Building Tech Teams with James MacDonald

Day One

Building Tech Teams is a weekly podcast on how Australia hires, builds, and leads tech teams in the age of AI. Host James MacDonald sits down with the founders, CTOs, VPs of Engineering and People Leaders building Australia's best tech teams, from startups to enterprise, on what actually works. How they hire, how they build and lead their teams, and the calls that made or broke them. It is built for the leaders making the hire and the tech professionals making the move. Building Tech Teams is produced by Day One®, trusted partners in the technology space and the production partner behind Blackbird Ventures' Wild Hearts. Sister shows include First Cheque, Oversubscribed and In The Blink of AI. Episodes are cross-promoted across the network.

  1. Why Your First Hire Isn't an Engineer Anymore — Michael Batko, ex-Startmate CEO

    2 days ago

    Why Your First Hire Isn't an Engineer Anymore — Michael Batko, ex-Startmate CEO

    The first hire used to be an engineer. Michael Batko thinks that's now backwards — and that's just the start of how AI is rewiring the way you build a tech team. In the first episode of Building Tech Teams, James MacDonald sits down with Michael Batko — who spent eight years as CEO of Startmate backing 240+ startups, and now runs the AI-native venture batko.ai. They get into what actually changes when the cost of building drops to near zero: why go-to-market now comes before engineering, why the 10x engineer is finally real, what "AI-native" means for a person and for a company, and how to lead a team through it without torching your culture. It's a practitioner-to-practitioner conversation with real opinions and real scar tissue — hiring for attitude over skill, the rise of the AI chief of staff, the squeeze on middle management, and why your hard-won experience is the one moat AI can't copy. Chapters0:46 — Why James launched the show, and why Batko is guest #12:00 — The first hire has flipped: go-to-market before engineers3:49 — Where real software engineers still matter (and the "vibe-coding" ceiling)9:01 — What "AI-native" actually means — building your personal, then company, "brain"12:06 — Agent hierarchies: one agent / one job, and the AI chief of staff14:50 — Getting AI into a traditional business: permission to play + an AI policy (and the IP-leak risk)17:25 — Quick wins: process-mapping by voice, and the dictation tool that changes the game20:54 — Your first 5–10 hires: attitude over skill, hungry over proven, junior over senior25:58 — Team size, layoffs, "AI-washing", and the shrinking PM-to-engineer ratio34:55 — The one skill AI can't replace: people management48:07 — Why you still want humans in the room: inspiration, fresh eyes, first-principles51:40 — Facing the fear: lean in, automate yourself out, take the skills with you58:33 — Taste, authenticity, and experience as your real moat63:54 — Batko's playbook for any company starting now About the GuestMichael Batko spent eight years as CEO of Startmate, where he backed 240+ early-stage companies, and now builds AI-native tools for founders and businesses at batko.ai. LinksMichael Batko — batko.ai · LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/batkomichaelJames MacDonald — LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-macdonald-au · NTP Talent: https://ntptalent.com.au Hosted by James MacDonald, Managing Director of NTP Talent. Building Tech Teams is produced by Day One®, trusted partners in the technology space and the production partner behind Blackbird Ventures' Wild Hearts. Sister shows include First Cheque, Oversubscribed and In The Blink of AI. Episodes are cross-promoted across the network.

    1hr 7min
  2. Tech Exec // Oliver Shanahan, Group Head of Cybersecurity and Infrastructure at BetMakers Technology Group

    29/10/2025

    Tech Exec // Oliver Shanahan, Group Head of Cybersecurity and Infrastructure at BetMakers Technology Group

    From a childhood without electricity to co-founding a listed betting company, Oliver Shanahan’s story is a masterclass in technical grit and commercial pivots. As the Group Head of Cybersecurity and Infrastructure at BetMakers Technology Group, Oliver traces his path from wiring up early ISPs and mining ERPs to building TopBetta from a two-person LAMP stack into an ASX-listed business.  In this episode of Tech Execs, James MacDonald sits down with Oliver as he unpacks the high-stakes realities of bookmaking, the decision to pivot from B2C to B2B through acquisitions like Dynamic Odds, Global Betting Services, and Sportech, and why they rebuilt a legacy monolith into a cloud-native, multi-tenant platform that now powers 35+ sportsbooks. We also dig into ISO 27001 in practice, due diligence on tech debt, and how to use AI without leaking your IP. A candid, deeply technical blueprint for founders and engineering leaders navigating scale, regulation, and replatforming you won’t want to miss.

    58 min
  3. Tech Exec // Matt Vitale: Executive Director at New Dialogue

    22/10/2025

    Tech Exec // Matt Vitale: Executive Director at New Dialogue

    In this episode of Tech Execs, James MacDonald heads to Melbourne to sit down with Matt Vitale, former co-founder of Australia’s largest equity crowdfunding platform and now Executive Director at New Dialogue. Matt traces his winding path from nightlife promoter and sugarcane juice tinkerer to financial services lawyer, then startup pioneer, where he helped more than 300 companies raise over $250M. He shares the breakout Sheba Rideshare campaign, why storytelling and community trump slick code, and how a $300K LaunchVic grant sparked a hardware-focused angel network that became their most successful to date. Tune in to hear Matt break down how enterprises can safely adopt AI by deploying open-source large language models inside their own secure environments—model-agnostic, auditable, and up in days, not months. He makes the case for bottom-up experimentation, rapid pilots, and why compliance-by-design will be the real moat as regulation catches up. Alongside the professional achievements, Matt also shares the daily practices (think meditation, breath work, and long works) that helped him reset following burnout. A must listen for those working in the rapidly evolving AI space.

