Giant Robots Smashing Into Other Giant Robots

thoughtbot

4.8 (88)
TECHNOLOGY
UPDATED WEEKLY

A podcast about the design, development, and business of great software. Each week thoughtbot is joined by the people who build and nurture the products we love.

5D AGO

589: Behind the Scenes at thoughtbot - Our work setups

The Giant Robots trio are back as they sit down at their desks to discuss their home setups for thoughtbot. Together they break down each core aspect of their office environment and why they chose the things they did, why future proofing and getting your setup just right is important, Sami learns all about teleprompters, while Chad spills the beans on a guilty secret he’s kept for far too long. — You can see pictures of each host’s setup here - Chad (https://media24.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads-2024/images/1/124f6fb8-c1ce-4784-afd9-daeb5898e044/_BIvUuDJ.jpg) - Chad’s Teleprompter (https://media24.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads-2024/images/1/124f6fb8-c1ce-4784-afd9-daeb5898e044/c3AVwEhs.jpeg) - Sami (https://media24.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads-2024/images/1/124f6fb8-c1ce-4784-afd9-daeb5898e044/0FQqigIA.jpg) - Will (https://media24.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads-2024/images/1/124f6fb8-c1ce-4784-afd9-daeb5898e044/y5uXlLNn.jpeg) - and be sure to check out the YouTube version (https://www.youtube.com/thoughtbotvideo) of this episode to get the full visual experience from today’s episode. You can find Chad all over social media as @cpytel and Sami through his website (https://samibirnbaum.com). You can also connect with the trio via their LinkedIn pages - Chad (https://www.linkedin.com/in/cpytel/) - Will (https://www.linkedin.com/in/william-larry/) - Sami (https://www.linkedin.com/in/samibirnbaum/). If you would like to support the show, head over to our GitHub page (https://github.com/sponsors/thoughtbot), or check out our website (https://podcast.thoughtbot.com). Got a question or comment about the show? Why not write to our hosts: hosts@giantrobots.fm This has been a thoughtbot (https://thoughtbot.com/) podcast. Stay up to date by following us on social media - LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/150727/) - Mastodon (https://thoughtbot.social/@thoughtbot) - YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/thoughtbotvideo) - Bluesky (https://bsky.app/profile/thoughtbot.com) © 2025 thoughtbot, inc.

47 min
AUG 21

588: When a designer meets a developer with Jeremy Blaze

Sami faces his fear of program designers by talking with Jeremy Blaze, Founder & Design Lead at Never Before Seen (https://neverbeforeseen.co). Together they ask the question of whether their roles as developer and designer are slowly become one, how to rediscover the challenge of working on code when AI can do so much heavy lifting, as well as grappling with the idea of a therapeutic AI. — Connect with Jeremy over on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremyblaze/) or through his website (https://jeremyblaze.com/) to stay up to date with the projects he’s working on. If you’re interested in trying out his new app you can sign up to the early access program here (https://withblair.com). Your host for this episode has been Sami Birnbaum. Sami can be found through his website (https://samibirnbaum.com) or via LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/samibirnbaum/). If you would like to support the show, head over to our GitHub page (https://github.com/sponsors/thoughtbot), or check out our website (https://podcast.thoughtbot.com). Got a question or comment about the show? Why not write to our hosts: hosts@giantrobots.fm This has been a thoughtbot (https://thoughtbot.com/) podcast. Stay up to date by following us on social media - LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/150727/) - Mastodon (https://thoughtbot.social/@thoughtbot) - YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/thoughtbotvideo) - Bluesky (https://bsky.app/profile/thoughtbot.com) © 2025 thoughtbot, inc.

