Build To Succeed: Digital Experience Design & Product Development; Flutter, AI & Tech Leadership

Very Good Ventures

"Build To Succeed" explores the world of building successful tech products by dissecting the experiences of leaders who have brought ideas to life and nurtured them into long-term successes. The show delves into the delicate balance of speed and resourcefulness required in today's business landscape, emphasizing the importance of building "the right thing, the right way" – crafting products for longevity while optimizing for business goals. Through interviews with these experienced individuals, listeners will gain insights into navigating the space between launch and long-term growth, making good decisions, and uncovering the patterns that lead to repeated success. Build to Succeed is brought to you by Very Good Ventures.

  1. Viktor Lidholt, Serverpod — Streamlining Full-Stack Dart for Faster Engineering Teams

    FEB 11

    Viktor Lidholt, Serverpod — Streamlining Full-Stack Dart for Faster Engineering Teams

    On today's episode, we're joined by Viktor Lidholt, Founder of Serverpod, whose previous roles include CTO at JoinBuzz, founder and CEO at Newstech, and senior software engineer on the Flutter team at Google. Viktor is currently building Serverpod, a full-stack Dart framework transforming how Flutter teams approach backend development. We explore Viktor's journey from game development to startup founder, his early work shaping Flutter, and the technical insights behind Serverpod's architecture. Key Takeaways: (00:00) Introduction. (04:26) Community events expand Serverpod's reach and create connections. (12:20) Frustrations with Python pushed Viktor to rebuild his backend in Dart. (15:02) Serverpod auto-syncs server methods to the client for a seamless API. (20:16) Built-in streaming over a single WebSocket simplifies real-time workflows. (24:58) Conferences show more teams adopting Serverpod. (31:01) Viktor stresses hiring strong engineers for Serverpod's complexity. (40:19) Splitting Material and Cupertino enables stronger community UI packages. (42:34) The core lesson: development work should always be fun. Resources Mentioned: Serverpod website Serverpod Academy Flutter PostgreSQL

    43 min
  2. Kody Peterson, Foresight Sports — Rebuilding Mobile Architecture With Flutter and 3D Innovation

    JAN 28

    Kody Peterson, Foresight Sports — Rebuilding Mobile Architecture With Flutter and 3D Innovation

    On today's episode, we're joined by Kody Peterson, whose previous roles include work on large-scale systems at Walt Disney Company, leadership at multiple startups, and mobile product development in the golf technology space. He is currently Director of Software Engineering for Digital Studio at Foresight Sports, where he leads teams building high-performance software experiences for athletes and coaches. Kody discusses engineering leadership, cross-platform development, and pushing the boundaries of 3D and data-driven visualization. We also explore how Kody blends hardware, software, and user experience to create precise, intuitive tools for golfers; why Flutter became foundational to their mobile strategy; and how Kody's team brought fully interactive 3D models into their app. Key Takeaways: (00:00) Introduction. (02:48) Kody entered tech through an education job, learning large-scale systems. (10:36) Foresight tracks ball and clubhead data, visualizing it to support learning. (16:20) The team shifts from React Native to Flutter for better performance and control. (23:00) React Native provides easier hiring, since many engineers transition easily. (27:20) Add-to-app complexities slow development versus starting in Flutter. (35:52) Club View introduces 3D perspectives, letting golfers see exact impact points. (41:32) The team plans to open-source their messaging layer for multi-layered systems. (49:31) A personal motto of ownership guides decisions in leadership and daily life. Resources Mentioned: Kody Peterson Foresight SportsForesight SportsBabylon.js Pigeon Unity GraphQL Apache Cordova

    52 min
  3. Phil Rabin, SoFi — Enterprise-Scale Flutter

    12/17/2025

    Phil Rabin, SoFi — Enterprise-Scale Flutter

    On this episode, we're joined by Phil Rabin, whose previous roles include Senior Engineering positions at Uber, where he spent a decade scaling one of the most demanding mobile organizations in the world. He is currently Director of Engineering, Mobile, at SoFi. Phil discusses what it takes to lead one of the largest Flutter engineering teams in production, and how to scale systems and people. Key Takeaways: (00:00) Introduction. (01:29) Phil began coding at 15 and later built early digital products at CBC. (05:08) How Uber optimized every step to make the ride experience as fast as possible. (10:16) A mobile-first growth story and super-app vision made SoFi the right fit. (14:07) Flutter removed the heavy burden of maintaining two separate native apps. (16:53) Scaling requires strong documentation because teams constantly change. (19:34) A "WikiLink only" rule keeps documentation clear and consistent. (21:09) Success depends more on aligned, energized teams than on writing code. (30:51) Early Uber faced similar single-package bottlenecks as SoFi during scaling. (34:23) Radical candor shapes Phil's leadership. (40:00) Treating people right and aligning work keeps teams motivated. Resources Mentioned: Phil Rabin SoFiSoFiUber Flutter Cursor Claude

