The Tech Trek

Berit Hoffmann, CEO and co-founder of Korl, joins The Tech Trek to share her candid journey from big tech leader to late-stage startup founder. With a resume that includes Google, Dell, and Sisu, Berit could have landed any top role—but she chose the riskier path of building her own AI company while raising two kids and fundraising while seven months pregnant. In this episode, she opens up about the internal tug-of-war, the realities of balancing family and founder life, and how she’s navigating the fast-moving, hype-driven world of AI. If you're a tech professional wondering when—or whether—to make your own leap, this one’s for you.Key Takeaways:Experience doesn’t remove fear—but it can sharpen your confidence in taking big risksAI founders must constantly recalibrate as models evolve and moats evaporateThe best startups fall in love with the problem, not the initial solutionYou don’t have to wait for perfect timing—it might never comeExecution and clarity win over buzzwords in a crowded AI marketTimestamped Highlights:00:44 — What Korl actually does and why it's different from other AI presentation tools02:30 — Why Berit waited to found a startup and how early roles shaped her confidence07:03 — The hidden opportunity costs and fears of starting later in life11:38 — Her zero-to-one playbook: validate the problem deeply before writing a line of code15:50 — Fundraising in the age of AI hype and navigating the balance between clarity and buzz20:33 — How she processes new AI releases and adapts strategy without spinning out24:45 — What it was really like to raise VC funding while visibly pregnant30:11 — Her honest take on founder-parent balance: sometimes 80% has to be enoughQuote of the Episode:“There’s still such a gap between what many AI tools promise and what they actually deliver. Closing that gap is all about execution—and that’s where startups win.”Resources Mentioned:Koral: https://www.getkoral.comConnect with Berit on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/berithoffmann/Call to Action:Enjoyed the conversation? Follow The Tech Trek for more real stories from tech builders and startup leaders. Share this episode with someone who's debating their next leap—you never know what might spark them to go for it.

What does it take to lead analytics at a truly global scale? In this episode, Amir sits down with Anant Veeravalli, Global Chief Data and Analytics Officer at Media Brands (part of IPG), to unpack how he built and scaled a Center of Excellence (COE) that spans regions, brands, and disciplines. Anant shares the real-world challenges of aligning thousands of data professionals under one strategic vision—and why analytics is far more than just reporting.If you're leading data, analytics, or transformation work inside a large enterprise, this one is packed with battle-tested insight on structure, talent, AI adoption, and the real work of enabling data to drive business value.Key TakeawaysA COE must be built around client outcomes, organizational excellence, and scalable innovation—not just reporting structureTrue analytics value comes from harmonizing data, tools, and talent while making insights accessible and actionableA skills-first approach helps align talent to opportunity, enabling flexibility and specialization at scaleAI isn’t just a buzzword—it’s already reshaping content, audience segmentation, modeling, and competitive intelligenceCommunication during change is everything. Transparency, context, and repetition are essential to alignment and trustTimestamped Highlights03:00 — Why Media Brands needed a global Center of Excellence for analytics05:30 — How they approached organizational change and stakeholder education08:50 — Mapping the COE into four key capabilities: growth, audience analytics, data science, and data engineering11:50 — Delivering flexible analytics support across diverse clients and geographies15:45 — How AI is driving faster insights, better segmentation, and creative automation21:30 — The #1 thing Anant would do differently if starting over: communicate the why more consistently and directlyQuote of the Episode“We overly underestimate the value of transparent communication. If people don’t understand why the change matters to them, they’ll never be aligned.”Pro TipsInvest early in an internal asset library to avoid duplicated effort and unlock speedWhen hiring, prioritize specialization over generalization—then connect specialists across a shared frameworkDon’t just train on AI tools. Raise the entire organization’s AI literacyCall to ActionEnjoyed this episode? Follow The Tech Trek for more conversations with leaders building the future of tech, data, and innovation. Share this episode with someone navigating data transformation—or connect with Anant Veeravalli on LinkedIn to keep the conversation going.