44 min
AUG 14

587: How to go viral with Michael Praetorius

Sami looks to go viral as he discusses digital marketing with Michael Praetorius, Founder of Praetorius (https://www.praetorius.com/). Together they examine the roots of marketing and how it’s focus and tactics have shifted over time, the secrets social media analytics hold and how the information is used, and Sami takes notes as Michael relives his personal experience of creating a viral video. — Connect with Michael over on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/praetorius/)or through his website (https://www.praetorius.com/). You can also check out his YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/c/michaelpraetorius/featured) for more insights into marketing and AI, as well as the viral ticket burning video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XCxEPBy1EYA) mentioned in this episode. Your host for this episode has been Sami Birnbaum. Sami can be found through his website (https://samibirnbaum.com) or via LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/samibirnbaum/). If you would like to support the show, head over to our GitHub page (https://github.com/sponsors/thoughtbot), or check out our website (https://podcast.thoughtbot.com). Got a question or comment about the show? Why not write to our hosts: hosts@giantrobots.fm This has been a thoughtbot (https://thoughtbot.com/) podcast. Stay up to date by following us on social media - LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/150727/) - Mastodon (https://thoughtbot.social/@thoughtbot) - YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/thoughtbotvideo) - Bluesky (https://bsky.app/profile/thoughtbot.com) © 2025 thoughtbot, inc.

50 min
AUG 7

586: What is your self-age? with Leanne Clark-Shirley

Chad discusses the changing world of AgeTech with Leanne Clark-Shirley, President and CEO of the American Society on Aging (https://asaging.org/), as they break down how age really has just become a number. They discuss the growing irrelevancy of the “AgeTech” label and how it’s use case is shifting to benefit everyone, how generational boundaries mean less when it comes to tech knowledge, and the unrealised opportunities aging can offer to us all. — You can connect with Leanne (https://www.linkedin.com/in/lclarkshirley/) to stay up to date with her work or check out the various resources (https://generations.asaging.org/) the ASA (https://asaging.org/) has to offer. Your host for this episode has been Chad Pytel. You can find Chad all over social media as @cpytel, or over on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/cpytel/). If you would like to support the show, head over to our GitHub page (https://github.com/sponsors/thoughtbot), or check out our website (https://podcast.thoughtbot.com). Got a question or comment about the show? Why not write to our hosts: hosts@giantrobots.fm This has been a thoughtbot (https://thoughtbot.com/) podcast. Stay up to date by following us on social media - LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/150727/) - Mastodon (https://thoughtbot.social/@thoughtbot) - YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/thoughtbotvideo) - Bluesky (https://bsky.app/profile/thoughtbot.com) © 2025 thoughtbot, inc.

34 min
JUL 31

585: Teachable Moments

The host of Giant Robots are back to impart some wisdom as they share some notable failures from their careers and the teachable moments that emerged from them. Discover what went wrong for Sami when he put his trust in AI, the survey that shifted the way Will thinks about others, Chad’s mistake with thoughtbot’s first major client and the lessons they all learnt along the way. — You can find Chad all over social media as @cpytel and Sami through his website (https://samibirnbaum.com). You can also connect with the trio via their LinkedIn pages - Chad (https://www.linkedin.com/in/cpytel/) - Will (https://www.linkedin.com/in/william-larry/) - Sami (https://www.linkedin.com/in/samibirnbaum/). If you would like to support the show, head over to our GitHub page (https://github.com/sponsors/thoughtbot), or check out our website (https://podcast.thoughtbot.com). Got a question or comment about the show? Why not write to our hosts: hosts@giantrobots.fm This has been a thoughtbot (https://thoughtbot.com/) podcast. Stay up to date by following us on social media - LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/150727/) - Mastodon (https://thoughtbot.social/@thoughtbot) - YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/thoughtbotvideo) - Bluesky (https://bsky.app/profile/thoughtbot.com) © 2025 thoughtbot, inc.

32 min
JUL 24

584: When AI Meets Healthcare and Buddhism with Jan Kroschinski

Sami assesses the way AI is driving change within the global healthcare system and big pharma with Jan Kroschinski, founder of Singularity Ventures (https://singularity-ventures.com/). Jan touches on the changes we can expect to see to the delivery of healthcare over the next few decades, what it’s like to work as a freelancer within the sector, as well as discussing the wider implications of AI’s growth and development between now and then. — You can reach out to Jan through his website (https://singularity-ventures.com/) or by connecting with him on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jankroschinski/). Your host for this episode has been Sami Birnbaum. Sami can be found through his website (https://samibirnbaum.com) or via LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/samibirnbaum/). If you would like to support the show, head over to our GitHub page (https://github.com/sponsors/thoughtbot), or check out our website (https://podcast.thoughtbot.com). Got a question or comment about the show? Why not write to our hosts: hosts@giantrobots.fm This has been a thoughtbot (https://thoughtbot.com/) podcast. Stay up to date by following us on social media - LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/150727/) - Mastodon (https://thoughtbot.social/@thoughtbot) - YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/thoughtbotvideo) - Bluesky (https://bsky.app/profile/thoughtbot.com) © 2025 thoughtbot, inc.

