The Tech Trek

Host Amir Bormand meets with Sunil Mallya in this episode of The Tech Trek. Sunil is the Vice President of Engineering at OncoHealth and he has many years of experience in the digital healthcare space. He and Amir discuss the unique challenges that engineering teams often face in digital healthcare. Highlights: 03:44 - Sunil discusses some of the common challenges in the healthcare industry. 07:12 - Strategies for properly staffing a team when off-shore assistance isn’t available. 10:38 - Distinguishing and connecting with HIPAA-compliant vendors. 13:10 - How does build vs. buy affect relationships with third parties? 15:48 - What to look for when hiring new team members in digital healthcare. 17:49 - Dealing with unanticipated challenges in the digital healthcare space. Guest: Sunil Mallya A digital healthcare engineering leader with a passion for building great teams and delivering technical solutions loved by consumers. Creative problem solver with an eye for design and customer experience. Passionate about gaining a deep understanding of complex business problems and delivering simple technical solutions that drive business value. Focused on consistently improving organizational processes and building high-performance teams. Currently building Iris - a 24x7 mobile first telehealth service focused on high-quality cancer mental-health care and physical symptom management LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ssmallya/ ___ 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)

Host Amir Bormand meets with Eric Labourdette, a seasoned Cloud Services Consultant in this episode of The Tech Trek. Amir and Eric dissect the Cloud Services industry and leverage Eric’s experience to paint a fuller picture of cloud computing trends. Highlights: 01:15 - Eric shares his philosophy for improving Cloud efficiency. 03:23 - Which metrics can companies use to gauge how well they’re adopting Cloud strategy? 07:50 - How can you effectively transition from old processes to Cloud efficiency? 12:13 - How can Cloud technology help build and maintain 24/7 organizations? 17:01 - What’s the best way to measure customer satisfaction with an early team? 18:52 - Eric sheds light on his process for interviewing candidates around the world. About Eric: Eric Labourdette is a Cloud Business Operation consultant and former VP of Global Cloud Operations at Axway, helping customers to drive successful cloud transformation through SaaS operational efficiency. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericlabourdette/ ___ 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)

On this episode of The Tech Trek, host Amir Bormand meets with Kelsey Steinbeck, the Director of Software Engineering DevOps at Indigo. Amir and Kelsey delve into the subject of DevOps best practices and break down various ways that teams can stay agile when working on large and small projects. Key Takeaways 04:24 - Kelsey shares her strategies for determining when and how she makes adjustments to her team’s processes. 09:07 - What to do when a process doesn’t suit the capabilities of your team? 13:32 -  Kelsey breaks down the real impact velocity hits have on SDLC. 19:12 - How can companies account for changes to their processes as they shift through different phases of growth? 21:34 - How can people learn to set healthy boundaries as they move into management roles? About Kelsey Steinbeck: Kelsey started her career at Liberty Mutual doing DevOps tasks when DevOps wasn't really a thing. Kelsey drove DevOps processes and tooling while trying her hardest to help streamline and enhance legacy engineering practices including helping migrate from on-prem to the cloud. She really wanted to transition to a company with a mission and IndigoAg hit that mark. She’s from and currently lives in a farming community and working for a company that puts farmers front and center is really rewarding. Kelsey started with Indigo as the 3rd engineering hire, built out the DevOps organization, and has helped engineering scale to hundreds of engineers. She loves DevOps and the practices and culture it helps produce. Her Fiancee is a professional outdoorsman, which allows them to adventure doing a wide variety of outdoor activities. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelsey-steinbeck-449a6817/ ___ 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)

