Scaling Your Business for Success with Co-Founder Dustin Devries

Scaling Your Business for Success with Co-Founder Dustin Devries

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From Corporate to Entrepreneur

With over two decades in technology and a background in software development, Dustin’s leap into entrepreneurship wasn’t a spur-of-the-moment decision. It was fueled by a mix of family priorities, personal ambition, and a desire for flexibility. While working in the semiconductor industry, he realized he’d reached a professional ceiling without pursuing additional degrees or corporate hoops. At the same time, personal circumstances—like starting a family and dealing with adoption-related challenges—made the flexibility of running his own business even more appealing.

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Confidence and Early Challenges

Confidence, Dustin admits, wasn’t absolute in the beginning and still wavers at times. He approached his new venture with a realistic mindset: he believed in his skills and resourcefulness, but understood that setbacks were inevitable. This perspective helped him navigate early failures, such as a costly partnership with an offshore development agency that quickly soured due to prioritization issues and inconsistent quality.

The turning point came when he decided to bring development in-house, focusing on hiring directly rather than outsourcing to third parties. This shift gave him greater control, accountability, and the ability to build a loyal, dependable team.

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Keys to Managing Remote Teams

Running a 100% remote team spread across the U.S., the Philippines, and Bolivia, Dustin attributes much of his success to three core practices:

1. Hire the Right People – Start with trustworthy, skilled individuals who thrive without constant oversight.
2. Build Strong Processes – Create clear SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures) and use KPI or OKR frameworks to measure progress.
3. Lead with Trust, Not Micromanagement – Rather than monitoring every move, focus on results. Freedom and autonomy often lead to higher engagement and creativity.

He views the company’s non-micromanagement culture as a hiring advantage, attracting top talent seeking flexibility and respect.

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Work-Life Balance Through Intentionality

Dustin admits balance is an ongoing process, but uses journaling to maintain awareness of how he spends his time and ensure important relationships and personal priorities aren’t neglected. He rejects the myth that balance means equal time for every area of life daily—instead, he embraces the idea of seasons. Some days business demands dominate; other times, family or personal pursuits take center stage. The key is being intentional, flexible, and communicative with loved ones.

Dustin’s parting advice is to focus on processes before placing blame when something goes wrong. More often than not, mistakes happen because of unclear or incomplete systems—not malicious intent. He also emphasizes regularly reviewing your to-do list to identify tasks you can delegate. The ultimate goal of entrepreneurship—freedom—can only be achieved if you stop bottlenecking your own business by trying to do everything yourself.

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