Startups & Scaling (EP.80)

In this episode of Work Shouldn’t Suck, host Tim Cynova is rejoined by co-host Lauren Ruffin and special guest Adam Huttler, the founder of Fractured Atlas and current head of product and technology at MonkeyPod, another company he founded. Together, they dive into the nuances of starting and scaling organizations, drawing from their shared experiences at Fractured Atlas and beyond.The conversation explores the intricacies of startups and scaling, including the critical transition points, calibrating risk between staff and boards, the importance of intellectual honesty, and the role slack plays in supporting a culture of learning.Key Highlights:Product-Market Fit [02:09]Startup Phase Challenges [02:56]Transitioning to Scaling Mode [03:22]Experimentation & Intellectual Honesty [04:45]Evaluating Team & Leadership [08:35]Nonprofit Sector Dynamics [13:51]Risk Calibration in Nonprofits [20:08]Strategic Planning & Strategic Thinking in Organizations [26:11]Hybrid Workplace & Organizational Culture [32:27]Building High-Performing Teams [36:30]Creating Space for Learning & Growth [44:55]BIOSADAM HUTTLER is the founder and head of product of MonkeyPod, an all-in-one software platform for nonprofit organizations that supports accounting, donor management, fundraising, collaboration, and more. A serial entrepreneur at the intersection of technology, culture, and social justice, his career emphasizes developing innovative business models and revenue strategies for mission-driven companies, in both the for-profit and non-profit sectors.In 1997, Adam founded Fractured Atlas, a non-profit technology company that helps artists with the business aspects of their work. During Adam's twenty years as CEO, the organization grew from a one-man-band housed in an East Harlem studio apartment to a broad-based service organization with an annual budget of $25 million. When he left in 2017, Fractured Atlas's services had grown to reach over 1.5 million artists across North America and distributed over $250 million to support their work.From 2003-2013, Adam also ran Gemini SBS, a software development firm serving the nonprofit and public sectors. Before being acquired by Fractured Atlas in 2013, Gemini worked with clients such as the US Department of Education, New York University, and the University of North Carolina, among many others.In 2017, Adam left Fractured Atlas to launch Exponential Creativity Ventures, a boutique venture capital fund backing early-stage technology companies that support human creative capacity. ECV was fully deployed as of late 2019, but Adam continues to support and advise ECV's 18 portfolio companies.In 2019, a personal side project became a bona fide startup when Adam publicly launched MonkeyPod.Adam has a B.A. in theater from Sarah Lawrence College, an M.B.A. from New York University, and is a self-taught software developer. In 2011, he was recruited for the inaugural class of National Arts Strategies' Chief Executive Program. He is also an alumnus of Singularity University's Executive Program and the University of California at Berkeley's Venture Capital Executive Program.Adam was named to Crain's New York Business's 2016 "40 Under Forty" class and was listed by Barry's Blog as one of the "Top 50 Most Powerful and Influential Leaders in Nonprofit Arts" for five consecutive years.LAUREN RUFFIN (she/her) is the Director and Lead Strategist of Art & Culture at Michigan Central. An expert in responsible innovation, her work centers on defining and implementing best practices for organizations reshaping the world through technology to ensure their platforms are safe, equitable and beneficial for all users. From 2016-2021 she served as Chief External Relations Officer and co-CEO of Fractured Atlas, the largest association of independent artists in the United States, where she oversaw marketing, communications, community engagement and fundraising for the nonprofit. In 2017 Ruffin co-founded CRUX, an immersive storytelling cooperative that collaborated with Black artists creating content in virtual and augmented reality (XR). In addition to her work as co-director at Michigan Centra, Ruffin is an Associate Professor of Worldbuilding and Visualizing Futures at Arizona State University where she explores the unprecedented and rapid political and social changes taking place in every facet of modern life due to advances in technology. Ruffin has held various positions at the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, Children’s Defense Fund, New Leaders and AAUW and has served on the governing and advisory boards of Black Innovation Alliance, Black Girls Code, ArtUp, Black Girl Ventures and Main Street Phoenix Cooperative. She graduated from Mount Holyoke College with a degree in Political Science and obtained her J.D. from the Howard University School of Law.