Constant Variables
135 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 1 month ago - ★★★★★ - 18 ratingsConstant Variables takes a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to build and grow digital products. Focused on helping non-technical people become more comfortable with the nerdy jargon related to mobile software development, we break down technical topics to make them less complex and more accessible, because as Steve Jobs said, “Everything around you that you call life was made up by people that were no smarter than you and you can change it, you can influence it, you can build your own things that other people can use.”
From project managers charged with managing a digital project, to app-based startups looking to scale, to organizations tackling digital transformation initiatives, we share our insights and regularly interview individuals who have "been there, done that" to leverage their expertise and learn from their mistakes.
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Episodes
84: Forming the Tele-Legal Avengers with Jazz Hampton of TurnSignl
June 29, 2021 10:00 - 55 minutes - 38.5 MBDo good by doing well. The new social enterprise taking that to heart with a first of its kind tele-legal service is TurnSignl, with an on-demand app that facilitates and records real-time interactions between drivers and law enforcement during traffic stops. CEO and General Counsel Jazz Hampton joins the show to chat about building the bike as they were riding it, and how investors, individuals, companies, media, and police officers are responding to their service. **Show Links** Turn...
83: AIoT and the Future of Business with Justin Grammens of Lab651
June 22, 2021 10:00 - 52 minutes - 36.6 MBBusinesses who aren’t exploring smart technologies will eventually go the way of the dinosaurs. Justin Grammens is an expert on IoT, AI, and where the two meet. He joins the show to chat about how and why businesses should start exploring these emerging technologies and where they’re making the most impact. **Show Links** JustinGrammens.com | http://justingrammens.com/ Justin Grammens on LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/justingrammens/ Lab651 | https://lab651.com/ Emerging...
82: Building for a Tech-Enabled World with Howard Tiersky of FROM.Digital
June 15, 2021 10:00 - 49 minutes - 34.2 MBDigital transformation looks a lot different for today’s companies than it did in the 90’s. Howard Tiersky, founder of digital transformation agency FROM, joins the show to chat about the rapid evolution of technological innovations, how organizations can shift their mindset to the “new normal,” how solving customer pain points leads to competitive differentiation, and how to balance cost and thoroughness when conducting customer research. **Show Links** Howard Tiersky on LinkedIn | htt...
81: Anytime, Anywhere Access with Casey Gordon of the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University
June 08, 2021 13:35 - 53 minutes - 37.1 MBSpearheading IT departments of higher education institutions was a harried job even before a global pandemic. Casey Gordon, Chief Information Officer at the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University, joins the show to chat about balancing IT priorities, gaining cooperation amongst diverse stakeholders, preventing social engineering attacks, and how an IT department can support the mission of the organization. **Show Links** Casey Gordon on LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/...
80: Ethical, Responsible, and Sustainable Tech with Tim Frick of Mightybytes
June 01, 2021 19:12 - 45 minutes - 31.5 MBStakeholders over shareholders is the B Corp motto changing the world for the better. The growing B Corp movement is touching every industry, and Tim Frick of Mightybytes joins the show to talk about how companies around the world are coming together to make the Internet more sustainable. **Show Links** Mightybytes website | https://www.mightybytes.com/ Sustainable Web Design website | https://SustainableWebDesign.org EcoGrader tool | https://ecograder.com/ Wholegrain Digital webs...
79: Balancing Managerial and Technical Responsibilities with Anand Safi of Mark43
May 25, 2021 10:00 - 50 minutes - 35.2 MBNot all software engineers want to become engineering managers. Anand Safi is an Engineering Manager at Mark43, and while his career journey from software engineer to software manager was rather intentional, he joins the show to chat about other options for promoting your best engineers. He also shares how Toastmasters helped him become a more empathetic speaker, how to deal with non-technical bosses, and how companies can keep their metaphorical plates spinning while adding more. **Show...
78: Developing the Next Generation of Entrepreneurs with Diane Rucker of University Enterprise Laboratories
May 18, 2021 10:00 - 1 hour - 42.1 MBIf you have a passion for change, you should consider yourself an entrepreneur. Diane Rucker, Executive Director of University Enterprise Laboratories, has extensive experience in technology and innovation, and she joins the show to chat about redefining entrepreneurship, the soft skills needed to be a well-rounded developer, the criticality of business partners who look at things differently than you, and the state of startups in Minnesota compared to the coasts.
