Podd: The CTO Podcast

Lena Skliarova-Mordvinova, Good Face Project CTO and Co-Founder: Revolutionizing Personal Care with AI and Resilience in Challenging Times

19 november 2024 | 68 min

In this episode of the CTO Podcast, host Etienne de Bruin speaks with Lena Skliarova-Mordvinova, CTO and Co-Founder of the Good Face Project. They discuss the origins of the Good Face Project, which aims to educate consumers about the ingredients in personal care products and promote safer alternatives. The conversation delves into the role of generative AI in analyzing ingredient safety, the challenges of navigating the venture capital landscape, and the importance of parenting in the digital age. Lena shares her insights on balancing technology and family life, as well as cultural perspectives on parenting from her experiences in Ukraine. In this conversation, Lena shares her experiences navigating the challenges of leading a tech team in Ukraine during the ongoing war, highlighting the resilience and determination of her team. She discusses the importance of maintaining a sense of normalcy and connection amidst chaos, the innovative tech stack they are using in AI, and the complexities of regulatory environments in the personal care industry. Additionally, she reflects on her passion for space research and the evolution of data mining technologies.

Time Stamps

00:00 Introduction to the CTO Podcast and Guest

03:01 The Good Face Project: Origins and Mission

06:01 Understanding Ingredients: The Science Behind Personal Care

08:53 Generative AI in Personal Care: Innovations and Challenges

12:12 Venture Capital Landscape: Navigating the Hype

15:07 Parenting in the Digital Age: Balancing Technology and Family

21:04 Reflections on Parenting: Learning and Growing Together

26:56 Cultural Perspectives on Parenting: A Global View

34:03 The Power of Connection in Uncertain Times

39:14 Resilience Amidst Chaos: The Ukrainian Experience

45:09 Innovations in AI: Tech Stack and Models

53:39 Navigating Regulations in Personal Care and Supplements

01:02:22 Passion for Space: A Journey Through Research

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Dr. Aadeel Akhtar, PSYONIC's Visionary: Transforming Lives Through Advanced Bionic Prosthetics and Entrepreneurial Innovation

29 oktober 2024 | 62 min

Decoding AI: Expert Panel Insights for CTOs

8 oktober 2024 | 75 min

Ryan Kari, CTO of MagCanica: Revolutionizing Motorsports with Torque Sensors and the Art of CTO Leadership

27 augusti 2024 | 48 min

Kathy Keating, Fractional CTO | Interim CTO | Executive Coach | CTO Levels™: Mastering Growth; Operational Excellence and Leadership Insights

6 augusti 2024 | 61 min

Aliza Carpio, Director of Product Management Data Platform at JLL Technologies: The Code of Collaboration and Navigating Open Source

9 juli 2024 | 61 min

Aliza Carpio (Director of Product Management Data Platform at JLL Technologies) discusses with Etienne open source communities, codes of conduct, and the relationship between product management and engineering. She emphasizes the importance of open source as a team sport and the benefits of collaboration and problem-solving in the open source community.

Aliza also highlights the value of open source for businesses, including cost savings and access to tried and true solutions. She emphasizes the need for clear communication and inclusive documentation in open source projects, as well as the importance of psychological safety in remote work environments. In this conversation, Aliza and Etienne discuss the importance of communication and collaboration between product managers and engineers as well as emphasizing the need for product managers to understand the 'why' behind their products and for engineers to understand the customer problem.

They also highlight the value of experimentation and failure in the product development process. The conversation concludes with a discussion on the potential impact of language models like ChatGPT on communication and trust.

Time Stamps

00:00 - Introduction and Overview

00:40 - Aliza’s Background and Role in Product Management

06:47 - The Value of Open Source for Businesses

13:31 - Creating Safety and Inclusivity in Open Source Communities

25:11 - The Importance of Reflection and Intentional Connection

29:38 - Invitation to Join 7CTOs Growth Program

31:20 - The Importance of Understanding the 'Why' in Product Management

36:08 - The Role of Engineers in Understanding the Customer Problem

39:46 - The Value of Experimentation and Failure in Product Development

44:32 - Creating a Culture of Experimentation and Discovery

51:53 - The Potential Impact of Language Models on Communication and Trust

58:55 - Effective Communication and Collaboration in Product Development

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Maria Flynn, Founder and CEO AmbioLogix: Make Opportunity Happen

25 juni 2024 | 56 min

Dave Adsit, VP of Engineering SamCart: Coding Roots to C-Suite Insights

18 juni 2024 | 71 min

In this conversation, Etienne and Dave reminisce about their early experiences with computers and programming. They discuss the different computer models they had, the challenges of typing in code from magazines, and the evolution of technology. They then shift the conversation to their roles as VP of Engineering and CTO, and the differences between the two positions. They talk about the importance of product management and design in software development, and the value of delivering in small batches. They also discuss the concept of lean software development and the economic mindset behind it. The conversation explores the conundrum of developers being resistant to working on new features and instead over-engineering existing ones. The fear of the unknown and the comfort of familiarity play a role in this resistance. The conversation also delves into the importance of prototyping and experimentation in the development process. The concept of failure and its relationship to learning and psychological safety is discussed. The impact of different communication mediums, such as texting and video calls, on team culture and effectiveness is explored. The conversation concludes with a discussion on measuring team productivity and effectiveness through inputs, outputs, outcomes, and impact.

Time Stamps

00:00 - Reminiscing about Early Computers and Programming

13:16 - The Differences Between VP of Engineering and CTO

24:23 - Delivering in Small Batches for Faster Feedback

26:47 - Embracing the Economic Mindset in Lean Software Development

35:50 - Developers' Resistance to New Features

38:10 - Prototyping and Experimentation

44:33 - Failure and Learning

51:20 - Impact of Communication Mediums

01:04:53 - Measuring Team Productivity and Effectiveness

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Ksenia Palke, Head of AI at Airspace: AI in Time-Critical Shipments

11 juni 2024 | 59 min

Ksenia Palke, Director of AI at Airspace, discusses the use of AI in time-critical shipments. Airspace builds tech for fast automated solutions in shipping critical items such as organs, medical devices, and industrial parts. The goal is to remove unnecessary manual steps and optimize the delivery process. Ksenia explains how AI is used to predict delivery times, optimize routes, and automate interactions with drivers and customers. She also discusses the use of large language models (LLMs) in their AI initiatives and the importance of prompt engineering and ragging. Ksenia emphasizes the need for context-specific training and the ongoing comparison of different LLMs. In this conversation, Etienne and Ksenia discuss the implementation of language models (LLMs) in business and the importance of being specific and intentional in their use. They emphasize the need for a clear strategy and goals when using LLMs, rather than chasing the latest and greatest technology. They also highlight the importance of having a human in the loop to validate and manage LLM outputs. The conversation explores the limitations of LLMs and the potential for future advancements. Overall, the conversation provides practical advice for founders and CTOs on how to approach AI projects and make the most of LLMs.

Time Stamps00:00 Introduction and Overview02:12 Automation and Optimization in Time-Critical Shipments09:22 Using LLMs to Automate Interactions14:05 The Importance of Prompt Engineering and Ragging in LLM Training24:14 Bottlenecks and Challenges in LLM Development29:29 Being Specific and Intentional with LLMs35:04 The Importance of Performance over Novelty39:18 The Role of Human Validation44:29 Avoiding the Hype and Focusing on Practical Applications53:26 Understanding the Limitations of LLMs57:47 Embracing Advancements in LLM Technology

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Devastate the Competition via Robust Design with Adam Bahret

28 maj 2024 | 43 min

Etienne sits down with Adam Bahret, whose unique journey has fueled his passion for creating robust product designs that can outperform the competition. The conversation reveals how prioritizing reliability can significantly impact a product's success and why reliability often trumps marketing.

Tune is as Adam introduces his innovative R-Three blueprint which balances cost, features, and risk to ensure successful product launches without regrets. He also discusses the often overlooked issue of technical debt in software development, emphasizing the importance of early risk assessment.

With his insights being drawn from his book Devastate the Competition: How to Take Market Share through Robust Design, he aims to connect product development with achieving business objectives, and he and Etienne engage in insightful dialogue about the challenges and solutions in reliability engineering. They discuss Adam's experiences living in Denmark and the cultural differences that shaped his approach to learning and working in engineering. Their conversation also touches on the differences between reliability and quality, illustrating how these concepts play important roles in the design and manufacturing processes.

Adam also highlights the importance of using proper methods for early risk assessment, ensuring a more dependable final product. He shares his creative approach to making reliability concepts accessible to everyone through comic book guides, aimed at simplifying complex tools and techniques.

Listen in to gain valuable insights into how robust product design can lead to dominating the market, the significance of balancing multiple factors in product development, and practical tips for incorporating reliability engineering principles across various industries!

Time Stamps:[1:29] - Adam, born in New York, now lives in Boston after working in Denmark for two years.[3:54] - Adam shares how he pretended not to understand Danish so that a homeless person switched to English for spare change.[5:00] - Learn where the title of Devastate the Competition comes from.[6:17] - Adam explains the concept of reliability engineering.[8:48] - Quality ensures consistency in manufacturing, while reliability creates robust designs for durable, useful technology.[10:00] - Adam touches upon why he wrote Reliability Culture and why he wrote Devastate the Competition.[13:07] - Adam aims to prevent regrets in product development by establishing processes for wise, efficient decisions.[14:46] - Adam explains his R-Three blueprint.[16:50] - Adam emphasizes the importance of product ratio factors in decision-making.[18:24] - Adam suggests prioritizing robust design for proactive decision-making and smoother processes.[21:29] - It’s important to align individual goals with overall business objectives for success.[24:00] - Etienne discusses how individuals in different roles prioritize their incentives, possibly leading to deviations from the intended path.[25:10] - Adam advocates for measuring "time to reliability" for better decision-making.[28:54] - Adam explains the sawtooth pattern in software reliability curves.[31:00] - Reduce software bugs by identifying and eliminating infrequently used code through script scanning.[32:02] - Hear how Adam simplifies reliability concepts via comic books, aiming to make fundamental tools more accessible.[35:20] - Adam explains why he finds the term HALT (Highly Accelerated Life Test) misleading.[37:26] - Adam compares reliability tools to car controls, advocating for their accessibility and understanding.[39:13] - Etienne discusses technical debt, emphasizing the trade-offs made in software development for faster time to market.[41:21] - Where can listeners reach Adam?

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Contact Etienne: Website / YouTube / LinkedIn / X / Instagram / The CTO Podcast WebsiteContact Adam: Website / Instagram / LinkedIn Adam's Books: Devastate the Competition / How Reliable Is Your Product? / Reliability Culture

Adam’s Podcast

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Going First: Leading with Purpose in an Overthinking World with Nell Derick Debevoise

22 maj 2024 | 50 min

Etienne is joined in this episode by Nell Derick Debevoise, the founder of Inspiring Capital which helps leaders grow their business with purpose and build impactful legacies. Nell has advised leaders at American Express, Cisco, Google and more, and she focuses on expanding impact, growing businesses and building legacies that are inclusive, anti-racist and sustainable.

Etienne and Nell discuss East Coast vs. West Coast cultures, with Nell reflecting on her experiences in New England and California, and how these cultural differences shape leadership styles and priorities. They also discuss the importance of purposeful leadership to overcoming the paralysis of overthinking, with Nell offering practical advice drawn from her book, Going First: Finding the Courage to Lead Purposefully and Inspire Action.

Etienne and Nell also candidly dive into the challenges and rewards of purpose-driven work, sharing personal anecdotes and reflections on their journeys. From navigating the complexities of international service work to empowering local communities, they discuss strategies for maximizing impact within one's sphere of influence.

Listen in to gain valuable insights into aligning your personal values with your professional endeavors, overcoming self-doubt and insecurity, and fostering collaboration within purpose-driven organizations. Whether you're a seasoned leader seeking to reignite your passion or you’re a newcomer navigating the intersection of purpose and profit, this episode offers actionable tips and insight for making a meaningful impact in today's world!

Time Stamps:[1:52] - Etienne discusses having walked the East Coast before settling in California.[4:09] - Nell, influenced by New England, values a blend of progressive and traditional ideals, particularly regarding nature.[5:49] - Etienne misses seasons and makes note of his children's unfamiliarity with weather changes.[8:03] - Nell reflects on what stood out to her the most from her last dinner meeting with Etienne.[11:19] - Nell highlights the superficiality of American identity, contrasting it with the authenticity observed in European culture.[13:16] - Hear how Nell's international work in human development emphasized holistic, purpose-driven development.[15:43] - The essence of "teaching the right people" is leading purposefully and inspiring action through everyday courage.[17:12] - What motivated Nell to write her book?[20:22] - Etienne contemplates bridging the gap between massive enterprises and individual humanity, especially in education.[22:34] - Nell addresses the challenge of maintaining purpose amid complexity, urging acknowledgment and focused persistence.[24:25] - Nell advocates for Seth Godin's idea of "niching up," making a localized impact within one's sphere of influence.[27:06] - Etienne reflects on the desire to address grand challenges all at once, advocating for steady but meaningful impact.[28:26] - Aligning actions with purpose, whether asking for donations or engaging directly with communities, is crucial.[31:10] - Etienne expresses frustration with inaction despite ample support and opportunity to make a difference.[33:05] - Hear Etienne share an inspiring story of community transformation sparked by a small investment as he laments his own inaction.[35:15] - Nell discusses how insecurity can hinder bold action and impact, emphasizing the need to be confident in one's goals.[38:42] - Nell suggests framing the past five years positively, emphasizing meaningful change and exciting progress.[39:36] - Stephen Covey's concept differentiates between our concerns and what we can influence, highlighting impactful actions.[42:25] - Recognizing the scope of influence involves not just identifying issues but also effective solution delivery.[44:22] - Nell plans to leverage her upcoming trip to San Diego for revenue-generating opportunities.[47:18] - Learn about a key tool that Nell uses to assess individuals' energy for team or project contributions which enhances collaboration.

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Contact Etienne: Website / YouTube / LinkedIn / X / Instagram / The CTO Podcast WebsiteContact Nell: LinkedIn / PurposeFused Nell’s Book

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Joel Beasley, Modern CTO: Mastering the Art of Podcasting

14 maj 2024 | 49 min

Etienne is so happy to be sitting down with his good friend Joel Beasley for this episode. Joel is the mastermind behind the Modern CTO Podcast and founder of Pro Series Media, and he is here for an enlightening conversation on the ins and outs of podcasting. With years of experience under his belt, Joel shares invaluable insights on starting, cultivating, managing, and scaling a successful podcast.

From the importance of in-person interviews to the art of crafting compelling questions, Joel breaks down the key elements that make a podcast stand out, emphasizing the significance of building genuine connections with guests and providing valuable content to listeners and stressing that quality engagement is more important than quantity.

Joel's approach to podcasting is refreshingly authentic, focusing on human relationships and meaningful conversations rather than gimmicks or marketing tactics. He shares his journey from focusing solely on technical leaders to exploring groundbreaking ideas shaping humanity, inspired by visionaries like Jordan Peterson.

Listen as Joel offers practical advice for aspiring podcasters, from niche selection and guest outreach to effective interviewing techniques. He emphasizes the value of preparation, genuine curiosity, and caring for both guests and audience members.

Joel also unveils his plans for the upcoming Joel Beasley Show, where he aims to dive deeper into transformative ideas and continue fostering meaningful connections. With Joel's expertise and passion for podcasting, listeners are in for a treat as they embark on their own podcasting journey or simply tune in to enjoy engaging conversations with fascinating individuals!