Host Amir Bormand meets with Vivek Menon in this episode of The Tech Trek. Vivek is the Head of Cybersecurity & Compliance at Digital Turbine who also boasts a strong background in Data. He and Amir explore Vivek’s unique experiences and discuss how more Data experts can impact Cybersecurity. Highlights: 04:12 - Why aren’t there more Data experts in Cybersecurity? 11:12 - Will the CISO role drastically change in the foreseeable future? 17:02 - Vivek discusses this unique background, experiences, and goals in Data and Cybersecurity. 21:43 - What are some of the benefits of closely integrated Data teams and Security teams? 26:32 - Vivek sheds light on how his Data experience helps him with his current role. About the guest: Vivek Menon is currently with Digital Turbine where he is the Head of Cybersecurity & Compliance and has global responsibility for securing the firm's critical assets, ensuring regulatory compliance, and building a security-aware culture for the firm. Vivek has 20+ years of corporate and consulting experience as a results-oriented technology leader in delivering cybersecurity and data solutions with a specialized focus on the financial services sector. Before Digital Turbine, he held leadership roles at JPMorgan Chase, Capital One and EY Consulting. He primarily focuses on ensuring that the company’s Information Security posture supports business growth objectives, protects public trust in the company’s brand, and meets regulatory requirements. Vivek got his engineering degree from India and his MBA from the University of Texas at Austin. He holds CISSP and CISM certifications. He has been conducting guest lectures at UT and Emory university for the past 8 years and speaks regularly at conferences. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/menonv/ ___ 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)

