Build With Maya

Maya Shavin

Build With Maya is a podcast about how engineers think, and build in the real world. I talk about the systems I build and experiment with across frontend and AI. But more than the tools, I care about the decisions behind them — the tradeoffs, the judgment calls, and the responsibility that comes with building things that matter. Some episodes are reflections, experiments, while others are just honest thoughts about ownership, impact, and how your mindset shifts as you grow more senior. If you care more about how we scale our impact in this AI era, this is for you.

Episodes

  1. #7 - The Work No One Assigns You

    31 MAR

    #7 - The Work No One Assigns You

    A lot of the work that actually makes systems succeed… never shows up in a ticket. In this episode, I talk about the kind of engineering work that isn’t assigned, tracked, or measured, but quietly becomes your responsibility over time. Things like noticing risks early, asking questions no one asked, or connecting gaps across teams. This is usually where the shift to seniority starts. Not by doing more tasks, but by seeing more of the system. If you’ve ever felt like you’re doing work that “doesn’t count” on paper, this episode is for you.

    33 min
  2. #6 - AI Makes Things Faster, But Not Easier

    17 MAR

    #6 - AI Makes Things Faster, But Not Easier

    "Just because you’re shipping code at 2x the speed doesn’t mean you’re solving the problem 2x as fast." In this episode of Build with Maya, we’re breaking down what every AI tool like GitHub Copilot or Cursor changes how mid-level/senior engineers work, not easier but harder. And how we’re moving from an era of "Authoring" to an era of "Auditing." AI removes the friction of writing code, but it increases the burden of deciding what should actually exist. If you’ve ever accepted an AI suggestion and then second-guessed it later, this episode will probably feel familiar.

    27 min
  3. #5 - Why Engineering Advices Failed in Real Team

    3 MAR

    #5 - Why Engineering Advices Failed in Real Team

    You know the 'right' way to do it. Your team knows the 'right' way to do it. So why is your codebase still a mess? In this episode, I talk about why things like “just refactor” or “just add tests” often don’t work in real teams. Not because the advice is wrong, but because it ignores context such as deadlines, ownership, and other constraints. If you’ve ever felt like you know the “right” thing to do but can’t actually do it, this episode is for you.

    29 min
  4. #4 - Engineering Leadership: Output vs Responsibility

    17 FEB

    #4 - Engineering Leadership: Output vs Responsibility

    Output is visible. Responsibility usually isn’t. In this episode, I talk about the shift many senior or staff engineers experience as their work becomes less about tickets and more about ownership, and why that change often comes with hidden cognitive and emotional costs.

    37 min
  5. #3 - Stop Being a 'Coder' (And Start Being an Engineer)

    3 FEB

    #3 - Stop Being a 'Coder' (And Start Being an Engineer)

    Engineering isn’t just about code, tools, or best practices. It’s about decisions, tradeoffs, and ownership. In this first episode, I share how I think about engineering today — why output isn’t the same as impact, why context matters, and how experience changes what you optimize for.

    23 min

  6. 12/05/2025

    #2 - Becoming a Staff Engineer (with Santosh)

    In this episode, I'm honored to welcome our first guest, Santosh Yadav, staff engineer at Celonis and Angular GDE. Together we dive into Santosh’s journey through the tech world—from early dev days to stepping into management, and ultimately finding his groove as a Staff Engineer. We talk about what that transition really felt like, why and how he chose to return to the IC (individual contributor) path, and how he balances career growth with life outside of work. Honest insights, hard-earned lessons, and a few laughs along the way.Resources:Staff Engineer's Path by Tanya Reilly - https://www.amazon.com/Staff-Engineers-Path-Individual-Contributors/dp/1098118731---Follow Santosh on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/santoshyadavdev/Twitter: https://x.com/santoshyadavdevBlog: https://santoshyadav.devYoutube Channel: @ThisisTechTalks---Subscribe to my channel  @mayashavin  Follow me on:Twitter: https://x.com/MayaShavinLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mayashavinBlog: https://mayashavin.com---

    46 min
  7. #1 - Hello from Google Paris

    15/04/2025

    #1 - Hello from Google Paris

    So here we go, my podcast's first episode is finally here! It's a short episode as the kickoff for Build With Maya, recorded in Google Paris where I had a great chance to attend Build With AI Summit and learn about cool features of Gemma and Gemini. In this episode, we will speak briefly about my channel and my speaking experiences, such as how to start being a tech speaker. Learn more about Google for Developers

    7 min
  • 7 Episodes

About

Build With Maya is a podcast about how engineers think, and build in the real world. I talk about the systems I build and experiment with across frontend and AI. But more than the tools, I care about the decisions behind them — the tradeoffs, the judgment calls, and the responsibility that comes with building things that matter. Some episodes are reflections, experiments, while others are just honest thoughts about ownership, impact, and how your mindset shifts as you grow more senior. If you care more about how we scale our impact in this AI era, this is for you.

Information

  • Creator
    Maya Shavin
  • Years Active
    2k
  • Episodes
    7
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Maya Shavin
  • Show Website
    Build With Maya