Build It Faster

Mike and Joe

Build it Faster with Mike and Joe

Episodes

  1. May 22

    Can a 4B Model Beat Claude in a Mech Arena? (BIF Ep 9)

    Josh came in with one goal: resist showing us the 3D demo he spent two weeks building. He succeeded. Barely. Instead we talked about the actual interesting stuff — why he's building systems for AI agents instead of humans, how a mech arena became his favorite benchmarking tool, and what happens when you let Claude playtest your game engine for you. Also: two Blackwell GPUs, a Glicko rating system, and the most cursed MMORPG premise we've ever heard. 00:00 Intro — Mike's late, just Joe and Josh01:04 Six weeks later: redefining success02:34 Enter Matt, the PM partner04:35 Federated agents and the mech arena07:44 BattleBots but autonomous09:20 Why he killed the 3D demo17:32 Mike finally shows up20:58 How the arena actually works24:55 Josh's model stack and hardware ceiling35:48 Monday idea, Friday artifact38:23 BYO LLM: prompt it, throw it in, watch it lose43:15 Tournaments, ratings, Steam for agents51:28 Token fight economics54:16 Three-day POC rule and wrapping up

    58 min

  2. May 12

    The PM Pushed Code (BIF Ep 8)

    Mike shares his recent deep dive into AI tools like Claude, exploring how he's integrating them into work processes, building AI-driven workflows, and lessons learned along the way. The conversation covers practical strategies for leveraging LLMs, managing code projects, and enhancing communication and project management with AI. 00:00 Introduction and Personal Updates03:17 The Impact of AI on Work Habits06:11 Learning and Teaching AI Tools09:21 Building an AI Guild at Work12:10 Problem Solving with AI18:17 Creating a Google Form with AI24:08 Iterating and Improving Processes with AI28:20 Planning and Context Management in AI Usage30:45 Navigating AI Tools for Project Management32:00 Creating Effective Project Roadmaps34:53 Leveraging AI for Code Analysis38:43 Integrating AI with Data Sources41:43 Focusing AI's Attention on Relevant Information44:46 Optimizing AI for GitHub and Snowflake Access48:57 The Role of AI in PR Management53:39 Trusting AI: The Need for Human Oversight

    56 min

  3. Mar 30

    The PM in the Codebase (BIF Ep 7)

    Mike recently got access to Claude Code at work — and as a non-engineer, he's been using it in ways nobody expected. In this episode, Mike and Joe break down what happens when a PM starts interrogating the codebase, from learning how systems actually work to catching years of organizational mythology that turned out to be wrong. They explore practical use cases for non-technical folks — market research, data access, UI mockups — and get into the weeds on Mermaid diagrams, hallucination strategies, and sub-agents. They also both happen to be starting AI Guilds at their respective companies, and have a lot to say about why bottom-up beats top-down when it comes to AI adoption. 00:00 Intro & The Flowchart Problem01:29 Mike Gets Claude Code Access06:45 Use Cases for Non-Engineers09:30 Market Research & Data Science with AI Agents11:25 Read-Only Database Access: What's Safe?13:00 Two Challenges: Threading & Hallucination15:25 How to Pressure-Test AI Answers17:45 Mermaid Diagrams Explained21:44 Mermaid in Notion23:49 Building an AI Guild at Work28:46 Sub-Agents & Avoiding Hallucination30:23 Wrap Up & What's Next

    32 min

  4. Mar 24

    Is Shipping Still the Goal? (BIF EP6)

    When AI can build anything, how do you decide what's worth building? Josh comes back on the show and throws a question at Mike and Joe that every solo dev and indie hacker is quietly wrestling with: is shipping still the goal? We dig into what "value" actually means when code is free, why building for yourself beats building for the market, and how the shovel factory metaphor exposes the trap most AI-era developers fall into without realizing it. Mike breaks down how real product managers filter signal from noise and pick what to build next. Joe makes the case that what's timeless matters more than what's novel. And Josh gets honest about pausing a product he's been heads-down on — and what that decision actually cost him. If you've ever vibe-coded three apps in a weekend and felt empty at the end of it, this one's for you. Topics covered: Signal vs noise in product prioritizationWhy passion-first building outperforms market-first buildingThe "shovel factory" trap and how to escape itWhat PMs actually do when they score backlog itemsWhen consulting beats shipping a productHow to know if your beachhead is real 00:00 Reconnecting After a Break 00:37 Navigating Project Management Challenges 03:05 Defining Value in Product Development 08:23 Signals vs. Noise in Decision Making 18:22 Finding the Right Focus in Fast-Paced Environments 26:12 Building for Passion vs. Others 27:01 Finding Excitement in Projects 28:19 Navigating the Saturated App Market 30:02 The Shovel Factory Metaphor 30:55 The Value of Timeless Solutions 32:19 Identifying Real-World Outcomes 35:23 Consulting as a Viable Path 38:58 The Importance of Use Cases 43:48 Teaching and Sharing Knowledge

    51 min

  5. Mar 17

    AI-Powered Podcast Indexing from 100 Hours of Audio (BIF Ep 5)

