TechPod Talks

Jose Gonzalez, VP of Product at Ticketmaster, shares how a career spanning the dot-com bubble, Johnson & Johnson, Yahoo, EA, Amazon, and a Techstars-backed AI startup shaped his approach to product leadership. He breaks down the power law behind media platforms, what it takes to scale teams under pressure, and why trying to put the AI genie back in the bottle is the wrong move. Main Topics Cov...

Chris Harden, Director of Production Verification and AI Liaison at Unity, shares how a career spanning theme parks, embedded software, EA Sports, and a startup that was featured on Shark Tank shaped his approach to building the systems around software. He breaks down the AI debate in gaming, how he used agents to write his latest book, and why communication is the most underrated leadership skill...

Robert Gonzalez, VP of Engineering at SugarAI shares how he's transforming a 115-person engineering org into an AI-native operation, from building Scrum Master agents to rethinking how engineering value is measured. He also makes the case that in the age of AI, your product's durable moat isn't the UI, it's the context layer underneath it. Main Topics Covered: A self-taught career path from webmas...

Discover how engineering leaders in gaming navigate the constant tension between keeping the lights on and building what's next. Meir Wasserman shares hard-earned lessons from EA Sports, Amazon Games, and 2K Games on driving change, creating urgency, and evolving as a leader, plus his take on how AI is reshaping the engineering workflow. Main Topics Covered: Balancing operational toil with deliver...

Explore how top tech leaders, like Chris Robertson, leverage unconventional career journeys, self-education, and cutting-edge AI strategies to achieve remarkable success in tech industries. Gain insights into building resilient teams, optimizing cloud economics, and fostering innovation through rapid experimentation. Main Topics Covered: The power of self-learning and non-traditional career paths...

Discover how organizational structure impacts performance, innovation, and growth. Join us as Dr. Janet Sherlock shares insights from her 30-year career, research, and practical experience transforming organizations for the digital age. ‍ Main Topics Covered: The overlooked importance of organizational structure in leadership success How overlapping C-suite roles and organizational layering impact...

In this episode, Francisco Trindade, VP of Product Engineering at Braze, shares his insights on how AI is transforming software development, leadership, and education. We explore the evolving roles of engineers, the importance of understanding the system, and how leaders can create effective, adaptable teams amidst rapid technological change. Main Topics Covered: The impact of AI on coding and sof...

Discover how seasoned tech leader Mark Sass navigates the challenges of leadership, cost efficiency, and scaling platform engineering. This episode delves into practical strategies, leadership evolution, and the importance of understanding business context, all from a leader with a rich background across industries. Main Topics Covered: Mark Sass’s career journey and leadership style evolution The...

Are you a tech leader or tech executive struggling with the pressures of digital transformation? We’re talking specifically about things like IT modernization, efficient team scaling with limited resources, and developing a practical AI strategy. These are very real issues we’re all facing in the tech industry right now, and it’s proving difficult to find the advice you actually need. Host Stephen...