

The Tech Trek
Elevano
The Tech Trek is a podcast for the people building the next generation of technology companies. Host Amir Bormand talks with founders, CTOs, and engineering leaders about the real decisions behind scaling teams, shipping product, and growing a technical organization from the ground up.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Jan 12, 2021 • 21min
Myles Guanzon - Performance management of remote teams
What you’ll learn:
Using stand-downs to check-in at the end of the day
Clarifying expectations and establishing a clear technical ladder
Doubling down on creating communication channels within the team
Meet: Myles Guanzon is a servant engineering leader with a strong passion for data-driven, lean product development, Myles comes from a non-traditional engineering background. His career started in DevOps with server management and progressed by learning web development and co-founding a design agency to develop web applications for clients, including NASA. Today as the VP of Engineering at Omada Health, Myles leads the B2C teams that are responsible for engaging its members into lifelong health.
If you have any questions for Myles, please feel free to reach out via LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/myles-guanzon-9ab50020/
I hope you enjoyed the episode, the best place to connect with me is on Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/amirbormand (Amir Bormand). Please send me a message if you would like me to cover certain topics with future guests.

Jan 11, 2021 • 25min
David Kaplan - Focusing on predictability rather than velocity
What you’ll learn:
Focusing on predictability rather than velocity
How the code base’s complexity can affect estimation
Balancing the effect of technology change on the team
David references the following book:
Nicole Forsgren’s book: Accelerate
Meet: David Kaplan is the head of engineering at Policygenius, the nation’s leading online insurance marketplace. David has been an engineering leader for over a decade as a VP of Engineering at Yodle (Acquired by Web.com), a Senior Manager at Bloomberg L.P., and the co-founder of Helioscene, which was a SaaS startup in the video production space.
If you have any questions for David, please feel free to reach out via LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/davebkaplan/
I hope you enjoyed the episode, the best place to connect with me is on Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/amirbormand (Amir Bormand). Please send me a message if you would like me to cover certain topics with future guests.

Jan 8, 2021 • 29min
David Relyea - Growing your career in data science
What you’ll learn:
Inversion of talent vs seniority
Hiring is not all about the hard skills
Focusing on employees motivations for the long term benefit to the company
Meet: David Relyea received a Ph.D. in physics from Princeton in 2003. He has worked in the defense sector, ad tech, fintech, and cybersecurity, largely in the areas of machine learning and optimization. He is currently Director of Data Science at BlackBerry.
If you have any questions for David, please feel free to reach out via LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-relyea-44120557/
I hope you enjoyed the episode, the best place to connect with me is on Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/amirbormand (Amir Bormand). Please send me a message if you would like me to cover certain topics with future guests.

Jan 7, 2021 • 24min
Ryan Weeks - Growing security awareness and maturity
What you’ll learn:
Growing security awareness and maturity
Starting with a security framework in mind
Cybersecurity is an accessible field (moving past the myth)
Meet: Ryan Weeks - As Chief Information Security Officer (CISO), Ryan is responsible for directing and managing Datto's Information Security program. Ryan spent 11 years securing enterprise applications, systems, and sensitive customer financial data at FactSet Research Systems, where he orchestrated all facets of the global information security program. Ryan holds a B.S. in Computer Information Systems from Ithaca College, an M.S. in Information Assurance from Northeastern University, and has industry security certifications including the Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) and the Certified Information Security Manager (CISM).
If you have any questions for Ryan, please feel free to reach out via LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanweeks/
I hope you enjoyed the episode, the best place to connect with me is on Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/amirbormand (Amir Bormand). Please send me a message if you would like me to cover certain topics with future guests.

Jan 6, 2021 • 24min
Liliya Frye - Moving towards Automated Continuous Testing
What you’ll learn:
Challenges in moving to CI/CD
What is continuous testing?
The new skills required for people in testing
Meet: Liliya Frye is a Technology Leader and a Manager of Quality Assurance Engineering with over 20 years of experience in IT. She is very enthusiastic about digital product quality, security, cloud computing, and leadership. She is naturally curious and loves the continuous process of learning, as well as sharing her knowledge with others. She is a Leader of OWASP (Open Web Application Security Project) San Fernando Valley Chapter and a part of the planning committee of AppSec California security conferences.
Liliya authored the following articles:
1. Leaders who deliver vs. Leaders who destroy
2. How to Get Hired: Encoded Secrets of Hiring Managers
3. Focusing on Customers in Agile SDLC with 80/20 Rule
4. CI/CD/CT - Shift-Left and Shift-Right with Automated Continuous Testing
If you have any questions for Liliya, please feel free to reach out via LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/liliyafrye/
I hope you enjoyed the episode, the best place to connect with me is on Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/amirbormand (Amir Bormand). Please send me a message if you would like me to cover certain topics with future guests.

