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PODCAST

The Tech Trek

The Tech Trek is a podcast about how founders, operators, and technology leaders build and scale technology companies. Each episode explores the decisions behind building products, teams, and technical organizations, with conversations spanning engineering, AI, data, product, hiring, leadership, and growth. Guests share what they are building, what they are learning, and how they are navigating the challenges that come with turning technology into a successful company.

technology

All Episodes

00:25:15

Turning GenAI Hype Into Enterprise Action

The Tech Trek ·

2025/07/14

How do you turn GenAI excitement into real enterprise value—without leaving people behind?In this episode, Amir talks with Mike Urban, Chief Technology Operations Officer at Best Egg, about the overlooked muscle every company needs to build: change management. Mike shares how his team is navigating the real-world complexity of bringing GenAI into production across a highly regulated fintech org—while aligning control and risk teams as unexpected champions of innovation.If you’re trying to move fast

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00:19:10

How an AI Council Actually Drives Adoption

The Tech Trek ·

2025/07/10

What does it take to build and scale AI responsibly inside a major media organization?In this episode, Amir sits down with Arvind Thinagarajan, formerly Head of Enterprise Data Science & Analytics at Gannett (publisher of USA Today), to unpack how they built a volunteer-driven AI Council that governs, guides, and accelerates AI initiatives across the company.From prioritization frameworks to cross-functional subcommittees, Arvind shares the inner workings of a model that supports nearly 90 AI

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00:24:58

How to Future-Proof Your AI Stack

The Tech Trek ·

2025/07/09

What does it take to build AI systems that are private by design—and ready for tomorrow’s regulations?In this episode, I’m joined by Rishabh Poddar, CTO and Co-founder of Opaque Systems, to explore how data privacy, compliance, and AI innovation intersect in a rapidly evolving landscape. Rishabh breaks down the impact of emerging privacy laws, the risks with agentic AI systems, and why building cryptographic guarantees into the foundation of your AI stack isn’t optional—it’s essential.Whether you're

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00:25:26

Leaving Big Tech to Solve a Bigger Problem

The Tech Trek ·

2025/07/08

What happens when a data-driven founder leaves Big Tech to tackle a broken healthcare system?In this episode of The Tech Trek, Amir sits down with Tim Edgar, Co-founder and CTO at Venteur, to unpack how deep personal insight, emotional connection, and data all play a role in identifying real-world problems worth solving. From launching Bing under Satya Nadella to co-founding companies with his sister, Tim shares how his experience across startups and Microsoft shaped his approach to product,

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00:26:07

Building a Startup Engineering Team from Scratch

The Tech Trek ·

2025/07/07

In this episode of The Tech Trek, Amir sits down with Davy Li, Head of Engineering at Mesa, a startup redefining how homeowners earn rewards on everyday home expenses. Davy shares his personal journey from Big Tech to startup life, unpacks how he’s built Mesa’s engineering team from scratch, and offers a refreshingly candid look at what it means to be an effective leader in a small but growing organization.From defining cultural values to hiring without a brand name, Davy drops wisdom on leadership,

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00:28:29

Leading with Curiosity: What Makes a Great Tech CEO

The Tech Trek ·

2025/07/02

In this candid conversation, Bryan Mahoney unpacks his journey from CTO to CEO, exploring what it really takes to evolve beyond the engineering org into leading an entire company. We talk about how his curiosity and hands-on technical skills still shape how he leads today, the mental shifts required to manage AI-driven teams, and how leadership demands evolve as a company scales from services to SaaS.Along the way, Bryan reflects on AI’s role in shaping engineering culture, the future of career

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00:25:34

This Is How Founders Actually Build Culture

The Tech Trek ·

2025/07/01

What does it really take to build company culture from the ground up—especially when you’ve done it more than once? In this episode, Amir sits down with Darren Nix, founder and CEO of Steadily Insurance, to talk about the wins and missteps that come with building startups. Darren shares what’s stayed the same (and what hasn’t) across the four companies he’s founded, and why being deliberate about culture is more important than ever.They get into how founders leave their fingerprints on

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00:31:44

AI Is Reinventing the Car Buying Experience

The Tech Trek ·

2025/06/30

In this episode, Amir sits down with Jay Vijayan, Founder and CEO of Tekion, to explore how digital transformation and AI are modernizing the automotive retail industry. They dive deep into the complexities of dealership systems, the supply chain ripple effects of tariffs, and the evolving consumer experience. Jay explains why legacy systems can't meet today’s expectations and how Tekion is building a unified platform that supports everything from purchase to after-sales. They also unpack why

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00:27:33

Are Your Apps Ready for AI Agents?

The Tech Trek ·

2025/06/26

In this episode of The Tech Trek, Amir sits down with Reed McGinley-Stempel, co-founder and CEO of Stytch, to explore what it means for applications to be agent ready. With the rise of agentic AI—intelligent systems that can take actions on behalf of users—the landscape for SaaS and consumer-facing apps is rapidly evolving.Reed breaks down the core concepts around agent integration, including how apps must prepare to serve not just human users but also AI agents acting on their behalf. They discuss

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00:24:00

What Is Growth Engineering? Here's How It Really Works

The Tech Trek ·

2025/06/25

In this episode, Amir chats with Jason Fellin, Head of Growth Engineering at OnX Maps, to unpack what makes growth engineering unique. Jason shares how his team focuses on speed, experimentation, and measurable business impact rather than long-term architecture. From hiring strategies to cross-functional collaboration with marketing, this conversation offers a tactical look at building and leading a growth engineering org.🧠 Key Takeaways:Validate, Don’t Overbuild: Growth engineering emphasizes