Time Stamps:

[2:31] - Joel feels that in-person interactions foster deeper connections compared to remote ones, enhancing relationships and responsiveness.[4:39] - Exploring diverse perspectives and groundbreaking ideas drives Joel's new show, inspired by transformative encounters.[7:35] - Joel argues that human connections hinge on shared values and content quality, reflected in his authentic podcast approach.[10:12] - Prioritize genuine connections over high conversion rates; quality relationships yield long-term podcast success.[13:18] - Invites based on episode performance prioritize engaging guests.[15:59] - Etienne and Joel met seven years ago when Etienne launched 7CTOs.[17:08] - Joel reveals that he plans to offer free, high-quality podcast creation content to build trust with businesses.[19:27] - Joel outlines a B2B podcast course focusing on niche identification and audience value delivery.[22:23] - Etienne admires marketing instincts, recognizing simplicity and potential in targeting conference audiences.[23:43] - Joel delegated conference research after obtaining options from a hired research analyst.[26:34] - Joel shares how he discovered a passion for sales, emphasizing value and dedication in podcast production.[29:04] - Joel emphasizes the core of podcasting: serving listeners by aligning audience needs with valuable content.[33:17] - Joel aims to assist creators transitioning to professional podcasting, stressing value, guest validation, and collaboration.[36:55] - Joel finds coaching the host to be rewarding due to their innate curiosity and care, key success traits.[38:31] - Consider turning coaching expertise into a podcast, offering recorded sessions to address common challenges.[40:05] - Joel advocates for hiring a local videographer for professional setup, maximizing quality without breaking the bank.[43:12] - Joel prioritizes audience value in conversations, subtly promoting podcast services and achieving 10% client conversion.[45:02] - Joel reflects on having sent 250 emails nightly, refining the process, highlighting problem-solving abilities.[47:47] - Joel bases his prices on team size, offering packages or individual options.[48:31] - Joel is planning to launch The Joel Beasley Show in early fall.

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Contact Etienne: Website / YouTube / LinkedIn / X / Instagram / The CTO Podcast WebsiteContact Joel: LinkedIn / Modern CTO Podcast / ProSeries Media

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Alex Balazs, CTO Intuit: Generative AI, Vulnerability and Leadership

7 maj 2024 | 40 min

Etienne sits down this episode with Alex Balazs, the CTO of Intuit, for an eye-opening discussion on vulnerability, leadership, and the cutting-edge realm of generative AI. Alex shares insights from his journey, from TurboTax's chief architect to leading technology at Intuit. He delves into the pivotal role vulnerability plays in effective leadership, emphasizing the importance of authenticity and humanity in fostering collaboration and innovation.

Alex sheds light on the transformative potential of generative AI and its applications in revolutionizing customer experiences. From enhancing email marketing with MailChimp to reimagining tax preparation with TurboTax, Alex reveals how Intuit is leveraging AI to deliver tangible benefits to users.

Alex and Etienne also navigate the challenges of staying ahead in a rapidly evolving technological landscape. Alex emphasizes the need for CTOs to dream big, experiment boldly, and prioritize customer impact, and he underscores the power of community and collaboration in driving positive change, urging technologists to harness their skills for the greater good.

Through anecdotes and insights, Alex inspires listeners to embrace vulnerability, seize opportunities, and leverage technology for transformative impact. Join Etienne and Alex in this enlightening conversation about the intersections of leadership, technology, and human connection.

Time Stamps:

[1:09] - Alex discusses how he progressed from Turbotax's chief architect to Intuit's chief technology officer.[3:23] - Vulnerability, often overlooked in leadership, fosters connection and strength, a crucial lesson in leadership.[5:09] - Alex argues that shifting from having answers to asking questions fosters growth and leadership.[8:23] - Being a CTO can feel lonely, but community support humanizes and strengthens leadership.[10:29] - Etienne discusses how the accessibility and humility of influential leaders contrast with those of smaller companies.[12:00] - Mastering scale is crucial for large company CTOs, balancing priorities and fostering efficiency.[15:15] - The rapid progress of generative AI and cutting-edge hardware designs signal groundbreaking technological advancements.[18:32] - Alex points out how the rapid evolution of technology has made home automation mainstream.[19:45] - Alex shares a story of how during a loud event like the Super Bowl halftime show, noise-canceling earbuds offered a safer, clearer experience.[22:03] - Etienne argues that navigating disruptions and commitments as a CTO demands staying informed and strategic.[24:21] - According to Alex, to truly shake things up with tech, it's not about being just slightly better but rather ten times superior.[26:26] - Intuit prioritizes customer impact, aiming for tenfold improvement with AI innovations.[29:19] - Alex discusses how generative AI shifts tech to prioritizing accuracy over human fallibility, which requires education.[31:48] - Tech innovation now surpasses predictions; building adaptable organizations is key to embracing disruption.[34:08] - Alex points out that we should be embracing both practical and groundbreaking cases for innovation.[36:49] - Alex closes by encouraging community support, networking, and dreaming big to leverage technology for positive change.

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Exploring RF Communication, Encryption, and AI with Dell Kronewitter

30 april 2024 | 44 min

Join Etienne on the latest episode of the CTO Podcast as he dives into the world of RF communication, encryption, and AI with Dell Kronewitter, Director of Technology at Fuze Integration!

Dell provides insights into encryption concepts like red and black sides and how they relate to secure communication. He and Etienne explore the fascinating world of satellite communications and the role of AI in a hybrid, highly regulated environment. From discussing the challenges of maintaining communication integrity amidst atmospheric interference to the intricacies of managing a hybrid engineering team, Dell shares valuable perspectives on navigating complex technological landscapes. Also discover how Fuze Integration leverages innovative solutions like the Virtual Network Testbed and the Tannen's Tactile Airborne Network Simulator to drive advancements in communication technology.

With insights into the evolving role of AI and machine learning in optimizing network performance, this episode offers a captivating glimpse into the future of communication technology. Tune in for an engaging discussion that blends technical expertise with real-world insights, providing a comprehensive overview of the cutting-edge developments shaping the world of RF communication and beyond!Time Stamps:[2:05] - Using a whiteboard as a crutch can complicate explanations and lose audience focus.[4:38] - At Fuze, Dell strengthens engineering processes, focusing on user-centric design.[5:54] - Dell explains how, in secure communication, Alice and Bob encrypt messages to keep Eve from intercepting.[8:25] - Dell’s work blends commercial and military tech, ensuring secure communication with patented innovations.[11:44] - The Encryptor, certified by the NSA, requires careful key handling for secure communication.[14:26] - Dell reveals that Satcom connections are often commercial; military radios include encryption for secure communication.[16:41] - Dell monitors for jamming and stores cross-layer information for analysis.[19:17] - The Blue Angels' close formations are achieved manually, showcasing remarkable piloting skills and coordination.[20:22] - Does Dell’s technology expand to satellites?[22:46] - Satellites use laser communication for cross-linking, benefiting from space's optimal conditions.[25:19] - Dell reveals how, after a prototype satellite launch, he left the company; Orbcomm launched eight satellites, landing boosters successfully.[28:07] - Dell manages standard configuration processes, integrating new tech and gathering customer input for product enhancement.[29:53] - Dell touches upon how integrating diverse teams presents challenges in product development.[31:23] - Dell employs Virtual Network Testbed for government projects, simulating RF channels for software refinement.[34:03] - Achieving fidelity in flight simulations requires control of multiple variables and data acquisition.[37:52] - Dell reflects on how navigating challenges in team dynamics and processes reveals evolving perspectives and improvements.[39:44] - Dell optimizes networks with machine learning, facing challenges in high-dimensional problems.

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Insights into AI and Beyond with Mourad Zerroug

23 april 2024 | 47 min

Etienne is excited to be sitting down with Mourad Zerroug, CTO of Splash, for a captivating conversation about their experiences as immigrants in the United States, diving into their respective backgrounds from Algeria and South Africa.

From there, the two explore Mourad's journey as a technology leader for nearly three decades, spanning various industries such as robotics, e-commerce, and event technology. With a PhD in computer science from the University of Southern California, Mourad shares some great insights into the evolving landscape of AI and its profound impact on developer teams.

Mourad and Etienne also discuss the transformative potential of AI tools like GitHub Copilot, offering a glimpse into how these technologies are reshaping the way engineers work and collaborate. Delving into broader themes of identity and societal change, they reflect on their African heritage and the shifting paradigms of communication in the age of generative AI.

Join Etienne and Mourad as they navigate the intersection of technology, culture, and human ingenuity in this thought-provoking episode.

Time Stamps:

[2:49] - Mourad argues that African identity embodies rich diversity in history, language, and culture, experienced personally and globally.

[4:11] - Growing up bilingual, Mourad's accent reflects diverse linguistic influences.

[5:59] - Mourad highlights firsthand involvement in mentoring Algerian tech entrepreneurs, emphasizing innovation and problem-solving for economic development.

[8:02] - Mourad reflects on his journey having navigated language barriers and adapting his communication methods.

[9:35] - In his role as a CTO, Mourad navigates deploying innovation, leveraging tech advancements, and embracing AI's transformative power.

[12:16] - Etienne reflects on the profound impact of mobile technology, highlighting the shift towards collective knowledge and the implications of AI models like GPT.

[13:59] - Mourad delves into the transformative impact of AI, evolving beyond mere convenience to augmenting human intelligence.

[16:38] - Etienne marvels at AI's rapid learning curve, contrasting human learning with models' instant replication and comprehension.

[18:10] - Mourad discusses adapting to generative AI, bridging communication gaps.

[20:01] - Coding has changed in that expertise now lies in basic models accessible through natural language.

[23:18] - Mourad points out how professionals embrace AI for innovation, boosting efficiency, satisfying customers, and enhancing operations.

[26:36] - Learn how Mourad leverages enterprise solutions and AI, enhancing communication, messaging, and engagement.

[29:54] - GitHub Copilot's feedback indicates that it won't replace engineers but aids in code generation.

[31:37] - Mourad predicts that code generation tools hint at a future where verbal instructions may replace manual coding.

[34:42] - Emerging frameworks like AWS Bedrock and Hugging Face streamline application development.

[37:24] - Mourad feels that future programming could allow anyone to deploy complex applications using natural language prompts.

[38:59] - Etienne argues that generative AI reshapes our understanding of technology, blurring lines between user and machine interaction.

[41:43] - Mourad agrees, adding that current technology blurs the line between human behavior and technology, fostering an emotional connection.

[44:11] - Books on AI such as AI Superpowers by Kai-Fu Lee explore its global impact and geopolitical implications.

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Crafting Code and Conquering Fear: A Journey Through Middle-Earth and Conway's Law

16 april 2024 | 44 min

Join Etienne in this episode as he interviews Allan Stewart, the lead engineer at SynkedUP, a groundbreaking startup focused on bridging the technological gaps in today’s digital world. Together, they unravel the threads of storytelling in The Lord of the Rings, explore the implications of Conway’s Law on organizational design and software development, and discuss coding challenges that leave even seasoned developers hesitant.

Allan touches upon his lifelong journey with Tolkien's work, showcasing how the tales have influenced his personal and professional life, and his unique perspective illuminates the profound impact of literature on technological creativity and problem-solving. The conversation also dissects Conway's Law and its profound influence on the architecture of software systems, mirroring the communication patterns within organizations.

Etienne and Allan also delve into a common dilemma in the tech world: the fear of modifying legacy code. Allan recounts tales from the trenches, revealing strategies to address the untouchable parts of a codebase that developers dread to alter. Their discussion serves as a critical reminder of the importance of fostering a culture that encourages innovation, transparency, and resilience in the face of technological challenges.

Allan’s insights offer a fresh perspective on the relationship between team dynamics and code quality, shedding light on how team structure can shape the final product, for better or worse. Whether you're a fan of Middle Earth, an aspiring engineer, and/or a seasoned CTO, this episode promises a treasure trove of wisdom and intriguing discussions that run the gamut of software development and beyond.

Time Stamps:

[1:43] - Allan discusses his love for The Lord of the Rings.

[3:45] - Allan explores Middle-earth's history through Christopher Tolkien's posthumous works, finding it rewarding.

[6:34] - Allan's reading habits are sporadic, recently focusing on the fifth volume of The History of Middle Earth.

[8:45] - Conway's Law suggests team dynamics shape software, stressing the importance of communication in development.

[10:58] - Software mirrors its development context, with team practices and incentives affecting the codebase's quality.

[12:22] - Etienne argues that hasty incentives can lead to poor coding practices and duplicated work to meet deadlines.

[14:07] - Financial motives of offshore teams often overlook comprehensive codebase care, highlighting the importance of aligning team incentives with quality goals.

[16:58] - Allan values trust in software audits and reiterates the importance of aligning developer incentives with principal goals.

[18:44] - Allan highlights how attitudes towards automated testing mirror Conway's Law, impacting developer confidence and code quality.

[20:50] - Allan critiques the dynamics between QA and developers, leading to defensive coding and diminished collaboration.

[24:39] - Understanding software complexity is challenging; relying on trusted opinions and monitoring development are important.

[27:12] - Etienne observes prolonged development times, suggesting collaborative code reading sessions for improved quality.

[29:14] - Allan emphasizes collaboration through pair and mob programming, involving all teams for active participation.

[31:42] - Hear why Allan prioritizes principles such as collaboration and automated testing over vague "best practices."

[33:46] - In large developer meetings, Allan points out, some may not speak up due to overcrowding, hindering valuable input.

[35:50] - Effective collaboration doesn't require everyone to do the same tasks simultaneously but involves coordination and acknowledgment of specialties.

[39:04] - Addressing fear and context changes requires transparency, incentives, and adaptable code structures.

[42:02] - Etienne shares how his hackathon competition helped alleviate his developers’ fears around touching code.

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From Code to Cattle: Parallels Between Technology and Farming with Jennifer Cwagenberg

9 april 2024 | 30 min

Etienne is very excited to welcome Jennifer Cwagenberg, Head of Engineering at Protopia AI, to the podcast for an engaging discussion spanning technology, farming, and even the intersection of the two. Jennifer shares insights into her unique lifestyle as a technologist and baroness of Texas, where she navigates the balance between rural tranquility and technological challenges.

Their conversation delves into Jennifer's engineering journey, from her telecom beginnings to her diverse roles at companies like Match.com and Toyota, ultimately leading to her current role at Protopia AI. Jennifer provides a fascinating glimpse into Protopia's innovative approach to data protection for AI models, showcasing how their technology enables businesses to retain ownership of their data while still leveraging AI capabilities.

Beyond technology, Jennifer sheds light on the parallels between farming practices and engineering principles, highlighting the importance of efficiency, adaptability, and continuous improvement in both areas. Drawing parallels between optimizing soil health and streamlining code, Jennifer emphasizes the value of making the right practices easy for engineers, thus fostering a culture of excellence and innovation.

The conversation also touches on team dynamics, tool preferences, and the importance of enforcing coding standards to ensure maintainability and scalability of projects. Jennifer's dedication to creating unified developer experiences truly highlights her commitment to streamlining processes and maximizing productivity within her team.

Join Etienne and Jennifer as they explore the fascinating intersection of technology, agriculture, and engineering philosophy, offering valuable insights for both seasoned professionals and aspiring technologists alike.

Time Stamps:

[2:07] - Jennifer points out how living in the countryside brings peace but lacks local community and good internet.

[3:35] - Jennifer shares that she transitioned from telecom to startups, experiencing acquisitions and now focuses on AI data protection.

[6:32] - Jennifer highlights the power and satisfaction of technology's immediate impact on society and individuals.

[9:10] - Jennifer thrives on challenges across various domains, including farming, showcasing adaptability and passion for problem-solving in engineering.

[12:48] - For her farm, adhering to no-till practices is crucial due to regulatory requirements and land conditions.

[13:47] - How does Jennifer put her engineering prowess to good use on her farm?

[16:19] - Both technology and farming require balancing effort - investing time wisely for impactful, achievable solutions.

[18:57] - As VP of Engineering, Jennifer manages teams, contributes individually, and fills business needs.

[20:23] - Protopia AI aims to unify developer experiences, leveraging VSCode for powerful collaboration and shared settings.

