Giant Robots Smashing Into Other Giant Robots

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A podcast about the design, development, and business of great software. Each week thoughtbot's Chad Pytel is joined by the people who build and nurture the products we love.

2 DAYS AGO

550: Disrupting and Democratizing Private Chefs with Iyabo Bello

What if booking a private chef was as easy as ordering an Uber? Iyabo Bello is a serial founder and entrepreneur, best known for iKooK, an app connecting private chefs to their target audience. Join us as she shares the unlikely story of how she came up with the idea to start iKooK after working in fashion design and food science. We get into the weeds with the premise of the app, how it differs from other home chef experiences, and how the cooks are vetted before being allowed to register on the app. Iyabo shares her experience of navigating a double-sided marketplace and discusses the process of building an app and driving traffic toward it instead of her website. We discuss bootstrapping and outsourcing to create a user-friendly, effective app, and handling health and safety as a food service. Join us as we discuss the challenges and benefits of building iKooK, and what you can learn from her journey. Thanks for tuning in. Key Points From This Episode: Welcoming Iyabo Bello, founder of iKooK, and the story of the inception of her business. Her background in fashion design and food science. The premise of iKooK and how it differs from other home chef experiences. How the process behind vetting chefs has evolved. Navigating a double-sided marketplace. The challenge of finding the right chef with an eye for detail. Taking down the website to encourage users to book on the app. Bootstrapping and outsourcing to build the app. Handling health and safety and building it into the program. The inclusive and flexible nature of Iyabo’s product. Challenges she has faced while building the app. How Jared and Sami would go about assessing the app and user experience. Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:  Iyabo Bello on LinkedIn  [iKooK Email](info@ikook.co.uk)  iKooK Sami Birnbaum on LinkedIn  Jared Turner on X   Jared Turner on LinkedIn thoughtbot thoughtbot on LinkedIn thoughtbot on X Giant Robots Smashing Into Other Giant Robots Podcast [Giant Robots Smashing Into Other Giant Robots Email](hosts@giantrobots.fm) Support Giant Robots Smashing Into Other Giant Robots Support Giant Robots Smashing Into Other Giant Robots

40 min
7 NOV

549: Scaling Startups and AI-Powered Real Estate with Chris Fellows

How do you build a tool that redefines the real estate game for agents and brokers? Today on the show, host Chad Pytel sits down with Chris Fellows, founder and CEO of Bold Street, to explore how his AI-powered platform is reshaping residential investment for real estate professionals. Originally focused on data analytics for big investors, Bold Street pivoted after the Great Recession to meet the needs of agents and brokers. Chris shares how the platform, developed over 18 months, helps agents master investor math and market analysis, boosting efficiency. The conversation dives into current market dynamics, like the rising costs of leads from platforms such as Zillow, which make Bold Street’s value proposition increasingly vital. Chris also expands on the company’s latest round of fundraising before sharing key lessons on scaling a startup in real estate. For these insights and more, don’t miss this fascinating conversation with Chris Fellows!   Key Points From This Episode: A warm welcome to today’s guest, Chris Fellows, founder and CEO of Bold Street. Founding Bold Street: their initial AI strategy and how it has shifted. How their software helps agents and brokers be more efficient. Key takeaways from bringing their first product to market. Reflections on what could have helped the development process go more quickly. Chris and his team’s approach to sales and their general pricing model. A breakdown of their ideal customer and how they are reaching them. What they’ve done to address their ideal customers’ biggest objections. Unpacking current market dynamics, from expensive leads to class action lawsuits. How Bold Street brings value to the current real estate market. The benefits and challenges of running a business in such a disrupted market. Reflections on their current fundraising efforts versus their previous round. Lessons on scaling a startup both locally and through internet marketing. Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: Chris Fellows on LinkedIn  [Chris Fellows' email](chris@boldstreet.ai) Bold Street Chad Pytel on LinkedIn Chad Pytel on X thoughtbot thoughtbot on LinkedIn thoughtbot on X Giant Robots Smashing Into Other Giant Robots Podcast [Giant Robots Smashing Into Other Giant Robots Email](hosts@giantrobots.fm) Support Giant Robots Smashing Into Other Giant Robots Support Giant Robots Smashing Into Other Giant Robots

