Building an Engineering Firm People Like to Work with

Most engineering firms assume you have to choose: technical excellence or great relationships. Daniel McCaulley, founder of Ultimus Engineering, built a firm that refuses to choose.
In this conversation, Daniel shares how he went from “super nerd athlete” to engineering entrepreneur, creating a multidisciplinary firm with a radically different culture. You’ll hear his 3-5 minute hiring rule for finding engineers with intangible qualities, his “trust to verify” approach to remote work management, and why he offers commission-based compensation to encourage client-facing skills.
Daniel also opens up about his three-tier priority framework—faith, family, work—and how adapting your leadership style to each person’s needs creates both employee satisfaction and business growth.