I was asked to leave my job at Salesforce after playing ping-pong at work. Now I have my own company, I don't micromanage employees.

Joseph Martorana

This as-told-to essay is based on a transcribed conversation with Miles Schwartz, 33, from Montreal. Schwartz was briefly employed at Salesforce as an intern and later cofounded his own company. The following has been edited for length and clarity.