47 min
JUL 17

583: Solid Queue with Rosa Gutierrez from 37Signals

Sami goes behind the scenes of Ruby on Rails (https://rubyonrails.org/) with Rosa Gutierrez, principle programer at 37Signals (https://37signals.com/), to discover what its like to work on one of the most widely used frameworks out there. Rosa breaks down how the team at 37Signals work and implement new tools for Ruby, the challenges of working remotely, as well as the current practical use of AI within the development space and how we can expect it to change in the years to come. — Check out Sami’s blog on AI vs Human-led Coding (https://thoughtbot.com/blog/ai-led-or-human-led-coding-you-decide) for a more in-depth look on his thoughts from this episode. You can get in touch with Rosa directly and find all her various social links through her website (https://rosa.codes). Your host for this episode has been Sami Birnbaum. Sami can be found through his website (https://samibirnbaum.com) or via LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/samibirnbaum/). If you would like to support the show, head over to our GitHub page (https://github.com/sponsors/thoughtbot), or check out our website (https://podcast.thoughtbot.com). Got a question or comment about the show? Why not write to our hosts: hosts@giantrobots.fm This has been a thoughtbot (https://thoughtbot.com/) podcast. Stay up to date by following us on social media - LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/150727/) - Mastodon (https://thoughtbot.social/@thoughtbot) - Bluesky (https://bsky.app/profile/thoughtbot.com) © 2025 thoughtbot, inc.

42 min
JUL 10

582: Product market fit is the hardest thing with Jon Gamble

Chad dives into a different kind of development with Jon Gamble, CTO of Fordje (https://www.fordje.com/), as they talk all things city code and construction. Jon breakdowns the different types of construction Fordje (https://www.fordje.com/) covers and the clients they aim to serve, the reality of building a new starter business with a such a small team, the value of trust and communication when developing such a business, and how being the only developer on the team drives creativity and a desire to succeed. — Stay up to date with the work that Jon does with Fordje (https://www.fordje.com/) over on their LinkedIn page (https://www.linkedin.com/company/fordje/), or by connecting with him directly (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonfgamble/). Your host for this episode has been Chad Pytel. You can find Chad all over social media as @cpytel, or over on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/cpytel/). If you would like to support the show, head over to our GitHub page (https://github.com/sponsors/thoughtbot), or check out our website (https://podcast.thoughtbot.com). Got a question or comment about the show? Why not write to our hosts: hosts@giantrobots.fm This has been a thoughtbot (https://thoughtbot.com/) podcast. Stay up to date by following us on social media - LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/150727/) - Mastodon (https://thoughtbot.social/@thoughtbot) - Bluesky (https://bsky.app/profile/thoughtbot.com) © 2025 thoughtbot, inc.

28 min

See All (601)

4.8

out of 5

88 Ratings

The human side

03/24/2020

Anuj Adhiya

Lindsey is a great host. She keeps the entire conversation moving and ensures that the discussions lead to thought starters for listeners, even when the topics being discussed might be highly technical. You're guaranteed to get something out of every interview. Lindsey's also wickedly funny so you'll never be bored. Give this show a go.
Hit or miss, trending towards miss.

09/29/2023

Nick8090908

This dude really just claimed that his company has artificial general intelligence. Ok.
Worse over time

04/12/2020

Travel Adventurers

I can’t say I’m a fan of the more recent podcast episodes. It’s gone from discussing interesting technical problems to business to solely interviews with clients who hired ThoughtBot. High quality audio, low quality filler content.
Entertaining, insightful and actionable! 🔥

03/13/2020

obacker19

Whether you’re well established as someone who can translate creative energy into the impact you want to have on the world, or just getting started as a catalyst for change - this is a must-listen podcast for you! Chad and Lindsey do an incredible job leading conversations that cover a huge breadth of topics related to the ins and outs of building a thriving career and life you can be proud of as a creator - from leaders who’ve actually walked the path. Highly recommend listening and subscribing!

A podcast about the design, development, and business of great software. Each week thoughtbot is joined by the people who build and nurture the products we love.