    42 min
  4. Martin Remmelgas, Codemagic — The Power of Community in Scaling DevOps and CI/CD for Flutter

    12/03/2025

    Martin Remmelgas, Codemagic — The Power of Community in Scaling DevOps and CI/CD for Flutter

    On this episode, we're joined by Martin Remmelgas, whose previous roles include Industrial Placement in Singapore and Consultant at Ernst & Young. He is currently CEO at Codemagic, a company deeply embedded in the Flutter ecosystem. Martin discusses his journey from chemistry to technology, how Codemagic became a key player in the Flutter community, and what it takes to scale developer tools from startups to enterprise-level adoption. Key Takeaways: (00:00) Introduction. (02:01) Martin shifts from chemistry to tech for its speed and ease. (06:00) Codemagic started as an internal DevOps project at Nevercode. (11:34) Turning to the Flutter community becomes the key to growing Codemagic. (15:06) Early community work evolves into measurable marketing ROI. (18:50) Community feedback drives Codemagic to clarify pricing and build trust. (21:33) Conference ROI is clear, but real value comes from community ties. (26:34) SOC 2 certification boosts Codemagic's enterprise credibility. (30:09) Codemagic's new feature simplifies app testing and collaboration. (34:21) Flutter's small team powers vast developer opportunities. (38:59) Competition drives Codemagic to keep innovating. Resources Mentioned: Martin Remmelgas CodemagicCodemagicFlutter Google

    41 min
  5. Frank van Puffelen, Puf — Low-Code, No Fear: Building the Future of Apps With Flutter and LLMs

    11/12/2025

    Frank van Puffelen, Puf — Low-Code, No Fear: Building the Future of Apps With Flutter and LLMs

    On this episode, we sit down with Frank van Puffelen  -  more commonly known as puf  -  an industry veteran, ex-Googler (2015-2024),  and one of the most influential voices in the Firebase and Flutter communities. He shares his journey from software engineering to developer advocacy, offering insights into the changing role of developer relations, the rise of low-code tools, and the impact of AI on how software is built. Key Takeaways: (00:00) Introduction. (01:39) Frank (puf) started coding in the eight-bit era. (10:06) Joining Firebase after the acquisition, shifting from user to team member. (15:57) Public speaking brings self-doubt, but you turn mistakes into learning. (20:18) Engineers have the knowledge  -  they just need help shaping it into a story. (24:57) Involving the audience in spotting typos keeps demos engaging. (29:10) Testing explanations on non-technical audiences ensures clarity. (35:00) LLMs are tools  -  like a new hammer  -  built to enhance what's possible. (40:13) Non-traditional developers validate AI output by adding tests. (45:49) Publicly available information is easily summarized by LLMs. (51:38) Developers are moving questions to Reddit, reducing Stack Overflow use. Resources Mentioned: Frank van Puffelen FlutterFlowFirebase Stack Overflow Google I/O

    54 min
  6. Michael Harker, Ritchie Bros – AI, Customer Empathy & Scaling Legacy Enterprises

    10/29/2025

    Michael Harker, Ritchie Bros – AI, Customer Empathy & Scaling Legacy Enterprises

    On today's episode, we're joined by Michael Harker, whose previous roles include Director of Product Management at Comcast and Director of Corporate and Business Development at SAP. He is currently Vice President of Product Management at Ritchie Bros., the world's largest marketplace for used commercial equipment. Michael discusses product leadership, customer empathy, and driving digital transformation in a 70-year-old company. Michael also unpacks his journey from startups to enterprise roles and highlights the nuances of serving a diverse customer base ranging from farmers with flip phones to global financial institutions. Key Takeaways: (00:00) Introduction. (01:19) Ironman shows how consistency and small steps drive progress. (09:11) A customer-first culture builds loyalty but challenges standardization. (15:31) Framing tech debt as customer problems makes change actionable. (20:50) The North Star was speed  -  rebuild fast and avoid delays. (24:58) Building digital products is tough when customers lack email or internet. (30:28) Strong partners adapt products to meet needs, easing our roadmap. (35:40) Clear principles and communication make alignment easier. (41:02) Small changes can create a big impact in transforming companies. Resources Mentioned: Michael Harker ComcastComcastSAPSAPRitchie Bros.Ritchie Bros.ChatGPT Claude Figma