    1hr 1min
  4. Tech Exec // Victoria Aspden: Executive General Manager - Digital & Transformation at Ampcontrol

    15/10/2025

    Tech Exec // Victoria Aspden: Executive General Manager - Digital & Transformation at Ampcontrol

    Victoria Aspden, Executive General Manager - Digital & Transformation at Ampcontrol has had an unconventional career journey. Initially choosing technology for its earning potential, she managed to work her way through the field when recruiters valued her relationship-building skills over pure technical credentials. This pattern of people taking chances on her became a defining theme throughout her career. In this episode of NTP’s Tech Exec podcast series, Victoria sits down with James MacDonald to discuss her diverse career and her core management frameworks, including ‘problem before solution’, ‘people, process, tech, data’ and their interconnectedness, and the ‘cone of uncertainty’. Victoria advocates for hiring people smarter than yourself and creating environments where vulnerability and honest communication are valued over technical expertise alone. Tune in to hear Victoria’s advice for leaning into your weird, and how challenging traditional gender roles in her family has allowed her career success.

    1hr 6min
  5. Tech Exec // Andrew Cresp: CIO At NGM Group

    08/10/2025

    Tech Exec // Andrew Cresp: CIO At NGM Group

    On the first episode of NTP’s Tech Exec podcast series, James MacDonald sits down with Andrew Cresp to talk about his journey through financial services technology leadership, from early days in the insurance industry, moving through major roles in banking, before landing as CIO at NGM Group. Having grown up in country South Australia, Andrew reveals his passion for making regional businesses world-class. The conversation explores Andrew’s philosophy that technology strategy cannot exist independently, only business strategy enabled by technology, and the current implementations he’s seeing of AI in contact centres where systems provide real-time prompts to agents while automatically summarising calls. You don’t want to miss hearing Andrew’s approach to tackling the hardest projects others avoid, building resilience through marathon-like persistence, and finding mentors across all organisational levels. Tune in to gain practical advice on building a career in tech and hear about the importance of aligned teams for business success.

    45 min

  6. 28/07/2025

    Margareta Bogatir Studdert: Head of Digital Workplace & Service Management At NGM Group

    Ever wondered what it's like to transition from finance to IT, and from Sweden to Australia? On this episode of the NewyTechPeople podcast, Linda Apostolidis sits down with Margareta Bogatir Studdert, who brings her unique global experience to Newcastle. You'll hear about her fascinating career evolution and the surprising differences (and similarities!) of working cultures across continents. Margareta explains her exciting work at NGM Group, where she merged two distinct IT support teams and is now leading a major strategic project. Margareta also sheds light on Sweden's progressive policies for working families and women returning to the workforce, which truly set them apart. She'll offer invaluable leadership lessons on cultural adaptability, delegation, and empowering teams to learn from mistakes. Plus, don't miss her thoughts on cutting-edge trends like AI for predictive health and automation, and how NGM is championing women in tech by collaborating with initiatives like Hunter WiSE. Tune in for an inspiring story of career growth, leadership, and the power of embracing challenges!

    31 min

  7. 20/03/2025

    Adam Ingles: Fractional CFO / Director At Quick:Ratio

    In this episode of the NewyTechPeople podcast, James sits down with Adam Ingles, a fractional CFO and Director at Quick:Ratio, who works with technology startups. Adam shares his experience in the tech industry and explains the benefits of fractional CFO roles for early-stage startups. He breaks down when companies should bring in finance expertise, the current fundraising landscape, and the key elements of a strong pitch deck. Adam also offers advice on funding options, the challenges faced by Newcastle-based startups, and what he looks for when choosing to work with a company. Plus, he covers work-life balance in fractional roles, essential hires for growing startups, and the best resources for founders. Whether you’re a tech professional, a startup founder, or simply interested in the financial side of scaling a tech company, this episode is packed with valuable insights.

    22 min

  8. 30/01/2025

    Roger Crellin: Fractional Tech Exec

    In this episode of the NewyTechPeople podcast, we sit down with Roger Crellin, a seasoned technology executive who has recently moved to Newcastle. Roger shares his extensive international experience in the commercial side of technology, including roles at Fujifilm, smart TV manufacturers, and casino software companies. He discusses the challenges and rewards of working abroad, offering valuable advice for those considering international career moves. Roger emphasises the importance of networking, integrating into local communities, and maintaining a global perspective in the tech industry. He also delves into the concept of fractional work, explaining its benefits for both companies and professionals. Throughout the conversation, Roger provides insights on leadership, mentorship, and the essential skills needed to succeed in senior technology roles. This episode is packed with practical career advice for technology professionals at all levels, from those just starting out to seasoned executives looking for new challenges.

    41 min
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5
out of 5
15 Ratings

About

Building Tech Teams is a weekly podcast on how Australia hires, builds, and leads tech teams in the age of AI. Host James MacDonald sits down with the founders, CTOs, VPs of Engineering and People Leaders building Australia's best tech teams, from startups to enterprise, on what actually works. How they hire, how they build and lead their teams, and the calls that made or broke them. It is built for the leaders making the hire and the tech professionals making the move. Building Tech Teams is produced by Day One®, trusted partners in the technology space and the production partner behind Blackbird Ventures' Wild Hearts. Sister shows include First Cheque, Oversubscribed and In The Blink of AI. Episodes are cross-promoted across the network.

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