# Richard Terry-Lloyd — Complete Content Richard Terry-Lloyd (RTL) — Chief Customer Officer at Netlify, surfer, and tech entrepreneur. Writing on technology, AI, agent experience, entrepreneurship, healthcare technology, and leadership. Source site: https://mrrtl.com Generated dynamically. Each post below is also reachable individually via `Accept: text/markdown` on its URL. ## Table of contents - [Friction, delight, and the art of the possible](https://mrrtl.com/friction-delight-and-the-art-of-the-possible) — 2026-05-08 - [I am a developer](https://mrrtl.com/i-am-a-developer) — 2026-02-28 - [Favorite Read: One Year of AX by Matt Biilmann](https://mrrtl.com/favorite-read-one-year-of-ax) — 2026-01-28 - [About Richard Terry-Lloyd: Chief Customer Officer at Netlify](https://mrrtl.com/about-richard-terry-lloyd-netlify-cco) — 2025-09-03 - [Rear Admiral Merddyn Ray Terry-Lloyd: A Life of Naval Dedication and Leadership](https://mrrtl.com/rear-admiral-merddyn-ray-terry-lloyd-naval-legacy) — 2025-07-07 - [Building Secure Healthcare Applications with Netlify's HIPAA-Compliant Platform](https://mrrtl.com/building-secure-healthcare-applications) — 2025-05-15 - [The Future Is Now: Reflections from Bolt's Million-Dollar Hackathon](https://mrrtl.com/future-is-now-bolt-hackathon) — 2025-05-10 - [Faith Like Potatoes – Lessons from Angus Buchan](https://mrrtl.com/faith-like-potatoes-lessons) — 2025-05-03 - [Why Fishing Is Just Like Sales](https://mrrtl.com/fishing-like-sales) — 2024-03-20 - [Why I love building companies](https://mrrtl.com/why-i-love-building-companies) — 2024-03-15 - [5 Tips for Remote Work from Beach Locations](https://mrrtl.com/remote-work-beach-locations) — 2024-03-10 - [The Tech Stack Behind My Personal Projects](https://mrrtl.com/tech-stack-personal-projects) — 2024-03-05 --- # Friction, delight, and the art of the possible *Published: 2026-05-08 — by Richard Terry-Lloyd* If you ask ten product-led growth teams what their job is, nine of them will say "remove friction." It is the right answer to a much smaller question than the one they think they are answering. Removing friction is necessary. It is also nowhere near sufficient. A perfectly frictionless product that nobody pays for is not a PLG win. It is a free service that happens to have a billing page no one ever sees. The teams that actually grow revenue through the product, rather than around it, are running three jobs at once. Job one: remove every friction the user did not ask for This is the table stakes job. Sign-up that takes thirty seconds. A first deploy that does not require a credit card. Documentation that loads in the same tab. SSO that works the first time. Defaults that are right for the ninety percent case so the user is not asked to make a decision they cannot yet make. Most PLG playbooks stop here. That is the trap. Removing friction is a hygiene activity. It does not, on its own, produce a single dollar of revenue. It produces the conditions under which revenue becomes possible. A user who never feels resistance also never feels graduation. If everything is free and everything is easy, there is no moment where the product earns the right to be paid for. Job two: show delight, repeatedly Delight is the part most teams undermeasure and underbuild. It is the small cumulative experience of the product doing something the user expected to be hard, and doing it well. The deploy that just worked. The error message that already had the answer. The integration that was one click instead of an afternoon. These moments are not features. They are the byproduct of obsessively engineered defaults, and they compound. A user who has been delighted four times in two weeks is in a fundamentally different posture toward the product than one who has been merely served. The first user is looking for more reasons to use the product. The second is looking for reasons to leave. This matters commercially because delight is what makes the next conversation possible. You cannot sell security, scale, or advanced collaboration to a user who has not yet decided your product is the centre of their workflow. You can sell those things easily, almost effortlessly, to a user who already cannot imagine working without it. Job three: educate the user on the art of the possible This is the job that is missing from almost every PLG motion I see at scale. The user is in the product. They are happy. They are using it for one thing. They have no idea you can do the next eight. The opportunity, and it is enormous, is to keep showing the user what is possible. Not in a marketing email. In the product. At the moment of relevance. "You just deployed three sites this week, here is what teams who run ten do differently." "You are reading this