Building Great Tech

Simon Hook & Anastasija Krysa

Building Great Tech is the podcast that helps mission-driven tech businesses become more profitable and customer-focused. Whether you're just starting out or optimising what you’ve already built, each episode helps you drive conversion, retention, and real business growth. We dive into customer-focused strategies, killer product experiences, ethical tech, team dynamics, and smart roadmaps. Expect expert interviews, startup case studies, and practical advice to help make your tech profitable, scalable, and deeply aligned with your mission. 

 Build better tech. Serve more customers. Scale with purpose.

  1. 6 DAYS AGO

    From the White House to AI Entrepreneur for Democracy - with Dr. Travis Hoppe founder of GroundVue

    In this episode of Building Great Tech, Simon and Anastasija are in conversation with Dr.Travis Hoppe, Chief AI Officer at GroundVue and Former White House Assistant Director of AI Research and Development at OSTP. Travis also co-developed The Pile, the first open-source data pile for large language models. In this episode they discuss how AI will shape the future of democracy and the science behind developing large language models. ABOUT TRAVIS: Dr. Travis Hoppe is a physicist, AI researcher, and public health data leader focused on advancing artificial intelligence in government and healthcare. He previously served as the first Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), where he led the agency's AI portfolio and launched its first enterprise AI strategy to accelerate data modernization, outbreak detection, and public health decision-making. During his tenure, Travis helped position CDC as a federal leader in AI adoption. Under his leadership, the agency became the first federal organization to adopt generative AI at scale, commission a government-wide study on generative AI return on investment, and publish early guidance on emerging deep research technologies for public health agencies. Travis also served at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) as Assistant Director of AI Research and Development, where he helped shape federal AI policy and coordinate AI strategy across agencies. His work focused on bridging cutting-edge AI research with practical government implementation, advancing responsible AI adoption across the federal ecosystem. ABOUT THE PODCAST: Growing, scaling, and selling tech businesses. Building Great Tech takes you inside the product decisions that drive growth, protect margins, and make tech companies worth buying. What's killing your conversion. Why your customers churn. Where the real product value sits before, during, and after a deal. Hosted by Simon Hook & Anastasija Krysa. Two product value creation specialists behind £41M and $87M exits, a 156% conversion increase, and a 93% retention uplift. Expert interviews with PE investors, CEOs, founders, and operators. Real case studies. Practical playbooks for growing, scaling, and selling tech businesses. FOLLOW TRAVIS Travis' Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/travis-hoppe-17902b59 GroundVue - https://www.groundvue.org/ The Pile - https://pile.eleuther.ai/ CDC Vision and Retun on Investment: https://www.cdc.gov/ai/vision/index.html More background on GroundVue and the Founders: https://fedscoop.com/former-federal-technologists-tap-public-meetings-data-new-ai-venture/ BUILDING GREAT TECH: Website: https://buildinggreattech.com/ Anastasija’s Linkedin: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/anastasijakrysa/⁠⁠ Simon’s Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/simonvhook/⁠

    1hr 1min

  2. 23 APR

    The Trick Is to Never Talk About the Environment – With Josh Dorfman, founder of Plantd

    https://buildinggreattech.com/ In this episode of Building Great Tech, Simon and Anastasija talk with Josh Dorfman, Founder of Plantd and host of The Supercool Podcast. They talk about how AI will actually save the planet from climate change, and why companies need to STOP talking about the environment to actually make consumers care! Follow Josh on Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/dorfmanjosh/ About Supercool - https://getsuper.cool/about/ Buy Josh's Book "The Lazy Environmentalist" - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Environmentalist-Guide-Stylish-Green-Living/dp/1584796022 About Josh: He is co-founder of Plantd, a carbon-negative materials company that converts atmospheric carbon into high-performance products, starting with building materials. As CEO, Josh led the company through its Seed and Series A rounds and helped secure a partnership with D.R. Horton, which has since scaled to more than 10 million carbon-negative structural panels. He recently returned as fractional CMO to lead Plantd’s brand evolution, market positioning, and commercial strategy as the company scales.Josh is also co-founder and host of Supercool, a media platform covering the companies building the low-carbon economy. Through founder interviews and editorial storytelling, Supercool highlights how climate companies gain market adoption by leading with performance, cost, and customer value. Follow us on Linkedin! ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/anastasijakrysa/⁠⁠ https://www.linkedin.com/in/simonvhook/⁠ Building Great Tech is the podcast that helps mission-driven tech businesses become more profitable and customer-focused. Whether you're just starting out or optimising what you’ve already built, each episode helps you drive conversion, retention, and real business growth. We dive into customer-focused strategies, killer product experiences, ethical tech, team dynamics, and smart roadmaps. Expect expert interviews, startup case studies, and practical advice to help make your tech profitable, scalable, and deeply aligned with your mission. Build better tech. Serve more customers. Scale with purpose.

