"Build To Succeed" explores the world of building successful tech products by dissecting the experiences of leaders who have brought ideas to life and nurtured ...
Sam Moore — Leading Effective Mobile Re-Platforming & Technology Transformations
On today’s episode, we’re joined by Sam Moore, VP of Architecture at Betterment, where he has led groundbreaking initiatives, including the re-platforming of mobile codebases from native to Flutter, and the launch of Betterment Checking. Sam’s extensive experience in scaling infrastructure and software architecture has made him a key figure in driving Betterment’s technological advancements.Sam discusses leading major tech transitions, managing technical debt, fostering innovation and scaling engineering teams while ensuring continuous growth in the financial technology space.Key Takeaways:(01:16) Fatherhood influences Sam’s leadership and management approach.(02:13) Guiding teams through questions is more effective than directing.(08:12) Transitioning to Ruby on Rails improved innovation flexibility.(12:45) Moving to mobile-first required major strategy changes.(15:33) Iterative approaches are safer than big bang rewrites.(17:03) Flutter helped streamline Betterment’s mobile development efforts.(22:00) Inconsistent architecture patterns slowed development.(29:42) Developing the tech investment life cycle framework.(30:03) The four phases of the tech investment cycle.(39:05) Pilot projects evaluate cross-platform strategies like Flutter.(42:37) Early team alignment and training ensure success.(50:03) Full tech adoption needs a complete cleanup phase.(54:45) Features now take days, not weeks, with Flutter.(58:02) Confidence in tech transitions is crucial for success.Resources Mentioned:Sam Moore -https://www.linkedin.com/in/samuelamoore/Betterment -https://www.linkedin.com/company/betterment/Betterment LLC -https://www.betterment.com/Very Good Ventures designs and builds world-class digital experiences for any screen, with the best tools and engineering approaches for consistent, scalable results. Find out how VGV helps you hit the mark at: https://verygood.ventures/ #Apps #Flutter #AppDevelopment
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1:03:47
Patricia Roller — The Intersection of Design and Technology
On today’s episode, we’re joined by Patricia Roller, former co-CEO of Frog Design and current CEO of Vidlet Inc., a company known for pioneering video research in product development. With a rich background in design and leadership, Patricia shares her insights on the critical role of company culture in driving innovation and success within startups.Key Takeaways:(02:10) Culture should be the top priority in any startup.(04:45) The CEO must lead by driving ideas and allowing mistakes.(08:20) Investing in talent is crucial for success.(12:30) Strategic actions, like targeted advertising, reinforce culture.(16:50) Leadership evolves from aggressive to collaborative styles.(20:15) Success is now measured by the team’s growth.(24:40) Networking without an agenda builds lasting relationships.(28:10) Building confidence in young employees is key to their development.(32:05) Mentorship offers mutual benefits for both mentors and mentees.(36:30) Adapting to new skill sets challenges traditional thinking.(39:45) Change is necessary to avoid stagnation and commoditization.Resources Mentioned:Patricia Roller - https://www.linkedin.com/in/patricia-roller-a2047a/Frog Design | LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/frogdesign/Frog Design | Website - https://www.frogdesign.com/Vidlet Inc. | LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/vidlet-inc-/Vidlet Inc. | Website - https://vidlet.com/Very Good Ventures designs and builds world-class digital experiences for any screen, with the best tools and engineering approaches for consistent, scalable results. Find out how VGV helps you hit the mark at: https://verygood.ventures/ #Apps #Flutter #AppDevelopment
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46:10
Transforming UX: The Power of Design Technology
On today’s episode, we’re joined by Kyle Crouse, whose previous roles include Senior Manager, Design Technology at Amazon, Principal Design Technologist at frog and Creative Technology Director at Method and Visa. He is currently Director of Concept Technology at Very Good Ventures. Kyle discusses the integration of design and technology in product development. Key Takeaways:(05:11) Building lean MVPs in startups involves rapid prototyping and quick iterations.(08:46) Integrating design and technology early ensures fidelity and reduces errors.(13:03) Prototyping physical and digital transitions is crucial for global applications.(15:09) Rapid prototyping helps identify the best technologies for specific environments.(16:57) Iterating on-site with real users refines technology and UX for success.(24:28) Creating delightful user experiences involves saving time and reducing frustration.(26:36) Companies should not fear prototyping; users will not notice what wasn't included.Resources Mentioned:Kyle Crouse - https://www.linkedin.com/in/kylecrouse/Amazon - https://www.linkedin.com/company/amazon/frog - https://www.linkedin.com/company/frogdesign/Method - https://www.linkedin.com/company/methodinc/Visa - https://www.linkedin.com/company/visa/Very Good Ventures - https://www.linkedin.com/company/very-good-ventures/Figma - https://www.figma.com/Copilot - https://copilot.money/Very Good Ventures designs and builds world-class digital experiences for any screen, with the best tools and engineering approaches for consistent, scalable results. Find out how VGV helps you hit the mark at: https://verygood.ventures/ #Apps #Flutter #AppDevelopment