log line, here is the dashboard that surfaces them automatically." "You are pasting this token by hand, here is the SSO flow that handles it for you." Education in this form is not a feature, and it is not marketing. It is a continuous, low-volume conversation between the product and the user about what the user could be getting next. Done well, it is the engine that turns delight into expansion. Where value extraction belongs This is the operational point most PLG teams get wrong, and it is where the three jobs come together. The instinct, when revenue is needed, is to install a friction wall. "You have used three deploys. Pay now." That is the opposite of PLG. That is a paywall pretending to be a product. The right place to extract value is the moment of revealed need. Security, when the user starts handling something sensitive. Scale, when they cross the threshold where the free posture stops being sustainable. Collaboration, when the second person joins. Compliance, when the user is suddenly negotiating with their procurement team and needs the answer. These moments are not friction. They are graduation. The user is not being blocked, they are being recognised. They have earned the right to want the next thing, and the product is meeting them there. The difference between a friction wall and a graduation moment is not the price. It is the timing and the framing. A team that knows the difference can charge for the same feature and have the user thank them for it. A team that does not will run a free service and wonder where the revenue went. Why this is the whole job PLG is not a single instruction. It is a discipline of running three jobs in parallel. Remove the friction the user did not ask for. Engineer the delight that earns the next conversation. Educate the user on the next thing the product could do for them. And then, when the user reveals a real need, be ready to charge for it without apology. The teams that do this well are quiet about it. The friction work is invisible when it is done right. The delight work looks like the product just being good. The education work feels like the product being thoughtful. The revenue, when it arrives, looks like it was always going to. The teams that do not do this well will keep saying "remove friction" and keep wondering why the dashboard is green and the bookings are not. --- Source: https://mrrtl.com/friction-delight-and-the-art-of-the-possible — Richard Terry-Lloyd (RTL), Chief Customer Officer at Netlify. --- # I am a developer *Published: 2026-02-28 — by Richard Terry-Lloyd* As someone who has spent most of my life in technology, I never thought I would say this: I am a developer. It is not just about building tools. The real shift happens when you can take an idea all the way into a production environment. That is when you see the true power of AI and how dramatically it can impact a go to market motion. Working at Netlify has brought me close to this transformation for years. But it was not until yesterday that I experienced it end to end. I went from a simple thought to a fully deployed workflow merged into our public domain. No traditional developer tooling. No handoffs. Just idea to production. That moment changes how you think about speed, leverage, and what is possible. --- Source: https://mrrtl.com/i-am-a-developer — Richard Terry-Lloyd (RTL), Chief Customer Officer at Netlify. --- # Favorite Read: One Year of AX by Matt Biilmann *Published: 2026-01-28 — by Richard Terry-Lloyd* Original article: https://biilmann.blog/articles/one-year-of-ax/ One of the best articles I have read recently is Matt Biilmann's One Year of AX. Matt coined the term Agent Experience (AX) a year ago, and this piece brilliantly lays out how AX is evolving from a niche developer concept into a discipline as fundamental as User Experience (UX). His core argument is compelling: most of the products and platforms we build will become irrelevant unless autonomous agents can use them efficiently on behalf of users. That is a bold statement, but when you look at how fast AI agents are reshaping workflows across SaaS, e-commerce, and consumer products, it is hard to disagree. Matt breaks AX down into four pillars: Access, Context, Tools, and Orchestration. Each one addresses a critical layer of how agents interact with products, and together they form a practical framework for anyone building in this space. What really stood out to me is his prediction that 2026 will be the inflection point where agent-led growth goes mainstream beyond developer tools. Having seen firsthand at Netlify how AI agents are transforming web development and deployment, I believe he is absolutely right. This is a must-read for anyone thinking about the future of