34 min
1 NOV

548: Product Management vs Project Management with Bethan Ashley

What if, instead of asking how to integrate AI into your product, the question was, should you? During this episode, Jared Turner and Will Larry interview Senior Product Manager at thoughtbot and Founderland Startup Mentor, Bethan Ashley, who shares her insights and advice on how and when to leverage AI tooling. Sharing her career journey leading up to this point, Bethan makes the key distinction between project management and product management, and why this is essential to understand. Next, you’ll hear about her views on the importance of talking to customers about your products and the different ways to reach them effectively. We get into some of the classic reasons that products fail, the appropriate time to bring in a product manager, and a few of the techniques, prompts, and exercises that Bethan favors when mentoring others. Join us as we unpack how to avoid common pitfalls, discuss practical steps to overcome the fear of failure, and share advice for those seeking to put AI tooling into their product. Thanks for tuning in. Key Points From This Episode: From building bespoke apps for companies to product management, mentorship, and more: Bethan Ashley’s career journey. Distinguishing between project management and product management. Why talking to your customers is fundamental to successful products. Some of the many different ways to reach customers. Classic reasons that products fail. How to identify the point at which a product manager has become a necessity. Bethan’s path to mentorship through Founderland. The Speedy Eights exercise that she uses to prompt ideas. Advice to avoid common pitfalls: just get started. Exploring the obstacle created by the fear of failure. Strategies from the book The Mom Test. Insights on AI in the day-to-day product management space. Advice for those seeking to put AI tooling into their product. Spicy takes on product management. Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: Bethan Ashley on LinkedIn Founderland Customer Discovery Playbook The Mom Test Gamma  Gemini Loom Figma Motion WIP is waste Jared Turner on X Jared Turner on LinkedIn Will Larry on X Will Larry on LinkedIn thoughtbot thoughtbot on LinkedIn thoughtbot on X Giant Robots Smashing Into Other Giant Robots Podcast [Giant Robots Smashing Into Other Giant Robots Email](hosts@giantrobots.fm) Support Giant Robots Smashing Into Other Giant Robots Support Giant Robots Smashing Into Other Giant Robots

35 min
24 OCT

547: Fight better using AI with CJ Tayeh

Could our inability to agree be holding us back from achieving meaningful social progress? What if AI could help us "fight better,” not by winning arguments but by resolving conflicts in ways that benefit our communities, businesses, and relationships? Flank’s innovative technology offers just that: a smarter, more empathetic approach to conflict resolution that could transform how we engage with one another. Today, we’re joined by Flank founder, CJ Tayeh, a human rights lawyer turned growth marketer turned social innovator. With a mission to address inequalities and power imbalances, especially around money, she explains how Flank’s AI companion acts as a mediator to foster trust and communication. We explore the different user experiences Flank serves, the careful research and development that went into its creation, and how joining Flank’s community can revolutionize conflict resolution. CJ also shares the challenges the startup faces, the role of interaction design in addressing them, and why high-quality data is crucial for effective AI-driven solutions. Don’t miss this fascinating conversation with serial innovator, CJ Tayeh! Key Points From This Episode: An overview of CJ’s journey into the emerging AI startup space. How growing up in a high-conflict family has informed her work as a social innovator. The problem Flank is focused on and how it aims to solve that problem with AI. Perspectives on conflict resolution and the impact of joining Flank’s community. How Flank’s AI companion acts as a mediator to foster communication and trust. Different kinds of user experiences that Flank aims to cater to. The amount of time, effort, and care that went into research and development. Challenges that Flank faces and how interaction design can address them. Why machine learning models are only as good as the data you train them with. Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: Flank CJ Tayeh on LinkedIn CJ Tayeh on X thoughtbot thoughtbot on LinkedIn thoughtbot on X Giant Robots Smashing Into Other Giant Robots Podcast [Giant Robots Smashing Into Other Giant Robots Email](hosts@giantrobots.fm) Support Giant Robots Smashing Into Other Giant Robots Support Giant Robots Smashing Into Other Giant Robots