Jan 5, 2021 • 17min
Andy Lu - moving your career forward by staying curious
What you’ll learn:
Being curious, staying curious
Servant leadership style
Pushing for opportunities to grow
Meet: I am an experienced technologist with over 10 years of experience in the Internet industry. I've worked with companies that build and distribute web applications internally within an organization as well as externally to users around the world. I've seen the industry grow and advance greatly over the past decade and the technical knowledge I've gathered, helps me to be successful at building any web application of any scale. I am also a very experienced people manager who has coached many engineers and helped them to grow both their technical skills as well as their leadership traits to elevate their careers to the next level.
If you have any questions for Andy, please feel free to reach out via LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/andylu821/
I hope you enjoyed the episode, the best place to connect with me is on Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/amirbormand (Amir Bormand). Please send me a message if you would like me to cover certain topics with future guests.

Jan 4, 2021 • 19min
George Bezerra: Moving the business forward with data science
What you’ll learn:
Evaluating where data science and machine learning can be applied
Complimenting human decision making with algorithms
Being aware of impacting existing processes
Meet: George Bezerra is a strategic data executive with expertise in Machine Learning and Data Science. Currently VP of Data Science at Frontdoor, he was previously the head of data science at car insurance startup Metromile and spent five years at TripAdvisor where he was Senior Director of Data Science and Analytics. Like many data scientists, George has an academic background, including a Post-doctorate at MIT's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory and a Ph.D. in Computer Science from the University of New Mexico.
If you have any questions for George, please feel free to reach out via:
www.linkedin.com/in/george-bezerra
I hope you enjoyed the episode, the best place to connect with me is on Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/amirbormand (Amir Bormand). Please send me a message if you would like me to cover certain topics with future guests.

Dec 30, 2020 • 22min
George Bezerra: Modernizing a legacy data infrastructure and culture
What you’ll learn:
Modernizing a legacy data infrastructure and culture
Pushing people out of their comfort zone
Quick wins while building the long term foundation
Meet: George Bezerra is a strategic data executive with expertise in Machine Learning and Data Science. Currently VP of Data Science at Frontdoor, he was previously the head of data science at car insurance startup Metromile and spent five years at TripAdvisor where he was Senior Director of Data Science and Analytics. Like many data scientists, George has an academic background, including a Post-doctorate at MIT's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory and a Ph.D. in Computer Science from the University of New Mexico.
If you have any questions for George, please feel free to reach out via:
www.linkedin.com/in/george-bezerra
I hope you enjoyed the episode, the best place to connect with me is on Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/amirbormand (Amir Bormand). Please send me a message if you would like me to cover certain topics with future guests.

Dec 29, 2020 • 17min
Ian Amit: Mental health within the cybersecurity field
What you’ll learn:
Security professionals and mental health
Accepting that there are inherent limitations in security
If you burn yourself out you are doing more harm to the business than you think
Simulate how you would handle a security breach
Meet: Ian Amit is the CSO at Cimpress. Ian is an executive manager in the security and software industry with vast experience in multiple fields - from enterprise security, through retail, to end-user software and large back-end systems. Highly experienced in leading marketing opportunities, and translating technical innovation into marketable concepts that increase sales and exposure.
He is an Information Security expert with vast experience ranging from low-level technical expertise and up to corporate security policy, regulatory compliance, and strategy.
Ian keynote speaker, with vast experience in public speaking and private customer-focused seminars (Conferences featuring BlackHat, DEFCON, RSA, BSides, BlueHat, ZonCon, Source, and many more).
He is also a founding member of the PTES (Penetration Testing Execution Standard), IL-CERT, and the Tel-Aviv DEFCON group (DC9723).
If you have any questions for Ian, please feel free to reach out via:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/iamit/
https://www.iamit.org/
I hope you enjoyed the episode, the best place to connect with me is on Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/amirbormand (Amir Bormand). Please send me a message if you would like me to cover certain topics with future guests.

Dec 28, 2020 • 17min
Ian Amit: Managing security across multiple brands
What you’ll learn:
Setting up an internal MSSP (managed security service provider)
Establishing a baseline of security (using the NIST Cybersecurity Framework)
Using the M&A process to get a headstart on security
Meet: Ian Amit is the CSO at Cimpress. Ian is an executive manager in the security and software industry with vast experience in multiple fields - from enterprise security, through retail, to end-user software and large back-end systems. Highly experienced in leading marketing opportunities, and translating technical innovation into marketable concepts that increase sales and exposure.
He is an Information Security expert with vast experience ranging from low-level technical expertise and up to corporate security policy, regulatory compliance, and strategy.
Ian keynote speaker, with vast experience in public speaking and private customer-focused seminars (Conferences featuring BlackHat, DEFCON, RSA, BSides, BlueHat, ZonCon, Source, and many more).
He is also a founding member of the PTES (Penetration Testing Execution Standard), IL-CERT, and the Tel-Aviv DEFCON group (DC9723).
If you have any questions for Ian, please feel free to reach out via:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/iamit/
https://www.iamit.org/
I hope you enjoyed the episode, the best place to connect with me is on Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/amirbormand (Amir Bormand). Please send me a message if you would like me to cover certain topics with future guests.