What if your phone didn’t need to hold your data at all? In this episode of The Tech Trek, Amir sits down with Jared Shepard, CEO of Hypori, to explore how virtualization at the edge is transforming security, mobility, and data ownership. Jared breaks down Hypori’s secure virtual mobile OS, originally built for the Department of Defense, and how it’s now entering the enterprise and consumer spaces. From eliminating mobile device management to protecting sensitive data from AI exposure, this conversation is a wake-up call for any tech leader thinking about security at the edge.Key Takeaways:Hypori’s virtual mobile OS allows users to access enterprise data securely without storing it on their device.Virtualization collapses the attack surface by removing the edge device as a security risk.U.S. enterprises prioritize convenience and security, while Europe pushes privacy due to GDPR—Hypori bridges both.AI will soon enhance Hypori's platform through predictive resource allocation and network optimization.The military’s extreme security standards helped Hypori harden its platform far beyond typical commercial use cases.Timestamped Highlights:01:30 — What Hypori is and how it turns any device into a secure, data-less terminal05:30 — Real-world BYOD use cases, from consultants to GDPR-compliant European enterprises11:20 — How virtualization changes the AI risk equation and protects enterprise data from agentic threats15:50 — Why cybersecurity should stop blaming users and start simplifying their responsibilities18:45 — How virtualization shrinks the attack surface and simplifies network defense22:59 — What it’s like building for the Department of Defense and how that shaped Hypori’s productQuote of the Episode:“Maybe it doesn’t have to be a company’s fight versus your fight for whose data belongs on your phone. What if we could just take that problem away?”Resources Mentioned:Hypori: www.hypori.comCall to Action:If this episode got you rethinking your mobile security strategy, share it with your team or your CIO. Subscribe to The Tech Trek for more conversations at the intersection of leadership, innovation, and real-world security.

Feross Aboukhadijeh, founder and CEO of Socket, joins The Tech Trek to pull back the curtain on software supply chain security, why legacy tools are failing, and what it really takes to build trust into modern development. Feross explains how Socket is tackling vulnerabilities most vendors can't even detect and shares why they made a rare early-stage acquisition—and how it’s reshaping their roadmap.Whether you’re an engineering leader, security pro, or founder eyeing M&A moves, this episode offers sharp insights into product strategy, AI implications, and the real work behind the scenes.Key Takeaways:Socket proactively secures the software supply chain by detecting malicious code injections and not just known vulnerabilitiesLegacy tools rely on outdated databases and can’t keep up with real-time threats or malicious actorsThe explosion of AI-generated code is expanding the attack surface and introducing new vectors like “slop squatting”Socket’s acquisition of Kawana was driven by tight product fit, culture alignment, and shared technical DNA—not just business rationaleReachability analysis reduced Socket’s security alert noise by 80 percent, boosting signal and developer trustTimestamped Highlights:01:00 — What Socket actually does and why open source dependency risk is a blind spot for most companies06:40 — Why most tools in this space haven’t solved the real security problem—and how Socket is different11:50 — AI’s unexpected impact on software security and the rise of hallucinated packages16:30 — Behind Socket’s acquisition of Kawana and how academic research drove product synergy22:58 — How integrating the acquisition is evolving Socket’s roadmap and deepening its technical edge25:00 — What Feross learned from the legal side of M&A and how his past experience at Yahoo helped shape this oneQuote of the Episode:“We care way more about first-party code than third-party code, even though it all runs in one app. That has to change.”Resources Mentioned:Socket: https://socket.devCall to Action:Enjoyed the episode? Follow The Tech Trek to catch conversations with the builders shaping the future. And if you’re deep in security or scaling a dev team, check out socket.dev or reach out to Feross directly—he’s happy to share lessons learned.

What does it take to deliver innovation at just the right moment? In this episode of The Tech Trek, Amir sits down with Eric Hoffert, CTO at Kargo and former video leader at Apple and Spotify, to unpack the art and science of innovation timing. From building QuickTime at Apple to launching video at Spotify a decade before the market caught up, Eric shares stories that blend conviction, timing, and deep tech insight. This episode is a must-listen for anyone thinking about where AI, video, and advertising are headed—and how to lead through the chaos.Key Takeaways:Innovation is a blend of vision, timing, and execution—being first doesn’t matter if the world isn’t ready.AI is shifting us from an attention economy to an intention economy, transforming how video content and advertising are personalized.The best tech products often emerge from the intersection of diverse disciplines, creative conviction, and platform thinking.Timing mistakes are common—even industry giants miss the mark by years—but conviction keeps the momentum alive.Future video experiences will be radically personal, possibly generated in real time based on your preferences.Timestamped Highlights:00:58 — What Kargo does and why art + technology is their core advantage02:04 — The behind-the-scenes story of inventing QuickTime at Apple12:50 — Why Spotify’s video ambitions in 2011 were 15 years ahead of their time17:33 — Can advertising become seamless and actually helpful? The AI-powered opportunity22:23 — Scene-level targeting and privacy-preserving personalization in video26:49 — Eric’s 3 keys to innovating at the right time: see around corners, surf the wave, move fastQuote of the Episode:“We’re shifting from an attention economy to an intention economy—where you’re in the driver’s seat of what you watch, and how it's monetized.”Call to Action:If this conversation got you thinking about where tech is headed, share it with a fellow builder or product leader. Follow the show for more deep dives into the minds shaping tomorrow’s tech—and drop a comment to let us know what resonated most.

