The Tech Trek

In this episode, Phil Freo, the VP of Product and Engineering at Close, discusses his journey from being a founding engineer to the VP of Engineering. Phil has been with Close for almost 12 years and has witnessed the company's growth firsthand. We delve into topics like retention, what mattered in the early days, and what Phil is focused on now. Tune in to gain insights into the evolution of a startup and the importance of staying committed to a company's mission. Highlights [00:00:52] Longevity at Close.  [00:06:45] The job keeps changing.  [00:08:03] Evolving skill sets.  [00:13:38] Retention and opportunity for growth. [00:15:02] Remote work and company culture.  [00:20:42] Over-documentation in remote work.  [00:23:00] VC-backed growth vs. steady growth.  [00:27:10] Progress and happiness. Guest: Phil Freo is a founding team member and VP of Product and Engineering at Close.com, a profitable SaaS CRM for startups & SMBs. Phil helped build, launch, and grow Close from the beginning and now leads the 50-person Product, Design, and Engineering org there. Previously, Phil led Product/Engineering for two years at Quizlet, building study tools that help millions of students learn, and also interned at Google. Phil spent several years in Silicon Valley before returning to Florida and focusing on scaling remote teams. Connect with Phil: https://twitter.com/philfreo https://www.linkedin.com/in/philfreo/ --- Thank you so much for checking out this episode of The Tech Trek, and we would appreciate it if you would take a minute to rate and review us on your favorite podcast player. Want to learn more about us? Head over at https://www.elevano.com Have questions or want to cover specific topics with our future guests? Please message me at https://www.linkedin.com/in/amirbormand (Amir Bormand)

In this episode, Chintan Shah, VP of Engineering at Collective, discusses the application of AI in business outcomes and how it benefits consumers. The focus is on Collective's product, which caters to consultants and contractors who run their small businesses. Chintan explains the advantages of representing their work as a business and touches on tax laws and liability. Tune in to learn more about the role of generative AI in improving the consumer experience. Highlights: [00:00:38] Collective benefiting consumers using AI.  [00:05:33] Subjective interpretation in accounting.  [00:10:58] Co-pilot model and generative AI.  [00:13:09] Bookkeeper's comprehensive view of books.  [00:18:05] Quarterly tax estimates and cash flow.  [00:24:04] Giving time back to businesses.  [00:26:14] Applying assistance to end users. Guest: Chintan Shah, as Collective’s VP of Engineering, brings over 20 years of technology experience to build software products that maximize the value for customers. He has led globally distributed engineering teams at companies like Nextdoor, Uber, Netflix, and Apple and at startups like Zencoder and Justin.tv (Twitch) before his tenure at Collective. Chintan’s team at Netflix created Conductor workflow engine. He has an MS in Cryptography and likes to learn new computer languages in his spare time. LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/chintan --- Thank you so much for checking out this episode of The Tech Trek, and we would appreciate it if you would take a minute to rate and review us on your favorite podcast player. Want to learn more about us? Head over at https://www.elevano.com Have questions or want to cover specific topics with our future guests? Please message me at https://www.linkedin.com/in/amirbormand (Amir Bormand)