38 min
17 OCT

546: Class Awareness with Dr. Justin Key

What happens when competition goes from being a driver of success to a source of division and exclusion? In today’s episode, Chad is joined by Dr. Justin Key, Founder of Black Theorem Consulting, to unpack societal divisions driven by social and economic status. Dr. Key is an accomplished consultant, speaker, and thought leader with expertise in helping organizations achieve growth and innovation through data-driven strategies. He is the founder of Black Theorem Consulting, a firm specializing in harnessing the power of diversity and technology to solve complex business challenges. In our conversation, we unpack today’s topic through the lens of the products and services developers bring to market. We discuss the hyper-competitive nature of society, the impacts of toxic competition, real-world examples of rigid and fluid drivers of division, and why we should not be afraid to discuss race. Explore how digital products and services can drive change on a global scale, how designers and developers can be a part of that change, and why developers need to check their biases when building digital technology. He shares his motivation for starting Black Theorem Consulting, what the company focuses on, and how it is helping drive change. He also shares how he stays motivated, the types of industries Black Theorem Consulting serves, and how you can contribute to a better world. Join us as we untangle systemic societal problems and how to reflect the world you serve in your product or service with Dr. Justin Key! Key Points From This Episode: Learn how social and economic status divides society and creates division. Discover how the impacts of exclusion compound into larger societal problems. Find out the difference between healthy and unhealthy competition. Uncover the common misconceptions about power and wealth in society. Hear how societal divisions have played a role in the decline of mental health. Explore how the societal structure of America compares to other countries. Find out why race cannot be ignored when discussing social divisions. Understand the significance of considering race in discussions about social division. Positive ways digital products and services can bridge the gap and drive change. Ways technology creates obstacles between different socio-economic groups. Steps developers can take to ensure that technology is inclusive and accessible. Background about Black Theorem Consulting and the services it provides. How inclusion and equity apply to developers and the development process. Final takeaways and how to find out more about Black Theorem and Dr. Key. Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: Dr. Justin Key Dr. Justin Key on LinkedIn Dr. Justin Key on YouTube Black Theorem Consulting [Gracie's Corner](www.youtube.com/@graciescorner) Chad Pytel on LinkedIn Chad Pytel on Mastodon thoughtbot thoughtbot on LinkedIn thoughtbot on X Giant Robots Smashing Into Other Giant Robots Podcast [Giant Robots Smashing Into Other Giant Robots Email](hosts@giantrobots.fm) Support Giant Robots Smashing Into Other Giant Robots Support Giant Robots Smashing Into Other Giant Robots

41 min
10 OCT

545: Generative AI: How to Leverage its Power and Mitigate the Risks

Since its inception in 2017, Sema has been improving outcomes for users, companies, and developers by providing automated tools to assess code. During this episode, we are joined by Sema Founder and CEO, Matt Van Itallie. Matt discusses five reasons why you should know how much generative AI is used in your code, from the capacity to increase the quantity, quality, and maintainability to intellectual property risk. These also include exit risks. Next, we explore how this is detected, how it can be solved, and the advantages of looking at code. Next, we explore the origins of Sema and how Matt sourced his co-founders, consider his thoughts on open source, and why it matters to know how much generative AI is used in your code. Hear advice on where to begin, how much to prioritize precision, and why it is imperative to make generative AI your own. Tune in today to hear all this and more. Key Points From This Episode: Introducing Sema CEO and Founder Matt Van Itallie. How the work is distributed among different target customers: companies, financial and strategic buyers. Why Sema is language agnostic and what it does instead. Matt’s belief that the fundamental health of a software product depends on the team. Understanding key person risk and the concept of golden handcuffs. How Matt’s background set him up to easily understand the world of coding. Why the combination of manual implementation and automation via Sema is most effective. The process behind turning the idea into a product with the University of Michigan and a Founder from AngelList. Why he does not recommend using his approach. The single biggest focus: code inspection and due diligence. Using open source code and the risks involved. Five sets of reasons why it matters to know how much generative AI is used in your code. How this is detected and how it can be solved. Advice on where to begin, how precise to be, and more. Leveraging the expertise of Co-Founder Brendan Cody-Kenny to build Sema. Why it is imperative to make generative AI your own. Free advisory AI counsels that Matt and Sema have set up.   Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: Matt Van Itallie on LinkedIn Matt Van Itallie on X [Matt Van Itallie Email](mvi@sema.com) Sema University of Michigan AngelList CoPilot Chad Pytel on LinkedIn thoughtbot thoughtbot on LinkedIn thoughtbot on X Giant Robots Smashing Into Other Giant Robots Podcast [Giant Robots Smashing Into Other Giant Robots Email](hosts@giantrobots.fm) Support Giant Robots Smashing Into Other Giant Robots Support Giant Robots Smashing Into Other Giant Robots

46 min
3 OCT

544: How BonePixel is Redefining Diagnosis and Treatment with Nazgol Tavabi and Mohammadreza Movahhedi