What if your infrastructure could predict demand before it happens? In this episode, Nilo Rahmani, CEO and co-founder of Thoras AI, breaks down how predictive scaling is transforming the Kubernetes landscape. With over a decade of experience in site reliability engineering, Nilo shares why the observability market is slower to adopt AI—and why that might finally be changing. If you're navigating the pressures of DevOps or building AI tools for technical teams, this conversation is a must-listen.Key TakeawaysAI adoption in reliability engineering isn’t about replacing humans—it’s about reducing fire drills and enabling better decision-making.Predictive scaling using ML can dramatically cut cloud costs and reduce latency—without compromising reliability.DevOps teams remain cautious with AI due to the high stakes of downtime and the need for human-in-the-loop decision-making.The best tools won’t just optimize infrastructure—they’ll increase engineer confidence and operational readiness.Nilo's founder journey started with a thesis and became unstoppable once she “couldn’t unsee the better way.”Timestamped Highlights[01:02] What Thoras AI actually does—and how it tackles the double challenge of utilization and cost[03:12] Why reliability engineering is a high-stakes, thankless job and how AI can change that[08:54] Can AI fully handle outages at 2 a.m.? Why human-in-the-loop still matters[13:22] The low-hanging fruit: where ML delivers value fast in infrastructure planning[17:56] Increasing confidence, not replacing engineers—rethinking developer experience with AI[24:38] Nilo’s founder story: from SRE to CEO, driven by a problem too obvious to ignoreQuote of the Episode“I couldn’t unsee that there’s a better way. Using machine learning to make decisions in reliability engineering is the obvious next step.”Resources MentionedThoras AI: thoras.aiConnect with Nilo on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/nilo-devopsCall to ActionEnjoyed this episode? Share it with someone who lives on-call or is building for DevOps teams. Subscribe on your favorite platform and leave a review—it helps more tech professionals discover the show.

Mickey Alon, CEO and co-founder of Eucera, shares his expertise in AI-first design and conversational UX. He discusses the obsolescence of traditional menus as AI transforms SaaS experiences. User expectations are rapidly changing due to tools like ChatGPT, prompting a shift toward personalized interfaces. Mickey emphasizes the importance of transparency with AI workflows and how product teams may need to rethink their strategies. The future of UX will be a blend of visual and conversational elements, enhancing engagement and usability.

How do we ship code faster without sacrificing quality or accountability? Greg Foster, co-founder and CTO at Graphite, joins the show to unpack how AI is reshaping code reviews, developer workflows, and the very definition of software engineering. From AI-assisted reviews to the challenge of maintaining context in a world of auto-generated code, Greg shares hard-won insights from the front lines of dev tools innovation. If you care about shipping fast, staying secure, and evolving your engineering org for what’s next — this one’s for you.Key Takeaways• Code review is becoming more about collaboration and less about bug catching• AI-generated code introduces a new challenge: how engineers maintain context without writing the code themselves• Developer experience is shifting toward orchestration, not just authorship — prompting, reviewing, shipping, and owning• Stack-based workflows are essential for speed, safety, and parallel progress in an AI-assisted world• Even with AI in the loop, human accountability — especially for security and architecture — remains criticalTimestamped Highlights2:10 – Why Graphite calls itself “code review for the age of AI”4:50 – What code review really means today (hint: it's not just about bugs)8:40 – The hidden cost of losing context when you’re not writing the code12:05 – How the developer experience is evolving with AI-generated code16:10 – Is tech debt still a problem if code becomes disposable?21:00 – Inner vs. outer loops of development — and why the bottleneck is shifting26:10 – Why we hold AI to a higher standard than human engineersQuote of the Episode“We used to get context for free — just by writing the code. But in a world of AI code gen, we’re going to need new ways to absorb and maintain that context.” – Greg FosterResources MentionedGraphite: https://graphite.devGreg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregmfosterEmail Greg: greg@graphite.devPro TipsStack your PRs to keep shipping fast and safely. Whether it’s AI or human writing the code, small, parallelized changes are easier to review, test, and deploy — especially when you're operating at high velocity.Call to ActionEnjoyed this episode? Share it with a fellow engineer, follow the show, and leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. For more insights like this, connect with us on LinkedIn or subscribe to our newsletter.

