dy/dx > y-intercept

“A little bit of slope makes up for a lot of Y-intercept.” — John Ousterhout

The rate of a function is more important than its starting point. We value growth rate over initial advantage.

Why slope matters

• Knowledge fades, but the ability to learn compounds
• A fast learner will outpace someone with more initial experience over time
• Slow, steady improvement outperforms quick starts with no growth

What it means day-to-day

• Don’t hesitate to try something new—even if you start clueless. Learning speed matters
• Mistakes are expected. Learning from them is required
• We’ll invest in helping you grow, but the drive has to come from you
• Your trajectory is more important than where you begin

Why we believe in this

• Building something lasting requires patience and commitment to improvement
• We’re not interested in shortcuts. We value the work that compounds quietly until it becomes obvious
• If Menlo’s greatest impact is helping people and ideas grow steadily over time—that’s the kind of success we stand for