What if diagnosing complex joint disorders could be as precise and personalized as a fingerprint? Today, Will sits down with Nazgol Tavabi and Mohammadreza Movahhedi to discuss their journey of transforming cutting-edge research into a revolutionary AI-powered platform for diagnosing joint disorders. Nazgol and Mohammadreza are the co-founders of BonePixel, a healthcare startup focused on using AI and big data for the diagnosis and treatment planning of joint disorders. In our conversation, we unpack the origins of BonePixel, the challenges of building a healthcare startup, and how they are leveraging AI to make patient-specific treatment planning more accurate and efficient. Explore how its data-driven process facilitates decision-making for surgeons, how they were able to commercialize the software, and the positive impact it is making on patients’ lives. They share details about BonePixel’s current state of development, the regulatory hurdles, and their surgeon-centric approach to software development. We discuss the complexities of securing funding and their approach to fostering a healthy company culture. Gain insights into how they make their software inclusive, the ethical aspects of BonePixels development, why human involvement is crucial, and more. Join us to learn how BonePixel is transforming orthopedic care and pushing the boundaries of what’s possible with AI with Nazgol Tavabi and Mohammadreza Movahhedi! Key Points From This Episode: Background about the development of BonePixel’s innovative software. Learn about BonePixel and how it leverages data to improve decision-making. Hear about BonePixel’s research origins at Harvard Medical School. How Harvard Medical School is facilitating the commercialization of BonePixel. Uncover the role that machine learning and AI play in BonePixel’s software. Find out how their collaborators have acted as data sources for their models. They share details about upcoming features and software additions. Discover the core values of BonePixel that are driving its development. What got them interested in applying their research skills in healthcare. Explore the ethical considerations that need to be taken into account. Why human involvement during BonePixels implementation is vital. Hear their opinion on regulating the development of AI-based technologies. Lessons from their careers, final takeaways, and how to get in contact with them. Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: BonePixel Nazgol Tavabi on LinkedIn Mohammadreza Movahhedi on LinkedIn Harvard Medical School Boston Children's Hospital VirtualHip Will Larry on X Will Larry on LinkedIn thoughtbot thoughtbot on LinkedIn thoughtbot on X Giant Robots Smashing Into Other Giant Robots Podcast Giant Robots Smashing Into Other Giant Robots Email Support Giant Robots Smashing Into Other Giant Robots Support Giant Robots Smashing Into Other Giant Robots

40 min
19 SEPT

543: The Intersection of AI and Recruitment with Brian Glover

Is it time to rethink how we approach hiring? The traditional recruitment process often fails to capture the true potential of candidates, relying heavily on outdated methods like résumés and generic job descriptions. In this episode, Will sits down with Brian Glover, Co-founder and CEO of Previewed, to unpack the revolutionary interplay between technology and the recruitment sector. Previewed aims to revolutionize how job seekers connect with potential employers by allowing them to showcase their skills and experiences in a more personalized and impactful way. It leverages cutting-edge technology to create a platform that helps candidates stand out in a competitive job market, ensuring that everyone has a fair shot at landing their dream job. In our conversation, we discuss how the Previewed platform creates an immersive, streamlined, and intelligent solution for recruiters and candidates. Learn about the innovative technology behind Previewed’s platform and how it is revolutionizing the traditional recruitment landscape. Discover the inspiration behind Previewed, its approach to career life-cycle, and how it empowers the candidate. We unpack the company’s skill-based assessment method, the ‘gamification’ of recruitment tools, how Previewed’s platform helps with retention, identifying gaps in a candidate’s skills, and much more. Join us as we explore where AI meets talent acquisition and how it turns purpose into a career with Brian Glover. Tune in now! Key Points From This Episode: How he uses prayer and meditation to keep him grounded as an entrepreneur. Overcoming the mental hurdles of being a founder and business owner. Previewed’s platform and how it leverages AI to enhance the recruitment process. Issues in the traditional job search and hiring process that Previewed solves. Discover why aligning a candidate’s job description with their purpose is so vital. Reasons for Previewed’s skill-based method and how it assesses candidates. The benefits of Previewed’s skill-based approach for candidates and recruiters. Brian shares how his hustler background growing up led him to become an entrepreneur. Hear about Previewed’s roots and the many challenges he overcame starting it. Recommendations for budding entrepreneurs and what Brian is currently focusing on. Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: Brian Glover on LinkedIn Previewed Will Larry on X Will Larry on LinkedIn Victoria Guido on X Victoria Guido on LinkedIn thoughtbot thoughtbot on LinkedIn thoughtbot on X Giant Robots Smashing Into Other Giant Robots Podcast [Giant Robots Smashing Into Other Giant Robots Email](hosts@giantrobots.fm) Support Giant Robots Smashing Into Other Giant Robots Support Giant Robots Smashing Into Other Giant Robots

42 min

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A podcast about the design, development, and business of great software. Each week thoughtbot's Chad Pytel is joined by the people who build and nurture the products we love.