Giant Robots Smashing Into Other Giant Robots
About the show
A 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.
Episodes
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531: Polished Podcasting with Mandy Moore
June 27th, 2024 | Season 14 | 24 mins 31 secs
Hosts Will Larry and Victoria Guido chat with Mandy Moore, the mastermind behind thoughtbot's podcasts, about the technical aspects and crucial role of editing in creating top-notch content. Mandy highlights the importance of having a producer handle behind-the-scenes work, allowing hosts to focus on captivating content, and discusses how a well-produced podcast can boost a company's brand presence and serve as a potent sales tool.
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530: Giant Robots On Tour
June 20th, 2024 | Season 14 | 25 mins 49 secs
Host Will Larry announces a new Giant Robots Smashing Into Other Giant Robots podcast limited series focusing on Europe, West Asia, and Africa, introducing new co-hosts Sami Birnbaum, Svenja Schäfer, Rémy Hannequin, and Jared Turner. The team shares their journeys into the tech industry and engages in an icebreaker game while brainstorming names for the series. They ultimately decide on "Giant Robots On Tour," capturing the spirit of exploration and collaboration.
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529: How AI Transforms Small Business Operations
June 13th, 2024 | Season 14 | 40 mins 14 secs
Host Victoria Guido talks with Jaclyn Siu, co-founder of Starcycle, an AI platform acting as a COO for small businesses, where Jaclyn shares her entrepreneurial journey and vision for democratizing startup tools for small business owners. She discusses the development of Starcycle to automate critical business phases—start-up, sale, or shutdown—and emphasizes the role of personal connections, genuine curiosity, and empathy in creating solutions that meet the true needs of small businesses.
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528: AI in Action—How Fireflies Transforms Meeting Productivity
June 6th, 2024 | Season 14 | 41 mins 48 secs
Victoria Guido interviews Krish Ramineni, founder and CEO, about the evolution of Fireflies, an AI meeting assistant that transcribes and summarizes meetings in multiple languages. Krish talks about the rapid advancements in AI models, democratizing AI technology, and its potential to enhance productivity and enable small teams to achieve large-scale impacts. They also explore the future of work with AI, emphasizing the importance of adaptation and addressing challenges like data security and compliance.
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527: Exploring AI in Business with PrimeLab io’s Wendell Adams
May 30th, 2024 | Season 14 | 44 mins 50 secs
Host Victoria Guido welcomes Wendell Adams, CEO of PrimeLab io, who shares his journey from childhood tech enthusiast to entrepreneur, highlighting his focus on making technology accessible. Wendell discusses the strategic direction and market fit for PrimeLab, emphasizing innovative solutions for the entertainment industry that respect user control and privacy. The episode concludes with Wendell's insights on democratizing data access, enhancing business processes, and advice for aspiring entrepreneurs on thinking critically and creatively.
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526: AI-Powered Leadership with Waggle AI
May 23rd, 2024 | Season 14 | 34 mins 39 secs
Hosts Will Larry and Victoria Guido interview Sarah Touzani, founder of Waggle AI, who shares how her pottery hobby influenced her entrepreneurial journey and focus on improving managerial skills and workplace culture. Sarah discusses the challenges and pivots in developing Waggle AI, which aids in meeting preparations, note-taking, and providing feedback on leadership skills to enhance delegation and empathy.
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525: Tech, Public Service, and Serendipity
May 16th, 2024 | Season 14 | 51 mins
Victoria Guido chats with Robbie Holmes, founder and CEO of Holmes Consulting Group, who shares his unexpected journey from an entry-level position at a small web hosting company to a pivotal role in civic tech and public interest technology. Robbie discusses his evolution through various tech roles and his love of the Drupal community, highlighting the influential role of networking in his career development. He also reflects on his work with the U.S. Digital Service while underscoring the significance of technology in public services.
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524: From Personal Loss to Pioneering Pediatric Health
May 9th, 2024 | Season 14 | 36 mins 44 secs
Hosts Will Larry and Victoria Guido are joined by Hans Kullberg, Co-Founder of Pathfinder Health, a startup that integrates technology with pediatric health to provide objective developmental insights. Hans recounts his journey, from a career on Wall Street to the impactful work at Pathfinder Health, spurred by the tragic loss of his daughter, which motivated him to improve developmental diagnostics. He discusses how Pathfinder Health leverages machine learning and video analysis to enhance pediatric care, aiming for earlier and more accurate interventions by merging detailed developmental data into health records.
