The Tech Trek Elevano

In this podcast episode, Bob Stefanski, Co-founder and Managing Director of eLab Ventures joins Amir to discuss the promising future and current landscape of AI startups. They explore the significant room for growth in AI, particularly in the context of valuations, and the importance of giving founders time to pivot. Stefanski emphasizes the focus on early-stage investments in AI, highlighting the continued relevance of deep learning and the promising potential of generative AI. The discussion covers AI founders' evolving characteristics, unique data sets' impact, and the shift towards more accessible AI application development tools. Additionally, Stefanski provides insights into the differentiation between 'true AI companies' and those merely using AI as a buzzword.

Highlights

01:38 The AI Landscape and Market Potential

04:11 Investing in AI Startups

06:41 Characteristics of Successful AI Founders

08:25 Functional vs. Generative AI

14:49 Valuations and Market Trends

18:01 Defining a True AI Company











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Thank you so much for checking out this episode of The Tech Trek. We would appreciate it if you would take a minute to rate and review us on your favorite podcast player.

Want to learn more about us? Head over at https://www.elevano.com

Have questions or want to cover specific topics with our future guests?

Please message me at https://www.linkedin.com/in/amirbormand (Amir Bormand)

This episode features a conversation with Maria Latushkin, Group VP of Technology and Engineering at Albertsons, discussing AI's role in supply chain management. The discussion encompasses assessing AI options, prioritizing initiatives, and pilot programs for implementing AI solutions efficiently and effectively. The episode covers the strategic approach to AI adoption, including mistake avoidance, decision-making processes from an executive perspective, and leveraging AI for operational improvements and customer value enhancement. It also touches on the impact of COVID-19 on supply chain perceptions and innovations, the significance of data management, and the balance between building bespoke solutions versus leveraging external partnerships.

Highlights

01:05 The Role of AI in Decision-Making and Supply Chain Optimization

03:14 Leveraging AI for Supply Chain Efficiency and Innovation

04:13 Impact of COVID-19 on Supply Chain Dynamics

07:24 Adapting to Change: Speed, Technology, and Customer Experience

08:14 The Future of Engineering and AI in Business Strategy

17:12 Building vs. Buying in the Gen AI Era

21:30 Pilot Programs and Assessing ROI with Gen AI

Guest:

Maria Latushkin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maria-latushkin-799700/

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Thank you so much for checking out this episode of The Tech Trek. We would appreciate it if you would take a minute to rate and review us on your favorite podcast player.

Want to learn more about us? Head over at https://www.elevano.com

Have questions or want to cover specific topics with our future guests?

Please message me at https://www.linkedin.com/in/amirbormand (Amir Bormand)

In this episode, Amir Bormand interviews David Ayers, SVP of Engineering at Invitation Homes. They delve into the intricacies of hiring in the engineering space, emphasizing the importance of assessing skills, consistency, continuous improvement, and potential over perfect technical ability. Ayers discusses Invitation Homes' approach to interviewing, the importance of understanding technical and soft skills, and the benefits of behavioral-based questions. They also explore the evolving role of co-pilot tools in engineering and how engineers can focus more on problem-solving and understanding business needs. The discussion includes strategies for making hiring decisions, handling mismatches, and learning from hiring experiences.

Highlights

01:05 Hiring in Engineering: Key Attributes

03:22 Balancing Soft and Technical Skills

04:34 Behavioral-Based Interviewing

07:09 Technical Assessments and Programming Languages

10:45 The Future of Programming with AI

17:09 The Imperfection of Hiring

Guest:

David Ayers: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidaayers/

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Thank you so much for checking out this episode of The Tech Trek. We would appreciate it if you would take a minute to rate and review us on your favorite podcast player.

Want to learn more about us? Head over at https://www.elevano.com

Have questions or want to cover specific topics with our future guests?

Please message me at https://www.linkedin.com/in/amirbormand (Amir Bormand)

In this episode, Amir hosts Healey Cypher, CEO at BoomPop and COO at Atomic. The discussion covers various aspects of being a good and successful founder, what makes an idea backable, and the differences between successful and unsuccessful entrepreneurs. Healey shares his background as a serial entrepreneur and gives insights into his companies, BoomPop and Atomic. The conversation includes key considerations for making a business VC backable, understanding total addressable market size, the importance of trust in entrepreneurship, and tips on identifying your strengths and complementing them with the right team. Healey also emphasizes continuous learning and practical financial knowledge for entrepreneurs.