77: Wantrepreneurs vs Entrepreneurs with Mickeli Bedore of Closers Media
May 11, 2021 10:00 - 1 hour - 46.3 MBMickeli Bedore, Co-Founder and Chief Revenue Officer of Closers Media, joins the show to talk about sales-informed marketing and how to incorporate user feedback into your product. Then Mickeli and Tim dive into why they have heat with pitch decks and the entrepreneur lifestyle before getting personal about how they deal with the roller coaster of emotions that comes with running your own business.
76: How New Technologies Transform Healthcare with Scott Brown of Revealix
May 04, 2021 10:00 - 1 hour - 41.7 MBEvery 20 seconds, someone loses a limb to diabetes. Scott Brown, Chief Technology Officer at Revealix, joins the show to share how his company is taking a digital approach to preserving limb health using artificial intelligence. Scott chats about how AI is transforming the healthcare space, the importance of testing for failure, the privacy concerns around AI, and the ease and difficulty of working with new technologies.
75: Managing Teams and Projects Like a CTO with Nelly Yusupova of TechSpeak for Entrepreneurs
April 27, 2021 10:00 - 58 minutes - 40.6 MBYou don’t have to know how to code to successfully manage a technical team, project, or startup. Nelly Yusupova, CTO, Startup Tech Advisor, and Creator of TechSpeak for Entrepreneurs, joins the show to discuss how to build tech teams when you aren’t a technical person, from understanding lean and agile methodologies, to deciding what tools to use, to earning a CTO, to not impeding progress with NDA’s.
74: Creating Sustainable Digital Products with Tom Greenwood of Wholegrain Digital
April 20, 2021 10:00 - 50 minutes - 34.7 MBEvery Google search you do affects the environment, and Tom Greenwood, Managing Director at Wholegrain Digital and author of Sustainable Web Design, joins the show to chat about the issues of web sustainability. He shares techniques and processes for making digital products more sustainable, as well as gives advice on how to be a champion for sustainable tech within your company and with your clients.
73: The Effects of Technology on the Environment
April 13, 2021 10:00 - 19 minutes - 13.8 MBIn this episode, Tim chats about the impact our digital world has on our physical world. Using an Uber thought experiment, you will learn how tech affects energy consumption, which parts of your phone consume the most energy, what our power grid looks like, and how we store energy.
72: Moving from Legacy Software to a New Tech Platform with Ann Pifer and Ryan Jordan of Adopt A Classroom
April 06, 2021 10:00 - 1 hour - 41.7 MBCustom software isn’t always the right solution, particularly for a nimble non-profit. Adopt A Classroom’s Technology Project Manager, Ryan Jordan, and Executive Director, Ann Pifer, join the show to chat about how to make a massive transition from a legacy platform over to Salesforce, how to adjust an organization’s mindset to be agile, and how to work with users to make sure you are continuing to invest in features that provide the best return on investment.
71: Leading with a Developer-First Mindset with Kate Wardin of Target
March 30, 2021 10:00 - 30 minutes - 20.8 MBWhen skilled developers become engineering managers, they often face a challenge in their transition from computer science to people science. Senior Engineering Manager at Target, Kate Wardin, joins the show to chat about how her own experience going from developer to manager resulted in her founding Developer First Leadership. She shares tips on how engineering managers can embrace the human side of software development, suggestions for companies struggling to fill open technical roles, and...
70: Designing for the User Experience with Chris Cornejo of Design Center
March 23, 2021 10:00 - 56 minutes - 38.7 MBWith design in its name plus 50 years of industry experience, Design Center knows more than a thing or two about best practices for building a digital product. Design Center’s Director of Strategy Chris Cornejo joins the show to chat about how design thinking has shifted from “how it looks” to “how it works”, the advantages of an outcome mindset over a solutions mindset, how COVID has impacted strategy and design processes, and how to prepare for a project’s initial strategy session.
