In this podcast episode, the augustwenty team — DJ, Mary, and Beth — hosts two guests from the Riverview International Center (RIC) in Columbus, Ohio: Executive Director Emelia and Community Care Coordinator Hamida. Emelia explains how RIC began in a tiny apartment helping immigrant women with everyday needs, eventually growing into a nonprofit that now serves over 1,800 people a year from dozens of countries. Hamida shares her personal story of moving to the U.S. from Algeria through the Diversity Visa Lottery, revealing the challenges her family faced in adapting to a new language and culture. Together, they describe RIC’s range of services, from job readiness classes and community care (like enrolling children in Medicaid) to helping credentialed professionals navigate the path toward working in their fields. Throughout the conversation, the hosts and guests emphasize the importance of resilience, trust, and the power of community support—underscoring how RIC’s “small but mighty” team of nine staff and over 200 volunteers has transformed countless immigrant and refugee lives in central Ohio.

In this episode of the augustwenty podcast, DJ and Mary discuss the importance of celebrating successes—large and small—and how such recognition fuels ongoing motivation. They explore the evolving nature of what feels like a “win” as a company matures, the differences in how individuals respond to praise, and why continuous encouragement matters for team morale. The hosts agree that everyone needs some form of acknowledgment, but it must be authentic, purposeful, and tailored to individual motivators. Ultimately, they emphasize balancing meaningful recognition with maintaining forward momentum, ensuring that even minor victories act as fuel to achieve bigger goals.

In this episode of the August 20 Podcast, DJ Daugherty and Mary Kaufmann are joined by Scott Hubble, former CEO of NuCamp RV and founder of Awaken RV, to explore the journey of pursuing ambitious goals and embracing the risks required to achieve them. Scott shares his story of taking calculated leaps, from revitalizing the teardrop trailer market to launching his own innovative venture in fiberglass travel trailers. The discussion highlights the importance of passion, resilience, and community in overcoming setbacks and transforming bold ideas into reality. Packed with actionable insights and inspiration, this episode is a must-listen for anyone ready to aim higher and take meaningful risks.

In this podcast episode, the hosts discuss the concept of "FAIL" (First Attempt in Learning), emphasizing the importance of a growth mindset and resilience. Mark Tremayne shares his journey from a finance career to education, reflecting on how failure and risk-taking shaped his path. DJ and Mary Kaufmann also contribute their perspectives on learning through failure, recalling personal experiences that helped them grow. They explore the significance of creating environments that encourage learning and risk-taking, both in educational settings and beyond.

They discuss pivotal moments that inspired their journeys, from high school experiences to impactful teachers who instilled the belief that failure is part of the learning process. They highlight the importance of encouraging others to take risks and learn from their mistakes. The conversation touches on strategies for inspiring others, including fostering self-efficacy, providing feedback, and creating opportunities for exploration.

The episode concludes with reflections on how creating a supportive environment and celebrating small successes can lead to personal growth and lifelong learning. Mark emphasizes that investing in others is key to achieving collective success. The hosts also discuss their experiences working with students and their passion for helping them embrace failure as a learning opportunity.

In this episode, the augustwenty team celebrates their fourth consecutive "Best Places to Work" recognition. The lively discussion highlights the company's culture of transparency, trust, and continuous learning. Founders DJ and Angela reflect on their journey from humble beginnings to building a thriving organization centered on collaboration and employee satisfaction.

The team shares personal anecdotes, including favorite moments like DJ’s infamous blow-up Santa suit at holiday events and their shared passion for solving challenging problems. Employee feedback underscores the importance of flexibility, meaningful work, and a supportive community, all of which make augustwenty a standout workplace.

The episode blends humor, reflection, and gratitude, offering listeners insights into what it takes to create a world-class company culture.

In this lively episode, hosts DJ and Mary Kaufmann, joined by guests Corey Shields, Derek Nixon, Gabe Sheeley, and Jed Duffy, tackled the challenge of sharing 50 tech and productivity tips in 60 minutes. The group covered a wide range of topics, from essential coding practices like mastering `git add -p` and using VS Code extensions, to team-focused strategies such as giving constructive feedback and documenting onboarding processes.

Key takeaways included the importance of defensive programming, the value of learning foundational languages like C, and practical advice for improving workflows with keyboard shortcuts and aliases. The team also emphasized soft skills like encouraging teammates and staying disciplined in solving problems. With humor, rapid-fire insights, and a few creative twists (like pickleball tips), this episode offered actionable advice for developers and tech professionals alike.

In this podcast episode, DJ Daugherty, Mary Kaufmann, and guest Nish Gandhi from augustwenty discuss essential steps to start a software development project on the right track. They cover key topics like setting clear objectives, aligning stakeholders, and building an effective team to ensure a smooth project kickoff.