[22:33] - Reading the book Clean Code impacted Jennifer profoundly, emphasizing best practices for writing maintainable, readable code.

[25:30] - Jennifer points out that, as an engineer, managing various tasks from coding to security is challenging, but setting standards helps.

[28:05] - Jennifer explains that enforcing pre-commit practices improves feedback speed, though it's not universal; CI/CD rules ensure code quality.

Resources and Links Mentioned:

Robert C. Martin - Clean Code: A Handbook of Agile Software Craftmanship

We have 200+ CTOs in peer groups: Quick Testimonials Video

Contact Etienne: Website / YouTube / LinkedIn / X / Instagram / The CTO Podcast Website

Contact Jennifer: LinkedIn / Protopia AI Website

Schedule a meeting with Etienne on Calendly

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The Realities of Fundraising with Sean Nam

2 april 2024 | 38 min

Joining Etienne this week on the podcast is Sean Nam, the CTO of Ivy Energy. Etienne engages in a multifaceted conversation with Sean, and they touch upon the intricacies of supporting founders during fundraising to reflections on technology giants like Apple and Uber.

Sean provides insights into IV Energy's mission to revolutionize shared energy usage through solar platforms, shedding light on the challenges and innovations in the field, and as the conversation delves deeper, Sean and Etienne explore the dynamics of team management, fundraising endeavors, and the evolving role of a CTO. Sean's reflections on American democracy, viewed through the lens of a South African and a Korean immigrant, also add a thought-provoking layer to the discussion.

Sean also offers a candid exploration of the challenges of participating in a democracy amidst distractions and complexities, resonating with both disappointment and a call for collective action. Tune in for a compelling dialogue that blends technical expertise with societal insights, offering a glimpse into the complexities of modern leadership and civic engagement.

Time Stamps:

[1:25] - What are Sean’s thoughts on Apple Vision Pro?

[4:35] - Sean describes Ivy Energy’s mission.

[7:30] - Learn about Sean’s team dynamics.

[9:21] - Sean finds David Farley's insights refreshing, bridging software engineering with other technical disciplines.

[10:42] - Learn how Sean's journey to leadership at Ivy Energy stemmed from seizing unexpected opportunities and challenges.

[12:16] - Sean reflects on some of the lessons that he has been learning.

[13:24] - Reflecting on venture capital dynamics through media like "Super Pumped" informs Sean's approach.

[16:38] - Sean argues that effective collaboration between visionaries and their teams, like Steve Jobs with engineers, shapes success.

[18:04] - Sean touches upon the significance of risk assessment.

[20:01] - Balancing sales and marketing with product development ensures delivering on the promised vision.

[22:51] - Transitioning from software engineer to CTO, Sean has honed communication skills and adapted to delayed feedback in leadership.

[24:49] - Sean explains how giving feedback in a PR setting versus individually has a significant impact on individuals.

[26:01] - Sean recently saw a news story involving a lack of attention leading to bribery in West Virginia.

[28:30] - Etienne discusses how participating in democracy is challenging due to complexities; simpler systems are desired for all.

[30:02] - The flaw in the US voting system lies in its historical complexity and lack of modernization.

[33:10] - Sean asserts that politics becoming a show has led to exhaustion and disengagement and that systemic change requires collective effort.

[36:02] - Sean feels that restricting information and education perpetuates autocracy.

Resources and Links Mentioned:

David Farley - Modern Software Engineering: Doing What Works to Build Better Software Faster

We have 200+ CTOs in peer groups: Quick Testimonials Video

Contact Etienne: Website / YouTube / LinkedIn / X / Instagram / The CTO Podcast Website

Contact Sean: LinkedIn

Schedule a meeting with Etienne on Calendly

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Navigating the Rollercoaster: From Rapid Growth to Unwinding with Tracie Hlavka

26 mars 2024 | 34 min

Etienne is thrilled to sit down with Tracie Hlavka, former CTO of Flyhomes, to discuss the tumultuous journey of rapid scale and the poignant process of winding down a company. Tracie reflects on her experience navigating the job market amidst layoffs and shifting funding landscapes, shedding light on the challenges of finding the right fit in a tough market.

Tracie and Etienne also delve into the complexities of managing a tech team during rapid growth and downsizing, highlighting the delicate balance between building scalable systems and adapting to changing circumstances. Tracie shares insights into the intricacies of hiring and team organization, emphasizing the importance of aligning technology with business objectives and fostering a culture of resilience.

The conversation also touches on the emotional toll of layoffs and the significance of empathetic leadership in times of transition. As Tracie explores her journey of self-discovery and career exploration, she also reflects on the lessons learned from the book Designing Your Life and the value of embracing possibility amidst uncertainty. Join Etienne and Tracie as they navigate the highs and lows of the tech industry, offering valuable insights for CTOs and aspiring leaders alike.

Time Stamps:

[1:59] - Tracie finds the current market tough, especially for series B/C startups and consumer-facing ventures.

[3:44] - Tracie sees a challenging cycle in rapid scaling, grappling with evolving processes and clinging to past achievements.

[6:21] - Hear how Tracie finds rapid scaling exhilarating, despite its challenges, embracing the process of hiring and growth.

[8:21] - Tracie relishes the challenge of building systems and teams to support rapid company growth.

[10:59] - For each hire, Tracie conducts around ten interviews, with approximately 100 applicants for consideration.

[13:30] - Tracie argues that hiring can initially be inefficient, requiring time for new hires to integrate and become productive.

[16:57] - Tracie advocates for yearly adjustments in team structure to match business needs, balancing deep expertise with innovation.

[20:02] - Managing code boundaries and team dynamics becomes challenging when splitting teams to match organizational growth.

[23:40] - Tracie points out that educating about realistic technology expectations involves managing the desire to scale prototypes instantly.

[24:44] - Tracie argues for the importance of handling layoffs with empathy.

[26:24] - Adapting to rapid changes requires adjusting systems.

[29:35] - Tracie shares that she found solace in taking time off and exploring the book Designing Your Life to navigate career choices.

[30:49] - Exploring alternative scenarios and milestones through exercises fosters openness to new possibilities and insights.

Resources and Links Mentioned:

Bill Burnett & Dave Evans - Designing Your Life: How to Build a Well-Lived, Joyful Life

We have 200+ CTOs in peer groups: Quick Testimonials Video

Contact Etienne: Website / YouTube / LinkedIn / X / Instagram / The CTO Podcast Website

Schedule a meeting with Etienne on Calendly

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From Pragmatism to Pivot Tables: Navigating Leadership, Philosophy, and Data Mastery with Matt Van Itallie

19 mars 2024 | 47 min

Etienne is very happy to be sitting down with Matt Van Itallie, founder of Sema, a company that develops software to help engineering leaders manage AI in software development. As they delve into their shared experiences of learning to code on vintage machines, they explore Matt's journey from studying philosophy to founding Sema.

The conversation takes a philosophical turn, discussing pragmatism in decision-making and the importance of clarifying outcomes, and Etienne and Matt also dissect the complexities of C-suite dynamics and the challenges of resolving conflicts within leadership teams. Matt shares insights on the significance of developer retention and the metrics that matter most on a CTO dashboard, and the discussion touches on the art of listening, empathy, and the power of effective communication within organizations.

As they plan a session on pivot tables, Matt also emphasizes the value of community, highlighting the support and inspiration found in groups like 7CTOs. Tune in for a thought-provoking conversation on leadership, problem-solving, and the human side of technology!

Time Stamps:

[2:09] - Learn how Matt’s academic journey expanded with a focus on law's evolution and late 19th-century pragmatism.

[4:56] - Matt argues that our brains seek to make sense of things.

[7:24] - Etienne reflects on navigating conflicting perspectives among C-Suite members, highlighting the challenge of coherence.

[10:23] - Focus on critical outcomes, not just outputs.

[12:25] - Matt emphasizes fostering understanding through clarifying outcomes and promoting inclusive dialogue and contributions.

[15:58] - Matt suggests identifying underlying causes of communication issues and resolving conflicts promptly for organizational success.

[16:40] - Hear how Matt prioritizes organizational goals over personal interests, advocating for a values-based decision-making approach.

[18:46] - Matt explains how Sema goes about making decisions pragmatically.

[21:07] - The opposite of pragmatism might be scrutiny, but pragmatism focuses on moving forward effectively.

[24:45] - Mastering pivot tables symbolizes problem-solving prowess, transforming decision-making with raw data access.

[28:03] - Discover how pivotal moments led to Sema's inception in 2015, spurred by tech challenges and leadership insights.

[30:50] - Matt explains how, inspired by a Bloomberg article, he delved into tech research in 2015, seeking innovation.

[32:25] - Matt pursued tech research, seeking licenses from 250 professors; one acceptance birthed Sema.

[34:40] - Matt discusses developer retention, a pivotal metric, and how it holds 25 points on Sema's 100-point scale.

[37:40] - Etienne shares a story in which a key developer's silence flagged a possible departure, highlighting the important role of product vision clarity.

[39:16] - Matt asserts that effective people management discerns subtle shifts in participation, vital for organizational success and cohesion.

[41:49] - Matt encourages us to prioritize listening qualitatively to one's team before relying solely on data-driven tools.

[43:44] - Etienne agrees, adding that mastering listening is as complex as it is crucial, often underestimated despite its profound impact.

We have 200+ CTOs in peer groups: Quick Testimonials Video

Contact Etienne: Website / YouTube / LinkedIn / X / Instagram / The CTO Podcast Website

Contact Matt: Sema Website / LinkedIn / X

Schedule a meeting with Etienne on Calendly

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CTO Leadership: Navigating Startup Realities and Inspiring Teams with Krijn Van der Raadt

12 mars 2024 | 42 min

Etienne sits down with Krijn van der Raadt, a seasoned CTO with a rich history of steering both startups and established tech giants toward successful exits. Krijn, now a fractional CTO and advisor to startups, shares insights gained and collaborative problem-solving experiences with fellow CTOs. They explore the challenges of transitioning from a technical role to a leadership position and the common pitfalls faced by startups when scaling their engineering teams.

Dive into the conversation as Krijn reflects on his journey from Great Call to Health App Folio, discussing leadership styles, organizational structures, and the Goldilocks rate of growth. The episode unfolds with a fascinating discussion on managing budgets in different scenarios, exploring the nuances of constrained vs. surplus spending and the impact on team motivation.

Krijn also sheds light on his passion for preparedness and frugality, drawing parallels between his Dutch background and his approach to leadership. Etienne and Krijn delve into the significance of scarcity as an inspiration for quality work, touching on the dynamics of team motivation and purpose.

The episode takes a turn into the realm of simulations and imagination, where Krijn recommends Jane McGonigal's Imaginable. Discover how the lessons from simulations can transform leadership approaches, enhance team collaboration, and prepare for unforeseen challenges.

Krijn wraps up with insights into tools like ChatGPT and Jupyter notebooks, offering practical tips for effective utilization. Tune in to explore the multifaceted world of leadership, technology, and the human element with Krijn and Etienne in this engaging and insightful episode.

Time Stamps:

[2:57] - Krijn highlights the challenges of evolving from a founding engineer to an effective CTO in startups.

[4:33] - Etienne and Krijn discuss the fascination of transitioning from a technical role to a leadership position.

[6:46] - Krijn shares his experiences with constrained spending and the motivation it provides for quality work.

[9:11] - The discussion turns to the impact of excessive funds on team motivation and product success.

[11:37] - Krijn relates his passion for preparedness, fiscal responsibility, and strategic planning.

[13:19] - Krijn reflects on Jane McGonigal's Imaginable and its influence on leadership and team collaboration.

[17:39] - Etienne delves into the importance of bringing stakeholders along through scenario painting.

[20:53] - Listen as Krijn highlights the value of ChatGPT and AI tools in enhancing productivity and problem-solving.

[23:19] - Krijn advocates for the widespread adoption of tools like Copilot and ChatGPT for increased productivity.

[26:23] - Krijn explores the role of a Python library.

[29:05] - Krijn shares his concern about the prevalence of poor leadership and the need for sincerity and humility.

[30:49] - Etienne reflects on the challenges of leadership and the importance of staying connected to the purpose.

[33:51] - The discussion touches on the disconnect between leadership positions and the tactical understanding required.

[36:09] - Etienne discusses the importance of recognizing and reconciling different perspectives within the organization.

[38:35] - Krijn emphasizes the significance of leaders inspiring trust through sincerity, humility, and a lack of ego.

Resources and Links Mentioned:

leadcto.com

Jane McGonigal - Imaginable

We have 200+ CTOs in peer groups: Quick Testimonials Video

Contact Etienne: Website / YouTube / LinkedIn / X / Instagram / The CTO Podcast Website

Schedule a meeting with Etienne on Calendly

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Leadership, Technology, and the “It Depends” Philosophy: Insights from Kevin Goldsmith

5 mars 2024 | 56 min

Kevin Goldsmith, a seasoned CTO, mentor, and principal at Nimble Autonomy, joins the conversation today as we discuss Kevin's journey in technology leadership across the US, Sweden, and the UK, touching on his experiences and the release of his new book, It Depends: Writing on Technology Leadership 2012 to 2022.

The discussion covers technology adoption, with a focus on ChatGPT and its recent Teams product. Kevin reveals how his team embraced ChatGPT, its role in policy creation, and the advantages of the Teams program for collaborative work. The conversation unfolds into a deeper exploration of the evolving role of CTOs, the future landscape for aspiring leaders, and the potential impact of advanced tools on development processes.

Kevin, in addition, sheds light on the creation of his book, sharing insights into the inspiration behind the title It Depends and the unique approach that he took in preserving the original context of his blog posts. He touches on the audiobook creation process and the decision to self-release, emphasizing accessibility and convenience for readers.

Kevin also offers us a glimpse into his vision for the future, both in terms of technology leadership and the evolving capabilities of generative text generators like ChatGPT. The candid and insightful conversation provides listeners with a multifaceted view of technology, leadership, and the intricate balance between innovation and the human touch, and you won't want to miss this conversation.

Time Stamps:

[00:33] - Kevin Goldsmith joins us today!

[03:42] - Kevin candidly shares that after years of struggling to quit smoking, he successfully quit when his child was conceived.

[04:45] - Armed with a PhD in neuroscience, Kevin quit smoking cold turkey after moving to Europe.

[07:38] - Having faced the challenge of using smoking breaks to clear his mind, Kevin now copes differently.

[09:27] - Reflecting on sixteen years without smoking, Kevin recalls a unique experience at Microsoft leveraging smokers' restlessness.

[11:32] - Kevin admits that, even in his pre-smoking days, he sometimes consciously chose to smoke influenced by the band scene that he was part of.

[13:05] - Eager to explore new technologies, Kevin's team embraced ChatGPT, finding it to be a valuable and helpful tool.

[15:42] - Kevin shares how ChatGPT has been a valuable tool for writing policies, streamlining their creation.

[17:44] - Opting for efficiency in creating his book's index, Kevin used ChatGPT to automate the process.

[19:03] - Kevin reflects on his role as a CTO, valuing his longevity.

[20:29] - Kevin finds the diverse career paths of CTOs fascinating, noting the changed landscape enabling quicker advancements.

[23:39] - Reflecting on the evolution of the CTO role, Kevin sees a richer learning landscape today.

[27:42] - Kevin likens tools like ChatGPT to skilled interns, adept at routine tasks, but not for inventive or complex challenges.

[29:57] - Despite excitement and venture capitalist interest, some ideas have never materialized or panned out.

[32:57] - Kevin discusses how the new product, akin to ChatGPT+, offers additional features like admin interface, privacy settings, and team chat sharing.

[35:09] - Kevin encourages using ChatGPT to seek code suggestions and streamline tasks, emphasizing its value despite initial skepticism.

[39:29] - Preserving the original context of blog posts, Kevin's book, It Depends, explores timeless tech leadership themes.

[41:01] - The book's title reflects Kevin's philosophy on nuanced technology leadership, emphasizing decision-making that depends on context.

