Giant Robots Smashing Into Other Giant Robots
499 episodes - English - Latest episode: 7 months ago - ★★★★★ - 88 ratingsA podcast about the design, development, and business of great software. Each week thoughtbot's Chad Pytel is joined by the people who build and nurture the products we love.
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Episodes
299: High-Touch (Millie Blackwell)
November 26, 2018 05:00 - 36 minutes - 33.7 MBMillie Blackwell, President & Co-founder of Showcase Workshop, discusses differences in business culture between California and New Zealand, pursuing tablets as a business tool early in the lifespan of the iPad, experimenting with SaaS pricing, and providing value to both enterprise buyers and end-users. Showcase Workshop Showcase Forest Releaf Fund Millie on LinkedIn
298: Doing Right is Scalable (DJ Patil)
November 15, 2018 05:00 - 47 minutes - 43.2 MBDJ Patil, Head of Technology at Devoted Health, discusses his time as the U.S. Chief Data Scientist, scaling healthcare to meet modern data demands, and the process of architecting a health care company. Devoted Health U.S. Government’s open data The Fifth Risk- Michael Lewis "Do Things That Don't Scale" DJ on Twitter See open positions at thoughtbot! Become a Sponsor of Giant Robots!
297: Go Deep (David Kloba & Rob Meinhardt)
November 06, 2018 17:00 - 49 minutes - 45.4 MBDavid Kloba & Rob Meinhardt, Co-Founders of Furious Collective, discuss the mindset and methodology of their venture production studio, recount their adventures over the past year of growing FormKeep after having acquired it from thoughtbot, and offer advice to founders preparing to sell their product or company. Furious Collective FormKeep See open positions at thoughtbot! Become a Sponsor of Giant Robots!
296: Stay Close to Your Users (Andrew Bialecki)
October 30, 2018 18:00 - 52 minutes - 48.2 MBAndrew Bialecki, CEO of Klaviyo, discusses building systems to process and get insight from business' data, scaling personality and humanity to mass communication, and translating customer feedback into concrete product improvement. Plus, the debut of 'Ask thoughtbot'! Klaviyo David Cancel on Giant Robots The Innovators- Walter Isaacson Andrew on Twitter See open positions at thoughtbot! Become a Sponsor of Giant Robots!
295: Follow Your Passion (Jonathan Kim)
October 24, 2018 04:00 - 41 minutes - 38.2 MBJonathan Kim, CEO of Appcues, discusses building better onboarding and personalization to apps, starting a company as a solo founder, lessons learned from his time in journalism, and core culture values. Appcues David Cancel on Giant Robots Jonathan on Twitter See open positions at thoughtbot! Become a Sponsor of Giant Robots!
294: From a Place of Sharing (Chris Toomey)
October 18, 2018 04:00 - 30 minutes - 27.6 MBIn this special crossover episode, Chad is joined by Chris Toomey, Development Director at thoughtbot and host of The Bike Shed podcast, to discuss the content, history, and the process of making Upcase, thoughtbot's online learning platform, FREE. The Bike Shed Upcase Test Driven Rails Mastering Git Fundamentals of TDD SOA on The Bike Shed Onramp to Vim thoughtbot Purpose Statement Chris on Twitter See open positions at thoughtbot! Become a Sponsor of Giant Robots!
293: Advertising as a Service (Sandra Richter)
October 10, 2018 16:00 - 44 minutes - 40.7 MBSandra Richter, Co-founder and CEO of Soofa, talks about redefining the infrastructure of out of home advertising, purpose vs business motivation, and learning from setbacks. Soofa MIT Media Lab Soofa Sign Soofa Talk Sandra on Twitter See open positions at thoughtbot! Become a Sponsor of Giant Robots!
292: MVP-ing the Sales Process (Lindsey Christensen)
October 02, 2018 04:00 - 47 minutes - 43.4 MBLindsey Christensen, VP of Marketing at thoughtbot, discusses shaping thoughtbot's marketing strategy, team, and future. Purpose-built Resource Center The Bike Shed Podcast Lindsey on Twitter See open positions at thoughtbot! Become a Sponsor of Giant Robots!
