Over the last decade, Leszek has developed several successful businesses, among them a software development agency that supports Fortune 500 companies. With the challenges a growing business brings, he observed that stepping out of a tech role into a leadership one brings the need for a different approach. As a host of the Better Tech Leadership podcast, Leszek is focused on bridging the gap between tech and people skills.
Francisco Trindade is an experienced engineering leader with a background as a technology consultant at ThoughtWorks, where he assisted teams worldwide and have founded companies, led engineering organizations. Currently serves as an Engineering Director at Braze in New York, focusing on enhancing engineering collaboration.
In this episode, Matt interviews Vance Rodgers, an engineering leader with a background in the U.S. Army Rangers, about balancing growth with efficiency. Vance shares insights from his military experience, including the importance of planning, measuring work, and continuous feedback loops. He also discusses his “first law of business,” which focuses on making the company money through revenue generation, operational efficiency, and risk management.
In this episode, Herman Man discusses leading cross-functional teams and adapting frameworks to fit organizational goals. He shares insights from his experiences at Xero, Microsoft, and Bluevine, emphasizing the importance of questioning the status quo and focusing on first principles. Herman also touches on cultural differences in global teams and the impact of AI on the fintech industry, highlighting the need to solve customer problems effectively.
In this episode, Leszek interviews Patrick Jørgensen about his career journey and leadership style. Patrick discusses his path from software engineering to co-founding Scaleup Finance. He shares insights on how his experiences as a professional fencer influence his approach to entrepreneurship, emphasizing focus, competition, and process over results.
In this conversation, Matt and John Blythe discuss the challenges of transitioning between startups and larger organizations. John Blythe shares his experiences at Kyruus and Combined Curiosity, emphasizing the importance of understanding organizational culture and optimizing for different priorities. He also offers advice to leaders making similar career moves, highlighting the need to count the cost and align personal strengths with organizational needs.