69: Growing from a Startup to a “Real” Business with Jordan Ambra of Serenity Solutions
March 16, 2021 10:00 - 1 hour - 51.1 MBWhat got you your first customers won't get you the next ones. Jordan Ambra of Serenity Software joins the show to talk about the challenges of going from a startup to a “real” business, transitioning from a people-oriented business to a process-oriented one, and preparing for growth by focusing on fundamentals.
69: Growing from a Startup to a “Real” Business with Jordan Ambra of Serenity Software
March 16, 2021 10:00 - 1 hour - 51.1 MBWhat got you your first customers won't get you the next ones. Jordan Ambra of Serenity Software joins the show to talk about the challenges of going from a startup to a “real” business, transitioning from a people-oriented business to a process-oriented one, and preparing for growth by focusing on fundamentals.
68: Failing Forward with Josh Fedie of SalesReach
March 09, 2021 11:00 - 1 hour - 44.8 MBA podcast episode about everything and nothing. Tim riffs with SalesReach Founder & CEO Josh Fedie on a number of topics, including how to protect your idea from getting stolen, the ups and downs of being an entrepreneur, why it’s important for companies to have a CEO who is publicly visible and vulnerable, and the future of Clubhouse.
67: Making User Experiences Meaningful, Memorable, and Motivational with Dr. Michael Allen of Allen Interactions
March 02, 2021 11:00 - 1 hour - 47.5 MBThere’s no content that can’t be made interesting to learn. Even installing a printer can be fun as long as the experience is made to be “meaningful, memorable and motivational.” Dr. Michael Allen of Allen Interactions joins the show to chat about how his company builds interactive learning programs around organizations’ best practices that leave people asking for more and shares his advice for designing impactful user experiences.
66: How to Make Subscriptions Work for Your App with Dan Burcaw of Nami ML
February 23, 2021 11:00 - 1 hour - 43.3 MBIn an era of subscription overload, apps with subscription revenue models have their work cut out for them acquiring (and retaining) subscribers. That’s why Dan Burcaw founded Nami ML, a machine-learning company focused on helping app developers grow mobile subscription businesses by reducing churn and focusing on the core user experience. Dan joins the show to share his insights on the plight of a subscription-fatigued economy, how data collection and user privacy don’t have to be enemies, ...
65: Unpacking the Myth of the Tech Genius with Shawn Livermore, Author of Average Joe: Be the Silicon Valley Tech Genius
February 16, 2021 11:00 - 52 minutes - 36.5 MBAre the tech geniuses behind the likes of Uber, Facebook, or Groupon born with a magic dust that’s contributed to their success? Short answer: No. However, global fascination of these companies has created a dangerous barrier of entry into the tech industry. Software engineer, consultant, and tech startup founder Shawn Livermore is dispelling the myth of the tech genius with his best-selling book, Average Joe. Shawn joins the show to breakdown how the idolization of tech geniuses has shaped ...
64: Boosting Product Adoption with Video with Erica Hanna of Puke Rainbows Creative
February 09, 2021 11:00 - 1 hour - 52.1 MBWhen life gives you rain, puke a rainbow. That’s the motto of Erica Hanna, Emmy Award winner and owner of Puke Rainbows Creative. Erica joins the show to chat about the power of video for a business, and the role it can play in getting people to adopt a product or new way of working. She shares tips on how to use video to establish the voice of your business and tells some fun stories along the way, from the origin of her unique company name to her uplifting experience working with Prince.
63: Building the eBay for Knowledge with Clifton Manneh of Konduct Coach Learning
February 02, 2021 11:00 - 23 minutes - 16.5 MBClifton Manneh is on a mission to teach 100,000 youth how to code through his company Konduct Coach Learning, an edtech platform where youth and professionals gain employable skills and enhance their professional development. He joins the show to chat about how his mom’s cooking influenced his passion for community-based learning, the lessons he learned as a solo-entrepreneur, and the impact he hopes Konduct Coach Learning will have on the community.
62: Development Milestones, Tangibles and Timelines
January 26, 2021 11:00 - 12 minutes - 8.64 MBEver been hosed by a developer? It’s an unfortunate story we hear time and time again. Understanding the high-level milestones associated with most development projects can give you confidence in knowing your project is on the right track. In this episode, Tim chats about the tangible assets you should expect to receive at each development stage, along with a fair pace for completing each stage.