software. --- Source: https://mrrtl.com/favorite-read-one-year-of-ax — Richard Terry-Lloyd (RTL), Chief Customer Officer at Netlify. --- # About Richard Terry-Lloyd: Chief Customer Officer at Netlify *Published: 2025-09-03 — by Richard Terry-Lloyd* Richard Terry-Lloyd currently serves as the Chief Customer Officer at Netlify, where he plays a critical role in driving rapid growth as the company becomes the infrastructure of choice for AI coding agents and modern web applications. The rise of foundational models and AI-powered development tools has significantly accelerated Netlify's adoption, positioning the platform as a key deployment target in this evolving landscape. Under his leadership, Netlify has expanded its reach across the enterprise landscape, helping teams streamline development workflows and launch secure, high-performance digital experiences at scale. His work has positioned Netlify as a key enabler in the era of AI-powered software development. Previously, Richard served as Chief Revenue Officer at Narvar, a developer of intelligent business platforms aimed at increasing corporate revenue and reducing operating costs for leading e-commerce brands. During his tenure there, he transitioned from an advisory role to help the company build its sales team, implement more productive sales methodologies, and provide critical guidance on successful global expansion. For more than 25 years, he has forged a noteworthy career as a business technology and fintech leader specializing in applying digital business tools and creative marketing strategies to grow SaaS companies rapidly. He has an impressive list of companies he has helped grow and develop, including salesforce.com, Zuora, SuccessFactors (a digital HR/payroll platform developer), and AppZen, for whom he has helped drive record-breaking growth and brand awareness. His base of operations within the Bay Area puts him in a prime location to fulfill his passion for scaling startups from launch through IPO. He boasts an impressive track record in helping companies from <$10M in ARR to well over $300M in ARR. --- Source: https://mrrtl.com/about-richard-terry-lloyd-netlify-cco — Richard Terry-Lloyd (RTL), Chief Customer Officer at Netlify. --- # Rear Admiral Merddyn Ray Terry-Lloyd: A Life of Naval Dedication and Leadership *Published: 2025-07-07 — by Richard Terry-Lloyd* Rear Admiral Merddyn Ray Terry-Lloyd SSA SM (29 July 1913 – 28 October 1978) stands as a towering figure in the history of the South African Navy. From modest beginnings in Queenstown to his rise as Chief of Naval Staff and a decorated military attaché, his life reflects unwavering commitment, discipline, and vision during a pivotal era in global and South African maritime history. Early Life and Education Born in Queenstown in 1913, Terry-Lloyd's early education took place at Queen's College before he transferred to St. Andrew's College in Grahamstown. After matriculating in 1930, he began his professional life working at the Netherlands Bank in East London. But his heart remained at sea. From a young age, he harbored dreams of joining the Royal Navy—a path initially blocked by his father. Undeterred, he channeled that ambition into the South African Division of the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, joining in 1931 at the age of 18. Forging a Naval Career Terry-Lloyd was commissioned as a Sub Lieutenant in 1934 and promoted to Lieutenant in 1938, just as the world braced for the outbreak of World War II. With the advent of the war, he transferred to the Seaward Defence Force, South Africa's maritime wartime contingent, and quickly distinguished himself. After completing advanced Anti-Submarine Warfare training, he took command of HMSAS Mooivlei. His expertise soon led him to the Mediterranean theatre, where he commanded HMSAS Southern Isles and HMSAS Southern Seas—key assets in safeguarding Allied naval routes. In 1943, he was promoted to Lieutenant Commander and a year later appointed Senior Officer of Anti-Submarine Flotillas. By the war's end in 1945, he had held several strategic staff positions in Cape Town and Pretoria, marking his transition into naval leadership and strategic planning. Post-War Service and Naval Command After the war, Terry-Lloyd's influence on the development of the South African Navy only grew. He joined the Permanent Force in 1946 and was sent to the United Kingdom for advanced staff training and diplomatic duties as a liaison officer. On returning home, he successively commanded HMSAS Good Hope and HMSAS Loch Natal, and later led the HMSAS Simon van der Stel. His strategic acumen was matched by his operational experience, leading to his appointment as Commanding Officer of the Salisbury Island Naval Base in 