The Effect on the Company

The first year after the initial self-selection event, Trade Me posted record results with revenue up 13% year-on-year (not that we’re laying claim to this as any sort of expected gain!). Since then, we have continued to expand, adding more squads and more people. At last count the total number of squads was approaching forty, with the number of people involved in product development rising to 300.

As a company listed on the stock exchange and with demanding stakeholders, Trade Me’s desire to grow and add new features is unlikely to decrease. Working in stable squads and empowering people to make good decisions for themselves has added to an already strong company culture. It has also had the unlikely side effect of people explicitly joining the company in order to choose what they work on and whom they work with.