Make Sense with Lindsay Tabas, The Lady Engineer

🎙 Episode Title: Fixing Saas: Lessons for the Next AI Startup Wave How can we make sense of the real AI Saas Opportunity: building better systems from broken ones? In this episode of Make Sense, Lindsay Tabas talks with Benjamin Garvey, Co-Founder and CTO of Common Paper, about the evolution of enterprise software, particularly Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) and how the Zero Interest Rate Policy and...

🎙 Episode Title: AI Vibe Coding Era: What Makes a Developer Irreplaceable? How can we make sense of AI vibe coding and whether it will replace programmers? In this episode of Make Sense, Lindsay Tabas talks with ‪@NolanMakatche‬ FinTech founder, software engineer, and cloud architect, about the pros and cons of integrating AI coding tools into a software engineers' toolbox. We explore how AI i...

🎙 Episode Title: Beyond the Build - The Mindset Shifts EVery Creator & Engineer Needs to Make Your Ideas Matter w/ Will Toms, Co-founder REC PhillyHow can we make sense of the balance we need to strike between our values and vision, and creating for others? In this episode of Make Sense w/ Lindsay T., Lady Engineer®, Will Toms, co-founder of REC Philly, explores the journey of transforming per...

Government Efficiency is a hot topic in 2025, given most interactions with the government elicit a groan. But how do real public servants gain efficiency? And, what does innovation mean in a sector where citizens simply need things to work. What does optimizing and streamlining the public sector with technology look like? This episode features Eliza Erickson, a government innovation executive, and...

In this special episode of Make Sense, I ,Lindsay T., the Lady Engineer®, join Mino Vlachos on the 3Peak Master Leadership Experience Podcast (  @3PeakCoaching  ) to discuss leadership during periods of technological change. Together, they explore key topics such as: 1. Why do so many expensive corporate IT projects fail, and how can we fix them? 2. How involving employees in the software developm...

This week, I sit down with Marion Siboni, founder of Lacreme de la Stem, to discuss the challenges and opportunities women in technology and entrepreneurship face every day. Marion shares her motivation for founding Lacreme de la Stem, a community for early-stage female founders in STEM, and discusses the importance of supporting women in tech and innovation. We break down the gender bias in fundi...

There are three major conversations happening over dinner tables around the world and particularly in the United States. How fast is AI really moving? Is social media okay for the kids? How will the US election go in the beginning of November? They all seem different right? Well you'll be surprised how connected it all is as Dan Perkel and I explore the interconnected conversations happening aroun...

In this episode of 'Make Sense', Lindsay Tabas sits down with Stephen Balkam, founder of the Family Online Safety Institute (YouTube:  @fosi  ) to discuss the complex relationship between technology, social media, and youth mental health. We explore the challenges of ensuring online safety for children, the dual nature of social media as both a risk and a resource, and the importance of digital li...

Startup unicorns have grown significantly in the past decade, but economic productivity indicators remain stagnant. I sit down with Anthony Putignano to explore the connection between venture capital and creative waste in the tech industry. We cover everything from the need for a new playbook tech startups need in order to survive, the democratization of technology, DIY software development, and t...

In this episode, Lindsay Tabas and Jumoke Dada discuss the democratization of technology, better AI guardrails, encryption for customer data, and the need for organizations to double down on cybersecurity. We break down the role of the Office of the National Cyber Director in the White House and the strengths and weaknesses of the US cybersecurity field. The conversation emphasizes the need for mo...

Individuals are the driving change in the work place. In this conversation, Lindsay T., Lady Engineer® sits down with Ben Brooks, founder and CEO of PILOT inc, to discuss the importance of company values, the impact of technology on work, and the dissatisfaction with enterprise software in today’s workforce. We explore the role of humans need to control technology, the unintended consequences of t...

On this episode of Make Sense, Lindsay Tabas sits down with Eric Goldman discuss the US government's attempt to ban #tiktok . They analyze the #ban on TikTok, its implications for American consumers, and the evidence (or rather lack of evidence) supporting the national security threat allegations. In this conversation, Lindsay and Eric touch on the manipulation of content, the trade war betwee...

