How is it different being a tech lead at a small startup vs a FAANG company?

It's very different.

Not to be mean towards startups (I myself was a tech lead at Course Hero as it grew from 50 -> 200 people), but being a tech lead at a startup is generally easier than at FAANG. Here's why:

1. Less people to lead - Startups tend to have smaller, leaner engineering teams. At Course Hero I was leading just 3 engineers but at Meta, I was regularly leading 10+.
2. Less politics - Startups are more tightly knit, as people have more aligned incentives (i.e. make the company succeed). At FAANG, people are rarely thinking about the company overall at a macro-level and think more in terms of individual org/team goals.
3. Less XFN dependencies - A proper tech startup should be quite engineering heavy with less non-technical blockers to ship code. At FAANG, you constantly need approvals from people outside the core PM/design/eng sphere (legal, privacy, compliance, etc).
4. Codebase is easier to work with - FAANG is ladled with technical debt that you need to power through to get anything done. A good startup should have higher code quality as the codebase is smaller and more modern. More of the work is 0 to 1 as well instead of incremental.
5. More coding overall - For all the reasons mentioned above, tech leads at startup are often far more technical and spend more of their time coding. They don't need to develop as many non-technical skills to get their job done. My fundamental non-technical skills were definitely decent at Course Hero but not super refined. At Meta, I had to sharpen them immensely to become a tech lead again.

Because of all this, I was down-leveled to E4 (mid-level) when going to Meta - It was the right call. My tech lead experience at Course Hero wouldn't have met the E5 bar at Meta.

That being said, easier doesn't mean worse. Tech leads at startups will develop raw technical strength much faster than those at Big Tech as they simply spend way more time coding, and this applies to engineers overall at startups as well. While "playing politics" is a valuable life skill, I can understand why many engineers are frustrated with it and don't see it that way (and this is what you'll spend a large portion of your time doing at FAANG).

Thanks for taking the course!

Leading a tech team at a startup versus a FAANG company does indeed have commonalities, such as the tactical work of aligning the codebase, conducting code reviews, and establishing guidelines to steer the team. Additionally, laying out directions and plans for the team is a critical responsibility in both environments. However, the mindset and skill set required can be quite different.

In a startup, the environment is smaller with fewer resources, necessitating a tech lead to be more versatile. You are not just thinking about tech; you are deeply integrated into various aspects of the business. You may work very closely with PMs or even marketing teams to develop high-level plans and provide technical suggestions that can shape the company’s direction. This multifaceted involvement requires a tech lead to wear multiple hats, demonstrating flexibility and adaptability.

On the other hand, in a FAANG company, the focus is often more specialized. As a tech lead, you need to be highly skilled in your specific area. While you may still think long-term, your focus is more within the engineering scope rather than at the company level. Your role involves a deeper technical expertise, and your strategic contributions are likely confined to your domain rather than influencing the broader business direction. The larger scale and resources available in FAANG companies also mean you can rely on established processes and teams, whereas in a startup, you might be responsible for creating and implementing these processes yourself.

Moreover, the pace and approach to problem-solving can differ significantly. In a startup, you often need to move quickly, iterate frequently, and be prepared for a dynamic, ever-changing environment. Decisions are made rapidly, and the impact of your work is immediately visible. Conversely, in a FAANG company, the approach can be more methodical, with a stronger emphasis on stability, scalability, and long-term sustainability. The decisions you make might go through multiple layers of review and have a more prolonged timeline before they come to fruition.

In summary, while the core responsibilities of a tech lead may overlap between startups and FAANG companies, the context in which you operate, the breadth of your involvement, and the depth of your expertise can vary significantly. Understanding these nuances is key to effectively leading a tech team in either environment.