    In this episode of Build It Faster, hosts Mike and Joe discuss their vision for creating a cohesive body of work from their podcast episodes. They explore the idea of synthesizing content into articles and books, the importance of indexing their discussions, and the potential for monetization through membership and workshops. The conversation emphasizes the need for organization and accessibility of their content, aiming to create a valuable resource for listeners. 00:00 Introduction and Goals 04:58 Exploring the Body of Work 11:22 Synthesis and Content Creation 16:37 Indexing and Organizing Content 33:25 Proof of Concept and Future Directions

    56 min

  6. Mar 17

    My AI Team Is Pissed — and I'm the Bottleneck (BIF EP4)

    Join us as Josh shares his innovative journey in automating development workflows using AI, self-improving systems, and signal processing. Discover how these advancements are transforming project management, code review, and system resilience.00:00 Welcome and Introductions02:51 Josh's Return and Project Updates05:41 Adjusting to AI-Powered Workflows08:25 Self-Improving Systems and Automation11:18 Launching Multiple Products14:10 Defining 'Done' and Community Contributions17:14 Understanding Signals in Development25:50 System Resilience and Recovery27:53 Integrating Voice Control Features29:24 Contextual Understanding in AI31:44 Managing System Capacity and Bandwidth36:30 Testing and Validation of Features40:37 Leveraging External Signals for Improvement44:37 The Future of Agile Development with AI47:15 Collaboration and Team Dynamics in AI Projects

    53 min

  7. Mar 2

    The AI Agent Org Chart That Ships Itself (BIF Ep 3)

    Mike and Joe hosts discuss the rapid evolution of a development project with Josh, who shares insights on emergent behaviors, organizational structures, and the importance of delegation in AI systems. They explore the concept of the Autonomous Virtual Agency (AVA), trust metrics, and the significance of feedback loops in self-improving systems. The conversation also delves into managing prioritization and backlogs, autonomous trace analysis, and the insights gained from using cloud code. Finally, they touch on the challenges faced by mid-level SaaS companies in the current landscape and the excitement of leveraging AI for development. 00:00 Welcome Back: The Excitement of Rapid Development 01:46 Emergent Behavior in Development: Observations and Insights 05:33 Organizational Dynamics: Balancing Development and Operations 11:49 The Role of Delegation in AI Systems 17:18 Signal Processing: Understanding Inputs in Development 22:01 Defining Signals: The Importance of Context in Development 26:40 Tackling Low Hanging Fruit 28:29 Inputs and Outputs: The Core of Life 29:52 Prioritization in Project Management 32:17 Observing and Improving Workflows 34:25 Utilizing Hooks for System Safeguards 37:03 The Importance of Code Quality 37:39 Real-Time System Monitoring 39:34 The Role of the Lead Engineer 43:22 The Squeeze: Navigating Industry Changes 46:43 Exploring Cloud Code Insights

    52 min

  8. Feb 23

    200 Commits a Day with a $200 AI Team (BIF Ep 2)

    Joe Still and Mike reconnect with Josh Mabry to discuss the evolution of AI and its impact on development practices. They reflect on the journey since their last conversation, exploring the current landscape of technology, the acceleration of AI development, and the importance of building agentic systems. The discussion delves into the economics of AI, the role of consulting, and how empowering teams with knowledge of AI tools can lead to significant productivity gains. The episode concludes with thoughts on the future of work and the collaboration between humans and AI. 00:00 Reconnecting and Reflecting on the Journey 02:54 The Current Landscape of Technology 05:49 The Acceleration of AI Development 09:00 Navigating the Hype and Reality of AI 12:08 Building Agentic Systems and Automation 14:44 The Evolution of Development Practices 17:59 Creating a Self-Improving System 20:52 Integrating Agile Practices with AI 23:44 The Economics of AI and Development 26:29 Consulting and ROI in AI Projects 29:46 Empowering Teams with Agentic Tools 32:39 Future Directions and Closing Thoughts

    51 min

  9. Feb 16

    We Rebranded After 138 Episodes | What We Learned (Ep 1)

    In this episode of the Build It Faster podcast, hosts Joe Still and Michael discuss the transition from their previous podcast, Pattern Practice, to their new venture. They reflect on their experiences, share their backgrounds, and outline the mission of Build It Faster, which focuses on empowering human creation through technology. The conversation also delves into their first project, Instant Coffee, and the importance of user experience and permissions in app development. 00:00 Introduction to Build It Faster Podcast 00:36 Reflecting on Pattern Practice Podcast 03:17 Who Are We? A Deep Dive 10:12 What Is Build It Faster? 19:06 Building in Public: Instant Coffee Project 26:27 Final Touches Before Launch 28:41 Preparing for Product Launch 30:06 Cost Management and User Access 34:54 User Experience and Video Integration 40:01 Data Tracking and User Permissions 49:27 Balancing Permissions and User Trust

    51 min
  • 9 Episodes

About

Build it Faster with Mike and Joe

Information

  • Creator
    Mike and Joe
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    9
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Mike and Joe
  • Show Website
    Build It Faster