What does it take to build startups that last and come back for more? In this episode, Amir sits down with Russ Fradin, serial founder, longtime investor, and now CEO of Larridn. With nearly 30 years of experience and billions raised across multiple ventures, Russ shares what he’s learned about founding companies, hiring the right people, navigating pivots, and representing other people’s money with integrity. This isn’t a highlight reel. It’s a grounded, real-world look at what actually makes a great founder.Key Takeaways• Great founders haven’t changed. The barriers to entry have• The best ideas evolve constantly. Early-stage success is about the team• Founding with the right people creates longevity and joy in the journey• Angel investors are betting on judgment, not just ideas• Fulfillment comes from building with people you respect and admireTimestamped Highlights00:53 Why Russ and his co-founder launched Larridn to reimagine productivity in the age of AI03:48 Lessons from 29 years of company building, from pre-Netscape to today05:36 How the startup world has changed and what hasn’t since the 90s12:06 What makes the journey worthwhile even when startups fail14:56 How Russ chose the right co-founders and why it still matters most17:52 Knowing which idea to chase and when to pivot with purpose21:24 What representing other people’s money really means to him as a founder and angel investorQuote of the Episode“There’s just nothing better you can do with your time than go to work every day trying to build something amazing with amazing people.”Pro TipsWhen choosing your next venture, ask: where do I have unfair advantage? It’s not just about solving a big problem. It’s about solving the one you’re uniquely qualified to tackle.Call to ActionEnjoyed this episode? Share it with a founder or investor in your circle. Subscribe to The Tech Trek for more conversations with leaders who’ve done the work and are still doing it. Follow Amir on LinkedIn for more insights and episode drops.

What do founders get wrong when trying to build a startup? Jeff Gibson, CTO and co-founder at Kintsugi, joins the show to break down how he approaches building around real business problems—not flashy features. Drawing from pre-IPO roles at Atlassian and his journey scaling Kintsugi, Jeff shares why understanding cash flow, revenue mechanics, and operational bottlenecks is critical for building something that lasts. Whether you're a startup founder or tech leader, this one’s full of sharp insights on building with purpose.Key Takeaways • Solving “boring” problems can be wildly valuable—if you understand where the money flows • Great businesses start with a clear grasp of what companies actually value, not just what users say they want • Pre-IPO cleanup reveals hidden complexity in compliance, revenue recognition, and internal tooling • Pivoting without a strong North Star leads to wasted cycles; solve for the cause, not just symptoms • Not every successful business needs to be venture scale—but it does need to be viable and focusedTimestamped Highlights 01:17 — What Kintsugi actually does, and why indirect tax is a massive hidden challenge 03:49 — The “pre-IPO cleanup” playbook and how it shaped Jeff’s understanding of business systems 06:52 — Why chasing product-market fit is risky if you don’t deeply understand the business problem 09:44 — Talking to 100 customers before writing a single line of code 12:57 — The opportunity in low-innovation, high-value spaces (think CRMs, billing, compliance) 16:44 — Niche wins: why a $10M business in a focused segment can be more valuable than chasing unicorn statusQuote of the Episode “You don’t want to find a boring problem that’s commoditized. You want a boring problem that’s valuable.”Resources Mentioned • Kintsugi: https://www.kintsugi.comCall to Action If you found Jeff’s insights helpful, follow The Tech Trek for more conversations with builders and leaders shaping the future of tech. Share this episode with a founder friend, and don’t forget to subscribe wherever you listen. Want to keep the conversation going? Connect with Jeff on LinkedIn.