On today’s episode, we’re joined by Kody Peterson, whose previous roles include work on large-scale systems at Walt Disney Company, leadership at multiple startups, and mobile product development in the golf technology space. He is currently Director of Software Engineering for Digital Studio at Foresight Sports, where he leads teams building high-performance software experiences for athletes and coaches. Kody discusses engineering leadership, cross-platform development, and pushing the boundaries of 3D and data-driven visualization. We also explore how Kody blends hardware, software, and user experience to create precise, intuitive tools for golfers; why Flutter became foundational to their mobile strategy; and how Kody’s team brought fully interactive 3D models into their app.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             Key Takeaways:

00:00 Introduction.

02:48 Kody entered tech through an education job, learning large-scale systems.

10:36 Foresight tracks ball and clubhead data, visualizing it to support learning.

16:20 The team shifts from React Native to Flutter for better performance and control.

23:00 React Native provides easier hiring, since many engineers transition easily.

27:20 Add-to-app complexities slow development versus starting in Flutter.

35:52 Club View introduces 3D perspectives, letting golfers see exact impact points.

41:32 The team plans to open-source their messaging layer for multi-layered systems.

49:31 A personal motto of ownership guides decisions in leadership and daily life.

Resources Mentioned:

Kody Peterson

https://www.linkedin.com/in/kodyp/

Foresight Sports | LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/company/foresight-sports/

Foresight Sports | Website

https://www.foresightsports.com/

Babylon.js

https://www.babylonjs.com/

Pigeon

https://pub.dev/packages/pigeon

Unity

https://unity.com/

GraphQL

https://graphql.org/

Apache Cordova 

https://cordova.apache.org/

Very Good Ventures designs and builds world-class digital experiences for any screen, with the best tools and engineering approaches for consistent, scalable results. Find out how VGV helps you hit the mark at: https://verygood.ventures/ 

#Apps #Flutter #AppDevelopment

On this episode, we’re joined by Phil Rabin, whose previous roles include Senior Engineering positions at Uber, where he spent a decade scaling one of the most demanding mobile organizations in the world. He is currently Director of Engineering, Mobile, at SoFi. Phil discusses what it takes to lead one of the largest Flutter engineering teams in production, and how to scale systems and people.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            Key Takeaways:

00:00 Introduction.

01:29 Phil began coding at 15 and later built early digital products at CBC.

05:08 How Uber optimized every step to make the ride experience as fast as possible.

10:16 A mobile-first growth story and super-app vision made SoFi the right fit.

14:07 Flutter removed the heavy burden of maintaining two separate native apps.

16:53 Scaling requires strong documentation because teams constantly change.

19:34 A “WikiLink only” rule keeps documentation clear and consistent.

21:09 Success depends more on aligned, energized teams than on writing code.

30:51 Early Uber faced similar single-package bottlenecks as SoFi during scaling.

34:23 Radical candor shapes Phil’s leadership.

40:00 Treating people right and aligning work keeps teams motivated.

Resources Mentioned:

Phil Rabin

https://www.linkedin.com/in/philrabin/

SoFi | LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/company/sofi/

SoFi | Website

https://www.sofi.com/

Uber

https://www.linkedin.com/company/uber-com/

Flutter

https://flutter.dev/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=brand_sem&utm_content=apac_apac&gclsrc=aw.ds&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=13034410756&gbraid=0AAAAAC-INI-HvW1FDhVdOE90Fr6EDxlE9&gclid=Cj0KCQjwsPzHBhDCARIsALlWNG33kVJX7pktZ7oJ4A81eOLAhlAjSB7ubDhhcsAQeZlRJZef5nmDJMEaAgF6EALw_wcB

Cursor

https://cursor.com/

Claude

https://claude.ai/

Very Good Ventures designs and builds world-class digital experiences for any screen, with the best tools and engineering approaches for consistent, scalable results. Find out how VGV helps you hit the mark at: https://verygood.ventures/

#Apps #Flutter #AppDevelopment

On this episode, we’re joined by Martin Remmelgas, whose previous roles include Industrial Placement in Singapore and Consultant at Ernst & Young. He is currently CEO at Codemagic, a company deeply embedded in the Flutter ecosystem. Martin discusses his journey from chemistry to technology, how Codemagic became a key player in the Flutter community, and what it takes to scale developer tools from startups to enterprise-level adoption.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

Key Takeaways:

00:00 Introduction.

02:01 Martin shifts from chemistry to tech for its speed and ease.