291: Intrapreneurial Streak (Heena Purohit)
September 25, 2018 04:00 - 42 minutes - 38.6 MBHeena Purohit, Product Manager of IBM Watson IoT, discusses how they are tailoring custom solutions with IoT data, building business acumen for better product managing, and iterating at scale. IBM Watson IoT Stryker Vehicle Intrapreneurship Trusted AI Heena on Twitter See open positions at thoughtbot! Become a Sponsor of Giant Robots!
290: Usage Native (Mike Trotzke)
September 11, 2018 04:00 - 36 minutes - 33.3 MBMike Trotzke, CEO of Cheddar, talks about the future of billing models, when is the right time to do seed investing, and finding your value pricing metric. Cheddar Pricing Bootcamp "SaaS Pricing: Strategies, Frameworks & Lessons Learned"- Chad Pytel Building Splitfit Mike on Twitter See open positions at thoughtbot! Become a Sponsor of Giant Robots!
289: Capture Community Early (Jameson Toole)
September 03, 2018 04:00 - 35 minutes - 32.7 MBJameson Toole, founder of Fritz, discusses AI & Machine Learning on mobile, the process & ideology of launching a product from scratch, and the business of developer tools. Fritz Core ML TensorFlow InstaSaber Heartbeat Jameson on Twitter See open positions at thoughtbot! Become a Sponsor of Giant Robots!
288: Pursuing Customer Delight (Yoav Shapira)
August 27, 2018 04:00 - 51 minutes - 47.1 MBYoav Shapira, an Engineering Manager at Facebook with a long history in Boston startups, discusses early technology choices for startups, balancing product needs/wants with technical limitations, the role of Capital-D 'Design', and common startup advice. CarGurus HubSpot Happier Jana David Cancel on Giant Robots thoughtbot Playbook Internet Access a Basic Human Right Building a Crucial Conversations Culture at Facebook Managing Unconscious Bias Yoav on Twitter See open positions a...
287: Disruptive, Exponentially-Innovative, 10x Videos (Sarah Cooper)
August 20, 2018 04:00 - 30 minutes - 27.8 MBSarah Cooper, comedian, speaker, and author of 100 Tricks to Appear Smart in Meetings, joins Chad to discuss management burnout, the creative process, and her latest book. 100 Tricks to Appear Smart in Meetings The Cooper Review "10 Tricks to Appear Smart in Meetings" The Oatmeal How to be Successful Without Hurting Men's Feelings "9 Non-Threatening Leadership Strategies for Women" The Bubble: Crushing It Sarah Cooper McSweeney's Sarah on Twitter See open positions at thoughtbot! ...
286: A Million Boxes at a Time (Stephan Ango)
August 14, 2018 04:00 - 47 minutes - 43.7 MBStephan Ango, Co-founder and Head of Product at Lumi, discusses merging creative and scientific mindsets in industrial design, the logistics of packaging, developing custom solutions by slowly replacing 3rd party tools, and building your ideal culture while balancing operational needs. Lumi Inkodye PureScript PureScript and Haskell at Lumi Well Made Podcast Shipping Things "1,000 True Fans"- Kevin Kelly Stephan on Twitter See open positions at thoughtbot! Become a Sponsor of Giant ...
285: Deep Counting (Jerry Talton)
August 06, 2018 04:00 - 47 minutes - 43.9 MBJerry Talton, leader of the Machine-Learning Services team at Slack, talks about picking up after a failed startup, design-thinking for machine learning, and important lessons from managing. Slack "Doggfooding" StarSpace General Management Course The No Asshole Rule- Robert Sutton Creativity, Inc.- Ed Catmull West Wing- Down in a Hole Giant Robots ep 256- Stay Hungry, Stay Learning 'A Few Useful Things to Know About Machine Learning'- Pedro Domingos 'Naive Bayes Models for Probabil...