61: Building Apps with Low Code/No Code Development Tools
January 19, 2021 11:00 - 8 minutes - 5.74 MBWith a proliferation of low code/no code development tools on the market, these platforms can be an attractive option for businesses looking to build an app quickly without the use of an experienced software developer. But these tools have their limitations. Tim chats about the benefits and challenges of this development approach to help businesses determine if low code/no code apps are the right solution for their project.
60: Seizing Opportunity in Podcasting with Twila Dang of Matriarch Digital Media
January 12, 2021 11:00 - 1 hour - 51.2 MBAudio is booming, and as more organizations recognize its value, a proliferation of podcasting tools, platforms, and shows are hitting the market every day, making a highly-accessible medium feel intimidating to noobs. Founder & CEO of Matriarch Digital Media Twila Dang is no stranger to the power of audio, and she joins the show to share how simple it is to get started with podcasting, with just a cellphone and a plan. Twila gets into the weeds of how businesses can be successful with podca...
59: Making Email Private and Better for Everyone with Bron Gondwana of Fastmail
January 05, 2021 11:00 - 55 minutes - 38.2 MBThink your email's private? Think again. Big tech email providers use your data as a way to get rich. But it doesn’t have to be this way. Fastmail CEO Bron Gondwana joins the show from the Land Down Under to chat about why “free” email isn’t free. Bron explains how email is the biggest social network in the world that isn’t ephemeral, why building digital products should align with your moral values, and how open source and open standards benefit all.
58: 2021 Tech Predictions
December 29, 2020 11:00 - 36 minutes - 25.4 MBEvery week, millions of people come online for the first time, and how they use technology plays into the future of tech. Heading into 2021, we’re looking at how we can use tech to work together to continue to make everyone’s lives better. In this episode, Rob and Tim come together for their annual chat about technology trends for the coming year, from the breakup of tech giants, the next stage of autonomous vehicles, and machine learning in healthcare, to ultimately where companies will be ...
57: Building a Business & Community with Intention with Mike Jackson of Black Tech Talent
December 22, 2020 11:00 - 1 hour - 56.1 MBBuilding a company comes with a learning curve for any entrepreneur. Building an app-based company as a non-technical entrepreneur can make that learning curve sharper. Mike Jackson, founder of The Premium Experience, joins the show to discuss his experience building a tech based business as a solo, non-technical founder and how it prepared him for the launch of his next company, Black Tech Talent. Mike shares what he wishes he’d known when he first had an idea and didn’t know where to start...
56: Mitigating Risks in App Development
December 15, 2020 11:00 - 18 minutes - 13.2 MBMurphy's law of "Anything that can go wrong will go wrong” doesn’t exclude software development (unfortunately). In this episode, Tim outlines common risks associated with app development and how to get on the same page as your development team to have systems in place to mitigate them.
55: Practicing Tenacity with Eric Martell
December 08, 2020 11:00 - 47 minutes - 32.8 MBWith experience building two tech-based companies from the ground up, serial entrepreneur Eric Martell has gathered an impressive collection of analogies around succeeding in the startup space. He joins the show to chat about building his recent venture Pear Commerce, marrying product philosophy with business philosophy, hiring people who buy into your mission, investing in repeat customers over acquiring new ones, and using tech to scale, before finally nerding out with Tim over database te...
54: Hybrid vs. Native Apps
December 01, 2020 11:00 - 13 minutes - 9.06 MBOne of the first development decisions you’ll make when building an app is whether to build on a native platform or a hybrid platform. In this episode, Tim gets into best use cases for hybrid and native apps, along with each platform’s limitations, so you can decide the best approach for your project.
53: Vetting a Tech Partner’s Posture with George Brooks of Crema
November 24, 2020 11:00 - 53 minutes - 36.6 MBWhen looking for a technical team for your project, you’re not asking for a product. You are asking for a relationship that results in a product. You’re not asking for lines of code. You’re asking for solutions that produce meaningful outcomes. Founder & CEO George Brooks of digital product agency Crema joins the show to discuss how to find the passion and posture of a digital agency, the no-win situation that is RFPs and why it’s important to go outside the RFP process to have a conversatio...