06:00 Codemagic started as an internal DevOps project at Nevercode.

11:34 Turning to the Flutter community becomes the key to growing Codemagic.

15:06 Early community work evolves into measurable marketing ROI.

18:50 Community feedback drives Codemagic to clarify pricing and build trust.

21:33 Conference ROI is clear, but real value comes from community ties.

26:34 SOC 2 certification boosts Codemagic’s enterprise credibility.

30:09 Codemagic’s new feature simplifies app testing and collaboration.

34:21 Flutter’s small team powers vast developer opportunities.

38:59 Competition drives Codemagic to keep innovating.

Resources Mentioned:

Martin Remmelgas

https://www.linkedin.com/in/martin-remmelgas-ab436580/

Codemagic | LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/company/nevercodehq/

Codemagic | Website

https://codemagic.io/start/

Flutter

https://flutter.dev/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=brand_sem&utm_content=apac_apac&gclsrc=aw.ds&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=13034410756&gbraid=0AAAAAC-INI-HvW1FDhVdOE90Fr6EDxlE9&gclid=Cj0KCQjwsPzHBhDCARIsALlWNG33kVJX7pktZ7oJ4A81eOLAhlAjSB7ubDhhcsAQeZlRJZef5nmDJMEaAgF6EALw_wcB

Google

https://www.google.com/

Very Good Ventures designs and builds world-class digital experiences for any screen, with the best tools and engineering approaches for consistent, scalable results. Find out how VGV helps you hit the mark at: https://verygood.ventures/

#Apps #Flutter #AppDevelopment

On this episode, we sit down with Frank van Puffelen — more commonly known as puf — an industry veteran, ex-Googler (2015-2024),  and one of the most influential voices in the Firebase and Flutter communities. He shares his journey from software engineering to developer advocacy, offering insights into the changing role of developer relations, the rise of low-code tools, and the impact of AI on how software is built.

Key Takeaways:

00:00 Introduction.

01:39 Frank (puf) started coding in the eight-bit era.

10:06 Joining Firebase after the acquisition, shifting from user to team member.

15:57 Public speaking brings self-doubt, but you turn mistakes into learning.

20:18 Engineers have the knowledge — they just need help shaping it into a story.

24:57 Involving the audience in spotting typos keeps demos engaging.

29:10 Testing explanations on non-technical audiences ensures clarity.

35:00 LLMs are tools — like a new hammer — built to enhance what’s possible.

40:13 Non-traditional developers validate AI output by adding tests.

45:49 Publicly available information is easily summarized by LLMs.

51:38 Developers are moving questions to Reddit, reducing Stack Overflow use.

Resources Mentioned:

Frank van Puffelen

https://www.linkedin.com/in/puf/

FlutterFlow | Website

https://www.flutterflow.io/

Firebase

https://firebase.google.com/?gclsrc=aw.ds&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=20100026061&gbraid=0AAAAADpUDOhNkT8PV8wHhX-Tew2P8V7Wd&gclid=CjwKCAjwxfjGBhAUEiwAKWPwDhbDXDAsnr5KC0Bqu2xnZqG9PsJovQ2f1D56dSzrcDfF2NVhUjk5YRoCKjMQAvD_BwE

Stack Overflow

https://stackoverflow.com/

Google I/O

https://io.google/2025/

Very Good Ventures designs and builds world-class digital experiences for any screen, with the best tools and engineering approaches for consistent, scalable results. Find out how VGV helps you hit the mark at: https://verygood.ventures/

#Apps #Flutter #AppDevelopment

On today’s episode, we’re joined by Michael Harker, whose previous roles include Director of Product Management at Comcast and Director of Corporate and Business Development at SAP. He is currently Vice President of Product Management at Ritchie Bros., the world’s largest marketplace for used commercial equipment. Michael discusses product leadership, customer empathy, and driving digital transformation in a 70-year-old company. Michael also unpacks his journey from startups to enterprise roles and highlights the nuances of serving a diverse customer base ranging from farmers with flip phones to global financial institutions.

 

Key Takeaways:

00:00 Introduction.

01:19 Ironman shows how consistency and small steps drive progress.

09:11 A customer-first culture builds loyalty but challenges standardization.

15:31 Framing tech debt as customer problems makes change actionable.

20:50 The North Star was speed — rebuild fast and avoid delays.

24:58 Building digital products is tough when customers lack email or internet.

30:28 Strong partners adapt products to meet needs, easing our roadmap.