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523: The Art of Leadership with Francis Lacoste
May 2nd, 2024 | Season 14 | 34 mins 19 secs
Host Victoria Guido chats with Francis Lacoste, a seasoned VPE and CTO coach, who recounts his unexpected journey from cinema to tech leadership and his dedication to developing engineering management talent and fostering strong organizational cultures. He delves into the psychological aspects of leadership, emphasizing the importance of psychological safety, trust, and the critical soft skills required for effective strategic leadership.
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522: Turning Passions into Therapy with Hobi's Hamidah Nalwoga
April 25th, 2024 | Season 14 | 28 mins 51 secs
Host Victoria Guido explores the intersection of hobbies and mental health therapy with Hamidah Nalwoga, founder of Hobi. Hamidah recounts her journey from costly circus school hula hooping lessons to creating Hobi, a platform that turns hobbies into tools for personal therapy and community engagement. She talks about the operational challenges of managing a dual-sided market and the broader societal impacts, emphasizing how Hobi offers affordable, creative sessions in arts, dance, and writing to foster mental well-being and tackle the mental health crisis through community support and technological innovation.
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521: Insusty: Pioneering Sustainability Rewards for Environmental Action
April 18th, 2024 | Season 14 | 39 mins 12 secs
Hosts Will Larry and Victoria Guido talk with Sanghmitra Bhardwaj, CEO of Insusty, about her journey from a Himalayan village to founding a company in France that drives sustainable actions through a rewards program. They explore how Insusty fosters environmental stewardship by rewarding actions like volunteering and donating to overcome the high costs of sustainable living. The discussion also covers the broader impacts of sustainable practices in technology and business, Sanghmitra's experiences as a solo female founder, and her plans for enhancing Insusty's platform.
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520: Breaking New Ground in Maternal Mental Health with Mevi
April 11th, 2024 | Season 14 | 41 mins 13 secs
Hosts Will Larry and Victoria Guido chat with Zamina Karim, CEO and Founder of Mevi, about her innovative community-driven motherhood wellness app designed to revolutionize maternal health by addressing new mothers' emotional and practical needs. Zamina discusses her journey of overcoming postpartum anxiety and depression, the challenges of solo entrepreneurship, and the critical role of empathy in creating supportive communities for mothers. The conversation also explores the changing landscape of startup funding, the significance of adaptability, and the potential of technology to improve maternal health outcomes significantly.
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519: Ammi's Mission to Empower Parents
April 4th, 2024 | Season 14 | 42 mins 47 secs
Host Will Larry talks with Priyanka Mahajan, founder of Ammi, about the startup's mission to support new and expectant parents through expert advice, community, and digital resources. They delve into the unique challenges of parenting, including the transition to motherhood, mental health, and the concept of "matrescence." Priyanka shares her personal journey and the inspiration behind Ammi, highlighting the need for a tailored support system for parents in the early stages of parenthood.
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518: The Standard of Self-Care: Unlocking Personal Growth with Chris Pallatroni
March 28th, 2024 | Season 14 | 41 mins 20 secs
Host Victoria Guido chats with Chris Pallatroni, who unveils the journey behind creating The Standard, a unique platform for sharing self-care stories. Chris highlights how his love for gardening and dedication to mental wellness shaped the platform's ethos and addresses the challenges of melding technology with human connection to foster a community of support and growth. The Standard aims to inspire and connect individuals by sharing personal triumphs to make mental health struggles feel less isolating.
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517: Building Better Design Systems with Luro's Trent Walton
March 21st, 2024 | Season 14 | 44 mins 59 secs
Trent Walton, CEO of Luro, joins hosts Victoria Guido and Will Larry to discuss his transition from a typography enthusiast to co-founding Paravel and eventually creating Luro. This no-code platform enhances design systems for better adoption, collaboration, and organizational alignment. Emphasizing a holistic approach that merges design and development, Luro addresses the challenges of traditional design systems by making them more accessible and integrated with performance and accessibility metrics. This solution fosters a more collaborative and efficient team environment, streamlining product building and maintenance across disciplines.
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516: Innovating Fashion: Charlotte Holt's Tech-Driven Approach
March 14th, 2024 | Season 14 | 28 mins 17 secs
Hosts Will and Victoria interview Charlotte Holt, Founder of The Fashion Library, a London-based wardrobe rental resource for stylists. Charlotte discusses her journey from stylist to entrepreneur, highlighting The Fashion Library's mission to address environmental and financial challenges in the fashion industry by offering a rental platform. She emphasizes the importance of technology in driving sustainability and outlines her vision for the future growth of The Fashion Library.