1955. By 1956, he was back in the UK, this time commanding HMSAS Vrystaat. His promotion to Captain and appointment as Senior Officer of the Tenth Frigate Squadron (F10) soon followed. Modernization and Strategic Leadership Terry-Lloyd played a vital role in modernizing the South African Navy. Under the Simonstown Agreement, South Africa purchased Type 12 frigates from the UK, and he was tasked with overseeing their construction. He became the first captain of the SAS President Kruger (F150), a critical step in expanding South Africa's naval capabilities. When the President Kruger arrived in Simon's Town in 1963, Terry-Lloyd was promoted to Commodore, cementing his place among the Navy's senior leadership. Chief of Naval Staff and Final Years of Service On 1 February 1965, he was appointed Director of Operations at Navy Headquarters. A year later, on 1 July 1966, he reached the pinnacle of his naval career when he was named Chief of Naval Staff with the rank of Rear Admiral. His final posting was as Armed Forces Attaché to the South African Embassy in London, where he continued to serve with distinction until his retirement in 1973. In recognition of his lifelong service, he was awarded the Star of South Africa, one of the nation's highest honors. Legacy and Death Rear Admiral Terry-Lloyd passed away in Pretoria on 28 October 1978, leaving behind a legacy of integrity, leadership, and transformation in South Africa's naval history. His career spanned over four decades—from reserve volunteer to the uppermost ranks of naval leadership. At each stage, he advanced not only his own career but the professionalism and global standing of the South African Navy. --- Source: https://mrrtl.com/rear-admiral-merddyn-ray-terry-lloyd-naval-legacy — Richard Terry-Lloyd (RTL), Chief Customer Officer at Netlify. --- # Building Secure Healthcare Applications with Netlify's HIPAA-Compliant Platform *Published: 2025-05-15 — by Richard Terry-Lloyd* In today's digital healthcare environment, security, performance, and compliance are non-negotiable. That's why Netlify has introduced a HIPAA-compliant service offering tailored for enterprise-grade applications handling protected health information (PHI). With end-to-end encryption, access controls, audit logging, and Business Associate Agreements (BAAs), healthcare organizations can now confidently build modern, scalable web experiences, while staying fully compliant. What Does HIPAA Compliance on Netlify Actually Mean? Netlify's HIPAA-compliant infrastructure includes: - Encryption at rest and in transit - Access control and logging - Penetration testing and patch management - Private deploy infrastructure - SOC 2 Type 2, ISO 27001, ISO 27018, PCI DSS v4.0 certifications Customers can execute a BAA with Netlify, a key requirement for any company handling PHI under HIPAA law. Why Healthcare Brands Are Choosing Netlify More healthcare organizations are adopting composable architectures and Jamstack to modernize digital services. Netlify sits at the center of this transformation, offering performance, developer velocity, and the security required for regulatory environments. Healthcare Companies Using Netlify UW Health rebuilt their patient experience using Jamstack and Netlify, increasing uptime, faster delivery of PHI-secure content, and simplified billing page logic. American College of Radiology (ACR) uses Netlify to power its member portals and educational content delivery with secure access control and fast page loads. RVO Health is one of the largest digital health platforms in the U.S., powering consumer health content with strict privacy requirements. Blanchard Valley Health System uses modern web tooling to better serve regional patients through responsive, HIPAA-compliant interfaces. EMIS Health (UK) is a major player in the NHS partner network, focusing on electronic medical records and secure data handling. Reid Health uses Netlify for patient-facing digital services to increase accessibility, performance, and security. AstraZeneca deploys global campaigns and educational content, requiring scalable infrastructure and compliant backend integrations. Case Study: UW Health Facing limitations with legacy systems, UW Health migrated to a modern Jamstack architecture using Netlify and Next.js. The result: enhanced performance and reliability, faster content updates and communication of critical health information, simplified developer workflows and billing UI, and more secure handling of patient data. This transition demonstrates how even the most regulated sectors can adopt cutting-edge technology when paired with the right infrastructure. Trust and Transparency Netlify's Trust Center provides real-time visibility into compliance standards and