    43 min
  7. Andrew Brogdon, Google — Developer Relations in the Agentic Era

    09/03/2025

    Andrew Brogdon, Google — Developer Relations in the Agentic Era

    On today's episode, we're joined by Andrew Brogdon, whose background spans creative writing, software engineering, and developer advocacy. Before joining Google, he held roles in advertising technology and has built a reputation as one of the early champions of Flutter. He is currently Staff Developer Relations Engineer at Google, leading efforts that connect the Flutter SDK with its global developer community. Andrew discusses how creative storytelling shapes developer relations, the evolving definition of DevRel in an AI-powered world, and the role of agents in shaping future user experiences. Key Takeaways: (00:00) Introduction (00:54) Andrew began his career as a poet with two degrees in creative writing. (06:38) Andrew aimed to work at Google to teach developers on YouTube. (10:01) Leadership can provide insight, but reduce technical depth. (15:33) DevRel work is similar, but Google's tools and studio quality have improved. (20:14) AI raises quality demands, so Flutter supports adaptability. (26:28) Flutter is rethinking resources to improve service for both humans and AI. (29:13) As AI writes more code, Dart may prioritize readability over terseness. (36:42) An agent combines an LLM, tools, and a goal to power agentic apps. (41:24) AI should measurably improve user experience, not be added for hype. (44:38) Empathy and knowing your team increases smarter, stronger leadership. Resources Mentioned: Andrew Brogdon GoogleGoogleFlutter Dart Gemini Firebase Studio Flutter Cookbook

    48 min
  8. Pratap Ranade, Arena — The Future of Applied Science and Humanity With AI

    08/13/2025

    Pratap Ranade, Arena — The Future of Applied Science and Humanity With AI

    On today's episode, we're joined by Pratap Ranade, whose past roles include Associate Partner at McKinsey & Company, CEO and Co-Founder at Kimono Labs (acquired by Palantir), Forward Deployed Engineer at Palantir Technologies, and VP of Engineering at Enigma Technologies. Pratap is a physicist, who sold his last company to Palantir and is now CEO and co-founder of Arena. Arena is building Atlas  -  a platform of AI agents that make it easier to build and test modern hardware  -  from GPUs and AI datacenters, to rockets and drones. Key Takeaways: (01:20) Pratap's shift from physics to AI after NASA setbacks. (05:33) Arena shifted to hardware after a high-impact pilot revealed strong potential. (16:44) Pratap sees AI not replacing humans but as intelligence on tap. (20:02) Solving core problems beats launching products first. (26:29) Arena has come full circle on its original AI vision. (30:04) Tech drives more value in hardware than in CPG. (35:47) Arena automates testing and validation in electrical engineering. (40:35) Hardware is hard because physics leaves no room for opinion. (45:52) Startup leadership means being honest and choosing your kind of hard. (51:57) Going all in creates a cycle of growth and transformation. Resources Mentioned: Pratap Ranade ArenaArenaPalantir OpenAI ChatGPT McKinsey & Company J.A.R.V.I.S. (as a conceptual reference, not a product) Van Allen radiation belts Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs

    55 min
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5
out of 5
11 Ratings

About

"Build To Succeed" explores the world of building successful tech products by dissecting the experiences of leaders who have brought ideas to life and nurtured them into long-term successes. The show delves into the delicate balance of speed and resourcefulness required in today's business landscape, emphasizing the importance of building "the right thing, the right way" – crafting products for longevity while optimizing for business goals. Through interviews with these experienced individuals, listeners will gain insights into navigating the space between launch and long-term growth, making good decisions, and uncovering the patterns that lead to repeated success. Build to Succeed is brought to you by Very Good Ventures.

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