With experience as a senior visual designer at Google under his belt, developer Kai Gradert founded Cheers in 2010 and it has since grown into a suite of products that includes Cheers, Gripe and, most recently, Flipagram. Just launched on iOS and Android last week, Flipagram helps users to simply turn their photos into short video stories. Going into 2014, Gradert said there is a lot to look forward to with Flipagram as “early user feedback has been overwhelmingly positive.”
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Aside from Cheers, Gradert is highly involved in LA’s tech community through meetups and mentoring events where he shares his advice and experiences, a few of which Built In LA captured below:
How are you currently involved in LA’s digital startup community?
The LA startup community has come a long way. When I first moved to California in the mid-90s there really wasn’t much of a startup community in Los Angeles. There were a number of dotcom startups/companies, but it was in the shadow of the entertainment industry. Now, and especially over the past two to three years, the startup community has stepped out of the shadow. I try to play an active role in the community by hosting a monthly UX Happy Hour, mentoring events, workshops as well as other startups.
What should the LA tech community’s goals be for 2014?
Less talk, more work.
You were at Google for three years. What was the biggest lesson you learned?
There are two things that really stuck with me: “release early and often” and “focus on team and people.”
Release early and often: There is so much you will learn when you release a product to the public or to a selected group of users. It’s always scary and you never (really) feel ready to make that jump, but at some point you just have to do it. You need to trust the process. Launching early and often not only helps gathering product feedback, it also creates a culture that values rapid product iterations and innovations. It also helps you stay relevant with your audience and teaches you not to be afraid of mistakes. The best thing you can do is fail early and learn quickly.
Focus on team and people: When I was at Google, the company put a big emphasis on hiring by making sure all product/design teams were actively involved in the hiring process. At the end of the day, it’s the team, the people and the execution that will make a difference. Features and ideas have become a commodity. The value is in the execution.
What has been the most rewarding experience with Cheers so far?
The most rewarding is definitely the team. When you join (or build) a company, you are really joining a team that works well together and that can execute an idea. So you better make sure the team becomes part of your extended family.
What has been your biggest struggle at Cheers?
Biggest struggle is a tough one. In some ways as a startup you are always struggling until you are not struggling anymore! That’s part of being a startup. Adapting to market and product conditions quickly is an ongoing struggle - not just for Cheers, but for most startups. Again, this goes back to my previous answer and highlights the importance of the team. A team that works well together will adapt effortlessly.
