photos on Notion's brand page and parts of our hiring page. This creates a sense of distance between the viewer and the product.

Additionally, there is an unspoken value within our company, which is to be holistic. Most problems are interconnected in some way. When approaching things holistically, we seek the best solution.

To conclude, here are three actionable pieces of advice:

1. Embrace attention to detail: Whether it's in the product, hiring process, or company culture, paying attention to the little things can make a big difference.

2. Prioritize quality and speed: Balancing the need to move quickly with maintaining high standards is a constant challenge, but it's essential for long-term success.

3. Foster a culture of feedback and focus: Encourage open communication and learning within your team, and instill a mindset of dedication and focus to inspire excellence.

Remember, building a successful business requires a deep understanding of the market, attention to detail, and a commitment to quality. By incorporating these principles into your product, hiring process, and company values, you can set yourself up for long-term success in the competitive world of SaaS and software.