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38:26
How AI and Flutter Are Shaping the Future of Development
Ready to revolutionize your approach to tech? We’re joined by Teresa Wu, VP of Software Engineering at JPMorgan Chase & Co., whose previous roles include Senior Staff Engineer at tide, and Android and Mobile Lead at Ostmodern. Teresa shares invaluable insights on mastering new technologies like AI and Flutter, emphasizing the critical role of community, curiosity and strategic risk management in successful product development.Key Takeaways:(08:45) AI's broad appeal spans various roles, including product design, marketing and software engineering.(09:52) Balancing personal interests and professional development is crucial in staying engaged and innovative.(10:11) Understanding AI as a software engineer can enhance your problem-solving abilities and product development.(17:29) The importance of thorough MVP and POC testing before integrating new tools into mature products.(19:12) AI will significantly change how products are designed and used, especially with customer-facing features.(22:09) Most work in AI projects involves data preparation and model training, not just coding.(33:26) The community behind a technology can be more important than the technology itself.(37:47) Continuous learning without the pressure to become an expert in every new field is key to personal growth.Resources Mentioned:Teresa Wu - https://www.linkedin.com/in/yayiwu/JPMorgan Chase & Co - https://www.linkedin.com/company/jpmorganchase/Google Cloud Platform - https://cloud.google.com/Flutter - https://flutter.dev/Very Good Ventures designs and builds world-class digital experiences for any screen, with the best tools and engineering approaches for consistent, scalable results. Find out how VGV helps you hit the mark at: https://verygood.ventures/ #Apps #Flutter #AppDevelopment
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39:10
Innovation vs. Operation: Striking the Balance
On this episode, we’re joined by Carsten Wierwille, former Executive at ustwo, Method, GlobalLogic and frog, and current Board Director at Very Good Ventures. Carsten shares his insights on building sustainable habits, transforming company culture and balancing purpose with profit.Key Takeaways:(01:04) The importance of focusing on habits to achieve long-term goals.(03:18) How incremental improvements lead to significant changes.(05:16) The role of a leader in fostering a company’s creative ambition.(07:00) Insights on converting a company from founder-led to employee-owned.(12:51) The relevance of purpose-driven frameworks like B Corp certification.(14:04) The influence of remote work on company purpose and employee choice.(17:25) How to effectively manage team dynamics and individual motivations.(22:15) Balancing innovation with operational excellence.(27:45) Strategies for prioritizing tasks and managing time efficiently.(32:30) The impact of culture on the success of digital product companies.Resources Mentioned:Carsten Wierwille - https://www.linkedin.com/in/carsten-wierwille-177516/Very Good Ventures - https://www.linkedin.com/company/very-good-ventures/“Atomic Habits” by James Clear - https://jamesclear.com/atomic-habitsB Corp Certification - https://bcorporation.net/Lin Ostrom’s Work on Common Pool Resources - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elinor_OstromVery Good Ventures designs and builds world-class digital experiences for any screen, with the best tools and engineering approaches for consistent, scalable results. Find out how VGV helps you hit the mark at: https://verygood.ventures/. #Apps #Flutter #AppDevelopment
"Build To Succeed" explores the world of building successful tech products by dissecting the experiences of leaders who have brought ideas to life and nurtured them into long-term successes. The show delves into the delicate balance of speed and resourcefulness required in today's business landscape, emphasizing the importance of building "the right thing, the right way" – crafting products for longevity while optimizing for business goals. Through interviews with these experienced individuals, listeners will gain insights into navigating the space between launch and long-term growth, making good decisions, and uncovering the patterns that lead to repeated success. Build to Succeed is brought to you by Very Good Ventures.
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