Nish, an expert in delivery and client engagement, shares his insights on what makes a successful project launch. He emphasizes the importance of understanding the client’s vision, gathering requirements, and setting clear expectations from the start. By asking the right questions, such as the client's goals, cultural expectations, and anticipated value, teams can avoid missteps and begin adding value immediately.

The team highlights the importance of communication, listening, and relationship-building to keep everyone aligned and motivated. Mary adds that providing clarity and setting a clear communication process is key. Meanwhile, DJ brings in the analogy of planning for a road trip, comparing it to the necessary steps in a project setup—like mapping the journey, setting roles, and anticipating potential challenges.

They also explore how to manage constraints like time and budget, and the need for iterative development to adapt as new information arises. This method allows teams to pivot and refine their work as they receive feedback, ultimately helping clients achieve the outcomes they truly need, even if those evolve from the original idea.

Augustwenty’s methodology emphasizes the importance of continuous communication and delivery-focused teamwork. They encourage other teams to prioritize clarity, ask insightful questions, and collaborate closely with clients to deliver maximum value.

In this podcast episode, DJ and Mary Kaufmann discuss key insights from August 20's journey and its approach to building a world-class consulting company. The hosts reflect on their hiring and onboarding processes, including how they strive to create a human-centered experience rather than a transactional one. With Scott Houston, a key player in recruitment, they unpack the intricacies of their hiring philosophy, which focuses on relationship-building rather than solely technical expertise.

The conversation touches on the importance of balancing technical skills with soft (or "power") skills, emphasizing that collaboration, problem-solving, and communication are at the heart of the team's success. They explore how August 20 nurtures talent by identifying potential and guiding individuals through a thoughtful process that allows them to grow, evolve, and take on new challenges.

Scott shares his perspective on their technical interview process, which is designed to be flexible and empowering for candidates. Rather than focusing on high-pressure tests, August 20 focuses on assessing problem-solving abilities and cultural fit.

They also discuss the onboarding process, which immerses new hires in the company's core philosophy, built on continuous improvement and client-centered work. It provides structure and support through a collaborative, guided journey, helping new employees feel a sense of belonging, purpose, and contribution right from the start.

Overall, the podcast gives an inside look at how August 20's approach to hiring and onboarding goes beyond the typical corporate processes by focusing on meaningful engagement, mentorship, and long-term growth for both the company and its team members.

In this conversation, DJ and Mary discuss their caffeine preferences, with DJ favoring Mountain Dew and Mary enjoying a vitamin-infused drink called Spark. They both express a dislike for coffee. The dialogue shifts to exciting developments in their company: they've recently landed a new client and successfully hired four new employees, bringing their team size to 36 after four years in operation. Mary is set to lead the onboarding session for the new hires.

The main focus of their discussion centers on the relationship between risk-taking and innovation. DJ introduces the topic by mentioning SpaceX's recent achievements, highlighting how taking significant risks can lead to groundbreaking advancements. Mary emphasizes that the purpose behind taking a risk is crucial; a strong mission can inspire people to put aside personal reservations for a greater cause.

They explore the idea that everyone takes risks daily, such as driving a car, and how what once seemed risky—like air travel—has become routine over time. This leads them to reflect on their own business decisions, acknowledging that hiring new staff is a risk but one that is necessary for growth and innovation.

Mary introduces the concept of reframing failure as a "First Attempt In Learning," encouraging a mindset that values learning from mistakes. She shares an anecdote about how expertise in a specific domain can make daunting tasks achievable, illustrating the importance of confidence and experience in overcoming challenges.

Together, they conclude that innovation doesn't always require monumental changes; small, consistent efforts can lead to significant impact over time. They stress the importance of stepping out of comfort zones, embracing calculated risks, and continually seeking ways to improve both personally and professionally.

The podcast episode discusses the integration of agile methodologies and improving estimation practices for software development. DJ, Jason Duffy, and Mary Kaufmann delve into the insights Jason gained from reading When Will It Be Done? by Daniel Vacanti. The book introduces techniques for better forecasting and predictability in project timelines using data and statistical models.

Jason introduces concepts like using data from previous work to predict the completion time of tasks, the pitfalls of using story points, and the importance of focusing on actual time (cycle time) for estimates. The conversation touches on the concept of regularly updating forecasts (just like meteorologists tracking hurricanes) and applying probabilities to predictions.

Key takeaways include how to improve communication with clients by delivering transparent, data-backed forecasts. Jason emphasizes how small amounts of data can still provide valuable insights early in a project, allowing for continuous improvement over time. The trio discusses practical ways to collect this data using tools like JIRA, and the importance of defining when a task truly starts, which helps in improving overall cycle time and predictability.

Overall, the podcast highlights how the principles from Vacanti’s book could transform how teams estimate and manage software development projects. They stress the importance of educating teams and clients about these methods to align expectations and create a shared understanding of project timelines.

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