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00:20:58

Her Journey: Sales Leader to Cybersecurity CEO

The Tech Trek ·

2025/06/24

In this episode, Amir sits down with Brooke Motta, CEO and co-founder of RAD Security, to unpack her career pivot from sales leadership to becoming a founder in the cybersecurity space. Brooke shares how her go-to-market background shaped her approach to building RAD, the challenge of stepping into technical leadership, how she’s managing growth through hiring, and what’s ahead for security and AI. Whether you're a technical founder or commercial operator, this one’s packed with practical

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00:22:01

Forge Your Own Leadership Path

The Tech Trek ·

2025/06/23

In this episode, Richard Girges, CTO at MNTN, breaks down the appeal and risk of emulating high-profile leaders like Elon Musk or Steve Jobs. From startup life to scaling teams, Richard shares how leaders can avoid the missteps of mimicry and instead cultivate their unique "mode of genius." You’ll learn how intuition, failure, and self-awareness play a vital role in effective leadership—and why copying the “death stare” won’t make you a visionary.🔑 Key TakeawaysEmulating leaders can be a

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00:22:24

The Secret to Winning a Two-Sided Marketplace

The Tech Trek ·

2025/06/20

In this episode, Amir sits down with Brian McMahon, CEO and co-founder of Pickle—a fashion rental marketplace aiming to become the Airbnb for everyday items. Brian unpacks how Pickle solved the classic two-sided marketplace dilemma, why hyperlocal supply is their secret weapon, and how AI is powering everything from product tagging to customer support. They also dive into the evolution of Pickle’s fundraising strategy—from getting no investor traction to securing repeat backers. Whether you're

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00:24:40

Deepfakes Are Hacking the Workplace

The Tech Trek ·

2025/06/19

In this episode, Amir sits down with Aaron Painter, CEO of Nametag, to explore how deepfakes and generative AI are reshaping identity security in the workplace. They discuss real-world attacks, such as the MGM breach, and how enterprises are responding with new technologies—from cryptographic identity verification to re-verification protocols. Aaron shares what companies are doing right, where they're vulnerable, and the role of identity in the future of enterprise security.🧠 Key

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00:20:51

AI Leadership When Nothing Is Certain

The Tech Trek ·

2025/06/18

In this episode, Amir speaks with Anna Patterson, founder of Ceramic AI, about what it truly means to lead an AI-first company. They unpack the differences between engineering and AI leadership, the chaos and creativity of early-stage research, how Ceramic AI is betting on emerging talent, and why managing AI roadmaps is an exercise in uncertainty and invention. Anna also shares perspectives from her experience at Google and how search engine wars inform today’s AI landscape.💡 Key Takeaways:AI

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00:36:08

How to Secure the Software Supply Chain

The Tech Trek ·

2025/06/17

In this episode of The Tech Trek, Amir sits down with Matt Moore, CTO and co-founder of Chainguard, to explore the escalating importance of software supply chain security. From Chainguard’s origin story at Google to the systemic risks enterprises face when consuming open source, Matt shares the lessons, best practices, and technical innovations that help make open source software safer and more reliable. The conversation also touches on AI’s impact on the attack surface, mitigating threats with

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00:25:57

Treat AI Like a Partner, Not a Tool

The Tech Trek ·

2025/06/16

In this episode of The Tech Trek, Christina Garcia, SVP of Engineering at Echo Global Logistics, shares her insights on integrating AI not as a replacement but as a partner in business operations. We unpack how organizations can holistically rethink processes, overcome adoption hurdles, and empower innovators inside the company to co-create AI use cases. Christina also opens up about the unique leadership pressures this wave of transformation brings—and how she manages them.🔑 Key Takeaways:AI as a

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00:29:16

Scaling with Purpose in the AI + Robotics Era

The Tech Trek ·

2025/06/12

In this episode, Amir sits down with Anthony Jules, Co-Founder and CEO of Robust.AI, to explore how scaling lessons from the early days of Sapient translate into today’s rapidly evolving world of AI and robotics. Anthony shares stories from growing a company from 3 to 4,000 people, what scale teaches you about communication and change, and how being ruthlessly honest about your business creates strategic advantage. From the hype vs. reality of AI to how hardware can stabilize innovation in robotics,

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00:20:28

How AI CAN SAVE Public Education

The Tech Trek ·

2025/06/11

In this episode of The Tech Trek, Amir sits down with Joe Philleo, founder and CEO of Edio, an AI platform transforming K-12 education. Joe shares his journey from building websites in high school to writing a viral essay on Palantir that kickstarted his tech career. He dives into the critical role AI now plays in solving chronic absenteeism and driving measurable academic improvements. The conversation explores how tech is reshaping education—from device adoption post-pandemic to rethinking how we

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00:27:32

The Power of Personalization in Regulated Spaces

The Tech Trek ·

2025/06/10

In this episode of The Tech Trek, Amir sits down with Sus Misra, SVP of Data & Analytics at Solve(D) (IPG Health), to unpack what true precision targeting looks like in one of the most regulated industries: pharma. Sus explains how healthcare marketers uniquely leverage individual-level data to connect with professionals like doctors and oncologists—something unheard of in most sectors.But with great data comes great responsibility. Sus dives into the ethical, regulatory, and technical

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709 results

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