security practices. Customers can also access documentation on compliance procedures, audit reports, and security protocols. Ready to Modernize Your Healthcare Platform? Healthcare providers, biotech firms, and digital health startups can all benefit from moving to a platform that enables HIPAA compliance without compromising performance or innovation. --- Source: https://mrrtl.com/building-secure-healthcare-applications — Richard Terry-Lloyd (RTL), Chief Customer Officer at Netlify. --- # The Future Is Now: Reflections from Bolt's Million-Dollar Hackathon *Published: 2025-05-10 — by Richard Terry-Lloyd* Original article: https://hackathon.dev/ Tonight, I had the opportunity to attend Bolt's million-dollar hackathon launch event—an ambitious, high-energy celebration of innovation headlined by the Chainsmokers. Netlify was proud to be a sponsor of this unique experience, which brought together builders, founders, and creators at the intersection of AI, web development, and product evolution. The event was more than just a spectacle. It felt like a throwback to the early days of SaaS—a time when energy, experimentation, and open-ended possibility defined the industry. But this wasn't just nostalgia. What stood out most was how different the landscape has become. We're seeing a clear shift in the developer journey and an expansion in the ideal customer profile (ICP). New companies are emerging with fresh use cases, and the speed at which ideas go from concept to product has never been faster. At the same time, legacy assumptions about how to build software, manage data, and serve customers are being rewritten in real time. In speaking with a reporter from Business Insights, it became clear that even seasoned observers are still catching up. The market isn't just evolving—it's transforming. AI isn't just a feature; it's becoming a foundation. And website development, SaaS product design, and customer engagement strategies are all being rebuilt from the ground up. This moment is as challenging as it is exciting. Companies—whether vendors or customers—are having to rethink how they operate. Those who remain curious, creative, and structured enough to harness this wave of change will have the edge. Because we're not just watching a shift. We're living through a tectonic transformation in how technology gets built and brought to market. --- Source: https://mrrtl.com/future-is-now-bolt-hackathon — Richard Terry-Lloyd (RTL), Chief Customer Officer at Netlify. --- # Faith Like Potatoes – Lessons from Angus Buchan *Published: 2025-05-03 — by Richard Terry-Lloyd* There are few people who've impacted my thinking on leadership, risk, and faith quite like Angus Buchan. His story, captured so powerfully in Faith Like Potatoes, continues to shape the way I view the world—both personally and professionally. Angus doesn't preach from a pedestal. He speaks from the soil—from experience, humility, and an unshakable belief in God's power to transform lives. His teachings blend the grit of farming with the depth of Scripture, and there's something uniquely grounding about the way he connects faith to everyday challenges. He reminds us that faith isn't about perfection. It's about persistence. It's about trusting when you can't see, planting when there's no rain, and believing that something will grow—just like potatoes beneath the soil. What I've learned from Angus isn't just about religion. It's about leadership rooted in love, courage wrapped in vulnerability, and the kind of conviction that moves people. His wisdom speaks to every part of life—business, family, and community—and I find myself returning to his messages often. If you haven't yet heard his voice or read his story, I'd highly recommend it. We need more leaders like him—anchored in truth, driven by love, and fearless in the face of uncertainty. --- Source: https://mrrtl.com/faith-like-potatoes-lessons — Richard Terry-Lloyd (RTL), Chief Customer Officer at Netlify. --- # Why Fishing Is Just Like Sales *Published: 2024-03-20 — by Richard Terry-Lloyd* If you've ever spent a morning casting a line into the water, you might be surprised how much it resembles a day spent in sales. On the surface, fishing and sales seem worlds apart—one's a tranquil outdoor pastime, the other a high-stakes, fast-paced career. But look closer, and the similarities are striking. 1. You need patience and persistence In both fishing and sales, instant results are rare. You can cast the perfect line into the perfect spot and still come up empty. The same goes for a well-researched outreach or a polished pitch—it doesn't always hit. Success comes to those who are willing to keep trying, keep adjusting, and keep showing up. 2. You must know your target Great anglers study the habits of the fish they're after—where they swim, when they bite, and what bait works best. In sales, it's the same: know your prospect. Understand their industry, their pain points, and what solutions they're likely to respond to. The more specific the knowledge, the better the outcome. 