Using Docker for Atomic Games Deployment

We’ve just run our sixth edition of the Atomic Games! The original version happened way back in 2015. For each edition, we’ve built a game board with core game logic. Games participants write AI players that compete against other teams’ solutions. We’ve always written the game boards in Clojure, and that’s typically meant distributing a […]

Why You Need an EOS Rock Charter for Each Quarterly Rock

If you follow Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) practices like we do, you’ve probably found that — despite your hard work — the execution of your Rocks doesn’t always go smoothly. Deadlines can slip, and the actual results of the work don’t always align with everyone’s expectations. At Atomic, we’ve found that these challenges have almost […]

Are You Sympathetic to Others’ Joy, or Just Their Sorrow?

The title of this post might seem oxymoronic. “Isn’t sympathy reserved for people’s struggles?” you might ask. Turns out, it’s not. The most powerful impact of your sympathy might be when it’s directed at people’s triumphs. What Is Sympathetic Joy? Sympathetic joy is just what it sounds like — focusing your powers of sympathy on […]

Reinventing an Atomic Tradition for Pandemic Conditions

As I write this, the COVID-19 pandemic continues to loom large in almost every aspect of life. Atomic Object is open and thriving as a company, but our offices remain closed, and our employees are working remotely. Returning to our physical offices in Grand Rapids, Ann Arbor, and Chicago still remains an important part of […]

Refining Our Sales Pipeline

Over the past year, we’ve done extra work on our company processes and practices. We’ve been fortunate — Atomic has a diverse set of clients and more demand than we can adequately supply. That said, there’s always room for improvement, and during these tough economic times, we’ve focused especially on improving our sales process. Part […]

1-on-1 Meetings: More Important than Ever

In normal times, having regular 1-on-1 meetings with your direct reports is important. In this socially distant era, these connection points are essential. As a manager, you are the most vital link between your direct reports and the organization. When we’re all remote, you need to replace the passive communication you once used to keep […]

Reading Making Work Visible with the Atomic Accelerator

Published in 2017, Making Work Visible by Dominica DeGrandis is an introduction to what she terms the “five thieves of time,” how they impact our ability to get work done, and how to expose them to be more productive. While the book is geared toward software development and IT-related work, I think the content is […]

Reflections on the Atomic Accelerator, a Two-Year Retrospective

Last month, I finished my first two years at Atomic and completed the Accelerator program. I’ve learned a lot about software development and technology, but I’ve also learned about interpersonal relationships and managing my career. The program can be a lot of work (outside of work), but it has pushed me to learn and grow. […]

Creating a Flexible Dashboard with Redash & Google Sheets

At Atomic, we’ve always pushed ourselves to measure things that matter to our business. For us, that includes data like billable hours, project rate, incoming sales opportunities, and the amount of market demand we see for our services. Using a visual medium to communicate the data is very helpful, so we use dashboards to quickly […]

Finding Remote Work Inspiration from Sudoku

I recently came across this excellent video about solving a very unique Sudoku puzzle. On top of the normal Sudoku rules, there were some additional restrictions on how the digits could be placed within the grid. The puzzle solver, Simon Anthony, was initially convinced that he was being pranked and that the puzzle wasn’t actually […]

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