Jeff Robbins - From Touring Musician to Tech Entrepreneur

Today we talk to Jeff Robbins, musician and co-founder of Lullabot, a renowned, fully remote company specializing in web development. In 2021, Jeff developed an app called Visibox which allows musicians and other performers to control videos and other visual elements during their performances. Jeff's current band is 123 Astronaut.

Jeff shares his journey from the music industry to co-founding Lullabot, his leadership approach, the importance of core values, navigating remote work, and redefining success beyond the dollar.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

[00:56] - Dino introduces today’s guest, Jeff Robbins.

[02:38] - Jeff introduces himself, highlighting his passion for music and early involvement in web development.

[4:26] - Jeff's transition from music to focusing on web development and finding Lullabot, a successful web development company.

[06:44] - The challenges and learning experiences of managing relationships while being part of a band.

[07:38] - Jeff reflects on the vulnerability of committing and putting oneself out there in music, highlighting the importance of taking any pursuit seriously and putting in the necessary effort and dedication.

[08:54] - Jeff discusses the transferable skills from being in a band to building a company and how music's raw and emotional aspects inform his business practices.

[11:17] - Democracies or enlightened dictatorships? The leadership and group dynamics in bands and Jeff's experience in Orbit.

[11:31] - Jeff discusses his role as a reluctant leader in Orbit and the importance of making decisions that align with the vision.

[13:03] -Jeff’s vision in building and leading Lullabot.

[13:27] - “Okay, but it needs to look good on a t-shirt,” Jeff’s approach to building Lullabot, the concept of "celebrity-tising" the developers and promoting their talent, and how the music world influenced the company's culture.

[15:27] - The infection points of company growth and why Jeff sees leadership as a natural side effect of having a vision for your company and its creative direction.

[17:10] - Leadership as a side effect—driven by a vision for the company rather than vice versa.

[18:06] - Defining core values is emotional and vulnerable but crucial. Jeff explains his thoughts on a company's core values and how he and his team worked to capture Lullabot's identity and the story they were telling.

[20:50] - The core values of Lullabot and their meaning.

[24:09] - Jeff discusses the importance of making core values public, accessible, and transparent to foster fairness, honesty, and accountability within the company.

[25:33] - A REAL virtual company: Lullabot’s “remote-first” philosophy drawing inspiration from open-source projects like Drupal.

[28:48] - The different dynamics and challenges of physical presence versus remote interactions. Resources: "Remote: Office Not Required" and"It Doesn't Have to Be Crazy at Work" by Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson and Jeff’s podcast on the topic.

[31:13] - Jeff shares what went into the decision to sell back to the employees of Lullabot versus pursuing outside acquisition.

[31:39] - A behind-the-scenes look at the motivation behind Lullabot's decision not to sell and instead implement an employee stock ownership program (ESOP) inspired by the book "The Great Game of Business."

[36:19] - No golden handcuffs.

[37:18] - Jeff reflects on how his definition of success has evolved throughout his career and the importance of maintaining the passion and purpose behind the work.

[39:17] - The significance of celebrating success and recognizing milestones along the way.

[40:10] - Jeff shares the importance of recognizing success at all levels, regardless of magnitude, and not solely focusing on the next goal or milestone.

[40:18] - You can learn more about Jeff at his work on his website at Jeff Robbins, and you can find out more about his current obsession, Visibox, at spaceage.tv

[41:42] - Jeff shares how his hobbies help him enjoy whatever is coming his way while waiting for "the better wave to come along."

[43:50] - "When people lie awake at night thinking about their lives, it's usually not about money." Jeff shares the book that resonated with him and aligned with his thinking.

[46:22] - If you enjoyed this episode, share it with your friends and family, and subscribe on your favorite listening platform so you don't miss any episodes. You can also follow the podcast on Twitter and Instagram.

Contact Dino at: dino@al4ep.com

Websites:

al4ep.com or authenticleadershipforeverydaypeople.com

jjeff.com

lullabot.com

Visibox: spaceage.tv

Other Jeff Robbins links:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jjeff/

Twitter: @jjeff

Band: 123 Astronaut

Authentic Leadership For Everyday People / Dino Cattaneo

Dino on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/dinocattaneo

Podcast Instagram – @al4edp

Podcast Twitter – @al4edp

Podcast Facebook: facebook.com/al4edp

Music

The Friction | 123 Astronaut

Books

Remote: Office Not Required

It Doesn't Have to Be Crazy at Work

The Year Without Pants

The Great Game of Business

Drive