    53 min

  3. 16 APR

    5 Pivots, Dinner With Strangers & €18M ARR - with Maxime Barbier, founder of Timeleft

    ⁠https://buildinggreattech.com/⁠ In this episode of Building Great Tech, Simon and Anastasija talk with Maxime Barbier, founder of Timeleft. Timeleft matches you with like-minded people for a shared meal in 250+ cities across 55 countries. They talk about global app distribution, how often you should be pivoting and why being a CEO is the loneliest job you can have! Timeleft DISCOUNT Code - BGT25 Download the app or go to https://timeleft.com and get 25% off on 1 month & 3 months subscription with code BGT25 Follow Mixime on Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/maximebarbier/ Follow us on Linkedin! https://www.linkedin.com/in/anastasijakrysa/https://www.linkedin.com/in/simonvhook/ Building Great Tech is the podcast that helps mission-driven tech businesses become more profitable and customer-focused. Whether you're just starting out or optimising what you’ve already built, each episode helps you drive conversion, retention, and real business growth. We dive into customer-focused strategies, killer product experiences, ethical tech, team dynamics, and smart roadmaps. Expect expert interviews, startup case studies, and practical advice to help make your tech profitable, scalable, and deeply aligned with your mission. Build better tech. Serve more customers. Scale with purpose.

    1 hr

  4. 9 APR

    Force for Good, Force for Devastation: The AI Clock Is Ticking – with Matt Cashatt

    ⁠https://buildinggreattech.com/⁠ In this episode of Building Great Tech, Simon and Anastasija talk with Matt Cashatt, founder of Polyrific and The Geniverse. They debate if AI is really taking everyone's jobs, and reveal how beginners can get started in discovering how AI can improve your everyday life and unleash your creativity. Follow Matt on Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-cashatt/ See how Polyfiric can help you - https://polyrific.com/ Visit Building Great Tech to see how we can help you - https://buildinggreattech.com/ About Matt: I built Polyrific because I believe AI should multiply human potential, not replace it. That belief shapes how we design systems, how we govern them, and how we measure success. Alongside this work, I’m building The Geniverse—an exploratory platform focused on how AI agents can amplify individual human capability. It’s a longer-term bet on what AI could become when humans remain firmly at the center. Always open to thoughtful conversations about where AI is headed, how it should be applied, and what responsibility looks like as it becomes infrastructure. Follow us on linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/anastasijakrysa/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/simonvhook/ Building Great Tech is the podcast that helps mission-driven tech businesses become more profitable and customer-focused. Whether you're just starting out or optimising what you’ve already built, each episode helps you drive conversion, retention, and real business growth. We dive into customer-focused strategies, killer product experiences, ethical tech, team dynamics, and smart roadmaps. Expect expert interviews, startup case studies, and practical advice to help make your tech profitable, scalable, and deeply aligned with your mission. Build better tech. Serve more customers. Scale with purpose.

    1hr 8min

  5. 2 APR

    #1 Mental Skill No Leadership Course Teaches You — with Armen Arustamov, Founder of Got It Life

    ⁠https://buildinggreattech.com/⁠ In this episode of Building Great Tech, Simon and Anastasija talk to Armen Arustamov, founder of Got It Life. The app, aimed at high-performing founders, is an AI self-coaching tool that allows them to unlock their minds and achieve peak potential. They also unpack Armen's experience as a founder, struggling with self-doubt and pitching ideas with little-to-no money to fall back on! Download Got It Life now! - https://www.gotit.life/ Visit Building Great Tech to see how we can help you - https://buildinggreattech.com/ About Armen and Got It Life: I’m the founder at Got it Life - a Google-backed Mental Health App 🧠 that boosts High Performers' Resilience through AI-driven Self-Talk & Psycholinguistics ➡️ www.gotit.life It builds Self-Coaching Skills like “Duolingo for Psychology” - while others give answers replacing users’ thinking, like “Google Translate.” Follow us on Linkedin! https://www.linkedin.com/in/anastasijakrysa/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/simonvhook/ Building Great Tech is the podcast that helps mission-driven tech businesses become more profitable and customer-focused. Whether you're just starting out or optimising what you’ve already built, each episode helps you drive conversion, retention, and real business growth. We dive into customer-focused strategies, killer product experiences, ethical tech, team dynamics, and smart roadmaps. Expect expert interviews, startup case studies, and practical advice to help make your tech profitable, scalable, and deeply aligned with your mission. Build better tech. Serve more customers. Scale with purpose.