In this episode, host Amir interviews Jeff DeVerter, Chief Technology Evangelist at Rackspace, about the key factors that can impact the success of an AI project. They discuss the importance of data quality, enterprise adoption, and organizational structure in driving successful AI implementation. Jeff provides valuable insights and feedback in these areas, highlighting the need for a new approach to AI in the enterprise. This episode offers valuable insights for anyone looking to navigate the challenges and achieve success in AI projects. Highlights: [00:02:31] AI in personal lives.  [00:03:33] Companies' real-time interaction needs.  [00:07:05] Intelligent Co-Pilot for the Enterprise  [00:11:10] AI's impact on IT.  [00:15:10] First steps in AI adoption. [00:18:02] LLMs as ongoing AI projects.  [00:21:01] Identifying impactful opportunities.  [00:25:45] Hallucination in AI models.  [00:28:09] The importance of source data.  [00:32:00] AI and cybersecurity misconceptions. Jeff DeVerter is the chief technology evangelist at Rackspace Technology, an end-to-end, multi-cloud technology services provider. He has 25 years of experience in IT and technology and has worked at Rackspace Technology for over 10 years. Jeff is a proven strategic leader who has helped insurers create and execute against multi-year digital transformation strategies. During his time at Rackspace Technology, Jeff has launched and managed many of the products and services that Rackspace Technology offers, as well as supporting merger and acquisition activities to enhance those offerings. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jdeverter/ -- Thank you so much for checking out this episode of The Tech Trek, and we would appreciate it if you would take a minute to rate and review us on your favorite podcast player. Want to learn more about us? Head over at https://www.elevano.com Have questions or want to cover specific topics with our future guests? Please message me at https://www.linkedin.com/in/amirbormand (Amir Bormand)

In this episode, Mir Ali, the Head of Digital Engineering at the Kraft Heinz Company, joins the show to discuss the enterprise-wide adoption of Gen AI (generative AI). They delve into topics such as platform evaluation, ROI, legal and regulatory considerations, and maturity planning. The conversation focuses on how enterprises can adopt Gen AI, including selecting the right platform, developing a strategy, and justifying its costs. This episode offers valuable insights into the practical application of Gen AI in the business world. Highlights: [00:02:40] Use cases in CPG.  [00:05:43] AI strategy   [00:08:19] AI strategy for Kraft Hines.  [00:14:10] Building AI literacy.  [00:16:27] Pilot success metrics.  [00:19:05] Evaluating AI's revenue opportunities.  [00:23:39] Co-pilot integration into daily life. Guest: Mir Ali is the Head of Digital Engineering at Kraft Heinz (KHC). He leads a team of product, data, and platform engineers who are responsible for developing and managing the company's digital products and platforms. He has more than 20 years of experience in technology, working in various roles and sectors, including aviation, consulting, automotive, and financial services. His current role focuses on building a robust platform that supports KHC’s growth strategies, improves analytics-driven decision-making, and aligns the vision across stakeholders, including IT, business, and external partners. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/miryali/ --- Thank you so much for checking out this episode of The Tech Trek, and we would appreciate it if you would take a minute to rate and review us on your favorite podcast player. Want to learn more about us? Head over at https://www.elevano.com Have questions or want to cover specific topics with our future guests? Please message me at https://www.linkedin.com/in/amirbormand (Amir Bormand)

In this episode, I speak with Jyri Engestrom, an investor and partner at YesVC, about angel vesting. Jyri shares his insights on how to get into angel investing and how it can benefit your career as a founder or executive. We discuss the popularity of angel investing and the platforms that allow investors to deploy small tickets into companies. Jyri emphasizes the importance of building a diversified portfolio, even if you're running your own company. Tune in to learn more about the world of angel investing. Disclaimer: The content shared on this podcast should not be considered as legal, financial, or any other type of advice. We encourage you to seek guidance from qualified professionals and conduct your own research before making any investment decisions. Highlights: [00:00:40] Angel investing and career benefits.  [00:04:00] Investing in startups for equity.  [00:09:09] Investing too much in startups.  [00:12:30] Skipping angel investing vintages.  [00:17:10] Angel investing ticket size.  [00:20:04] Legal protection when investing.  [00:24:19] The value of angel investors.  [00:28:05] Private investments and angel investors.  [00:34:37] Cultivating relationships as an investor.  [00:37:06] Investing in competitors for success. Guest: Jyri Engeström co-founded Jaiku, a mobile social network acquired by Google, and Ditto, a recommendations app acquired by Groupon. He is an early investor in Unity (NYSE:U), Oura, Iceye and many other companies. Before co-founding Yes VC with Caterina, he was on the investing team at True Ventures (early investors in Peloton, Ring, WordPress and others). LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jyriengestrom/ --- Thank you so much for checking out this episode of The Tech Trek, and we would appreciate it if you would take a minute to rate and review us on your favorite podcast player. Want to learn more about us? Head over at https://www.elevano.com Have questions or want to cover specific topics with our future guests? Please message me at https://www.linkedin.com/in/amirbormand (Amir Bormand)

