The Tech Trek

In this episode, Shadi Rostami, the Senior Executive VP of Engineering at Amplitude, joins the podcast to discuss the role of prompt engineering in fueling innovation and speeding up hackathons. She emphasizes that prompt engineering is a team sport and explores how experimentation and data analytics can impact business outcomes. Amplitude aims to help companies build better products by leveraging...

In this episode, Amir interviews Siddharth Ram, the CTO of Velocity Global, about the impact of hackathons on innovation. They discuss the benefits and challenges of hackathons, as well as the importance of compliance in today's borderless work environment. Siddharth explains that Velocity Global helps companies navigate hiring and compliance regulations worldwide. The hackathons at Velocity G...

In this episode of The Tech Trek, Amir talks with Keenan Wyrobek, co-founder and CTO of Zipline, about building one of the world’s largest autonomous logistics platforms. From delivering life-saving supplies in remote regions to scaling precision delivery in urban areas, Keenan shares how Zipline combines first-principles thinking, tight hardware-software integration, and customer obsession to cre...

Privacy engineering is booming—and you don’t need a JD to join the movement. In this episode, Amir sits down with Hoang Bao, Global Head of Privacy and Data Privacy Officer at Axon (formerly at Netflix, Google, Twitch), to break down what privacy engineering is, how it overlaps with data governance, and why it’s one of the most accessible and high-impact areas emerging in tech today. Whether you&#...

In this episode, Adam Jacob, CEO and co-founder of System Initiative, joins the podcast to discuss the reasons behind less than ideal results in DevOps. He explains the failure rates and highlights important insights to look for in reports. Adam also discusses the second wave of DevOps tools and their impact. The conversation delves into the work of System Initiative. This company has reimagined t...

In this episode, Gary Cao, an Analytics leader, joins the podcast to discuss proactive and reactive states of data, defensive and offensive strategies, and the value of data in both contexts. Gary shares his extensive experience as an analytics officer leader and offers insights into how companies often misunderstand the true value of their data. Tune in to gain a deeper understanding of how to le...

Aaron Wilkerson, Senior Manager of Data Strategy and Governance at Carhartt, joins Amir to explore how data strategy connects directly to business performance. In this conversation, Aaron shares how Carhartt’s 130 year old mission of serving hardworking people shapes every data decision, from governance and forecasting to AI adoption. He explains how data leaders can move beyond reporting and plum...

In this episode, Amir interviews Kunal Agarwal, the co-founder and CEO of Unravel Data. They discuss purpose-built AI and how Unravel Data leverages AI in their platform. They also explore the symbiotic relationship between AI-driven products and engineering teams. Kunal explains that Unravel Data is a data observability and FinOps platform data engineering teams use to ensure data applications ru...

In this episode, host Amir welcomes Sue Nallapeta, the CTO of Trusted Health, to discuss the implementation of AI in products and the importance of data quality. They emphasize the need for a solid framework and data structure before integrating AI solutions. Sue shares examples of how AI can bring value to customers and improve business outcomes. They also explore how Trusted Health, a marketplac...

In this episode, Hari Kodakalla, the Head of Data Analytics at Frost Bank, joins the podcast to discuss responsible AI and the challenges of last-mile adoption. They explore topics such as regulatory protection from a customer perspective, the composition of an effective AI team, and the ongoing importance of human involvement in AI processes. The conversation delves into the impact of AI and mach...

In this episode, Amir interviews Fady Matar, the VP of Engineering at Spotter, about his approach to being a super hands-on engineering leader. Fadi shares his views on how he relates to his team, avoids being a bottleneck, and understands the work at a deep level. They discuss the pros and cons of different engineering management styles and how being hands-on can benefit a team. Fadi also provide...

In this episode, Phil Freo, the VP of Product and Engineering at Close, discusses his journey from being a founding engineer to the VP of Engineering. Phil has been with Close for almost 12 years and has witnessed the company's growth firsthand. We delve into topics like retention, what mattered in the early days, and what Phil is focused on now. Tune in to gain insights into the evolution of...

In this episode, Chintan Shah, VP of Engineering at Collective, discusses the application of AI in business outcomes and how it benefits consumers. The focus is on Collective's product, which caters to consultants and contractors who run their small businesses. Chintan explains the advantages of representing their work as a business and touches on tax laws and liability. Tune in to learn more...

In this episode, host Amir interviews Jeff DeVerter, Chief Technology Evangelist at Rackspace, about the key factors that can impact the success of an AI project. They discuss the importance of data quality, enterprise adoption, and organizational structure in driving successful AI implementation. Jeff provides valuable insights and feedback in these areas, highlighting the need for a new approach...

In this episode, Mir Ali, the Head of Digital Engineering at the Kraft Heinz Company, joins the show to discuss the enterprise-wide adoption of Gen AI (generative AI). They delve into topics such as platform evaluation, ROI, legal and regulatory considerations, and maturity planning. The conversation focuses on how enterprises can adopt Gen AI, including selecting the right platform, developing a...

In this episode, I speak with Jyri Engestrom, an investor and partner at YesVC, about angel vesting. Jyri shares his insights on how to get into angel investing and how it can benefit your career as a founder or executive. We discuss the popularity of angel investing and the platforms that allow investors to deploy small tickets into companies. Jyri emphasizes the importance of building a diversif...

In this episode, Amir Bormand interviews Pete Hunt, the CEO of Dagster Labs. They discuss the open-source nature of Dagster, a product that helps businesses with data orchestration. They explore the product's benefits, the challenges in the data orchestration market, and why Dagster Labs decided to open-source their product. Pete shares his background in open source and the importance of data...

In this episode, Engin Anil, the VP of Software Engineering at Gatik, joins the podcast to discuss the complexities and challenges in the autonomous vehicle space. Amir and Engin explore the sophistication of autonomous vehicle technology and the need to build confidence and trust in these vehicles. The episode sheds light on the intricate nature of coding for autonomous vehicles, comparing it to...

In this episode, Phanii Pydimarri, Head of Strategic Planning and Partnerships at Healthcare Service Corporation, joins the podcast to discuss the topic of productizing data. They explore this process's opportunities, challenges, and common mistakes. Phanii shares insights on the mindset required to view data as a product effectively. Tune in to gain valuable insights into productizing data an...

In this episode, Amir Bormand interviews Joel Dolisy, the CTO of WellSky. They discuss different aspects of organizational design regarding innovation versus transformation, PE versus VC, and different company sizes. Joel also explains how WellSky provides software solutions and analytics capabilities to help healthcare organizations optimize patient care and performance across the acute, post-acu...

In this episode, Kris Shinn, the VP of Engineering at Consensus, shares insights on scaling a single-focus engineering team to a broader or different type of engineering team. The conversation covers the impact on engineering leaders and engineers, managing tribal knowledge, and accommodating different preferences in organization size. Kris also provides an overview of Consensus, a blockchain comp...

In this podcast episode, Amir Bormand interviews Cassie Brown, the VP of Engineering at Bitly. They discuss the importance of the relationship between customer success and engineering teams in improving customer experience. They delve into topics such as feedback loops, improving triage, and ultimately driving adoption and usage. Cassie shares her responsibilities as VP of Engineering at Bitly and...

In this episode, Amir Bormand interviews Salil Joshi, the VP of Engineering at Viant Technology. They discuss the topic of new managers and how to help them succeed. They also touch on the importance of building on their strengths and what they should do in anticipation of becoming a manager. They explore how to measure the effectiveness of a new manager. Salil explains the role of digital adverti...