Joel Fluss' README

About Me

Born in Pleasanton, CA, I am the fifth of five boys. In high school and college I swam and played water polo. I attended UC Santa Cruz for undergrad and The University of Texas for my masters in business. I love to surf, swim, ski and go for long hikes in nature and around cities. Reading is such a joy to me, and I try and mix fiction and non-fiction in equal parts across all subjects and genres. If I had all the money in the world I would be a perpetual student, attending universities all over the world and taking classes on everything from architecture to zoology.

Current Role

I am currently on the Corporate Development M&A team. Our job is to source, evaluate and acquire companies that accelerate GitLab’s product roadmap and vision. We partner closely with product, finance, legal and several other cross-functional teams to ensure a successful deal outcome. M&A is tough to get right, and most times building is a better option than buying. For that reason, we lean heavily on our product team to be a partner with us throughout the process to ensure we can properly assess the benefits of building vs. buying.

My Working Style

My general approach, but applicable to Corporate Development, is always to first just listen. At the beginning of each potential deal I go in with the mindset that everyone involved knows more about the subject matter and company being evaluated than I do. After being initially introduced to the subject I read up on journal articles, analyst research, company filings and any other research I can find. I then come back to the subject matter experts (usually the PM and engineering teams) and ask more informed questions tailored towards answering questions such as (but not limited to)…

• Why is this product or feature important to GitLab?
• What are customers using instead of GitLab to get the job done?
• Why is this company important to GitLab more so than any of its competitors that we could possible acquire instead?
• What alternatives do we have if we choose not to buy?
• Is this the absolute best use of resources for this particular product team?

How I communicate / the best ways to communicate with me

I am based in the Central U.S. time zone and like to be online a little before 8:00 am Cst. I have no hard-set hours where I am unreachable, however I maintain that working late in the evening has diminishing returns; I would rather get up early than stay up late to meet a deadline. Each day I make sure to get some exercise, I find that exercise is the best way for me to stay mentally sharp. To exercise I usually swim or jog, disconnected from everything. I enjoy building rapport and meeting my colleagues for a coffee chat, don’t be surprised if I send you a coffee chat invite after the first time we interact.

Strengths & Areas of Improvement

I am quick to admit when I do not understand a subject, however I love to learn. Being curious and knowing how to find answers has always been one of my strengths that I am proud of. I learned to learn by going through the CFA program curriculum, a self-taught exam-based certification. I have also become comfortable admitting when I am wrong; willing to have my mind changed if there is data or evidence to support a counter-claim to an entrenched belief.

I am always working to improve my ability to confront. I realize I am sometimes too passive or quiet. I am always trying to force myself out of my comfort zone to say something if I see something incorrect, unjust or questionable.

The Legal Team’s World Famous “Two Truths & a Lie” Segment

• Our family owns a villa in Palermo
• My dad is a nuclear weapons specialist engineer
• My eyes are two different colors

Favorite Sports Teams

• Crystal Palace
• Golden State Warriors
• NY Jets
• Oakland Athletics

Favorite Books

• Business Adventures
• For Whom the Bell Tolls
• Jitterbug Perfume
• P.G. Wodehouse (anything)
• The Portriat of Dorian Gray

Places I have lived

• Atlanta, GA
• Austin, TX
• Boston, MA
• Santa Cruz, CA
• San Francisco, CA
• Seattle, WA
• Tempe, AZ

Places I’d like to live

• Denver, CO
• Paris
• Porto, Portugal
• San Diego, CA
• Santa Fe, NM
• Sevilla, Spain
• Tel Aviv, Israel
• Vancouver, Canada