[43:42] - Kevin shares what inspired the idea behind his book.

[46:39] - Kevin currently uses Podbean for his podcast but is contemplating self-hosting for a more contextual and enjoyable experience.

[50:22] - Kevin reveals where It Depends can be purchased.

[53:10] - Listeners are advised not to edit their own audiobook if they aren’t familiar with the process.

Resources and Links Mentioned:

It Depends: Writing on Technology Leadership 2012-2022 (Book)

It Depends: Writing on Technology Leadership 2012-2022 (Podcast)

Contact Etienne: Website / LinkedIn / X / The CTO Podcast Website

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Just use Flutter - Stephan Schmidt // Amazing CTO

6 september 2023 | 51 min

End of Stack Overflow -- Stephan Schmidt // Amazing CTO

31 juli 2023 | 38 min

Greenest Programming Languages -- Stephan Schmidt // Amazing CTO

25 juli 2023 | 51 min

The future of CTOs with AI -- Stephan Schmidt // Amazing CTO

13 juli 2023 | 17 min

Vision, Strategy An Alignment -- Stephan Schmidt // Amazing CTO

12 juli 2023 | 17 min

AI replaces programmers - Threads killing Twitter

11 juli 2023 | 64 min

Building Organizational Trust in AI -- Ksenia Palke // Airspace

4 juli 2023 | 20 min

How to Apply AI at Your Company -- Ksenia Palke // Airspace

3 juli 2023 | 22 min

Solo Projects // Reddit // Imaginary Problems // Estimation // GPT-4 Pitch Decks

23 juni 2023 | 57 min

How CTO's Should Rely on Automation Infrastructure -- Rob Hirschfeld // RackN

21 juni 2023 | 30 min

The Role of DevOps in Building Startups -- Rob Hirschfeld // RackN

20 juni 2023 | 19 min

Industry-Specific Applications of AI -- Sanjay Sehgal // MSys

16 juni 2023 | 19 min

Ethics & Human-AI Partnerships -- Sanjay Sehgal // MSys

15 juni 2023 | 18 min

Focusing on Revenue Goals with Cross Functional Teams -- Ole Dallerup // Dreamdata.io

9 juni 2023 | 16 min

Becoming a Tech Leader of a Fast-Growing Startup -- Ole Dallerup // Dreamdata.io

8 juni 2023 | 19 min

The Performance Boosting Power of Feedback -- Darva Satcher // GitLab Inc.

6 juni 2023 | 22 min

Unlocking the Power of the Skip Level Meetings -- Darva Satcher // GitLab Inc.

5 juni 2023 | 18 min

Work on Your Reputation Inside and Outside Your Company! -- Kevin Goldsmith // DistroKid

1 juni 2023 | 40 min

Grooming Engineering Managers -- Dalia Havens // Replicated

29 maj 2023 | 34 min

Architecture to Manage Data Costs & Complexity -- Adrian Estala // Starburst

26 maj 2023 | 17 min

The Evolution of the CDO Role -- Adrian Estala // Starburst

25 maj 2023 | 20 min

Coaching Your Engineers vs. Giving Them Feedback -- Etienne de Bruin // 7CTOs

22 maj 2023 | 19 min

The Power of Stillness for the CTO -- Brittany Cotton // 7CTOs

18 maj 2023 | 14 min

How to Stop Juggling & Start Shipping Product -- Surya Oruganti // Argonaut

16 maj 2023 | 12 min

No DevOps? No Problem -- Surya Oruganti // Argonaut

15 maj 2023 | 16 min

Struggles in Buy-vs-Build Land -- Blake Messer // Cratejoy

12 maj 2023 | 17 min

How to use ChatGPT to write code -- Blake Messer // Cratejoy

11 maj 2023 | 19 min

Contribution Analysis for Your Dev Team -- Hezheng Yin // Merico

10 maj 2023 | 19 min

Managing International Engineering Teams -- Hezheng Yin // Merico

9 maj 2023 | 21 min

Impact of AI on a Digital Company's Carbon Footprint -- Richard Whitehead // Moogsoft Inc.

5 maj 2023 | 20 min

Application of AI Techniques to IT Ops -- Richard Whitehead // Moogsoft Inc.

4 maj 2023 | 24 min

Optimize Development with Automation -- Calvin Hendryx-Parker // Six Feet Up

28 april 2023 | 22 min

Build Resilient Systems -- Calvin Hendryx-Parker // Six Feet Up

27 april 2023 | 13 min

Solidifying Software Development Foundations -- Calvin Hendryx-Parker // Six Feet Up

26 april 2023 | 16 min

IOT For The Hot Tub Part 2 -- Jonathan LaCour // Mission

21 april 2023 | 11 min

Designing IOT For The Hot Tub -- Jonathan LaCour // Mission

20 april 2023 | 13 min

Invest In Serverless -- Jonathan LaCour // Mission

19 april 2023 | 12 min

What Is Kubernetes? -- Jonathan LaCour // Mission

18 april 2023 | 13 min

CTO'ing Mission Through Pandemic Lockdowns -- Jonathan LaCour // Mission

17 april 2023 | 12 min

On Degeneracy -- Aaron Longwell // Serverless

14 april 2023 | 25 min

Building the Legal Software System in Afghanistan -- Aaron Longwell // Serverless

13 april 2023 | 28 min

When Simple Concepts Unravel In The C-Suite -- Aaron Longwell // Serverless

12 april 2023 | 13 min

Doing Work As A Means Of Discovery -- Aaron Longwell // Serverless

11 april 2023 | 13 min

Left Brain Right Brain -- Aaron Longwell // Serverless

10 april 2023 | 18 min

Tips on nurturing your network -- Sri Shivananda // PayPal

6 april 2023 | 13 min

Building influence within your organization -- Sri Shivananda // PayPal

5 april 2023 | 17 min

Why fast communication is key -- Sri Shivananda // PayPal

4 april 2023 | 13 min

Publishing 'CTO Excellence in 100 Days' book -- Benjamin Shapiro // I Hear Everything

23 mars 2023 | 12 min

Why CTOs care about podcasts -- Benjamin Shapiro // I Hear Everything

22 mars 2023 | 9 min

Etienne on the ABCs of Getting Back on the Same Page

8 februari 2023 | 10 min

Host Etienne de Bruin shares a powerful way to reframe difficult meetings with developers. In this episode, Etienne will discuss the ABC of getting on the same page and how to deal with complicated meetings that don't go as planned.
Key ideas:
Etienne shares his experiences of meetings with developers where there is a misunderstanding or disagreement about a project. He acknowledges the frustration and concern that can arise for a leader in these situations.
The importance of creating a clear project vision, mission, and values, which serve as a governing document that provides guidance when things become challenging.
The challenges leaders face in meetings where there is disagreement with their teams, such as repeated explanations, pushback, and exceptions that take up most of the meeting.
The ABC approach for dealing with difficult meetings:
Awareness: The first step in dealing with these meetings is awareness, where leaders should write down their feelings and observations during the meeting. This includes noting any fixation on a potential issue, and understanding what is happening in the meeting.
Be Blameless: The second step is to approach the meeting without assigning blame. Leaders should aim to be blameless, which means not blaming others or themselves, but instead focusing on finding a solution.
Be Committed: The final step is to stay committed to your goal. “Stay committed to your developers, stay committed to your team, stay committed to the projects and the outcomes that you're pursuing,” Etienne says.
The ABC approach provides a framework for leaders to handle difficult meetings, reducing frustration and helping to find a solution that everyone can agree on.
KEY QUOTES:
“Stay committed to your developers, stay committed to your team, stay committed to the projects and the outcomes that you're pursuing.” - Etienne de Bruin
Are you a CTO looking to take your role to the next level? Or are you stepping into a new CTO position and want to make the most of your first 100 days? Then you won't want to miss out on this exciting new project!
On March 7th, Etienne is releasing his highly anticipated book "The Essential First 100 Days for CTOs".
It's a must-read for all aspiring and established CTOs. This comprehensive guide covers all the key elements to revamp your role as a CTO at your existing company, or get off to a strong start in your new role.
Head over to CtoExellence.com and join the mailing list for all the latest updates on where and when you can purchase the book.
Resources:
CTO Excellence

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Investing in People: A Look into Fleetio's Software Development Strategy with Jorge Valdivia

1 februari 2023 | 36 min

In this episode of the CTO Studio Podcast, host Etienne de Bruin sits down with Jorge Valdivia, the CTO of Fleetio. Jorge shares valuable insights on how his team handles software development, the role of engineers and product managers, and the importance of investing in people. He delves into the strategies and processes that have helped Fleetio stay ahead of the curve in the highly competitive world of software development.
Jorge is the CTO at Fleetio, a fleet management software company that helps organizations track, analyze, and improve their fleet operations. Fleetio helps fleets track their own vehicles internally, and also helps with compliance reporting. Rather than doing the work for the customer, the platform helps users unlock the full potential of their fleet management.
The company has around 40-50 engineers working on two main products: a web app for fleet managers and a mobile app for Android and iOS.
The teams were initially divided by discipline (web, mobile, internal tools) but it wasn't scaling well, as mobile was always trying to catch up with web. As such, they reorganized the teams around domains of the system (Fleet Maintenance, Fleet Operations, Core Team) with developers from different disciplines working together towards the same goal.
Fleetio adopted an Agile approach, with product managers running the day-to-day execution. Goals are set at a quarterly level and communicated down to teams. Product managers do customer discovery to understand what to work on.
Engineers and product managers have different perspectives and goals, with engineers focused on the present and product managers focused on the future. This can lead to friction between the two groups, but it can also be beneficial in terms of balancing out different perspectives. The CTO may only need to intervene in individual cases.
Fleetio’s early history and its founder's belief in remote work led to its remote-first culture. The company tries to pretend like everyone is remote, even if they work in the same office, to maintain a remote-first culture and encourage communication.
The company places a high importance on the mental well-being of its employees, and works to maintain psychological safety and communication to ensure that employees are comfortable sharing their thoughts and concerns.
Investing in people, whether through professional development or personal interests, will ultimately lead to a return on investment in the form of happier, more connected employees. Managers should be attuned to the well-being of their employees, proactively offer support, and invest in their growth and success.
Some clients ask for SOC 2 reports as part of their due diligence process, which can speed up the sales process.
The security team reports directly to the CTO, who is also responsible for cross-functional communication and business process optimization within the organization.
The CTO must focus on strategic initiatives and coach others on how to work with them in their new role. Etienne points out that value stream mapping is a powerful tool for the CTO to facilitate conversation within the organization and create value for customers.
KEY QUOTE:
"Investing in people is one of the most important things a company can do. It's not just about hiring the best engineers, but also providing them with the tools and resources they need to succeed." - Jorge Valdivia
Resources
Jorge Valdivia on LinkedIn
Fleetio Careers

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How to Replace Yourself and Buy Time with Dan Martell

25 januari 2023 | 49 min

When you're building a business, you shouldn't hire people to add capacity but to buy time out of your calendar. If you don't, you'll end up building a business that you grow to hate and want to shut down because it's taking over your life. Dan Martell teaches entrepreneurs the sequence of how to replace themselves in their business as fast as possible to get the most value at the least amount of risk. He takes listeners on a journey through time as he shares his story and the lessons he’s learned along the way - lessons he also shares in his book.
Dan Martell is founder and CEO of SaaS Academy, a coaching company for software entrepreneurs, and managing partner at High Speed Ventures. A serial entrepreneur, he has started and sold multiple successful businesses over the course of his career, starting his first company at age 24 and selling it at age 27, becoming a young millionaire. Dan is also an author whose book, Buy Back Your Time: Get Unstuck, Reclaim Your Freedom, and Build Your Empire, compiles expert advice to fellow entrepreneurs.
Dan shares how he discovered his passion for programming and entrepreneurship. While cleaning out cabins at a church camp, he found an old 486 computer with a book on Java programming and quickly became addicted to writing code. He taught himself how to code and started building tools and apps using different programming languages. He started his own tech organization, Spheric Technologies, which became the fastest growing company in Canada. He eventually sold the company and became a millionaire at 27.
After selling Spheric Technologies, Dan moved to Silicon Valley to explore more opportunities in business and entrepreneurship. A successful business was one of his goals, and he didn’t want to regret not following his dreams of building one.
Silicon Valley is “Disneyland for software entrepreneurs,” according to Dan. The environment is intense and rife with billion dollar ideas, and being there among other ambitious people enabled him to think bigger and achieve more. He went on to build more tech companies, raise venture capital and became an angel investor in multiple software companies, including Intercom, Bootsuite and Unbounced.
Dan’s book, Buy Back Your Time: Get Unstuck, Reclaim Your Freedom, and Build Your Empire, aims to arm entrepreneurs with the knowledge and techniques they need to conquer their worthiest adversary: time. He believes that our job is to develop ourselves and share what we learn on that journey with others, which he seeks to do with Buy Back Your Time.
Entrepreneurs and creators should create more, Dan remarks, as is their God-given purpose. He wants to help entrepreneurs break through the pain line of building the business in the wrong order so that the world will have more solutions, more abundance, more problems solved and more creators creating.
When applying the buyback principle, rather than freeing up time to do nothing, trade your time to do valuable things you can get paid for. Start by identifying what you don't like doing and what skills you need to develop to get your desired outcome. Dan encourages people to trade their time, become more valuable, and create economies by creating opportunity for others in the value chain.
KEY QUOTE
“The human experience is to face adversity, learn how to overcome it, and if you're not a complete ding dong, teach somebody else how to get through that faster. Our responsibility to people around us is to become better so that we can be an example of possibility.” - Dan Martell
Resources
Dan Martell on the Web | LinkedIn | Twitter
SaaS Academy
Email Dan: [email protected]
Get your copy of Buy Back Your Time here!
The 4-Hour Workweek by Tim Ferriss

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[Replay] Build Your Own CTO Peer Group So That You Can Succeed with Brittany Cotton

18 januari 2023 | 22 min

Team Alliances are a way to create a relationship with others in order to achieve common goals. They help people stay healthy and motivated, and they can be helpful when it comes to resolving conflicts. Brittany Cotton joins host Etienne de Bruin to share the benefits of a Team Alliance.
Brittany Cotton is Head of Coaching at 7CTOs and Program Leader, Coach, Trainer and Facilitator at Accomplishment Coaching. She is also Executive Coach at Be Radical Coaching. Certified by the International Coaching Federation as both a Professional Certified Coach (PCC) and an Associate Certified Coach, Brittany is an expert in leadership development, career development and life coaching, and corporate training.
A Team Alliance is a conversation around intention, commitment, and contribution, Brittany explains. It’s an agreement to come together under shared goals and collaborate, establishing clear expectations about what needs to be done to achieve those goals.
Many people are uncomfortable answering questions about their goals and aspirations, and give themselves little time to think about what they truly want in life. Without a clear idea of what they want, people tend to live their lives at the effect of their circumstances, rather than being in control of them.
It’s important to identify potential obstacles or “leaks” that could prevent the team from achieving their goals. In a boat, a leak may not be noticeable, or it may even seem manageable, but it diverts your attention and energy from the real goal, which is getting to your destination. Similarly, leaks in the team slowly sap you of willpower, forcing you to keep attending to the same recurring issues.
Your Team Alliance needs to be able to communicate openly and honestly with the group if something is not working, without assigning blame or guilt. This requires a certain level of vulnerability.
In order to prepare for a Team Alliance conversation, people should come to the forum with a willingness to let go of the past and forgive themselves and others for any mistakes or shortcomings, Brittany shares. Etienne advises people who might feel stuck or like they're repeating the same process as last year that it's important to approach the Team Alliance conversation with a fresh perspective and openness to new insights and ideas.
Facilitators of Team Alliances are there to facilitate the discussion and handle any situations that come up. Members are encouraged to communicate their needs and what they would like to experience from their facilitators.
KEY QUOTE
“A Team Alliance is a conversation around intention, commitment, and contribution.” - Brittany Cotton
Resources
Brittany Cotton on the Web | LinkedIn
Be Radical Coaching
7CTOs Forum