On this episode of The Tech Trek, host Amir Bormand speaks with Tony Dong, the Senior Director of Engineering at Rippling. Tony is a major advocate for maintaining a startup mindset regardless of your team’s size. He and Amir also discuss strategies for effectively scaling a team. Notes 04:29 - Tony explains why he prefers to maintain a startup mindset even as his teams grow. 09:03 - How can engineering leaders stay connected with their teams as companies start to scale? 12:41 - Tony shares his experiences dealing with changing team structures. 16:34 - Best practices for engineering leaders who are scaling their teams for the first time. 18:21 - What are the best ways to preserve quality and culture as a company grows? About the guest: Tony Dong is a Senior Director of Engineering at Rippling, leading Platform and Core HR Products. Prior to Rippling was the co-founder and CTO of a YC-backed startup. https://www.linkedin.com/in/tonydong3/ https://twitter.com/TonyDong3 ___ 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 of The Tech Trek, host Amir Bormand speaks with Amit Gulati, the Senior Vice President of Engineering at Angi. Amit reflects on his 20 years of experience as an engineering leader - sharing the ups, downs, ins, and outs of the various roles he’s taken on. Highlights 00:02:51 - Amit discusses some of the changes that he encountered while he progressed as an engineering leader. 00:05:33 - How do you develop and refine your leadership skills when you’re promoted to a new position? 00:08:05 - What’s the best way to establish your priorities in a new role and prevent yourself from being spread too thin? 00:13:11 - Why it’s important to cultivate a supportive workplace culture where people feel comfortable asking for help. 00:16:24 - Learning when and how to ask for help. 00:21:24 - Amit shares how he’s built confidence and established trust with his teams as he advanced through his career. 00:26:00 - The benefits and importance of supporting your team as they fail and learn. About the guest: Amit Gulati is a seasoned engineering leader with over 20 years of experience delivering software and leading teams to create business value through the intelligent use of technology. He believes in empowering his teams to own not only the software they deliver but also the business outcomes they enable. In his current role as the SVP of Engineering at Angi, he oversees a team of approximately 300 engineers working to help people love where they live by connecting homeowners and service providers for all of your home maintenance and home improvement needs. Prior to working at Angi, he spent the first half of his career working as a consultant where he delivered custom solutions for a diverse set of clients including ExxonMobile, NJDOT, Verizon, FRBNY, and Rolling Stone magazine. In the past decade, he transitioned into working on in-house product development across the FinTech, digital music, and now home services sectors. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amit-gulati-he-him-5a7b33/ ___ 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 of The Tech Trek, our host Amir Bormand speaks with Lee Eason, the Director of Digital Branch Experience at Edward Jones. Amir and Lee share insights about working with distributed/remote teams, supporting new leaders, and prioritizing team health. Highlights: 00:05:35 - Lee shares his experience with adapting to leading a distributed/mostly remote team. 00:12:55 - What’s the link between team health and team performance? 00:19:05 - Strategies to support new leaders taking on their roles for the first time. 00:21:39 - How can autonomy strengthen the confidence and effectiveness of a team? About Lee Eason: “Do you know much about computers?” After a moment of consideration, desperate for a job, Lee Eason replied, “I can do anything you need with computers.”  As a just-graduated History Education major, he knew almost nothing about computers.  But he made up for what he lacked in experience with determination and curiosity.  That first job at a small furniture plant in Raleigh, NC, launched a 20+ year career that would take Lee through roles as an IT manager, software developer, architect, Agile and DevOps leader, entrepreneur, Chief Technology Officer, and now Director of Digital Branch Experience at Edward Jones.  Those roles have spanned several industries including marketing, education, healthcare, and financial technology.  His passion for learning and teaching has been central to his success as a leader and change agent.  You can read more about Lee at https://eason.blog. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leejeason/ ___ 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 of The Tech Trek, Amir Bormand speaks with Shruthi Murthy, the Executive Vice President of Engineering at Modern Treasury. Amir and Shruthi discuss the various phases of growth that companies like Modern Treasury and WhatsApp experience. They also discuss how businesses and entrepreneurs can choose the right growth strategies for their needs. Highlights: 00:01:47 - Shruthi breaks down her role and responsibilities as the Head of Engineering at Modern Treasury. 00:04:53 - What were the phases of growth for Modern Treasury? How can an organization determine the right approach for itself? 00:09:25 - Shruthi discusses her time working at WhatsApp and how the company adapted to an incredibly uneven user-to-employee ratio. 00:13:46 - Can the same strategies that large companies use to be applied by smaller businesses and start-ups? If so, how? 00:23:04 - How can organizations make better decisions as they transition through different growth phases? Guest: Shruthi Murthy is EVP of Engineering for payments operations software provider Modern Treasury. Modern Treasury’s platform automates each step of the money-moving process, enabling companies to instantly close books with continuous accounting, manage payments via dashboard or API, and automatically reconcile cash across multiple bank accounts versus having to spend hours or days doing so with more legacy or even manual systems. Before joining Modern Treasury, Shruthi was with messaging giant WhatsApp for eight years, where she served as Director of Engineering, leading the zero-to-one product and engineering teams. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shruthi-murthy-abb731/ ___ 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, Hadi Radwan, Co-founder at Asteya, talks about leadership and the core function of facilitation! Key takeaways: Executing the strategy The leader should not be the bottleneck 2-way communication Wearing different hats when communicating Fail fast, learn fast Lines of communication: remove yourself from the centerpiece Thinking frameworks - how do you structure problems Dunning-Kruger effect Shape the culture You always don’t have the answer unless you have seen the situation before About today’s guest: Hadi Radwan is an industry-leading expert in insurance technology, product, and operations. Hadi has conceptualized, designed, and developed Asteya’s state-of-the-art cloud-based insurance platform, leading Asteya from conceptualization to its launch and post-launch performance. Hadi holds an MBA from IE Business School and a BA in Accounting from the American University of Beirut. He also graduated from the Program for Leadership Development at Harvard Business School. In addition, he is an avid biohacker who is big on wellness. Hadi is passionate about traveling, martial arts, and music in his free time. In addition, he is obsessed with productivity and likes to find solutions to problems simply and efficiently. Hadi is a Certified Valuation Analyst (CVA) and a Certified Financial Consultant (CFC). Hadi is also the host of the Podcast “The First 100”, a podcast about how successful entrepreneurs acquired the First 100 paying customers. LinkedIn Hadi: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hadiradwan/ Podcast: https://thefirst100.buzzsprout.com/ ___ 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, Ozan Bilgen, Co-founder and CEO at base64.ai, talks about technical debt and why you should avoid over-engineering! Key takeaways: Tech debt is a conscious way of something things can wait Knowingly you under-engineer certain parts where you can afford to Focusing on the thing that does 99% of the job SW is short-lived anyways, so why over-engineer Scale and compliance are drivers for revisiting the architecture Tech debt is the delta between MVP and V1 When to decide to through away your MVP and restart The tradeoffs between over or under engineer something - the tradeoffs To get sizing correct, it takes time (and over-analysis) About today’s guest:  Ozan Eren Bilgen is the CEO of Base64.ai, the artificial intelligence solution that can process all types of documents worldwide. Ozan has BSc and MSc degrees in computer sciences. He previously worked as a software engineer and manager in top tech companies such as Microsoft, Netflix, PayPal, Uber, and Palantir. Some of his notable works include Netflix's credit card payments system, PayPal's online gateway, and Uber's vehicle leasing services. Ozan is a Turkish American who is also an airplane pilot and a scuba diver in his free time. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ozanerenbilgen/ ___ 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)