284: Bringing Vision to Robots (Clara Vu)
July 23, 2018 18:30 - 41 minutes - 38 MBClara Vu, co-founder & VP of Engineering of Veo Robotics, shares her story getting into the world of robotics, designing perception systems for industrial robots, and 'First-Principles Thinking' in all aspects of business. Veo Robotics T-Shaped Skills Time of Flight Cameras Clara on LinkedIn See open positions at thoughtbot! Become a Sponsor of Giant Robots!
283: Overcoming Awkward Data (Joe Ferris)
July 16, 2018 04:00 - 41 minutes - 37.8 MBJoe Ferris, CTO of thoughtbot, joins Chad to discuss Data Engineering, what it is, when you need it, and some of the challenges thoughtbot has faced while using it. Machine Learning on Giant Robots Joe on Twitter See open positions at thoughtbot! Become a Sponsor of Giant Robots!
282: Robot as a Platform (Tim Enwall)
July 02, 2018 15:00 - 38 minutes - 35.3 MBTim Enwall, CEO of Misty Robotics, discusses designing, building, and selling a fully autonomous robot for developers. Misty Robotics- Use code GiantRobot for $200 off pre-orders Sphero RobotShop Crossing the Chasm- Geoffrey A. Moore Misty Series Pics LiveWorx Conference Tim on Medium See open positions at thoughtbot! Become a Sponsor of Giant Robots!
281: Reconnecting With Development (Robby Russell)
June 25, 2018 04:00 - 49 minutes - 45.4 MBRobby Russell, VP of Engineering & Partner at Planet Argon, discusses considering remote work for an agency, strategies for leading a dev team, defining focus for an agency, and the results of the 2018 Rails Hosting Survey. Planet Argon Traction: Get a Grip on Your Business Rails Hosting Survey Robby on Twitter See open positions at thoughtbot! Become a Sponsor of Giant Robots!
280: Design at the Program Layer (Greg Storey)
June 18, 2018 04:00 - 47 minutes - 43.4 MBGreg Storey, founder of Airbag Industries & Executive Director of Design at USAA, discusses the blurring of personal and company identity, helming a budding design group, "safe agile", what it means for design to 'have a seat at the table', and sustainable pace within an agency. Airbag Industries Electric Pulp "You Are Not Your Job Search"- Greg Storey "How Design is Changing IT"- Chad Pytel IBM: Enterprise Design Thinking Forrester: IBM's Design Thinking Study Sprints & Milestones Po...
279: Building a Lifelong Brand (Alex Friedman)
June 11, 2018 04:00 - 24 minutes - 22.8 MBAlex Friedman, co-founder of LOLA, discusses overcoming stigma, launching new products, measuring success, and brand values. LOLA Sex by LOLA See open positions at thoughtbot! Become a Sponsor of Giant Robots!
278: The 'Lights On' Moment (Sam Moorhouse)
June 04, 2018 04:00 - 28 minutes - 25.7 MBSam Moorhouse, creator of Global Code, discusses the importance of mentorship and how he established a software engineering summer education program in Ghana. Global Code ELiTE ELiTE in Ghana Raspberry Pi Sam on Twitter Global Code on Twitter See open positions at thoughtbot! Become a Sponsor of Giant Robots!
277: How Do We Work Together? (Michael Sheeley)
May 28, 2018 04:00 - 53 minutes - 49 MBMichael Sheeley, former co-founder of Runkeeper, talks about his struggles with scaling, experimentation with prices, finding ways to connect and work together as a larger society, and innovation in health care. Runkeeper Michael on Twitter See open positions at thoughtbot! Become a Sponsor of Giant Robots! Special Guest: Nurse-1-1.
276: Enable and Serve (Chris Heivly)
May 22, 2018 04:00 - 47 minutes - 43.6 MBChris Heivly, author & entrepreneur in residence at Techstars, discusses the early days of MapQuest, Raleigh as a burgeoning tech city, and building up new tech communities. Build the Fort- Chris Heivly Techstars The Innovator's Dilemma- Clayton M. Christensen Rand McNally Startup Communities- Brad Feld Heivly.com The Lean Startup- Eric Ries Chris on Twitter See open positions at thoughtbot! Become a Sponsor of Giant Robots!
