Paying Engineers like Salespeople – Arman Hezarkhani, Tenex
Summary
Arman, a co-founder of 10X, discusses an unconventional approach to compensating software engineers by paying them based on completed story points, which has successfully attracted top-tier talent including NASA researchers and machine learning experts. This compensation model challenges traditional engineering payment structures and aims to demonstrate how technology might transform workplace dynamics. By sharing his background from Carnegie Mellon, Google, and startup experiences, Arman provides insight into an innovative approach to valuing technical work that prioritizes speed, quality, and measurable output. The core message suggests that compensation models can evolve with technological advancements, potentially creating more performance-driven and transparent payment systems.