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Myths of CTO Leadership with Mark Hunter

11 januari 2023 | 52 min

In this episode of the CTO Studio Podcast with host Etienne de Bruin, Mark Hunter discusses the myths of leadership and how they can be harmful to individuals and organizations. He goes on to discuss how leaders can overcome their fear and create gaps in order to identify opportunities for growth. Finally, he encourages CTOs to build authentic relationships with their teams in order to foster trust and communication.
Mark Hunter, author of “The Brink: How Great Leadership Is Invented,” is founder and President at Pinnacle Coaching, and Senior Program Leader at Accomplishment Coaching. As a business and executive coach, Mark works with both corporate and individual personal clients to help them get out of their own way and into new levels of possibility, transformation, leadership, and results.
Mark believes that context and relationship are foundational concepts for sustainable and scalable teams. Leaders in particular need to develop relevant skills such as understanding context, understanding the audience, and situational awareness.
Fear is not inherently bad, Mark comments, but the way we treat it creates problems. Because we view fear as something leaders shouldn’t have, we don’t tell others when we are afraid, which creates shame, and we suffer in silence.
Enrollment is important because it ensures that people are committed to what they’re doing. If you complete tasks just because you’re expected to without any real attachment or investment in that goal, it will be much easier to quit when the going gets tough.
Leaders should understand that gaps in teams are opportunities for growth.
Humans are problem solvers, and if we don’t perceive that we have problems to solve, we manufacture them.
Hierarchy exists, but you don’t have to lead from it. The hierarchy creates a fundamental imbalance of power, and leading from it deepens that imbalance. There is a difference between issuing orders from the title you possess, and using that title as the source of your power.
Resources
Mark Hunter on LinkedIn
The Brink: How Good Leadership Is Invented

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[Replay] Doing Curiosity vs. Being Curiosity

21 december 2022 | 12 min

[Replay] Curiosity and the Unknown

14 december 2022 | 13 min

[Replay] When Curiosity Leads to Questions, But Not All Questions Represent Curiosity

7 december 2022 | 15 min

[Replay] Curiosity vs. Being Curious

30 november 2022 | 11 min

The Role of A CTO is Complicated

23 november 2022 | 16 min

[Replay] Aaron Longwell in the CTO Studio

16 november 2022 | 74 min

[Replay] How to Find The Best Employees in Tech Today, with Casey Kleindienst

9 november 2022 | 41 min

Sleep Tightly Through Your DevOps Woes with Phil Borlin and Ken Cone

2 november 2022 | 63 min

[Replay] The Importance of Psychology as a CTO with Dr. Dan Stoneman

26 oktober 2022 | 41 min

Trunk-Based Development And Feature Flags With EJ & TJ

19 oktober 2022 | 45 min

What must exist for a community to be vibrant and healthy? In this week’s show, EJ Allen and TJ Taylor, CTO and Staff Engineer at Mobilize, answer this question. They join Etienne de Bruin to dig into trunk-based development, feature flags, and how community and personal connection drive business.
Some ideas you’ll hear them explore are:
Community is the tide that raises all boats. Building communities of trust and connecting with people can unlock potential for everyone.
What it means to be part of a thriving community is the same across professional and personal networks. The key components of creating a vibrant network include trust, empathy, and unlocking potential.
In software development, you must be able to take risks and be vulnerable with your team. This means that you essentially eliminate the consequences of making a mistake, allowing your team to experience psychological safety.
Building habits is one of the ways to create pits of success. That translates into looking at the habits of the people around you and figuring out how to leverage those habits to get the desired behavior. Habits are the compound interest of self-improvement.
Think about how you're adding value to your customer. At the end of the day, your work is not necessarily as important as the work that your team is delivering to the customer.
"Being able to get 1% better a day makes you 37 times better in a year. Try not to worry so much about what can I get done in a day or what can I get done this week… Instead, just focus on how can I deliver the smallest amount of value as consistently as possible?"
You need every leg of the stool to be successful. That requires trust, empathy, and connection in your team.
Resources
EJ Allen | LinkedIn
TJ Taylor | LinkedIn
Mobilize
Refactoring by Kent Beck
Working Effectively with Legacy Code by Michael Feathers

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Change is Evolutionary with Dave Mangot

5 oktober 2022 | 44 min

Getting Involved with Open Source Communities with Jesse White

28 september 2022 | 44 min

Feature Flags with Split.io CTO Patricio Echague

21 september 2022 | 45 min

The CTO & Diversity, Equity and Inclusion with Kathy Keating, Aaron Pina and Erik Enge

14 september 2022 | 55 min

DEI isn’t just an organizational to-do; it’s about the day-to-day behavior in a company. Inclusion and Equity are the things we put into practice in our daily lives – how are we inclusive of people, and how do we ensure there is equity across the board? Today, Etienne de Bruin is talking to three experts in their fields, and in the leadership of major organizations who are taking DE&I seriously. Erik Enge is the Head of Engineering at Postmark, Active Campaign. Kathy Keating the VP of Technology at Ad Hoc, and Aaron Pina is the founder of Anthropolicy. They discuss what DE and I really means, how to make it an integral part of your company, and why that matters.

They discuss:
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion isn’t a set of checkboxes to tick off. The number of people of color or members of the LGBTQ community in your company doesn’t mean anything if their day-to-day experience of working in the organization isn’t inclusive. “If you focus on the I, the D will come.”
Psychological safety is important, but the idea of it has de-developed equity in North America. It has kept majority culture, particularly whiteness, from fully engaging in the process and practice of inclusion. Real psychological safety is something else.
Where do you start having conversations about people’s biases and resistance? Aaron recommends looking at skepticism and resistance as a signal for a story that needs to be told.
When you’re part of majority culture, what you find normal, pleasant, easy and conducive to success, it’s hard to imagine that others don’t have the same experience. Eric talks about this realization and how he acted on it.
Trust and safety doesn’t come from doing and saying everything perfectly, it comes from creating something new. Cathy shares that she feels safety comes from “that beautiful moment when we move from your needs, my needs and where it’s about us expressing our needs.”
Aaron talks about how the whole self doesn’t always belong at work, but spaces where you can be unapologetically yourself are vital. He recommends active bystander training and looking at how it can be applied in the world.
Fear is a feeling you can move through – it doesn’t have to be avoided, and it doesn’t have to stop you from making changes and doing the work.
What happens when you bring difference into your workplace ‘tribe’? It always creates friction but how you treat and respond to that friction dictates whether you grow and evolve or stagnate and eventually decay.

Resources
The Culture Code by Daniel Coyle
The Culture Map by Erin Meyer
Aaron Pina on LinkedIn Instagram
Anthropolicy Consulting
Kathy Keating on LinkedIn
Ad Hoc
Erik Enge on LinkedIn
Active Campaign

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A Conversation With PayPal CTO, Sri Shivananda

7 september 2022 | 40 min

“When your name is mentioned, what are the characteristics that people implicitly jump to in a millisecond?” This week’s show peels back the curtain on leadership, authenticity, and the role of a CTO. Sri Shivananda, CTO and EVP of Product and Platform Engineering at PayPal, joins Etienne de Bruin to discuss a variety of topics all centering around his experience as CTO. Sri explores building effective teams, the intricate inner workings of a company, and the impact of a brand.
Some ideas you’ll hear them explore are:
At the end of the day, leadership is really about building great teams. It’s not an act of one - it’s the act of many passionate people that come together.
Communication channels are critical in leadership.
The CTO is the pulse for the customer. Their role allows organizations to continuously evolve the experiences both consumers and merchants have.
Authenticity is foundational for creating trust in any relationship. It’s about ensuring that the way you express yourself and the way you interact with people is in harmony with your core value system.
Leadership is about serving people, but it often gets clouded by worrying about what other people think. Concerns like, “Did I sound stupid?’ are common, but they ultimately don’t improve your leadership. It’s important that you give yourself permission to not be perfect.
You become much more productive collaboratively when you learn to stop judging things and people around you on a continuous basis.
People who have a habit of reflecting during the weekend have an advantage in going into a new week with new learning.
Within a company, the primary operating system involves the reporting relationships such as manager to employee, but the real information and work actually gets done through a secondary operating system of experts connecting with each other.
Networking is very important for both personal and professional growth.
Resources
Sri Shivananda on the Web | LinkedIn | Twitter
PayPal

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Extracting Value From Your Network with Erin Fusaro, Wayne Haber and Brent Thumlert

31 augusti 2022 | 36 min

“If you spend a ton of time cultivating your network, how are you leveraging that work in your current role?” This week’s show explores multiple ways to reap the rewards of building a strong professional network, and how this week’s guests tap into that. Etienne de Bruin welcomes Erin Fusaro, Wayne Haber and Brent Thumlert to the CTO Studio Podcast. Erin is VP of Engineering at Chipper Cash, a fintech company. Her role involves helping the company grow and scale sustainably. Wayne is VP of Engineering at GitLab, focusing on security, growth and machine learning. Their primary objective is increasing “revenue via growth experiments and growth hacking and also apply machine learning to make teams customers more efficient.” Brent is the Managing Director of Software and Technology at Radicle. “Our purpose is to help people find the balance between people, planet and profit, specifically around inventory and reducing their greenhouse gas emissions,” he tells Etienne.
Some ideas you’ll hear them explore are:
Who are you bringing to the table when you sit at the table? Having a strong network means that you bring more than just your expertise; you’re also bringing all the people you know and have influence over.
You can get objective feedback on new ideas from your network and enter new places at a high level of trust.
Maintaining a network of professionals who are as invested in personal development as you are is like “crowdsourcing mentorship”.
Relationship building is everything in networking.
“My network always wins,” Erin says. “That network is such a big part of my value as a leader … my network supersedes any job I have, because it is continuous across my career whereas I may work for a company for a period of time.”
“A healthy network creates knowns and predictability or removes uncertainty.”
One way to keep relationships strong is to watch what you say publicly.
How to measure the health of your network.
The power of community and group discussion. Using a personal Slack channel to keep in touch and simultaneously help one another expand their network.
Resources
Erin Fusaro on LinkedIn | Email
Brent Thumlert on LinkedIn | Email
Wayne Haber on LinkedIn

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How to Make the Horizon Model Better with Visibility Planning with Brant Cooper

24 augusti 2022 | 39 min

What Evolutionary Biology Can Tell Us About Software Development - Part 2

17 augusti 2022 | 44 min

Aaron Longwell, Scott Graves and Judah McAuley are back for the final installment of this two-part episode of the 7CTO Studio Podcast. Aaron is the Software Development Manager at Serverless, Scott is the CTO at Reps and Co, as well as a Founding Partner at Scale Tech Consulting, and Judah is the Associate Director at Tinuiti. This week, they continue their conversation about degeneracy and its relationship to redundancy.
Here are some ideas you’ll hear them explore:
It usually takes a lot of waste to get to the optimal setup.
The smaller the piece of the system, the more precise you need to be. As you zoom out, you can be more tolerant of inefficiency.
Dial in the parts of the system that are stable; focus your adaptability on the areas that are subject to change.
How is the energy in your team best applied? “The thing I've learned the most in managing teams the last couple of years, is to leave lots of slack… leave room for having the energy to think about and try different things.”
Darwin originally theorized evolution as descent with modification and differential survival. They discuss what is similar in software development, and what might be missing.
How Deming’s generative organizational principles apply to building software development teams: “In a good generative culture the complexity will naturally evolve.”
Is it wrong to piggyback off other systems to solve degeneracy?
“Human engineers make progress all the time by looking at the solutions that evolution has come up with.” But is that an effective model to follow? They discuss the possibilities and implications.
“Unless we allow for those emergent phenomena we're never going to get true complexity.”
Resources
Aaron Longwell | LinkedIn | Twitter
Serverless
Scott Graves | LinkedIn
Scale Tech Consulting
Judah McAuley | LinkedIn
Tinuiti
Gang of Four Design Patterns

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What Evolutionary Biology Can Tell Us About Software Development - Part 1

10 augusti 2022 | 40 min

Work on your reputation inside and outside your company! with Kevin Goldsmith and Claudius Mbemba

25 juli 2022 | 40 min

Grooming Engineering Managers with Dalia Havens, VPE at Replicated

1 juli 2022 | 34 min

Shopify's Technical Advisor To The CEO, Duncan Davidson

20 juni 2022 | 39 min

How To Do Skip Level Meetings with Nathan Broslawsky and Scott Graves

9 juni 2022 | 36 min

A CTO Implements DEI Early On: A Discussion With Joan Pepin

23 maj 2022 | 50 min

What metrics do you use? A Discussion With Dave Mangot and Erik Enge

17 maj 2022 | 42 min

Be The Best Damn Fractional CTO You Can Be

9 maj 2022 | 14 min

Integrating New Hires Into Your Engineering Culture with Erin Fusaro and Tracie Hlavka

2 maj 2022 | 36 min

Designing a Great Hiring Process to Attract Engineers

25 april 2022 | 41 min

Deconstructing The Hiring Problem with Eric Lackore and David Lormor

18 april 2022 | 36 min

4 Things The Security Team Wants From Their CTO with Naomi Buckwalter

11 april 2022 | 15 min

QA with Lu Saenz and Pat Cullen

4 april 2022 | 44 min

Coaching Your Engineers vs. Giving Them Feedback with Etienne de Bruin

28 mars 2022 | 19 min

Psychological Safety For Your Engineering Team with Kimeshan Naidoo, CTO Unibuddy

21 mars 2022 | 34 min

Help The C-Suite Understand Your CTO Role with Nishant Mathew and Jim Catts

14 mars 2022 | 52 min

Emotional Literacy Tools For The CTO, with Patty Leeper facilitating a 7CTOs Forum

9 mars 2022 | 25 min

CTO Strategies For Engineering Bonuses And Profit Sharing, with Agustin Lebron and 7CTOs

7 mars 2022 | 51 min

How The CTO Goes About Meeting Their Team's Needs, with Scott Graves and Chris Peterson

1 mars 2022 | 59 min

CTOs Building Web3 Startups Using Blockchains and NFTs

21 februari 2022 | 42 min

Are Your Needs Being Met In The C-Suite?

18 februari 2022 | 31 min

CTO Upgrades To OKRs by using GEMs and Sentinels

14 februari 2022 | 51 min

Engineering Staffing Strategies

8 februari 2022 | 46 min

The Power of Stillness for the CTO

31 januari 2022 | 14 min

New Ideas About The Future of Work

27 januari 2022 | 32 min

Engineering Compensation Challenges

25 januari 2022 | 39 min

What Does Smart Contract Code For A DAO Look Like?