275: Galvanizing Focus (Paul English)
May 14, 2018 04:00 - 43 minutes - 39.4 MBPaul English, co-founder of Lola, discusses what it means to be a good brand, transitioning from a tech foundry to a single-product focus, lessons learned from having launched multiple companies, and his approaches to competition & success. Lola Lolas David Cancel on Giant Robots Paul English See open positions at thoughtbot! Become a Sponsor of Giant Robots!
274: Providing Value (Ram V. Iyer)
May 08, 2018 04:00 - 37 minutes - 34.1 MBRam V. Iyer, Business Thinker & Professional Business Mentor at The Business Thinking Institute, discusses his internalization of business success/failure, having a 'business thinking' mindset, and distinguishing oneself through the value you can create. Business Thinking Institute Business Thinking- My Why Business Thinking Radio 'Silent Killers' Quiz Ram on LinkedIn Become a Sponsor of Giant Robots!
273: Showcase Your Value (Nilan Peiris)
April 30, 2018 04:00 - 31 minutes - 28.7 MBNilan Peiris, VP of Growth at TransferWise, discusses growth sources, handling failure, studying user evangelism, launching in a new market, and scaling globally. TransferWise Nilan on Twitter Become a Sponsor of Giant Robots!
272: Grown-Up App Development (Dermot Daly)
April 23, 2018 04:00 - 36 minutes - 33.4 MBDermot Daly, founder and CEO of Tapadoo, discusses being a developer early in the iOS ecosystem while differentiating themselves now as it's become a more crowded market-space, building your ideal company, and developing apps for med-tech devices. Tapadoo xCake Finish Big Slendertone Dermot on Twitter Become a Sponsor of Giant Robots!
271: Being a Good Manager (Camille Fournier)
April 17, 2018 04:00 - 40 minutes - 37.2 MBCamille Fournier, author, speaker, and Managing Director at Two Sigma, discusses her path from Director of Infrastructure Engineering to CTO, lessons learned from tech team management, and the importance of defining core-values. Two Sigma Rent the Runway The Manager's Path David Cancel on Giant Robots Camille on Twitter Become a Sponsor of Giant Robots!
270: How's Work Lately? (Jennifer Dary)
April 10, 2018 04:00 - 48 minutes - 44.8 MBJennifer Dary, founder of Plucky, discusses purpose, process, longevity, relationships, and trust by turning the tables and giving Chad a corporate counseling session. Plucky Hopscotch Design Festival Metis Upcase Joe Torre's Ground Rules for Winners 1:1 Starter Pack Jennifer on Twitter Become a Sponsor of Giant Robots!
269: Human to Human Connection (David Cancel)
April 03, 2018 04:00 - 45 minutes - 41.3 MBDavid Cancel, CEO & Co-founder of Drift, discusses bringing the personal touch back to sales through conversational marketing, validating an idea, competition, and differentiating yourself through communication & marketing. Drift True Startup Competition Brooklyn Boulders HYPERGROWTH Seeking Wisdom Podcast David on Twitter Become a Sponsor of Giant Robots!
268: Present and Effective (Adam Marchick)
March 27, 2018 04:00 - 34 minutes - 31.4 MBAdam Marchick, CEO & co-founder of Alpine AI, discusses pioneering vocal analytics, making a better experience for digital commerce on vocal platforms, and operating in an early stage market. Alpine AI Adam on Twitter Thank you Alpine AI for providing a transcript of today's episode Become a Sponsor of Giant Robots!
267: Familiar With the Market (Sara Tateno)
March 19, 2018 04:00 - 31 minutes - 28.4 MBSara Tateno, founder and CEO of Happity, shares her journey from BBC Radio, to coding bootcamp, to startup founder. Happity Radio 1's Essential Mix Mums in Tech Makers Academy Trigg Life Mapper Ignite Accelerator Sara on Twitter Become a Sponsor of Giant Robots!
266: Destination Driven (Ernesto Moreno)
March 13, 2018 04:00 - 35 minutes - 32.7 MBErnesto Moreno, business coach, entrepreneur, & restaurateur, joins Chad to discuss transforming a restaurant using lean methodology, focusing on your strengths, and finding creativity in running a business. Arepas Lean Startup Methodology The E-Myth Revisited- Michael E. Gerber The ONE Thing- Gary Keller Arepa & Co. Ernesto on Twitter Become a Sponsor of Giant Robots!
