The company we keep

Martin Buhr, founder of Tyk, shares the journey of building the company with a focus on sustainability and responsible growth, motivated by a past experience where a charismatic leader abruptly shuttered his company, leaving employees jobless. Determined to avoid repeating such mistakes, Tyk was established with a balanced approach to hiring developers and salespeople to ensure neither product development nor sales demand suffered. Despite facing financial challenges early on, including a significant cash flow crisis, Tyk avoided layoffs through strategic financial maneuvers like securing an equity-backed loan and negotiating with customers for early payments. This experience reinforced the company's commitment to fostering a supportive and trusting work environment, rejecting the notion of routinely firing employees to boost performance. Instead, Tyk invests in employee development and a strong company culture, demonstrated by initiatives like a bespoke coaching program and a clear work-life balance. Buhr takes pride in building a company that genuinely cares about its employees, aiming to leave things better than found and encouraging a culture that reflects this ethos.