35:40 Clear principles and communication make alignment easier.

41:02 Small changes can create a big impact in transforming companies.

Resources Mentioned:

Michael Harker

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mharker/

Comcast | LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/company/comcast/

Comcast | Website

https://corporate.comcast.com/

SAP | LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/company/sap/

SAP | Website

https://www.sap.com/index.html

Ritchie Bros.| Website

https://www.rbauction.com/

Ritchie Bros. | LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/company/ritchie-bros/

ChatGPT

https://chatgpt.com/

Claude

https://claude.ai/login?returnTo=%2F%3F

Figma

https://www.figma.com/

Very Good Ventures designs and builds world-class digital experiences for any screen, with the best tools and engineering approaches for consistent, scalable results. Find out how VGV helps you hit the mark at: https://verygood.ventures/ 

#Apps #Flutter #AppDevelopment

On today’s episode, we’re joined by Andrew Brogdon, whose background spans creative writing, software engineering, and developer advocacy. Before joining Google, he held roles in advertising technology and has built a reputation as one of the early champions of Flutter. He is currently Staff Developer Relations Engineer at Google, leading efforts that connect the Flutter SDK with its global developer community. Andrew discusses how creative storytelling shapes developer relations, the evolving definition of DevRel in an AI-powered world, and the role of agents in shaping future user experiences.



Key Takeaways:

00:00 Introduction 

00:54 Andrew began his career as a poet with two degrees in creative writing.

06:38 Andrew aimed to work at Google to teach developers on YouTube.

10:01 Leadership can provide insight, but reduce technical depth.

15:33 DevRel work is similar, but Google’s tools and studio quality have improved.

20:14 AI raises quality demands, so Flutter supports adaptability.

26:28 Flutter is rethinking resources to improve service for both humans and AI.

29:13 As AI writes more code, Dart may prioritize readability over terseness.

36:42 An agent combines an LLM, tools, and a goal to power agentic apps.

41:24 AI should measurably improve user experience, not be added for hype.

44:38 Empathy and knowing your team increases smarter, stronger leadership.

Resources Mentioned:

Andrew Brogdon

https://www.linkedin.com/in/redbrogdon/

Google | LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/company/google/

Google | Website

https://www.google.com/

Flutter

https://flutter.dev/

Dart

https://dart.dev/

Gemini

https://gemini.google.com/app

Firebase Studio

https://firebase.studio/

Flutter Cookbook

https://docs.flutter.dev/cookbook

Very Good Ventures designs and builds world-class digital experiences for any screen, with the best tools and engineering approaches for consistent, scalable results. Find out how VGV helps you hit the mark at: https://verygood.ventures/

#Apps #Flutter #AppDevelopment

On today’s episode, we’re joined by Pratap Ranade, whose past roles include Associate Partner at McKinsey & Company, CEO and Co-Founder at Kimono Labs (acquired by Palantir), Forward Deployed Engineer at Palantir Technologies, and VP of Engineering at Enigma Technologies. Pratap is a physicist, who sold his last company to Palantir and is now CEO and co-founder of Arena. Arena is building Atlas — a platform of AI agents that make it easier to build and test modern hardware — from GPUs and AI datacenters, to rockets and drones.

Key Takeaways:

(01:20) Pratap’s shift from physics to AI after NASA setbacks.

(05:33) Arena shifted to hardware after a high-impact pilot revealed strong potential.

(16:44) Pratap sees AI not replacing humans but as intelligence on tap.

(20:02) Solving core problems beats launching products first.

(26:29) Arena has come full circle on its original AI vision.

(30:04) Tech drives more value in hardware than in CPG.

(35:47) Arena automates testing and validation in electrical engineering.

(40:35) Hardware is hard because physics leaves no room for opinion.

(45:52) Startup leadership means being honest and choosing your kind of hard.

(51:57) Going all in creates a cycle of growth and transformation.

Resources Mentioned:

Pratap Ranade

https://www.linkedin.com/in/pratap-ranade-7272829/

Arena | LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/company/arena-ai/

Arena | Website

https://arena-ai.com/

Palantir

https://www.palantir.com/

OpenAI

https://openai.com/

ChatGPT

https://chat.openai.com/

McKinsey & Company

https://www.mckinsey.com/

J.A.R.V.I.S. (as a conceptual reference, not a product)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J.A.R.V.I.S.