265: Loosening My Hold (Tracy Osborn)
March 05, 2018 05:00 - 38 minutes - 34.9 MBTracy Osborn, author and the creator of WeddingLovely, joins Chad to talk about juggling projects, redefining your core customer base, the feeling of giving up control when hiring, and publishing via Kickstarter. WeddingLovely Hello Web App The Startup Curve Django Girls Tutorial Hello Web App: Intermediate Concepts Hello Web Design thoughtbot Books Hello Web Books Nathan Barry on Giant Robots Limedaring.com Tracy on Twitter Become a Sponsor of Giant Robots!
264: Having a Realistic Mindset (Allen Pike)
February 27, 2018 05:00 - 40 minutes - 37.4 MBChad discusses reflection & goal planning, the scope of internal projects, and balancing time & team structure for both client & product work with Allen Pike, CEO & co-founder of Steamclock Software. Steamclock Software WeddingDJ Stables and Volatiles Dunbar's Number Allen on Twitter Become a Sponsor of Giant Robots!
263: The Stuff of Science Fiction (George Brocklehurst)
February 19, 2018 05:00 - 22 minutes - 20.9 MBChad is joined by George Brocklehurst, development director of thoughtbot NYC, to discuss the methodologies, tools, and use cases in working with machine learning. What is Machine Learning?- George Brocklehurst Named-Entity Recognition Stanford Named Entity Recognizer PyTorch Hoptoad (now Airbrake) Turning Design Mockups Into Code With Deep Learning- Emil Wallner Machine Learning Course on Coursera fast.ai Fundamentals of Machine Learning for Predictive Data Analytics- John D. Kelle...
262: The Thought Behind the Bot
February 12, 2018 05:00 - 57 minutes - 52.3 MBIn 2003, five friends came together to form thoughtbot. In this special episode, we take a look back on the founding of thoughtbot, and it's first years, told from the perspective of the original founders and early partners. From their first meeting in college, to the dramatic first work-experience that led them to create thoughtbot, to the eventual breakup and reformation, we explore the events that led thoughtbot to become the company it is today. Matt Tucker Calvin Swaim Willie Conrad ...
261: A Human Future (Pamela Pavliscak)
February 05, 2018 05:00 - 35 minutes - 32.9 MBChad is joined by Pamela Pavliscak, founder of Change Sciences, about human-centered design thinking, and incorporating well-being & ethics as a measure of success. Change Sciences Value Sensitive Design Nudge- Richard H. Thaler IEEE Global Initiative on Ethics of Autonomous and Intelligent Systems Ethics in thoughtbot's Purpose Statement Designing for Happiness- Pamela Pavliscak Pratt Institute SoundingBox Pamela on Twitter Become a Sponsor of Giant Robots!
260: Treating Yourself Like a Business (Andrew Carroll)
January 29, 2018 05:00 - 39 minutes - 36.1 MBChad is joined by Andrew Carroll, CPA and independent CFO, to discuss how the new tax regulations will affect freelancers, small business, & solopreneurs. Also, recommended strategies for savings, retirement, and investing for entrepreneurs. CFO Andrew Quickbooks Online Gusto Andrew on Twitter Become a Sponsor of Giant Robots!
259: Carve Your Own Story (Curtis Herbert)
January 22, 2018 05:00 - 43 minutes - 39.6 MBChad is joined by Curtis Herbert, independent app developer and creator of Slopes, to discuss balancing client and product work, the pros & cons of a seasonal app, the importance of outreach, and experimenting with non-traditional business models. Slopes Breakpoint Studio Curtis on Twitter Become a Sponsor of Giant Robots!
258: Doing it on Principle (Max Seelemann)
January 15, 2018 05:00 - 39 minutes - 35.8 MBChad is joined by Max Seelemann, co-founder and lead developer of Ulysses, to discuss app-review, the complexities of multi-platform releases, initiating a full-app rewrite, and switching to a subscription pricing-model. Ulysses Writing App Sunk Cost Fallacy 'Ulysses Switches to Subscription' Blog Post Max on Twitter Become a Sponsor of Giant Robots!