21 januari 2022 | 22 min

CTO Relationships with Project Managers

18 januari 2022 | 25 min

CTO Panel On DAO and Wallet Volatility

13 januari 2022 | 37 min

CTO Introduction To DAO

11 januari 2022 | 39 min

CTO And Data Ownership in Web3

6 januari 2022 | 40 min

Build Your Own CTO Peer Group So That You Can Succeed

3 januari 2022 | 24 min

CTO Discussion On Web3 Complexity

31 december 2021 | 44 min

CTO Under Fire Playbook

28 december 2021 | 52 min

CTO Timing For web3

23 december 2021 | 53 min

CTO Antidote to Decision Fatigue

20 december 2021 | 14 min

CTO Introduction to Web3

17 december 2021 | 58 min

How to Deal with Employees that Don’t Show Willingness to Participate in Relationships

19 november 2021 | 15 min

Defining the CTOs Role in Relationships and Company Culture

16 november 2021 | 16 min

Doing Curiosity vs. Being Curiosity

11 november 2021 | 13 min

Curiosity and the Unknown

27 oktober 2021 | 15 min

When Curiosity Leads to Questions, But Not All Questions Represent Curiosity

18 oktober 2021 | 18 min

Curiosity Vs. Being Curious

13 oktober 2021 | 13 min

Creating A Agile And Innovative Infrastructure

7 oktober 2021 | 37 min

Evidence As A Way To Deal With Ideas And Uncertainty

23 september 2021 | 18 min

Communication Flow for Handling Inventions

20 september 2021 | 15 min

Time Horizons And How We Address Needs

9 september 2021 | 14 min

The Role of the CTO has shifted beyond just Technology

31 augusti 2021 | 13 min

The two most important risk factors in customer and employment agreements

6 augusti 2021 | 15 min

When, Why & How to start the Compliance Process

27 juli 2021 | 16 min

3rd Party & Bad Actor Risk Assessment

15 juli 2021 | 11 min

Navigating Compliance Risk as CTO from a startup idea in a garage to $1B+ unicorn

1 juli 2021 | 15 min

Protecting Your IP in Customer Agreements Part 2

23 juni 2021 | 17 min

Cyber Insurance, Compliance and Cyber Security

16 juni 2021 | 17 min

Cyber Insurance, Compliance and Cyber Security

11 juni 2021 | 35 min

Intellectual Property

4 juni 2021 | 75 min

Gitlab Transparency

27 maj 2021 | 58 min

Must Have and Nice To Have Patents

21 maj 2021 | 39 min

Intellectual Property and Patenting Process

11 maj 2021 | 38 min

On Degeneracy

4 maj 2021 | 25 min

Building the Legal Software System in Afghanistan

27 april 2021 | 28 min

When Simple Concepts Unravel In The C-Suite

20 april 2021 | 13 min

Doing Work As A Means Of Discovery

15 april 2021 | 13 min

Left Brain Right Brain

13 april 2021 | 18 min

IOT For The Hot Tub Part 2

8 april 2021 | 11 min

Designing IOT For The Hot Tub

6 april 2021 | 13 min

Invest In Serverless

1 april 2021 | 12 min

What Is Kubernetes?

31 mars 2021 | 13 min

What is it that CTOs need to know about Infrastructure trends?

25 mars 2021 | 12 min

CTO'ing Mission through Pandemic Lockdowns

23 mars 2021 | 12 min

CI/CD Pipelines Have Become Complicated

18 mars 2021 | 14 min

Ep.113 IOT, Micro Services And Data Visualization

16 mars 2021 | 18 min

Ep.112 A Dragonfly Leads To a Conversation About Ecosystems

11 mars 2021 | 13 min

Ep.111 How To Build Your Own Backyard Pond

9 mars 2021 | 18 min

Ep.110 Why We Ran Out Of Toilet paper During Covid

5 mars 2021 | 17 min

Ep.109 Managing Expectations Part 2

2 mars 2021 | 16 min

Ep.108 Managing Expectations Part 1

25 februari 2021 | 11 min

Ep.107 Truth As A Management Style

23 februari 2021 | 13 min

Ep.106 It's Hard To Be The Naysayer As CTO

18 februari 2021 | 13 min

Ep.105 Time As A Metric

16 februari 2021 | 16 min

Ep.104 Systems Theory: Why Projects Don't Deliver

11 februari 2021 | 19 min

Ep.103 Surviving The Start Up Graveyard By Building A Nimble Company

9 februari 2021 | 15 min

Ep.102 Being CTO Of A Market Leader

5 februari 2021 | 14 min

Ep.101 Wrestling with the Changing Rules of The App Stores as CTO

2 februari 2021 | 17 min

Ep.100 The Conflicted CTO

28 januari 2021 | 15 min

Ep.99 Technology Playbook Part 4

25 januari 2021 | 15 min

Ep.98 Tech Playbook Part 3

20 januari 2021 | 9 min

Ep.97 Tech Playbook Part 2

12 januari 2021 | 14 min

Ep.96 Tech Playbook #1

7 januari 2021 | 11 min

Ep.95 VP of Engineering

28 december 2020 | 7 min

Ep.94 Emotional Intelligence

22 december 2020 | 14 min

Ep.93 Sprint Reviews

15 december 2020 | 11 min

Ep.92 Consulting To CTO

9 december 2020 | 19 min

Ep.91 The Immigrants Complex View of Self

1 december 2020 | 7 min

Ep.90 The 7 Deadly Sins Of Infrastructure As Code Part 3

24 november 2020 | 15 min

Ep.89 The 7 Deadly Sins Of Infrastructure As Code

17 november 2020 | 9 min

Ep.88 The Seven Deadly Sins Of Infrastructure As Code

12 november 2020 | 12 min

Ep.87 Agilestacks

3 november 2020 | 5 min

Ep.86 Black Boxes

30 oktober 2020 | 13 min

Ep.85 Security Penetration

20 oktober 2020 | 8 min

Ep.84 Network Layers

15 oktober 2020 | 10 min

Ep.83 The Blockchain Bandit

13 oktober 2020 | 11 min

Ep.82 The Imposter Syndrome

8 oktober 2020 | 7 min

Ep.81 Why Is Your Backlighting So Awesome

6 oktober 2020 | 7 min

Ep.80 Requirements of Writing A Book

29 september 2020 | 14 min

Ep.79 The Opportunity Relationship Square

22 september 2020 | 7 min

Ep.78 How to choose what Boards you want to be a part of

15 september 2020 | 13 min

Ep.77 When Hiring a Product Manager is better than hiring a CTO

8 september 2020 | 8 min

Ep.76 The Basics Of Trading

1 september 2020 | 15 min

Ep.75 Machine Learning

25 augusti 2020 | 7 min

Ep.74 The Fermi Paradox

18 augusti 2020 | 7 min

Ep.73 GPT-3 to Open AI

11 augusti 2020 | 11 min

Ep. 72 The Case For Infrastructure As Code Part 3

4 augusti 2020 | 10 min

Ep.71 The Case For Infrastructure As Code Part 2

28 juli 2020 | 11 min

Ep. 70 The Case For Infrastructure As Code Part 1

21 juli 2020 | 11 min

Ep. 69 Short Term Crisis Management or a Longer Term Thing

20 mars 2020 | 7 min

Ep. 68 The CTO's Challenge Of Picking The Right Tools For The Job

21 februari 2020 | 17 min

The Gig Economy & Product Roadmaps with Vidya Dinamani, Eric Lawler and Kamel Boulos

10 september 2019 | 56 min

The Key to Company Culture, with Vidya Dinamani, Benji Koltai and Jerome Bonhomme

31 juli 2019 | 50 min

Growing and Scaling Your Tech Company with Michael Singer and friends

10 juli 2019 | 41 min

The Ins and Outs of the Car Finance Industry, with Robert Swisher, Brant Cooper and Sonia Steinway

26 juni 2019 | 46 min

Creating Culture and Productivity with Your Team, with Robert Swisher, Brant Cooper and Michael Young

11 juni 2019 | 57 min

The Present and Future of Data Science, with Christoper Keown, Robert Swisher and Alex Balazs

21 maj 2019 | 52 min

PR and Positive Publicity in Tech with Brian Jones, Alan Leard and Alex Balazs

14 maj 2019 | 49 min

Two CTOs, one Chief Architect & Dr. Debbie Chen from Hydrostasis

7 maj 2019 | 52 min

Community Building with CTOs, with Dr. Tony Karrer

30 april 2019 | 39 min

There’s a misconception that people in tech aren’t big on networking and connecting socially. Our guest today has busted that myth and shows us the power of community building with CTOs.
Dr. Tony Karrer is one of the founders of the Los Angeles CTO Forum, and is also an inspiration to me. He’s built multiple start-ups, is currently the CTO of several companies and holds a doctorate from USC.
Listen in to hear his wisdom on the topics of community building, scaling up and scaling down and much more on today’s CTO Studio.
In this episode, you’ll hear:
What is a fractional CTO?
What lesson did he learn from scaling in the dot com era?
When do you know if you need a CTO?
Is there a way to ensure you find the right advisors?
How do you know if a CTO is a first class citizen of their C suite?
And so much more!
We begin today with Tony telling us how did the LA CTO forum came to fruition. There is a small group of people who founded it over a decade ago. Back when InfoWorld was running a national conference for CTOs and creating local CTO groups.
Doing so inspired a group of people - Tony included - to form their own local CTO group in the LA area. Originally there were 8 of them, and they would gather together to talk about their problems and get ideas from each other. Their original group met in 2001, and they've been growing ever since. In fact, they still help each other today. Tony tells us about how someone from within the group helped him deal with the recent GDPR updates.
We also talk about the ebb and flow of this group and how he decided to stick with this idea for so long. Of course, the core reason is that it provides to him tremendous value in return. While the group ebbs and flows, its core is always there and always strong. Staying in that core group doesn't feel like it's a chore for him: it's a great group of people who provide incredible value to each other and to the larger ecosystem.
And that commitment has paid off, they are a well-known group in and around Los Angeles. They’ve become so big they have also expanded to neighboring areas like Santa Barbara, Pasadena and Orange County.
Our next topic is TechEmpower: Tony was a CTO at two start-ups in the 90s and TechEmpower came out of those experiences. He would get excited about the strategy and how the company should leverage technology. In both instances, he realized once things got going with the company there wasn't a whole lot of strategy left to execute. Instead, it became all about coding.
He knew he was passionate about the strategy and wanted to do more of that, so he wondered how to make that happen.
It was the tech boom at the time and everyone wanted to have a start-up. So he opted to do three of these at a time, and he quickly realized his next problem: he needed people to help him build those three start-ups and everything that went along with them.
Soon he had tapped out his pipeline of people, and was soon faced with the formidable task of hiring the right people. It seemed like a natural solution to build up a staff of his own. He was teaching Computer Science at Loyola Marymount University (LMU) all during this experience, As a teacher, his former students and currently graduating students were a natural resource. From there TechEmpower was born.
In its earliest days, TechEmpower was run out of a lab at Loyola Marymount.. Before long there were 10 people working at LMU's lab. This was during the summer so when the department head saw so many students working in the lab, he asked Tony what they were doing. Tony told him the truth, explaining he had provided them with some work experience opportunities. The department head took it in stride, but a week later a memo was issued saying no commercial enterprises were allowed in the labs at LMU!
Tony followed the new ru

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Innovating as a CTO in Online Advertising with Oded Cohen

23 april 2019 | 54 min

Technology and the internet go hand in hand, as does the innovation both engender. Nowhere is this more apparent than with Nativo’s CTO Oded Cohen. He joins the CTO Studio to tell us what it is like to be innovating as a CTO in online advertising today.
We’ll also talk about why he’s a startup guy at heart, how Nativo continues to innovate their offerings while also building and scaling their teams. This is an in-depth talk about the world of online advertising, and how innovation from that world applies to every industry within tech today. Join us to hear it all on this episode of CTO Studio.
In this episode, you’ll hear:
What does it mean to be a "startup guy"?
What's the difference between native advertising and banner ads?
Why advertising is still effective.
Does the paid wall approach work for all publishers?
What is the dirty secret of cloud storage?
And so much more!
Today Oded Cohen is the CTO of Nativo and is based in Los Angeles, but he is originally from Israel. He was working in an Israeli start up that went public, after which they were acquired by an American company. A few months later he was offered a job in Dallas in a more corporate setting. He took the job and moved his family to Dallas, but it didn’t take long for him to realize he is a start-up guy at heart.
What does he mean exactly when he says he is a startup guy? Oded explains he likes the excitement and fast-moving environment in which he can have a meaningful impact and embrace challenges. In bigger companies you often have to get approval for more things and you have to plan things out or execute on someone else's plan.
So with that realization he moved on about a year later and after exploring some options, he found Nativo and felt it was a good fit. He and his family moved to L.A where he joined Nativo as Senior Vice-President of Engineering. Today, he is the CTO.
When he joined there was no product, no marketing but there was an operations and there was sales. The engineering team was 7 people and everyone was doing multiple things. I asked him to expand on the sales aspect of what they were doing at the time - were they a consulting agency?
Their business has two sides: one side is the publishers. They provide technology to publishers to help them monetize their site using native advertising (which is how they got their name, Nativo).
The other side is the advertisers (brands). So their sales team goes directly after advertisers to get them to run native campaigns across all sites that embrace their technology. Their platform also act as a supply side platform (SSP), which allows publishers to auction their inventory in real time and serve the highest paying ad onto their site, maximizing the yield for the publishers.
The idea behind native advertising (versus display banners) is to provide a better user experience for site readers by adopting the characteristics of the rest of site, or in other words being more “native to the site”. That means if you go to a particular site looking to read articles in a specific topic, you will be shown ads on similar topics, with a headline and an image promoting sponsored articles (or videos)
When you actually click on the sponsored content ad, you read the article on the same site (whereas banners will send you to some other site). With their sponsored content you stay on your original site giving you a true full native experience.
We then move on to to talk about what it's been like to be the CTO of Nativo and his teams there.
Going from SVP of Engineering to CTO hasn't been much of a change, according to Oded. He's now managing 40 people and working very closely with the VP of product and his team.
He's still a technical guy so he'll sometimes get involved in the coding. He might be even deploy some of the code himself, as

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Disrupting The Healthcare Market with CTO Unmesh Srivastava

16 april 2019 | 47 min

We’ve seen the disruption of many markets in the last decade, so is healthcare next? It is and that disruption is already underway, according to our guest Unmesh Srivastava. Unmesh is the CTO of P3 Health Partners, and he’s been in the healthcare industry for over a decade so he knows where the industry has been, and where it is going in the future.
On this episode, we talk about his journey to becoming a CTO in the healthcare industry, what we can learn from even the most humble of jobs, and why he doesn’t see his tech team as different from the other teams in his organization. Join us for those topics and more on today’s CTO Studio.
In this episode, you’ll hear:
What is the currency you have to spend to build connection?
Why is connection the key to earning respect from your team?
How sales applies to every aspect of your organization.
What's a problem he often sees with technologists and tech leaders?
How do you build a team so your developers so they have a balance of business knowledge and development and coding?
And so much more!
Unmesh left India for the States in 2008 to pursue a Masters of Science in Engineering Management at Cal-State Northridge. His undergraduate degree is in electronics and communication engineering, but he's always been a people person and enjoyed the managing people aspect of projects.
2008 was the peak of the recession and no one was hiring, it was very different than how he imagined it would be! But he learned a lot as a result. His first campus job was being a cashier at Burger King, not a job he was entirely happy to have.
Looking back he says it shaped him a lot. Now he sees the value in it: he had to talk to all different nationalities of people, and he learned the art of selling even though he was not incentivized to do that.
And the concept applies today whether you are working in a multi-billion dollar enterprise or a mom and pop shop: how can you sell your services and have the most positive impact on the organization you are working for?
This applies not just on the front line of the actual sale, but down to the way your team is built and managed, and how your product and/or service is built so your entire organization is sustained long-term. He shares how he's developed this, but the foundation was there from the way he was raised in his family (especially from his mother).
Also on today's CTO Studio, Unmesh continues this story by sharing why he saw graduating during a recession as an opportunity when a lot of other graduate students were delaying going out into the workforce.
With six months to go before graduation, he left Burger King and the tutoring he was also doing to completely focused on preparing for interviews.
And after that preparation, he got a call from a management firm for an interview. He met with them, had a great interview and started working with them as a solutions consultant on their Kaiser Permanente account. That's how he got started in healthcare and how he realized this was the industry he wanted to work in.
For almost the next three years he was at Kaiser, a role he loved. His team was devoted to the next generation of products and builds for Kaiser, which was an amazing experience because Kaiser is one of the most innovative healthcare delivery systems in the world.
From there he went to Toyota (still as part of the management consulting firm he was hired by after graduation), where he learned everything about business process management. He learned how to use Six Sigma and use process mapping to solve problems.
Even though he loved what he was learning with Toyota, he realized his passion was in healthcare. So he moved to North American Medical Management, which is part of Optumcare.
He was with them for 6 years until very recently deciding to move to a smaller organ