In this episode, Amir Bormand interviews Pete Hunt, the CEO of Dagster Labs. They discuss the open-source nature of Dagster, a product that helps businesses with data orchestration. They explore the product's benefits, the challenges in the data orchestration market, and why Dagster Labs decided to open-source their product. Pete shares his background in open source and the importance of data pipelines in making sense of messy data. Tune in to learn more about how Dagster is revolutionizing the data industry. Highlights: [00:01:02] Building with data in businesses.  [00:04:08] Data hygiene in organizations.  [00:08:09] Building multi-tenancy from day one.  [00:14:14] Data pipeline unpredictability.  [00:18:00] Open source mentality.  [00:21:10] Open source led business models.  [00:23:05] Open source pricing strategy. Guest: Pete joined Dagster Labs as Head of Engineering in early 2022 and took over the reins as CEO in November of that year. Pete was previously co-founder and CEO of Smyte, an anti-abuse provider that Twitter acquired. Before this, Pete led Instagram’s web team, built Instagram’s business analytics products, and helped to open-source Facebook’s React.js. Connect with Pete: https://twitter.com/floydophone  https://www.linkedin.com/in/pwhunt/

In this episode, Engin Anil, the VP of Software Engineering at Gatik, joins the podcast to discuss the complexities and challenges in the autonomous vehicle space. Amir and Engin explore the sophistication of autonomous vehicle technology and the need to build confidence and trust in these vehicles. The episode sheds light on the intricate nature of coding for autonomous vehicles, comparing it to the coding required for Boeing or Airbus airplanes. Tune in to gain insights into the impacts and complexities of autonomous vehicles and the software behind them. Highlights: [00:01:05] Complexity of autonomous vehicles.  [00:05:48] Differentiating between vehicles.  [00:10:38] Transferable skills in computer vision.  [00:13:41] Ramp up on history  [00:18:04] Cross-disciplinary work in perception.  [00:19:13] Perception problem in AI algorithms.  [00:23:01] The magnitude of ambition. Guest: Engin Anil is the VP of Software Engineering at Gatik. Engin focuses on operational excellence in autonomous technology and robotics by hyper-focusing organizations on what is important. He empowers engineering, product, and operations teams to take products to market quicker by rapid development and customer feedback iterations. He bridges his teams and executive leadership, ensuring open communications. Engin creates a safe environment where people can lean on both individual and team strengths while continuing to learn and grow. Engin earned a PhD from Carnegie Mellon University. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ebanil/ --- Thank you so much for checking out this episode of The Tech Trek, and we would appreciate it if you would take a minute to rate and review us on your favorite podcast player. Want to learn more about us? Head over at https://www.elevano.com Have questions or want to cover specific topics with our future guests? Please message me at https://www.linkedin.com/in/amirbormand (Amir Bormand)

