I just sat in on an APIWare call with a fast growing startup, developing a better understanding of how we can assist their team. They have a pretty solid development team behind their API, so providing core API development resources is not in the cards.
Where this startup is needing the most help, is where the APIWare team shines:
- API Operations Review - Taking a look at how an API platform works from the inside out, preferably starting with an outside perspective, so we can bring that fresh perspective to the table, and immediately begin adding value to the road-map.
- Crafting API Strategy - With a better understanding of how an API works, inside and out, we can take a walk through our massive list of best practices, and see what we can apply when it comes to bringing together a strategy.
Providing companies with a comprehensive review of their API operations from an outside perspective, but also walking through their architecture, team, and other internal resources, is a valuable process on its own. Having a team of experience API professionals listening, and walking through the current makeup of your API operations helps you better articulate your vision while also helping us define how things work, so a coherent API strategy can be crafted by our team.
This is the stage we are in with this particular startup conversation--kicking off a formal review, so we can help them craft a coherent API strategy. Once this is done, we can re-assess how we can help them, and probably begin telling more public stories about the project. This conversation reflects other conversations the APIWare team is having with other startups, SMB and enterprise groups. However one thing that did present itself on this call, is how APIWare is also becoming a burst-able development team that can act as a backup when small startups are faced with potentially large enterprise relationships that come with API success.
This particular startup just had a new enterprise customer come in through their API, the dream of any small API, until you actually have to scramble to meet the demands. I have seen the interest of the enterprise be both a blessing and a curse in the past for small teams, something that has the potential to derail a startup, taking them away from the daily work that matters. The enterprise has the resources to throw at these projects, but small startup teams do not always have what it takes to keep day to day operations running smoothly, while also meeting the needs of a large project or partnership.
This is APIWare. In addition to helping this startup review their current API operations, and craft a coherent API strategy, the APIWare team is here to help their core API developer team expand and contract as necessary. We are getting to know know the company's existing infrastructure and operations, primarily to be able to help craft the overall API strategy, but this awareness also puts us in a good position to step in and help either to help with a larger project, or augment the core team, while they address the needs of larger, temporary projects.
The ability for APIWare to be there for a company in this capacity always starts with an API operations review. We can't be waiting in the wings, ready to work, if we aren't up to speed on how things are currently operating, and in tune with the road-map. It is nice to be starting these conversations early, so we are up to speed when we are needed most. I am happy to see that staying specialized in the areas of API design, deployment, and management is proving to be a valuable approach to the startups we are talking with so far.
