Co-founder of Brainhub, Matt describes himself as a “serial entrepreneur”. Throughout his career, Matt has developed several startups in Germany, wearing many hats- from a marketer to an IT Engineer and customer support specialist. As a host of the Better Tech Leadership podcast, Matt talks about growing successful businesses and the challenges of being a startup founder and investor.
Dennis Teichmann is a customer-focused problem solver with a strategic background in media and online publishing, renowned for his leadership role in scaling and exiting the HR cloud software business model for jacando. His secret to success lies in prioritizing customer needs and exceeding expectations to create impactful products and portfolios.
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In this episode, Matt and Nick Humrich discuss measuring developer experience and productivity using the DORA metrics and qualitative surveys. Nick shares insights on company culture, contrasting SaaS models with loan-based revenue. They explore trends like monolith vs. microservices and AI’s role in software development, cautioning against over-reliance on AI and emphasizing its potential for augmenting developers.
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In this episode, Matt interviews John Doran, CTO at Phorest Salon Software, about his career journey and insights on mindset and growth. John shares his experiences scaling with Phorest, from a small startup to an international company. He also touches on topics such as the importance of observability, creating a positive work environment, and navigating the impact of AI on tech.
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In this episode, Matt and Christian Hemmeshøj Runge discuss the shift from manual to automated testing and various approaches to problem-solving across tech ecosystems. Christian shares insights on AI’s role within SimCorp, a financial technology firm, emphasizing its application in simplifying operations for clients. The conversation explores the challenges and opportunities of AI implementation in a highly regulated environment, highlighting the importance of collaboration between tech and legal teams.
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In this episode, Matt interviews Anthony Mayer, VP of Engineering at charles, about his experiences working in tech in the US and Germany. Anthony shares insights on leadership challenges, transitioning from manual to automated testing, and approaching AI initiatives. He also discusses handling stress and resources for continuous learning and career development.
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In this episode, Matt interviews Lydia Varmazis, Head of Venture Portfolio and previously Chief Product Officer for RBCx. Lydia shares insights on leveraging board members, the transition from product head to portfolio management, and scaling challenges.
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In this episode, Matt interviews Mark Swaine about his career journey from UX to product management. Mark shares insights on the challenges startups face, especially regarding tech stack inefficiencies and the lack of customer design programs. He also discusses the impact of AI on product development, emphasizing the need for strategic UX and the potential struggles with AI adoption in less tech-ready organizations.
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In this episode, Matt interviews Brooks Folk about his role as Global Engineering Leader at nCino and about the challenges of leading at scale. Brooks shares his experiences, lessons learned, and the importance of balancing autonomy with standardization in a large organization. He also discusses the concept of “elephant carpaccio” for iterative software development and the importance of adapting leadership styles to different team needs.
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In this epiode, Matt interviews Frank Schmid about modernizing workflows with low code, integrating AI, and applying economic principles to tech and business decisions. Frank shares his unique journey from economics to becoming a CTO, emphasizing the confluence of IT and quantification. He also discusses the challenges and opportunities in the insurance industry, offering valuable insights on AI adoption and economic outlook.
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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.
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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.