In this episode, Phanii Pydimarri, Head of Strategic Planning and Partnerships at Healthcare Service Corporation, joins the podcast to discuss the topic of productizing data. They explore this process's opportunities, challenges, and common mistakes. Phanii shares insights on the mindset required to view data as a product effectively. Tune in to gain valuable insights into productizing data and its impact on healthcare analytics. Highlights: [00:02:33] Productizing data.  [00:04:23] Transitioning to digital productization.  [00:07:17] Siloed nature within an organization.  [00:13:10] Data product manager roles.  [00:15:28] Data products in organizations.  [00:19:27] Internal vs. external data products.  [00:23:32] Internal products and data leaders.  [00:25:59] Lack of clear vision. Guest:   Phanii Pydimarri is an industry-agnostic Global Digital, Product, and Data Analytics Leader in driving Digital Transformation, Commercialization, and end-to-end Data Management with key focus areas such as Strategy, Data Analytics, Business Transformation, Product Management, and Customer Success. He has a Master of Science in Computer Science from the New Jersey Institute of Technology and an Executive MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management.  Phanii has extensive experience working for organizations across the US in different industries. He is a strong believer in economies of scale, is outcome-driven, and is passionate about solving key business challenges by using Digital and Data technologies. He has strong experience using Data Science to drive innovation and improve key operational metrics and has experience standing up Data Governance programs across various public and private sector organizations. Phanii has successful experience in Productizing Data, AI, and other Digital products with the right Go-To-Market strategies and achieving commercial value for Fortune 500 organizations. Over the years, Phanii has transformed cultures and delivered digital and data solutions that can be leveraged to deliver measurable outcomes to drive organizational goals. Phanii sits on multiple Data & Analytics and Product advisory boards and is a regular public speaker. Some notable organizations include Chief Data Officer Magazine, Modal.ai, the International Society of CDOs (isCDO), and Evanta. He won CDO 40 under 40 and the Top 50 Data & Analytics Professional award for 2023. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/phaniipydimarricdo/ --- Thank you so much for checking out this episode of The Tech Trek, and we would appreciate it if you would take a minute to rate and review us on your favorite podcast player. Want to learn more about us? Head over at https://www.elevano.com Have questions or want to cover specific topics with our future guests? Please message meat https://www.linkedin.com/in/amirbormand (Amir Bormand)

In this episode, Amir Bormand interviews Joel Dolisy, the CTO of WellSky. They discuss different aspects of organizational design regarding innovation versus transformation, PE versus VC, and different company sizes. Joel also explains how WellSky provides software solutions and analytics capabilities to help healthcare organizations optimize patient care and performance across the acute, post-acute, and community care continuum.  00:03:30 Organizational design requires maximizing collaboration. 00:05:28 Anticipate changes and innovate. 00:10:49 Software as an enabler. 00:16:23 Balancing innovation and risk. 00:23:08 Context is vital for growth. 00:28:56 Design principles guide organizational growth. Guest: In his role as chief technology officer, Joel Dolisy manages both product development and information technology for WellSky. Before joining WellSky as CTO, Joel was CTO of Kinnser Software, leading the company’s engineering and product organizations. Before Kinnser, Joel was SVP, CTO, and CIO for SolarWinds, a leading provider of IT management software. With more than 20 years of experience in product strategy and software engineering, Joel is a leader in developing and delivering commercial software products to market. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jdolisy/ --- Thank you so much for checking out this episode of The Tech Trek, and we would appreciate it if you would take a minute to rate and review us on your favorite podcast player. Want to learn more about us? Head over at https://www.elevano.com Have questions or want to cover specific topics with our future guests? Please message me at https://www.linkedin.com/in/amirbormand (Amir Bormand)

In this episode, Kris Shinn, the VP of Engineering at Consensus, shares insights on scaling a single-focus engineering team to a broader or different type of engineering team. The conversation covers the impact on engineering leaders and engineers, managing tribal knowledge, and accommodating different preferences in organization size. Kris also provides an overview of Consensus, a blockchain company specializing in the Ethereum ecosystem. Tune in to gain valuable perspectives on navigating team growth and adapting to a changing industry. Highlights: 00:00:09 Scaling a single-focused engineering team 00:05:45 Leaders must evolve and adapt. 00:11:08 Managing change requires clear communication. 00:18:10 Navigating career growth in scaling companies. 00:22:10 Importance of process in scaling. --- Thank you so much for checking out this episode of The Tech Trek, and we would appreciate it if you would take a minute to rate and review us on your favorite podcast player. Want to learn more about us? Head over at https://www.elevano.com Have questions or want to cover specific topics with our future guests? Please message me at https://www.linkedin.com/in/amirbormand (Amir Bormand)