Shipping Excellence

Coding is figured out. Engineering is back. That's the shift, and it's already showing up in who excels and who gets stuck. Carrick Carpenter, Chief Technology and AI Officer at Aditi Consulting, sits down with Andrew Duncan for a peer conversation about what actually changes inside a services firm when AI rewires the delivery model. Aditi runs 2,000+ employees, 70+ Fortune 500 clients, three cont...

SaaS isn't dead. UI is. The moat just moved. Assaf Weinberg (Co-Founder & CEO, SetSale) joins Andrew Duncan to dismantle the LinkedIn narratives about software in the age of AI: "code is free," "SaaS is dead," and the founder myth that hiring a developer is the bottleneck. Chapters 00:00 The biggest limit on AI is what you believe it can do 01:23 Building SetSale before AI tools existed 04:31...

AI doesn't fix your broken processes. It amplifies them. Jason Macht (Whitespace Solutions) joins Andrew Duncan to break down what actually changes — and what doesn't — when you build with AI. Chapters 00:00 Intro 00:40 Guest introduction 02:51 Vibe coding vs. engineering rigor 04:02 AI as amplifier — good and bad processes 04:39 Spec-driven development 06:57 The death of traditional agile 09:35 A...

In this episode of Shipping Excellence , Andrew Duncan sits down with Christopher Garvis (former AWS manager, worked on CDK) to unpack a core reality of the AI era: AI makes speed cheap, judgment priceless. They start with the practical: how experienced builders are using AI day to day, why “skills” (constrained context + tools) are emerging as the next standard beyond agents, and what happens whe...

Most software projects drift — scope grows, timelines slip, and clients spend more time managing the vendor than shipping product. Robert Randolph, CEO of Executive Linguist Agency, hired Vertice Labs to build two apps. Both shipped on time. Both on budget. Here's what made it different. Robert runs a professional language services firm with a remote team of interpreters. He needed a HIPAA-complia...

In this episode of Shipping Excellence , Andrew Duncan sits down with Aram Hammoudeh, a Principal AI-Native Engineer at Vertice Labs, to explore how AI coding agents are transforming the way software gets built. Aram shares what it feels like to go from “grunt developer” to directing a team of AI agents, how tools like Cursor, Copilot, and Claude accelerate delivery, and why the real role of engin...

In this episode of Shipping Excellence , Andrew Duncan sits down with Sergio Visinoni — a seasoned technology leader turned solopreneur, advisor, and fractional CTO. Sergio shares insights from his provocative article “Is GenAI Digital Cocaine?” and explores the parallels between generative AI, social media, and productivity hacks that may carry hidden costs. We dive into: Why Sergio believes over...

What does it take to turn a struggling product launch into a $50M success? In this episode, Wonder Cave President Webb Bostick reveals the leadership moves, technical pivots, and team-building strategies that made it happen. You’ll learn: How to embed technical leadership that drives focus and results The keys to building a lean, high-performing engineering culture Why “hire the right people” beat...

In this episode of Shipping Excellence, host Andrew Duncan sits down with Drew Burdick, Managing Partner of StealthX, and co-author of the AI North Star Playbook. They dive into how businesses should think about AI adoption, the rise of AI agents, and how solopreneurs and enterprises alike can leverage AI to drive efficiency and growth. The discussion covers everything from practical AI implementa...

In this episode of the Shipping Excellence Podcast, Duncan speaks with John Main, founder of Farsight, about his journey from finance to technology leadership. John shares insights on building effective teams, navigating the challenges of product management, and the importance of aligning finance with development. He discusses his experiences at Modernizing Medicine and Strax, emphasizing the need...

In this episode, Andrew Duncan discusses the emerging trends in AI and software development as we approach 2025. He highlights the shift towards in-house AI solutions, the importance of ecosystems in maximizing AI's impact, and the evolving nature of training architectures. The conversation emphasizes the need for interconnected frameworks that foster collaboration and innovation in the tech ecosy...

In this episode of the Shipping Excellence Podcast, Andrew Duncan speaks with Malvika Jethmalani about the importance of building AI-friendly cultures within organizations. They discuss the critical role of trust in AI transformations, tactical approaches to fostering trust, and the impact of AI on employee experience. The conversation also covers how organizations can navigate AI transformations...

Jason Macht discusses the transformative role of AI in the real estate sector. He shares real-world examples of how technology and data are being leveraged to optimize marketing, sales, and operational efficiency. From enhancing lead scoring to improving call monitoring, Jason emphasizes the importance of AI in driving business growth and efficiency. The conversation also touches on the future of...

In this episode of the Shipping Excellence Podcast, Chris Jaynes, a former VP of product and fractional CTO, shares his journey and insights into product management, the importance of validation in software development, and the role of AI in modern business. He discusses the challenges of navigating legacy systems, the significance of customer feedback, and the iterative process of building scalab...

In this conversation, Assaf Weinberg discusses the practical applications of AI in building technology and software products. He emphasizes the importance of understanding AI's capabilities and limitations, the role of proprietary data in business, and how AI can enhance operational efficiency and content generation. The discussion also highlights the need for businesses to identify their unique p...