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From Engineer and Developer to CTO with Jesus Lizama

9 april 2019 | 45 min

It's no small feat to go from the second developer in a company to its CTO, but one man who is up to the task is Jesus Lizama of Studio 3. Jesus is joining the CTO Studio to talk about his career progression, as well as what it's been like to live here as a DACA recipient.
Jesus is an engineer who has become CTO of Studio 3, a rapidly growing agency. In fact, his agency is growing so fast they are doubling their revenues every year! They are now a two-time Inc. 5000 company.
Today you'll also hear about how he is managing his team through this tremendous growth and what he's learned along the way. Plus he has a very special story to share on the topic of immigration and DACA. Listen in for that and more on this edition of CTO Studio.
In this episode, you’ll hear:
How has being CTO changed things for him?
Does he still see himself as a developer?
Where did he had to grow the most after becoming CTO?
Why does his team choose their own tools?
How did switching to Slack and Airtable help his team?
And so much more!
We begin our conversation with a discussion about Studio 3: Studio 3 is a all-encompassing marketing company. They specialize in digital marketing, but also do print, and other media. If you have an idea and you bring it to them they can give you a product.
Prior to joining the agency, he was going to college and was working at the university as a math mentor. He was on break and he wanted to start programming. He went out on Christmas Eve and decided to try to get a job in the field. He sent out a bunch of resumes through Craigslist and that is how he landed at Studio 3!
Right away they threw him into a project and had him build a web site. He started at a time before mobile responsiveness was really big, but he had them build for that and he changed a few other technologies he knew would be helpful. After a year or so he became lead developer and the company kept growing. The company now employees sixty employees, ten of which are engineers.
What about becoming CTO - how did that transpire? It all started during a meeting he had with HR, the person he was meeting with asked him where he saw himself in five years. He replied honestly telling her he saw himself as CTO of this company in 5 years.
It turns out the CEO of the company at the time was thinking the same thing. The CEO took him to lunch a week later and he told Jesus he wanted to make him CTO. A few months later he became CTO.
He says now that he is CTO it hasn't changed much for him, hierarchies are non-existent to him. The main difference is now he is involved in the company's strategy, and that is something he is still learning about.
What about his nomination for 2018 CTO of the year by the Los Angeles Business Journal - has that changed anything for him? It was amazing, he says he felt like he didn't belong! He was among big name CTOs: the CTO of the LA Clippers, Los Angeles' CTO, Playboy's CTO, Verizon's CTO and Disney's CTO, etc. At the dinner for the nominees he sat at a table with LA's CTO and he had a great conversation with the Clippers' CTO. He was nominated again for 2019!
Also on today’s CTO Studio, we dig into his actual experiences as CTO a bit more, I asked him to share the first obstacle he had while CTO. One of the first tasks he was given was to build a reporting platform. His background is primarily building web sites, which were mainly static or perhaps had a few business logic components involved but not too many. A reporting platform on the other hand is a full-on MVC application!
In addition to being the CTO, he was also a developer so there were a lot of technologies he had to grasp very quickly so he could build an MVP. After many iterations and a year later, they finally had a working system that was useful for the company

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The Formula For Evaluating Start-Ups with Sergey Sundukovskiy

3 april 2019 | 51 min

If you were considering joining a start-up as their CTO would you have a formula to evaluate its potential? Our guest on today’s CTO Studio does and it stems from his years as a CTO, an advisor and mentor in the field.
Sergey Sundukovskiy is the CTO, CPO, co-founder of Raken. He's also a mentor, advisor and father of three.
Sergey and I have a great conversation about the formula for evaluating start ups and how to manage and keep healthy development teams. Join us as we dive into those subjects and more on this episode of CTO Studio.
In this episode, you’ll hear:
What is the benefit of being both CTO and CPO (Chief Product Officer)?
What are the two sources for ideas?
How has their product changed since its inception?
Why compromise doesn't always work to solve disagreements.
Should all CTOs mentor?
And so much more!
We start with a discussion about Raken: what it is and who it serves. Raken is a field management solution. They serve the construction industry by helping supervisors and job foremen keep track of what is going on on the construction site. So often the people in charge realize there is a problem when the job is running behind schedule and off track, Raken helps avoid that scenario.
Raken helps construction companies to keep the construction projects on time and on target through daily documentation and labor/project insights, as well as serving as a Worker Time Management app for payroll purposes. Sergey explains what it does in more detail: If you have ever been on a job construction site you know jobs are broken down into roughly 3 separate buckets. Prep time is one bucket, the second bucket is the actual build stage of the project and the last bucket is the transition stage when you are completing the project.
They primarily serve the building stage and the transition stage. In the building phase you need to be sure you are on time and things don't need to be adjusted.
Basically Raken is project management software for the construction industry projects focused on field management tools. Normally, construction projects are driven by the management office in the office/field trailer and then what happens on the job site. The project gets conceived in the office and planned in the office. Raken's approach is to service the field. They serve the field workers so the field workers can keep track of activities, and to do so in a simple and easy-to-use manner.
Raken helps Superintendents to document what is being done as it is being done, rather than having two hours they would normally have to use at the end of the day to make note of the progress on the job.
Sergey says they are staying focused on the construction industry and not branching out right now. I was curious to know how Raken came about - where and how did he get the idea?
He was a late stage co-founder for the company so the idea wasn't his. But in general ideas come from two different sources. The first is industry insiders who have been working in their field forever and eventually start their own business to do a particular thing in a better way.
The second source is industry outsiders who see a better way to do something that others haven't seen.
Their co-founder, Kyle, fell into the second category: he decided to create Raken after recognizing that the construction industry lacked a reporting tech solution that could alleviate major pain points. So Kyle set out to fix that with Raken.
As a CTO with a rich history in software development, management leadership and previous CTO roles, how did Sergey know he wanted to join Raken?
He met Kyle about a year into his 2-year earnout from his previous company. At that point, Sergey knew he wanted to join another start up. He knew he had three choices: he could form his own start up, join an existi

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Why It’s Okay Not to Finish with Evan Phoenix

27 mars 2019 | 72 min

Have you ever found yourself working on a side project because you thought you had to and not because you wanted to? Our guest for this episode of CTO Studio has and he also found out why it’s okay not to finish that side project.
Evan Phoenix is the lead engineer on the private Terraform enterprise at Hashi Corp, and the Director of Ruby Central. He’s also been a CEO of a start up and regularly finds time to try out side gigs of his own.
Today he tells us how he carves out the time for fun engineering projects and why sometimes it’s okay not to finish those side projects. You’ll hear from Evan on those topics and more on today’s CTO Studio.
In this episode, you’ll hear:
Is it okay to do something even if you think you are not the right person for the job?
Why everything we do doesn't have to become a business.
What is the "for market" challenge?
Why does he prefer Go over Rust and C++?
How to put the fun back in your side projects.
And so much more!

We start off by talking about Evan's scariest childhood movie and how we met at a Ruby conference and became friends. Then we segue into talking about his current role at Hashi Corp: he is the lead engineer on the private Terraform enterprise.
He came to that position via his previous start up, Vectra. Vectra eventually became a logging SaaS and Evan and his team worked to build it for 8 or 9 months before their financial runway was depleted. At that point, Evan had to figure out what to do next.
After struggling with the decision, Evan realized he didn't like being a CEO and so they decided to close Vectra. Along the way, he and his team had been talking to Hashi Corp about what they were doing. When Vectra closed Hashi Corp invited them to come over and work there.
For Evan it was the best case scenario. He didn't like being a CEO, but he liked working on interesting problems and have some say in what he worked on. Hashi Corp is the perfect place that allows him to do both.
I was curious when he first thought of being the founder of his own company, and why that interested him. Evan explains he wanted what he thinks every founder thinks they are getting when they start their own company: control to do whatever they want to do. They make all the decisions. If they don't want to do something then they don't do it, and vice versa.
But the reality changes when the business involves more than just you or you and another person. If you take on investors you no longer have complete control. In Evan's case his family and friends invested in his business so not your typical investors, but he was still aware of risking other people's money. And that awareness changed and altered his own risk tolerance.
So now he gets to enjoy his work at Hashi Corp and have fun projects on the side. He says he start a new project every couple of weeks and he does it for him. We go on to talk about engineering simply for the sake of enjoyment, before we discuss his time at Living Social and Splice.
We also talk about how he manages his time as a family man with a wife and two daughters: when does he work on his personal projects? He tries to be kind to himself and he works on them when he has the time.
In the past, he would've beaten himself up for not getting more done on something, but now he doesn't. Instead, he talks to his wife and tells her he wants to work on something. She tells him she wants to do her own thing and then they do their own thing in the evenings.
On the weekends his daughters still have nap times so when they nap he works on his projects. But sometimes he uses those two hours to watch a TV show or do something - and he is now kind to himself about it and just does what he wants. If he wants to work on his project then he does; if he wants to watch Netflix then he does.
We then ta

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The World of Cloud Services with Jonathan LaCour

20 mars 2019 | 72 min

There’s a lot happening in the world of cloud services today and Jonathan LaCour of Mission is here to tell us all about it. Jonathan is CTO of Mission, a managed cloud consulting service based in Los Angeles.
On today’s episode of CTO Studio, Jonathan and I talk about all the issues related to cloud and cloud migration and owning your own data. Be sure to listen in to this fascinating conversation on today's CTO Studio.
In this episode, you’ll hear:
Why doesn't it work to just throw people at a problem?
Why the CTO and the product team ultimately have the same goal.
What is the most difficult thing for most technologists?
What is the #1 most important value a CTO can hold?
What do people ultimately value?
And so much more!
Mission helped sponsor our first CTO conference, the same conference at which Jonathan gave a talk. So it's fitting to actually we recorded this show from Mission’s headquarters with Jonathan. We start off by talking about Jonathan's journey, how he became the CTO at Mission and what they do there.
Jonathan got into computing young, his dad was a Presybterian minister and also an engineer who went to Georgia Tech. His dad even worked on the space program, and has always been a technical kind of guy.
In fact, Jonathan's dad would bring home his portable computer when Jonathan was little. This computer was a Mac Plus with a handle on it! And that's where Jonathan started to code: on that little Mac Plus. He started with HyperCard and Pascal and eventually C, etc.
In high school he began writing code professionally and started working at an enterprise healthcare business. He went through a few acquisitions with them, including when they were bought by an enterprise document management business so he was heavily into enterprise in its early days.
From there he did a hard right into startups and went into business with his sister and brother-in-law. They created a type of SaaS application in the photography space called ShootQ.
They built out a cloud native app (back in the very early days of cloud) and grew ShootQ to become an industry standard, after which they sold it to a company in LA.
Which is how Jonathan met Simon Anderson (the CEO of Mission). Simon was the CMO of the company who bought ShootQ before he became the CEO of DreamHost. Jonathan and his family moved from Atlanta to LA so he could take a role with DreamHost. He had 5 different titles in 7 years with them. In those 7 years he did a lot of different things including building out cloud infrastructure, engineering management, etc.
When Simon became an entrepreneur-in-residence at a private equity firm out of Boston they worked together on a thesis for the managed cloud space, which is how they both ended up at Mission.
Also on today's CTO Studio, he tells us why the firm chose Mission (formerly Reliam), how they expanded to a company of 100 people today over the course of a year and what they do at Mission presently.
Honing in on that kind of growth in such a short period of time, I asked Jonathan to talk more about how his team has changed and evolved as it has grown. He explains that because they are a business that does a lot of professional services and consulting a lot of Mission's technical resources work on a team other than his team. His team represents the glue that holds things together. When he started it was just him so over time he has been pulling in people who are the best fit for what they are doing.
I also asked him how to decide which cloud (or clouds) to be in and he says it is about picking the best tool for the job. It's like any other exploration a CTO will undertake so the way he helps people understand the hyperscale cloud providers is simple: ultimately you are looking for someone who is going to provide you with as many sho

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How CTOs Can Best Utilize Recruiters with Kimberly Owen

13 mars 2019 | 57 min

Joining us to explain how CTOs can best utilize recruiters is my friend and expert recruiter Kimberly Owen. Kimberly has been a recruiter for 23 years, starting in London then Silicon Valley during the first dotcom boom. Now she is based in southern California.
On today's CTO Studio, we talk about what she's learned during those two decades as a recruiter in tech including why recruiters have a bad rap, what CTOs can do to make the most of their relationships with recruiters and what does the term "culture fit" actually mean?
Listen in for the answers to those questions and much more on the topic of recruiting in the tech world today on this episode of CTO Studio.
In this episode, you’ll hear:
What was it like recruiting during the first dotcom boom?
Why do recruiters get a bad rap?
What language should you avoid when listing a job description?
What is the proper format for a resume?
How can CTOs improve their relationships with recruiters?
And so much more!
One of my first questions was when should a CTO stop using their networks and start using a recruiter like Kimberly? She says it depends on how quickly you need the product development to happen. How quickly are you bringing your product to market and what is the trade-off?
Once you answer those questions then you can decide if recruiting is your best choice or if you should check with your network.
If you are going to use your network, her advice is to be active with your social media presence. You should specify on LinkedIn what you are hiring for - especially those top positions. You should be advertising those roles. If you have an internal person who manages candidate flow they need to get an outreach campaign underway and that needs to include your own network.
So after social media, what else? Kimberly says meet ups are an option but you need to know if these events are where people are asking for help and talking about vacancies and openings. If they are not then the meet ups won't help you.
And how can CTOs work on their brand and their messaging to ensure they are attracting the right candidates?
The job description is really important - she sees a lot of awful ones! Be sure to talk about the vision of your company and where you are going and what this person will contribute towards that vision coming to life. Candidates want a story. They want to know why do other people like working at the company, why would they want to work there and what life-changing things will they impact by being on the staff of this company.
In summary, you should be capturing the story that includes the vision and the values of your company.
Once you've done that be sure the job description is in the right places and having the right filters in place for whomever you enlist in your organization to sort through the candidates.
And if you still can't find the right person then go to a recruiter like Kimberly!
My next

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The Psychology of People in Tech, with Joanie Connell

6 mars 2019 | 40 min

Who better to help us understand the psychology of people in tech than a former engineer now licensed psychologist?! Joanie Connell is that very person and she is here to talk about the issues CTOs face in leading their teams.
Joanie works with dev teams and technical teams on their communication. We talk about how she does that, what some of the common issues are regarding team communication in tech today and a whole lot more. Join us to hear more about the psychology of people in tech on today’s CTO Studio.
In this episode, you’ll hear:
What are the top challenges she sees regarding communication in tech today?
Why it's important as a CTO to expand your communication toolkit.
How can you deal with feeling triggered in the workplace?
Why addressing uncomfortable feelings often brings people closer.
What are tell tale signs you are too deep into the tech effect?
And so much more!
Before becoming a psychologist, Joanie was an engineer for eight years in Silicon Valley. She began as a data communications design engineer for Tandem computers. Tandem was one of the big computer companies back then right alongside HP and Apple.
Tandem made mainframe computers and they had parallel processors (hence the name tandem) for everything so they would never go down. One of their biggest clients was the New York Stock Exchange. She did data communications which meant she helped mainframes communicate with modems to other computers.
I asked Joanie how she made the switch to psychology - what happened that convinced her to work with the people side of tech? Joanie recalls she had gone into engineering because she thought it was a good stable job with a good income. She didn't want to be a millionaire, she just wanted a good living.
People had always interested in her but it became obvious when the other engineers were so into their work they would be debugging til 2am, and she couldn't wait to leave. She realized then that the work wasn't satisfying and she felt stagnant in her work.
One story she recalls is a time when there were 12 in their group and they had a manager who they met with once a month. They'd get into the conference room and you could feel the tension because no one wanted to be there. The manager would go around the room and each person had to update on their project. By person #12 everyone would be ready to leave. When that last person finished it was like school was out and everyone would run out of the room!
She saw the people she was with didn't want to be around other people and they didn't have the skills to work with others, either. Engineers are trained to design, debug and code and they are not trained on how to interact with others. Joanie realized this could be a space in which she could make a difference; she coulod help engineers and other tech people communicate better.
To bring more of her skills to the people side of the working world, she tried marketing and then consulting. But eventually she decided to go back to graduate school because she would find herself being pushed back into engineering roles and more technical positions. She realized she would have to re-specialize so people would see beyond her engineering background.
But before making the leap, she took some night classes in Psychology to be sure this was the route she wanted to go down. And before becoming a psychologist, she considered being a therapist or counselor. A volunteer experience on a hotline convinced her otherwise, so she opted for social psychology with an emphasis on organizations and the workplace.
After a few years of working for a consulting firm and teaching at university, she formed Flexible Work Solutions. Her company provides assessment for leaders and teams of people, her personal niche is with technical people.
What types of scenarios does sh

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Optimism and Longevity as a CTO in a Healthcare Tech, with Larry Heminger

27 februari 2019 | 51 min

What does it take to be successful and have longevity as a a CTO in healthcare tech today? In Larry Heminger’s case it takes optimism. Larry is the CTO of Sapiens Data Science, a company committed to increasing people’s life span through healthcare tech breakthroughs.