3. Right gear, right timing Fishing isn't just about throwing a hook in the water—it's about choosing the right rod, the right lure, the right time of day. Sales is no different. The tools you use (CRM, email, pitch deck) and the timing of your outreach can make or break a deal. 4. It's about the setup, not just the catch A successful catch is the result of preparation—tying the knot, checking the weather, setting the drag. Similarly, a closed deal is rarely a "lucky break." It's the result of thoughtful prep, detailed discovery, and strategic execution. 5. The best learn from every cast Whether you reel in a trophy fish or come up short, every cast is a chance to learn. Great salespeople approach their work the same way—every call, every objection, every close (or miss) is a step toward mastery. Fishing and sales share a core truth: success doesn't come from force or luck alone. It comes from preparation, timing, knowledge, and the willingness to keep casting—even when nothing's biting. And when it all lines up? That moment when the rod bends and the reel sings—that's the same feeling as hearing "Let's move forward." --- Source: https://mrrtl.com/fishing-like-sales — Richard Terry-Lloyd (RTL), Chief Customer Officer at Netlify. --- # Why I love building companies *Published: 2024-03-15 — by Richard Terry-Lloyd* There's something deeply rewarding about building companies from the ground up. It's not just the excitement of launching something new—it's the constant cycle of learning, adjusting, and growing that keeps me coming back. One of the biggest challenges—and greatest responsibilities—is building the right pipeline. It's easy to chase volume, but the real magic happens when you focus on quality. Finding the customers who don't just want to buy what you're selling, but who can grow with you, is everything. These are the relationships that shape your product, your team, and your culture. But none of it is easy. Every stage brings new puzzles to solve: How do you scale responsibly? Where do you invest? What do you walk away from? The decisions are endless—and that's the point. What makes the journey so powerful is the opportunity to learn every single day. From the people you hire, the customers you serve, to the market forces you navigate—every moment is a lesson. That's why I do this work. Because building a company isn't just about revenue or product. It's about becoming better—every day—with the people who choose to build it alongside you. --- Source: https://mrrtl.com/why-i-love-building-companies — Richard Terry-Lloyd (RTL), Chief Customer Officer at Netlify. --- # 5 Tips for Remote Work from Beach Locations *Published: 2024-03-10 — by Richard Terry-Lloyd* Working remotely has opened up incredible possibilities for combining work with lifestyle. Here are my top tips for successfully working from beach locations: 1. Stable Internet Connection Always have a backup internet solution. I use both local WiFi and a mobile hotspot. 2. Proper Setup Invest in a good laptop stand and anti-glare screen. Working outdoors requires the right equipment. 3. Time Management Plan your work around the best surf conditions. I often code early mornings and late afternoons. 4. Weather Protection Keep your equipment safe from sand and water. A good waterproof bag is essential. 5. Community Connection Join local digital nomad communities. They're great for both networking and surfing buddies. Remember, the key is finding the right balance between productivity and enjoying the location. --- Source: https://mrrtl.com/remote-work-beach-locations — Richard Terry-Lloyd (RTL), Chief Customer Officer at Netlify. --- # The Tech Stack Behind My Personal Projects *Published: 2024-03-05 — by Richard Terry-Lloyd* I believe in keeping things simple yet effective. Here's a look at the technologies I use for my personal projects: Frontend: - React with TypeScript for type safety - Tailwind CSS for styling - Vite for fast development Why this stack? - React: Powerful and flexible - TypeScript: Catches errors early - Tailwind: Rapid styling without complexity - Vite: Lightning-fast development experience This combination allows me to build robust applications quickly while maintaining high code quality. The key is choosing tools that get out of your way and let you focus on building features. --- Source: https://mrrtl.com/tech-stack-personal-projects — Richard Terry-Lloyd (RTL), Chief Customer Officer at Netlify.