52: How Apps Use Data
November 17, 2020 11:00 - 21 minutes - 15 MBThere’s no such thing as a free app or website. If you’re not paying for a product, you are the product, and when it comes to “free” apps, the product is your private information. Apps collect, store, and use data in ways that are both purposeful and nefarious. In this episode, Rob and Tim chat about why apps collect data and how it’s used, how app owners can be intentional with user data, and how app users can protect their information.
51: How Ideas Turn into Apps with the Team Behind the MFIP Connect App
November 10, 2020 11:00 - 43 minutes - 30.3 MBBuilding an app isn’t just about the technology but about the lives it makes easier. Ashley Bennett, Sook Jin Ong, and Pamela McCauley share the inspiring story behind the development of the Minnesota Family Investment Program’s pilot app, MFIP Connect. They discuss the app’s powerful role as a communication tool, along with the unexpected questions around social equity it brought to the table. They dig deep into how they prioritized initial features, knowing they wouldn’t meet the needs of ...
50: Implementing “Easy” Features
November 03, 2020 11:00 - 25 minutes - 17.9 MBSome app features are seemingly easy to develop but are actually complex to implement, driving up development costs. These are features we see everyday, and therefore take for granted. Rob and Tim chat about the nuances of features like data sync, search, push notifications, in-app purchasing, messaging, and more to help you understand where to get the most value with the least amount of effort when building your product.
49: Delivering a Fluid User Experience in a Restaurant’s Online Ordering App
October 27, 2020 10:00 - 24 minutes - 17 MBFor a restaurant, a customer leaving with a bad taste in their mouth is the ultimate faux paus. And we’re not just talking about food. A stellar user experience when ordering from a restaurant’s app can be a differentiator in this competitive industry. Rob and Tim chat about their experience building a delivery app for a Midwest pizza chain, then take a trip further down memory lane to the hip days of AOL, floppy disks, AIM, and Space Jam.
48: Embracing an Innovative Culture with Stephanie Hammes-Betti of US Bank
October 20, 2020 10:00 - 42 minutes - 29 MBWhen we put humans first, we can learn a lot. Stephanie Hammes-Betti is the Senior Vice President of Innovation Design at US Bank, and her 18-year career there has given her extensive know-how in UX/UI design, usability testing, and technology solutions. Stephanie joins the show to chat about how innovation happens within a large organization, how to go about listening to customers, and the benefits of teaching an innovative mindset to employees.
47: Apple vs. Developers
October 13, 2020 10:00 - 25 minutes - 17.6 MBApple has traditionally put itself first, users second, and developers third, but some big names are going to bat for all developers in a fight against Apple’s commission rate. Tim and Rob discuss the ongoing controversies surrounding Apple and the App Store and their thoughts on how it might play out.
46: Building an App-Based Startup the “Right” Way with Tim Steele of Parrot.MD
September 29, 2020 10:00 - 43 minutes - 30.3 MBIf we were to write a playbook on how to start an app-based business, the first-time entrepreneurs behind Parrot.MD would be our case study. But every story has its conflicts. Parrot.MD’s CEO and co-founder Tim Steele joins the show to talk about the creation of the app, the role social equity plays in fundraising, and the essentiality of focus groups.
45: Driving Digital Transformation with People and Processes with Digital Consultant Jen Swanson
September 15, 2020 10:00 - 58 minutes - 40.2 MBEvery company thinks they’re a special snowflake, and when it comes to digital transformation, they actually are. Jen Swanson is a digital consultant who guides companies in their digital transformation journey with her philosophy of placing small bets often. In this episode, Jen breaks down how digital transformation is not just a technology integration, but a people and process integration, that ultimately delivers a more valuable customer and employee experience in every part of a business.
44: Tips for Building Android Apps
September 01, 2020 10:00 - 22 minutes - 15.4 MBBuilding an Android app requires overcoming several idiosyncrasies. Tim and Rob share their tips for building Android apps so you can successfully navigate Google’s unique requirements. (If you’re looking for tips around building iOS apps, check out the previous episode.)