Highlights

00:35 Background and Career Journey

01:43 The Rise of BoomPop

04:02 What Makes a Good Founder?

06:23 VC Backable Ideas vs. Lifestyle Businesses

12:05 Execution and Skill Development for Founders

18:43 Building Trust as a Founder



Healey Cypher is the CEO of BoomPop, and Chief Operating Officer / Partner of Atomic. He has spent his career building and selling companies that center around great customer experience. Healey sold his last two companies: ZIVELO which he sold to Verifone in 2019 after 15 months of taking the reins as CEO, and Oak Labs, which he sold to Zivelo in 2018. Before that, Healey was the Head of Retail Innovation at eBay. Chief of Staff to the CTO of eBay, and lead all business development for milo.com  which he helped sell to ebay in 2010.

He has been recognized as Silicon Valley Business Journal’s “40 under 40,” WWD’s “Ten of Tomorrow,” and one of Goldman Sach’s “Top 100 Most Intriguing Entrepreneurs.” He has also done dozens of keynotes and live TV (most nerve-wracking: CNBC Closing Bell, for sure.)

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Thank you so much for checking out this episode of The Tech Trek. We would appreciate it if you would take a minute to rate and review us on your favorite podcast player.

Want to learn more about us? Head over at https://www.elevano.com

Have questions or want to cover specific topics with our future guests?

Please message me at https://www.linkedin.com/in/amirbormand (Amir Bormand)

In this episode, Amir Bormand is joined by Willem Koenders, the Global Leader in Data Strategy at ZS, to discuss the intricacies of AI and Generative AI (Gen AI) data strategies. The conversation delves into the unique challenges and considerations that companies face when implementing AI strategies, emphasizing the importance of data quality, governance, and realistic expectations. Willem shares insights on the evolution of data trends and how businesses can leverage past learnings to enhance their current AI initiatives. They also explore industry-specific impacts, decision-making for adopting AI, and the vital role of foundational data management in ensuring successful AI implementation.

Highlights

01:54 AI and Gen AI Data Strategies

02:57 Realism and Expectations in AI Implementation

04:33 Data Management Foundations

06:56 Challenges with Legacy Data

08:37 Strategic Approaches to Data and AI

11:01 Future of AI in Enterprises

18:57 Preparing for AI Implementation

21:13 Privacy and Ethics in AI

Guest:

Willem Koenders is a global leader in data strategy at ZS Associates, boasting 10 years of experience advising top organizations on leveraging data to gain and maintain a competitive edge. He has worked with clients across Europe, Asia, the United States, and Latin America. Formerly, he led Deloitte’s data strategy and data management practice for Spanish Latin America. Willem is passionate about data-driven transformations and strongly advocates for data governance by design.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/koenders-willem

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Thank you so much for checking out this episode of The Tech Trek. We would appreciate it if you would take a minute to rate and review us on your favorite podcast player.

Want to learn more about us? Head over at https://www.elevano.com

Have questions or want to cover specific topics with our future guests?

Please message me at https://www.linkedin.com/in/amirbormand (Amir Bormand)

This podcast episode features Matt Robben, Co-founder and CTO of Serif Health, discussing the importance of full-stack engineering hires and how to manage operational growth within hiring constraints. Serif Health, a price transparency data company in healthcare, navigates the challenges of being a small seed-stage startup with a limited hiring budget by prioritizing full-stack capabilities to ensure flexibility and comprehensive problem-solving. Matt highlights the transition from hiring generalist engineers to specialists as the company grows and delves into specific areas like data engineering and artificial intelligence, where specialization becomes critical. He shares insights on identifying talent that showcases eagerness and versatility, underscoring the value of adaptability in the fast-evolving tech landscape. The episode also touches on the interview process, supporting team growth towards specialization, and maintaining a balance between immediate needs and future potential in hiring decisions.

Highlights

00:22 Exploring the Trend Towards Full Stack Engineering

00:44 Introducing Serif Health: A Price Transparency Data Company

01:17 The Strategic Value of Full Stack Engineers in Startups

04:38 The Shift to Specialization: When and Why It Happens

08:20 Navigating Hiring Challenges and Interview Processes

12:31 Fostering Growth and Flexibility Within Engineering Teams



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Thank you so much for checking out this episode of The Tech Trek. We would appreciate it if you would take a minute to rate and review us on your favorite podcast player.

Want to learn more about us? Head over at https://www.elevano.com

Have questions or want to cover specific topics with our future guests?Please message me at https://www.linkedin.com/in/amirbormand (Amir Bormand)