    56 min

  6. 19 MAR

    You've Invested in AI. But Have You Invested in This?

    ⁠https://buildinggreattech.com/⁠ In this episode of Building Great Tech, Simon and Anastasija talk to Rebecca Christian, mindset consultant and founder of Limitless Academy. They explore how high pressures in the corporate world can lead to burnout, and how women are expected to overperform to be seen as equal in all male-dominated industries. Follow Rebecca on Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebecca-christianuk/?skipRedirect=true See how Limitless Academy can help you - https://limitlessacademy.co.uk/ About Rebecca:I’m the founder of Limitless Academy, the home for female founders expanding beyond their internal ceilings, where overflow becomes the standard. If you’re building something meaningful but sometimes feel the wobble that comes with growth… You’re not broken. You’re expanding. And I'd love to support you on your next evolution Follow us on Linkedin! https://www.linkedin.com/in/anastasijakrysa/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/simonvhook/ Building Great Tech is the podcast that helps mission-driven tech businesses become more profitable and customer-focused. Whether you're just starting out or optimising what you’ve already built, each episode helps you drive conversion, retention, and real business growth.We dive into customer-focused strategies, killer product experiences, ethical tech, team dynamics, and smart roadmaps. Expect expert interviews, startup case studies, and practical advice to help make your tech profitable, scalable, and deeply aligned with your mission. Build better tech. Serve more customers. Scale with purpose.

    52 min

  7. 12 MAR

    Why Gen Z Won’t Work for You - with Peter Wood

    ⁠https://buildinggreattech.com/⁠ In this episode of Building Great Tech, Simon and Anastasija talk to Peter Wood, SEO of The Gradute Guide. About the common misconceptions surrounding the employability of Gen-Z. Are the younger generations REALLY not worth hiring? Or does the recruitment industry needs to shake things up to become more adaptable in the modern age? Tune in to find out! Connect with Peter on Linkedin! - https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-m-wood/ Watch the Graduate Guide - https://www.youtube.com/@thegraduateguide About Peter Wood: A 24 year old trying to solve some big problems. Ski Instructor ➡️ Confused History Student ➡️ Explored Startups ➡️ Sold The Graduate Guide Building Calibr. The answer to fast-growing companies most underserved people problems. Follow us on Linkedin! https://www.linkedin.com/in/anastasijakrysa/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/simonvhook/ Building Great Tech is the podcast that helps mission-driven tech businesses become more profitable and customer-focused. Whether you're just starting out or optimising what you’ve already built, each episode helps you drive conversion, retention, and real business growth. We dive into customer-focused strategies, killer product experiences, ethical tech, team dynamics, and smart roadmaps. Expect expert interviews, startup case studies, and practical advice to help make your tech profitable, scalable, and deeply aligned with your mission. Build better tech. Serve more customers. Scale with purpose.

    1hr 4min

  8. 5 MAR

    The Fintech That Exposes FX scam - with Ellis Taylor

    ⁠https://buildinggreattech.com/⁠ In this episode of Building Great Tech, Simon and Anastasija talk to Ellis Taylor, founder of Glyde and Fintech specialist. Together they expose the scams of the FX sector, discussing the need for transparency and reflecting on how it could foster a more competitive, consumer focused market. Follow Ellis on Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ellis-taylor-llm-law-596686166/ See how Glyde can help your business today - https://www.glyde.money/ Follow us on Linkedin! https://www.linkedin.com/in/anastasijakrysa/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/simonvhook/ Building Great Tech is the podcast that helps mission-driven tech businesses become more profitable and customer-focused. Whether you're just starting out or optimising what you’ve already built, each episode helps you drive conversion, retention, and real business growth. We dive into customer-focused strategies, killer product experiences, ethical tech, team dynamics, and smart roadmaps. Expect expert interviews, startup case studies, and practical advice to help make your tech profitable, scalable, and deeply aligned with your mission. Build better tech. Serve more customers. Scale with purpose.

    1hr 13min
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Trailer

4.9
out of 5
28 Ratings

About

Building Great Tech is the podcast that helps mission-driven tech businesses become more profitable and customer-focused. Whether you're just starting out or optimising what you’ve already built, each episode helps you drive conversion, retention, and real business growth. We dive into customer-focused strategies, killer product experiences, ethical tech, team dynamics, and smart roadmaps. Expect expert interviews, startup case studies, and practical advice to help make your tech profitable, scalable, and deeply aligned with your mission. 

 Build better tech. Serve more customers. Scale with purpose.

Information

  • Creator
    Simon Hook & Anastasija Krysa
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    32
  • Show Website
    Building Great Tech