S2 #7 Yash Nelapati
From Pinterest to MakersPlace: Yash Nelapati's Journey of Risk, Resilience, and Reinvention
I recently had the privilege of sitting down with Yash Nelapati, Pinterest's first engineer and now founder of MakersPlace, to record an episode for the 1st10 Podcast. We spoke about a lot of important moments in his journey and our conversation yielded several wonderful insights that every founder, engineer, or startup enthusiast can learn from.
I recommend you listen to the entire episode but, in case you are pressed for time, here's a few key takeaways:
Importance of Simplicity in Decision-Making Cannot Be Overstated
One of the most striking themes from Yash's journey is his emphasis on simplicity. When he joined Pinterest, his decision-making process was refreshingly straightforward: "Do I like the product? Do I like the people? If yes, then let's do it." Overthinking often paralyzes founders and engineers alike and it's often easy to get caught up in the "what-ifs" and "maybes". Yash's questions remind us that sometimes the best decisions come from trusting your gut and focusing on the basics.
Founders, this is a powerful lesson: Don't overcomplicate your vision. Engineers, prioritize passion and alignment over perfection!
Early-Stage Startups Need You to Be a Generalist
After being let go from Symantec and before he was scouted by Ben Silbermann of Pinterest, Yash's journey was marked by a series of freelance gigs and open-source projects. This, he recalls, forced him to acquire knowledge in a very broad domain, almost becoming a jack-of-all-trades.
And that was crucial to his success as Pinterest's first engineer! Because, in the early days of a startup, you don't have the luxury of specialization. You need to wear multiple hats, make quick decisions, and adapt to whatever challenges come your way. And that, IMO, is a good lesson for both founders and engineers: At early-stage startups, versatility trumps expertise!
Scaling Through Chaos and the Evolution of Culture at Pinterest
Yash painted a vivid picture of Pinterest's early days, particularly the chaos of 2012 when the platform's traffic exploded. The team was constantly putting out fires, rewriting code, and scaling infrastructure on the fly. It was a baptism by fire, but it was also a period of immense growth and learning.
For founders, this underscores the importance of building a team that thrives under pressure. You need to have a team that doesn't just survive the chaos; they must embrace it. And if you are looking to become an early-engineer at a startup, Yash's story is a reminder that scaling is incredibly messy but it's also where the most valuable lessons are learned!
Another tangential result of this scaling was the evolution of culture at the company. Early on, decisions were based on Ben Silbermann's instincts and vision. But as the team expanded and engineers from larger companies like Facebook and Twitter joined, the culture shifted toward a more analytical, experiment-driven approach.
And that, I think, is a critical lesson for founders: Culture isn't static. As your company grows, your culture will inevitably change. The key is to embrace that change while staying true to your core values.
Don't Overthink It.
But, perhaps, the most resonant piece of advice from Yash was his reminder to not overthink decisions. Whether you're a founder deciding on your next hire or an engineer considering joining an early-stage startup, the key is to focus on the basics. He suggests a 2-Question test:
1. Do you believe in the vision?
2. Do you like the people?
If the answer to both of these is yes, maybe you need to take that leap of faith - simple as that!
Yash's story is a masterclass in risk-taking, resilience, and the art of building something extraordinary from the ground up. Whether you're building the next Pinterest or the next MakersPlace, his story is a reminder that the best decisions often come from the heart, not the spreadsheet.
Which lessons resonated most with you? Let me know on my Twitter or LinkedIn! And if you're building something extraordinary, don't hesitate to reach out—I'd love to hear your story!
About Us:
1st10 was founded on the simple philosophy that there is nothing more important to the success of your startup than the first ten engineers you hire. Because the first ten will impact the next ten and any wrong misstep can be the difference between success and failure. 1st10 works with visionary founders and exceptional engineers to build world class engineering teams.
1st10 was founded by Boris Epstein, original founder of Binc, the firm best known for pioneering embedded recruiting in Silicon Valley. Binc built early teams for Pinterest, Ripple, Stripe, Square, Airbnb, Reddit, Tesla and many more. Binc was acquired by Robinhood in 2021.