What Is It Like Working at Speechify?

Summary

Cliff Weitzman, CEO of Speechify, shares his journey as a dyslexic individual and the inspiration behind his company. Speechify, a rapidly growing tech company, aims to eliminate barriers to reading and democratize knowledge through audio. With a global team of over 110 people across 22 countries, Speechify has become a top app in its category. The company values include harmonious collaboration, action bias, and innovation. They are seeking passionate individuals to join their mission to make the internet accessible through audio.

Takeaways

• 🗣️ Cliff Weitzman, the CEO of Speechify, shares a personal story of overcoming dyslexia and using audiobooks to learn.
• 🌟 Speechify's mission is to eliminate barriers to reading and democratize knowledge on the internet.
• 🚀 The company has experienced rapid growth, with over 10 million users and a top-ranked app in its category.
• 🌐 Speechify operates globally with a remote team of over 110 people from 22 different countries.
• 💡 The idea for Speechify was born out of a personal need for accessible learning materials for those with dyslexia.
• 💼 Speechify values a harmonious and collaborative work culture where every team member's voice matters.
• 🔥 The company is driven by a passion for technology and solving hard problems with a focus on innovation.
• 🌱 Speechify is built on four core principles: extreme product quality, speed, leading with love, and frugality.
• 🌐 The company aims to make the internet more accessible by converting text into audio.
• 💼 Speechify is looking for talented individuals who are passionate about learning and technology to join their team.
• 🌟 The company's ultimate goal is to reach 2 billion users and become a platform that enhances learning and comprehension.

Q & A

What is the name of the company Cliff Weitzman is the CEO of?

Cliff Weitzman is the CEO of Speechify.

What is Cliff's personal challenge that he mentions in the script?

Cliff is dyslexic, which makes reading a sentence as challenging for him as solving a long division equation is for most people.

How did Cliff's father support him after discovering his dyslexia?

Cliff's father started reading books to him, including Harry Potter, and even recorded himself reading onto cassette tapes for Cliff to listen to.

What was the pivotal moment in Cliff's life that led to the creation of Speechify?

The pivotal moment was when Cliff realized there was no audiobook version of the textbooks and PDFs assigned at Brown University, leading him to develop software that could convert any book into an audiobook.

What is the mission of Speechify according to Cliff?

The mission of Speechify is to eliminate all barriers to reading and democratize the knowledge on the internet.

How many people work on Speechify and how many countries are they from?

There are more than 110 people working on Speechify, and they are from 22 different countries.

What is the significance of the Harry Potter series to Cliff?

The Harry Potter series was influential in Cliff's life, as it was the first audiobook he listened to repeatedly, and he still has the first chapter memorized.

What are the four core principles of Speechify's team?

The four core principles of Speechify's team are extreme product quality, speed, leading with love, and frugality.

What does Speechify look for in potential new hires?

Speechify looks for individuals who can learn fast, have passion for the product, and are able to ship features quickly.

How does Speechify's management style differ from traditional companies?

Speechify's management style is meritocratic and does not dictate tasks to employees. Instead, it sets a vision and expects team members to take the initiative to achieve goals.

What are Speechify's long-term goals?

Speechify aims to have two billion people using their app daily and to become a platform that enables everyone to learn faster, comprehend more, and retain better.