On today’s CTO Studio, we talk about how and why Larry joined the team at Sapiens, why he’s attracted to companies that are making a difference in people’s lives and what his Design for Success approach is all about. Join us for this illuminating discussion on today’s CTO Studio.

In this episode, you’ll hear:
Why doesn't he see himself retiring - ever?
How many years does it take for a medical breakthrough to make it to family physicians?
As CTO, how to make decisions that stand the test of scale
What is his Design for Success methodology?
What is the Snowflake Computing approach, and why did Larry choose them?
And so much more!

Larry is the CTO of Sapiens Data Science. Our very first topic is a dive into his journey of becoming their CTO. Larry tells us about his interesting ride; he had been working with ecoATM Gazelle for about 7.5 years and had been apart of their organization from their ealy start-up days.

Larry experienced a full 360 degree business cycle with ecoATM, going public through acquisition and then back to being a private company again. The work they did (and still do today) was in the field of automated retail: recycling of cell phones. Even though the work was amazing, he felt it was time to look for something new and different after his 7+ years with them. He wanted to do work that was meaningful and of benefit to everyone.

Using his experience with a previous healthcare start-up, Larry found a few new opportunities in San Diego that were health tech related. Sapiens specifically interested him because of their CEO, Brad Perkins. And Larry became even more enthusiastic after meeting with Brad, hearing of Brad’s passion and learning of their mission - Sapiens is in the business of adding more birthdays to people's lives. They help people live longer through the burgeoning fields of genomics and data science.

Next I asked him to describe his mindset coming from ecoATM, a company that was retail-focused, and then going into the health tech space with Sapiens.

Larry says there are many similarities and of course some differences. For him the key was and is feeling like he is doing something good. Like most of us, Larry spends so much time at work that he wants to feel like he's having an impact on people’s lives. For him it is not just about paycheck, it’s more the opportunity to help build a new, amazing company.

He goes on to say he believes healthcare will look very different in 10 years. One area in particular is the speed at which information becomes available to physicians, he says this will be sped up exponentially. Instead of taking almost two decades for your family physician to find out about medical breakthroughs, it will happen much, much faster. Patients will also be empowered with their own data and information.

My next question for him was where does Sapiens hit roadblocks with regulations and stereotypes? Those are definitely challenges they face as any healthcare company is going to be challenged with regulations, data privacy and security. Those aspects are all very important to the success of a healthcare company in tech and outside of tech.

Larry explains the basic strategy, something he calls design for success which applies to start ups as well as larger companies. It goes like this:

If you assume your company will be successful, and you draw out the architecture of your company with that succes

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Hybrid CTO of Hardware and Software with Ahn Nguyen

19 februari 2019 | 47 min

What is it like to handle both hardware and software development needs? Anh Nguyen is a hybrid CTO of hardware and software and she’s here tell us all about it.
Anh is the CTO of Creative Electron where they build imaging systems that use creative electrons for the purpose of inspecting samples for defects. On today’s show she’ll explain how their equipment works, what she thinks about the state of women in tech today and her journey to the United States from Vietnam when she was a child. Hear that and more on today’s CTO Studio.
In this episode, you’ll hear:
Do their products create image renderings in 2D or 3D?
Are their offerings all custom-made? Why or why not?
How does their annual preventative maintenance work?
y/What was it like to participate in Hacking for the Homeless?
Why women should embrace being women CTOs and not just CTOs.
And so much more!
On of my first questions to Anh is whether they are mostly a hardware company or a software imaging company. Anh responds by telling us what her CEO likes to say: "What we are is a software company that delivers our product in a hardware box."
Although that sounds like something a sales person would say, her CEO actually has a background in EE and an MBA. He has come up with a lot of their ideas and how they have productized those ideas.
He works with her and their COO to come up with solutions that work for their customers.
Who are those customers exactly - who makes up their customer base? PCB manufacturers, electronic manufacturing services. She goes on to explain how their products work and why they are safe to use without protective gear!
My next question was about her responsibilities as CTO. Does she preside over a hybrid of hardware and software? Yes. Because software is managing the hardware they are very intertwined. As far as what hardware is going to be used and how things are integrated those decisions are all under the software stack. Anh and her team make suggestions on what is compatible or not.
We dive into the world of X-rays a bit deeper including Anh's explanation of how their imaging systems work in a variety of settings before talking about her journey to becoming CTO.
Was she hired to become CTO or did she advance into the role from a different position within the company? She became one. Her original title within the company was VP of Software Development. Then last year she became CTO. They have been growing and because software is so intertwined into their products that originally her focus was on maintaining and developing the software side of things.
But over time her CEO realized they needed to have a tighter relationship between software and hardware. He said it made sense for her to be CTO and to think about new strategies they can deploy and new technologies they can start implementing to grow their software along with their hardware.
Does she have direct reports from both hardware and software? She does and when asked how she manages both she laughs and says you just do it! She says it's the equivalent of working at a startup essentially. Making good software they do have to understand what is happening with the hardware so managing both hardware and software is a natural evolution. Because they are a startup you just have to dive in and figure things out. The main advice she would give others is to simply do it.
From here we get more into the mechanics of how Anh "CTOs". She doesn't have VPs she manages directly. She has three direct reports and then she will also talk to the manufacturing team.
The person who does all of the CAD designs will come to her and her team to ensure everything they are creating can be fully integrated; they all want to be sure the software performs up to the levels the customers need which means having repeatable results and being ab

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Being CTO in the Health Insurance Industry with Alan Leard

13 februari 2019 | 60 min

If you saw a need or an opportunity outside of your industry would you recognize it? Our guest did and he’s here to tell us about it. Alan Leard is one of the co-founders of Limelight Health, a quoting, underwriting, proposal platform that started as an idea for an app.
You'll hear the origin story of Limelight Health today as well as how it has evolved, plus Alan's thoughts on having four co-founders and making the transition into the CTO role. Join us for those insights and more on today's CTO Studio!
In this episode, you’ll hear:
Why four co-founders is the best number to have.
What are the three questions I ask every CEO before I join a startup?
When did he know it was time to make the transition into CTO at Limelight Health?
What are the ways they mitigate risk?
Why are the technical challenges of Limelight Health so attractive?
And so much more!
When I asked Alan to tell me what Limelight Health does he explained Limelight involves everything that needs to happen from the moment an employer says they are going to get insurance for their employees through the point when the employees are actually choosing the health insurance right for them.
The process is about providing accurate information on what plans are available and quote them accurately, as well as apply contribution modeling as far as how much the employer is going to pay and how much the employee is going to pay.
All of that gets wrapped up into a proposal that helps the employer make a decision. But how Limelight got its start goes back to one of Alan's first businesses: a make-your-own wine bar.
Before he and his wife had kids they wanted to do something together, they wanted to run a business together. When they came across the idea of a make-your-own-wine wine bar it seemed perfect and they set about making it happen. They ran their bar together through all the ups and downs that entailed.
That bar also led Alan to meet one of his future fellow co-founders of Limelight Health. It started after the wine bar had been up and running for about four years. Alan realized he was putting in 12 hours at the wine bar then coming home and making mobile apps as a hobby on the side.
Along the way he also met Garrett when Alan hired him as a musician to play at one of the bar's Wine and Roses events. Alan had also gotten hired with Accelerator in a support role - he mainly offered support for other developers using that platform. When Garrett began talking to Alan about an app idea he had Alan's ears perked up.
But Alan was no stranger to app ideas, he had so many people approach him with ideas that Alan had a series of questions he asked everyone who talked to him! The first was does that app already exist? Have you checked the app store?
If they had and the app wasn't already made (which was the case with Garrett’s idea) then he had a follow-up question. That question was do you know what user stories are? Garrett didn't so Alan explained to him what they are.
A week later Garrett came back with full-on wireframes and had written out user stories. So they built that app together, it was an app meant to help people find local artists online. After that Garrett saw the potential in his everyday line of work: insurance brokerage. This was about the time the Affordable Care Act was coming into existence and Garrett wanted to be able to help his families find the right options for them.
So they turned it into a lead gen app: you would plug in your household size, your income and location. The app would then tell you what your insurance was going to cost. There was also an in-app purchase which would allow brokers to have their customers quickly get an idea of what they were going to pay and then the brokers would help the customers sign up for a plan straightaway.
And that is how they found th

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The CTO Podcast

The CTO Podcast explores the worlds of Chief Technical officers as they manage the trials, tribulations, and triumphs of technologists in the C-suite.

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Lena Skliarova-Mordvinova, Good Face Project CTO and Co-Founder: Revolutionizing Personal Care with AI and Resilience in Challenging Times

Dr. Aadeel Akhtar, PSYONIC's Visionary: Transforming Lives Through Advanced Bionic Prosthetics and Entrepreneurial Innovation

Decoding AI: Expert Panel Insights for CTOs

Ryan Kari, CTO of MagCanica: Revolutionizing Motorsports with Torque Sensors and the Art of CTO Leadership

Kathy Keating, Fractional CTO | Interim CTO | Executive Coach | CTO Levels™: Mastering Growth; Operational Excellence and Leadership Insights

Aliza Carpio, Director of Product Management Data Platform at JLL Technologies: The Code of Collaboration and Navigating Open Source

Maria Flynn, Founder and CEO AmbioLogix: Make Opportunity Happen

Dave Adsit, VP of Engineering SamCart: Coding Roots to C-Suite Insights

Ksenia Palke, Head of AI at Airspace: AI in Time-Critical Shipments

Devastate the Competition via Robust Design with Adam Bahret

Going First: Leading with Purpose in an Overthinking World with Nell Derick Debevoise

Joel Beasley, Modern CTO: Mastering the Art of Podcasting

Alex Balazs, CTO Intuit: Generative AI, Vulnerability and Leadership

Exploring RF Communication, Encryption, and AI with Dell Kronewitter

Insights into AI and Beyond with Mourad Zerroug

Crafting Code and Conquering Fear: A Journey Through Middle-Earth and Conway's Law

From Code to Cattle: Parallels Between Technology and Farming with Jennifer Cwagenberg

The Realities of Fundraising with Sean Nam

Navigating the Rollercoaster: From Rapid Growth to Unwinding with Tracie Hlavka

From Pragmatism to Pivot Tables: Navigating Leadership, Philosophy, and Data Mastery with Matt Van Itallie

CTO Leadership: Navigating Startup Realities and Inspiring Teams with Krijn Van der Raadt

Leadership, Technology, and the “It Depends” Philosophy: Insights from Kevin Goldsmith

Just use Flutter - Stephan Schmidt // Amazing CTO

End of Stack Overflow -- Stephan Schmidt // Amazing CTO

Greenest Programming Languages -- Stephan Schmidt // Amazing CTO

The future of CTOs with AI -- Stephan Schmidt // Amazing CTO

Vision, Strategy An Alignment -- Stephan Schmidt // Amazing CTO

AI replaces programmers - Threads killing Twitter

Building Organizational Trust in AI -- Ksenia Palke // Airspace

How to Apply AI at Your Company -- Ksenia Palke // Airspace

Solo Projects // Reddit // Imaginary Problems // Estimation // GPT-4 Pitch Decks

How CTO's Should Rely on Automation Infrastructure -- Rob Hirschfeld // RackN

The Role of DevOps in Building Startups -- Rob Hirschfeld // RackN

Industry-Specific Applications of AI -- Sanjay Sehgal // MSys

Ethics & Human-AI Partnerships -- Sanjay Sehgal // MSys

Focusing on Revenue Goals with Cross Functional Teams -- Ole Dallerup // Dreamdata.io

Becoming a Tech Leader of a Fast-Growing Startup -- Ole Dallerup // Dreamdata.io

The Performance Boosting Power of Feedback -- Darva Satcher // GitLab Inc.

Unlocking the Power of the Skip Level Meetings -- Darva Satcher // GitLab Inc.

Work on Your Reputation Inside and Outside Your Company! -- Kevin Goldsmith // DistroKid

Grooming Engineering Managers -- Dalia Havens // Replicated

Architecture to Manage Data Costs & Complexity -- Adrian Estala // Starburst

The Evolution of the CDO Role -- Adrian Estala // Starburst

Coaching Your Engineers vs. Giving Them Feedback -- Etienne de Bruin // 7CTOs

The Power of Stillness for the CTO -- Brittany Cotton // 7CTOs

How to Stop Juggling & Start Shipping Product -- Surya Oruganti // Argonaut

No DevOps? No Problem -- Surya Oruganti // Argonaut

Struggles in Buy-vs-Build Land -- Blake Messer // Cratejoy

How to use ChatGPT to write code -- Blake Messer // Cratejoy

Contribution Analysis for Your Dev Team -- Hezheng Yin // Merico

Managing International Engineering Teams -- Hezheng Yin // Merico

Impact of AI on a Digital Company's Carbon Footprint -- Richard Whitehead // Moogsoft Inc.

Application of AI Techniques to IT Ops -- Richard Whitehead // Moogsoft Inc.

Optimize Development with Automation -- Calvin Hendryx-Parker // Six Feet Up

Build Resilient Systems -- Calvin Hendryx-Parker // Six Feet Up

Solidifying Software Development Foundations -- Calvin Hendryx-Parker // Six Feet Up

IOT For The Hot Tub Part 2 -- Jonathan LaCour // Mission

Designing IOT For The Hot Tub -- Jonathan LaCour // Mission

Invest In Serverless -- Jonathan LaCour // Mission

What Is Kubernetes? -- Jonathan LaCour // Mission

CTO'ing Mission Through Pandemic Lockdowns -- Jonathan LaCour // Mission

On Degeneracy -- Aaron Longwell // Serverless

Building the Legal Software System in Afghanistan -- Aaron Longwell // Serverless

When Simple Concepts Unravel In The C-Suite -- Aaron Longwell // Serverless

Doing Work As A Means Of Discovery -- Aaron Longwell // Serverless

Left Brain Right Brain -- Aaron Longwell // Serverless

Tips on nurturing your network -- Sri Shivananda // PayPal

Building influence within your organization -- Sri Shivananda // PayPal

Why fast communication is key -- Sri Shivananda // PayPal

Publishing 'CTO Excellence in 100 Days' book -- Benjamin Shapiro // I Hear Everything

Why CTOs care about podcasts -- Benjamin Shapiro // I Hear Everything

Etienne on the ABCs of Getting Back on the Same Page

Investing in People: A Look into Fleetio's Software Development Strategy with Jorge Valdivia

How to Replace Yourself and Buy Time with Dan Martell

[Replay] Build Your Own CTO Peer Group So That You Can Succeed with Brittany Cotton

Myths of CTO Leadership with Mark Hunter