257: Mapping the World For Parents (Anne Halsall)
January 08, 2018 05:00 - 42 minutes - 39.2 MBChad is joined by Anne Halsall, co-founder and Chief Product Officer of Winnie, discussing intention in branding, assumptions about features, balancing local and remote work, and quantifying growth. Winnie Winnie on Twitter Become a Sponsor of Giant Robots!
256: Stay Hungry, Stay Learning (Hosted by Alan Wick)
December 18, 2017 05:00 - 47 minutes - 43.6 MBThe tables are flipped and Chad is interviewed by Alan Wick, at our Playbook Launch Party, on the lessons learned from starting thoughtbot, company methodology, and looking towards the challenges & opportunities of the future. thoughtbot Playbook Crossing the Chasm- Geoffrey A. Moore Geoffrey Moore on Giant Robots thoughtbot /purpose Become a Sponsor of Giant Robots! Thank you to Storyblocks for sponsoring today's episode!
255: Solving the Whole Problem (Maria Parker)
December 04, 2017 05:00 - 41 minutes - 38 MBChad chats with Maria Parker, CEO of Cruzbike, about running your first Kickstarter, issues with scaling production, and the challenge of shifting public perceptions. Hopscotch Design Festival Cruzbike Crossing the Chasm- Geoffrey A. Moore 3000 Miles to a Cure Become a Sponsor of Giant Robots! Thank you to Storyblocks for sponsoring today's episode!
254: Product and Vision (Chris Savage & Brendan Schwartz)
November 20, 2017 05:00 - 44 minutes - 40.5 MBChad talks with Chris Savage & Brendan Schwartz, co-founders of Wistia, about building/launching new products, hiring, and managing company identity & vision. Wistia Chris & Brendan on Giant Robots Wistiafest video marketing conference Soapbox Thank you to Storyblocks for sponsoring today's episode!
253: iPads For Camp (Aleen Simms)
November 03, 2017 17:45 - 27 minutes - 25.1 MBChad is joined by Aleen Simms, an organizer for App Camp For Girls, to discuss the importance and logistics of their new Indiegogo Campaign. Head over to the App Camp Indiegogo via tbot.io/appcamp to have your donation matched today! App Camp for Girls Volunteer! Volunteer Interest Form The Incomparable Podcast Aleen on The Incomparable Network Originality Podcast Aleen on Twitter Check out our newest podcast, Crossroads. Thank you to Storyblocks for sponsoring today's episode!
252: Strategic Foresight (Amy Webb)
October 24, 2017 04:00 - 39 minutes - 36.6 MBChad is joined by Amy Webb, Professor at the Stern School of Business NYU and Founder & Quantitative Futurist at The Future Today Institute, to discuss distilling trends, incremental decision making, and the role of organizational management on the outcome of a company's future. Future Today Institute The Innovator's Dilemma- Clayton M. Christensen Exponent Podcast Microsoft Tay Bot Botness Scale The Signals Are Talking: Why Today’s Fringe Is Tomorrow’s Mainstream- Amy Webb Become a S...
251: More Than Just Pretty Pictures (Jarrod Drysdale)
October 09, 2017 04:00 - 40 minutes - 37.5 MBChad is joined by designer and author Jarrod Drysdale to discuss lessons learned from shutting down Cascade, writing about design, cultivating content for your audience, and design's evolving role within organizations. Jarrod on Giant Robots TheorySprints design course Studio Fellow Proximity School of Design Jarrod on Twitter Become a Sponsor of Giant Robots!
250: The Internet of Payments (Anders Brownworth)
September 26, 2017 04:00 - 35 minutes - 32.8 MBChad is joined by Anders Brownworth, Chief Evangelist at Circle, to discuss zero-cost transaction fees, cryptocurrency, and re-envisioning modern payment systems. Circle Disruptive Innovation- Clayton Christensen The Critical Path Podcast Anders on Twitter Become a Sponsor of Giant Robots!