On this episode of Make Sense, Lindsay T. sits down with Lauren Maffeo, Senior Service Designer at Steampunk and Author of "Designing Data Governance from the Ground Up", to discuss the disconnect between the hype around AI and the reality of its impact on work. They explore topics from the fear of #ai taking #jobs, the need for better AI #guardrails and data encryption, and the importan...

On this episode of Make Sense, Lindsay Tabas sits down with Alex Raymond to break down the right mindset entrepreneurs and innovators need to be successful. We explore the concept of conscious leadership and the importance of taking responsibility for one's life. Alex shares his personal experiences with fear and self-doubt as an entrepreneur and emphasizes the need to challenge and overcome t...

Are we addicted to excel? In this week’s episode of Make Sense, Lindsay sits down with guest Al Chen, Solutions Architect at Coda, to explore the over reliance on Excel in the workplace and its implications. We highlight the use of Excel in Formula One and the broader trend of shadow IT, the limitations of using Excel for project management like the lack of task management features and push notifi...

On this episode of Make Sense, I sit down with Jessica Shelley, co-founder of Dailies, to discuss the challenges of virtual learning during the pandemic and the need for intentional design in online education. We highlight the importance of building learning stamina for students and how to provide support and resources for parents. We shift the conversation to the role of social media in children&...

On this week’s episode of Make Sense, I sit down with Dr. Brian Wallace to discuss explores the role of technology in addressing mental health issues, particularly in underserved communities and children. We touch on the future of mental health, including virtual care, remote monitoring, the integration of AI in therapy, evidence-based interventions and the potential of technology to improve menta...

Enterprise software is often clunky and inflexible due to complex systems and technical debt. This week on Make Sense, I sit down with Bermon Printer to discuss the challenges of enterprise software and the need for organizations to prioritize simplicity and user-centric design in enterprise software. We touch on the importance of data comprehension over data accumulation and highlight Capital One...

On this week’s episode of Make Sense, Lindsay sits down with seasoned angel investor, Mellie Chow to predict the top 10 consumer technology trends for the next five to 10 years. They discuss the future of work, Generative AI assistance, electrification, robots and drones, and augmented mental and physical health and touch on the challenges and concerns associated with trusting big tech companies w...

On this week’s episode of Make Sense, I sit down with Joe Meersman, a partner at The Collective and an adjunct professor at the University of Texas at Austin, where he teaches visual communication at the School of Design and Creative Technologies. He brings over 25 years of user experience and creative design expertise. discuss big companies' initiatives to adopt AI and the challenges and pitf...

In this episode of Make Sense, I sit down with Joe Seddon, the founder and CEO of Zero Gravity, and discuss the potential of AI to create widespread gains and the importance of making information and tools accessible to all. We focus on the need to expose people to opportunities and simplify the learning process. Joe also highlights the support young employees need in the workplace and the role of...

In this episode, I interview Professor Robert Glushko about the importance of sense making and organizing in our daily lives. We discuss how organizing affects how we interact with the world, the challenges of teaching organizing skills to students, and the role of organizing in problem solving and design. Despite the obstacles, we find hope in incremental change and the importance of problem-solv...

Are you part of the 64% of tech workers planning to look for a new job in the coming year? Unfortunately, the power dynamic favors companies right now. In this week's episode of Make Sense w/ Lindsay T., Lady Engineer®, my guest is Josh Goldstein, Co-founder of Underdog.io and Delightful Jobs. Josh and I discuss: * Why hiring the right talent is a significant challenge for companies * The curr...

In this episode of Make Sense, I sit down with Charlie O’Donnell, founder and general partner of Brooklyn Bridge Ventures. He also publishes a weekly newsletter called Next NYC and his thoughtful writings on his blog thisisgoingtobebig.com. We discuss the startup ecosystem and the differences between NY and Silicon Valley cultures, the state of funding, understanding risk-taking, and the importanc...

In this episode of Make Sense, I sit down with Cassandra Kane, founder of Sieme, an upcycled luxury accessory company and co-founder of Zerolab in Florence, the first leather upcycling center and sustainable design hub in Italy. In this episode, we talk about augmented reality in fashion, recyclable materials, and sustainability, a growing factor in customers' decision-making process, will pus...