43: Tips for Building iOS Apps
August 18, 2020 16:05 - 33 minutes - 22.9 MBThe Jed Mahonis Group has been building mobile apps since 2012, and we’ve tripped over many hurdles when launching iOS apps. Tim and Rob share their tricks of the trade for building apps specifically for iOS, so you can learn from our mistakes and successfully navigate Apple’s unique roadblocks. (And if you’re looking to build an Android app, our next episode has you covered.)
42: Hand-Curating Your User Interface with Jeremy Sinon and William White of PodMN
August 04, 2020 10:00 - 43 minutes - 29.7 MBMinnesotans love to talk about Minnesota, and nothing proves that more than PodMN’s collection of over 760 Minnesota-focused shows. Jeremy Sinon and William White of PodMN join the show to discuss the custom podcast platform they built to help Minnesotans discover all the great audio entertainment Minnesota has to offer. They talk about what it took to build a podcasting platform from scratch, how they deal with a huge amount of data to create a curated, personal touch inside the app, why th...
41: Fundamental Marketing Strategies for Increasing Downloads with Sean Casto of PreApps
July 21, 2020 10:00 - 45 minutes - 31.5 MBBuilding an app is easy. Building a business is hard. Sean Casto of app marketing agency PreApps joins the show to discuss how your app’s initial success doesn’t rely on its unique features, but on how you market it and present it. Sean breaks down both organic and paid marketing strategies to grow your users and make more money, where user acquisition models play into each strategy, and how it all boils down to understanding your data.
40: Human Centered Design for Simple Products with Amber Christian of Wonderly Software Solutions
July 07, 2020 10:00 - 1 hour - 45.3 MBWhen it comes to design, simple is not bad; simple is good. Amber Christian of Wonderly Software Solutions has worked really hard at making her product Bella Scena simple to use, and she joins the show to discuss a design process few people are talking about and even less are doing: Human Centered Design. She shares some practical applications of Human Centered Design, how continuous integration (CI) can save your developers tons of time, lessons she learned in the ERP world, what to do when...
39: From Legos to Dopamine Rewards-Based Learning Games with Adam Gordon of Andamio Games
June 23, 2020 10:30 - 59 minutes - 41 MBSolving the technical challenges to make learning fun is the specialty of Andamio Games, and its President, Adam Gordon, joins the podcast to chat about the unique infrastructure challenges educational game developers face, from funding to design to feedback. Adam shares why partnering with textbook manufacturers might not be the panacea Tim thought it would be, how to incorporate feedback from both educators and students, and what grants can do to boost your organization’s chances of success.
38: The DRY Approach to Workflow Processes with Susan Boles of ScaleSpark
June 09, 2020 10:00 - 48 minutes - 33.4 MBThe “Don't Repeat Yourself” (DRY) development approach of writing code as simply as possible to make it reusable can also be applied to standardizing and automating workflows to reduce repetitive patterns. Virtual CFO and software expert Susan Boles joins the show to discuss the evolution of automating workflows and how the process doesn’t start with software. Susan shares actionable tips on where you can get started with automation, what to work on after you’ve automated the low-hanging fru...
37: Merging Art and Science in App Development with Brad Ash of Fruitful
May 26, 2020 13:55 - 1 hour - 41.7 MBBuilding a successful app requires both art and science work in harmony. CTO Brad Ash joins Tim on the podcast to discuss the development of Fruitful, a fertility mentorship service he co-founded with his wife. Brad chats with Tim about the personal story that led to the creation of Fruitful, how difficult it is to supervise yourself when you’re building out the software, the importance of user feedback and focusing heavily on the user’s experience, and how to give users a reason to be excit...
36: Is an Accelerator Program Right for Your Business with Kate Evinger of gener8tor Minnesota
May 12, 2020 11:00 - 32 minutes - 22.3 MBAccelerator programs can have a measurable impact on your business’s growth, but when is your business ready to join one? Tim interviews Kate Evinger of gener8tor Minnesota, and she breaks down what accelerator programs can do for your business and your community, along with how to vet the right program for your business.