One all too common challenge I see in companies’ cloud journeys? The rapid and often costly loss of control over their cloud stacks.

Here are some telltale signs:

• Excessive, runaway hosting costs
• Unplanned, costly downtimes
• An inability to scale quickly, horizontally or vertically
• Painful code deployments, taking hours instead of minutes

Like redesigning and rebuilding an airplane while it is flying, this usually proves more expensive to remedy than building a thoughtfully architected platform from the start.

How does this happen?

It’s an easy trap to fall into – and it can happen to almost any growing business without proactive planning. Here’s a typical scenario:

• Focus on Growth: Founders are rightly focused on solving core business needs, not on designing a scalable cloud platform.
• Bringing in Support: As demands increase, they hire a junior or mid-level DevOps resource to help.
• Experience Gaps: While skilled in maintenance and incremental improvements, this resource may not have the experience needed to architect a scalable stack from scratch.
• Early Success, Long-Term Pain: The initial setup works for current needs but doesn’t scale well, eventually “cracking at the foundation.”

The Solution? Start with an experienced architect.

Building a scalable platform requires someone who understands both cloud architecture and your business’s growth trajectory.

Here are two approaches:

• Hire a Senior Platform Architect: This person will lay the right foundation and ensure that every subsequent hire maximizes your development investment. However, top architects come with high costs – challenging when funds are tight. If you find a senior architect open to equity, seize the opportunity!
• Work with a Specialist Consultancy: A consultancy (like us!) can design, establish, and even maintain your platform on an ad-hoc basis. This model provides access to expert architecture at a more manageable cost. We can also help train and recruit in-house talent to sustain your stack over time.

At Blackstack, our goal is to empower companies to maintain control of their cloud environments while scaling with confidence. Reach out if you'd like to discuss how we can support your platform needs from day one – keeping you focused on what matters most: growing your business.