Van Allen radiation belts

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Van_Allen_radiation_belt

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maslow%27s_hierarchy_of_needs

Very Good Ventures designs and builds world-class digital experiences for any screen, with the best tools and engineering approaches for consistent, scalable results. Find out how VGV helps you hit the mark at: https://verygood.ventures/

#Apps #Flutter #AppDevelopment

On this episode, we’re joined by Andrew Tunall, whose past roles include VP at New Relic and Technical Product Manager at Amazon Web Services. He is currently President of Embrace, where he leads the company’s product strategy and team operations. Andrew shares his perspective on observability’s growing role in modern app development, how AI is transforming product workflows, and why reliability is a core business value, not just a technical metric. We explore Andrew’s journey from a political science and economics background to leading products at high-growth tech companies. 



Key Takeaways:

(02:21) Andrew took a non-traditional path into early product roles.

(09:50) Teams often miss how small performance issues hurt user engagement.

(14:59) Users blame bad internet for app issues and disengage.

(20:37) Shipping fast requires the right culture and tools, or you'll fall behind.

(25:49) Embrace stood out by adopting OpenTelemetry and redefining observability.

(30:13) Without domain expertise at the top, product culture and authenticity suffer.

(35:51) Hiring fewer, high-ownership top performers beats growing too fast.

(39:57) AI is costly and often less efficient than human pattern recognition.

Resources Mentioned:

Andrew Tunall

https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewtunall/

Embrace | LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/company/embrace.io/

Embrace | Website

https://embrace.io/

Amazon Web Services (AWS)

https://aws.amazon.com/

New Relic

https://newrelic.com/

Honeycomb

https://www.honeycomb.io/

OpenTelemetry

https://opentelemetry.io/

Lenny’s Podcast

https://www.youtube.com/@LennysPodcast

"Purple Cow" by Seth Godin

https://www.amazon.com/Purple-Cow-New-Transform-Remarkable/dp/1591843170

Very Good Ventures designs and builds world-class digital experiences for any screen, with the best tools and engineering approaches for consistent, scalable results. Find out how VGV helps you hit the mark at: https://verygood.ventures/

#Apps #Flutter #AppDevelopment

On today’s episode, we’re joined by Kevin Smith and Mikel Corcuera, Co-Founders at Snipd, the AI-powered podcast app built to help capture and rediscover insights from spoken audio. Kevin and Mikel discuss the origin of Snipd, the challenges of building an AI-native product from scratch, and the role of Flutter in enabling rapid, cross-platform development. 

Key Takeaways:

(01:54) Snipd lets users triple-tap to save podcast clips with AI summaries.

(05:53) Snipd utilizes AI to improve capturing podcast insights.

(14:58) Flutter enables fast, cross-platform development and a polished UI experience.

(21:43) Before ChatGPT, the team used self-hosted, fine-tuned AI models.

(26:29) The team sees AI as the new electricity, soon to be standard in everything.

(30:52) Early AI summaries were rough, but clear enough to prove the concept worked.

(36:18) AI supports unfamiliar tasks and new tools.

(41:28) Everyone codes differently — AI should fit each workflow.

(48:02) We all underestimate AI’s impact — even knowing that is a useful reminder.

(51:58) As AI boosts productivity, demand for developers grows, not shrinks.

Snipd promo link: https://link.snipd.com/Cx7S/vgv

With this link you get to try out Snipd’s Premium version for free for 1 month. Their Premium version unlocks additional AI features and more AI usage.

Resources Mentioned:

Kevin Smith

https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-smith-673714b4/

Mikel Corcuera

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mcorcuera/

Snipd | Website

https://www.snipd.com/

Flutter

https://flutter.dev

How to Start a Startup by Sam Altman

https://playbook.samaltman.com/

Hugging Face

https://huggingface.co/

ChatGPT

https://chatlyai.app/

Google Cloud

https://cloud.google.com/

Perplexity

https://www.perplexity.ai/

Legacy Podcast

https://open.spotify.com/show/26I6gYMMbXcgHGiZzithBn?si=06fdc37d6fc6409b

Lenny’s Podcast

https://open.spotify.com/show/2dR1MUZEHCOnz1LVfNac0j?si=60164a8453cd4cd3

Very Good Ventures designs and builds world-class digital experiences for any screen, with the best tools and engineering approaches for consistent, scalable results. Find out how VGV helps you hit the mark at: https://verygood.ventures/

#Apps #Flutter #AppDevelopment

On this episode, we’re joined by Landon Robinson, previously Senior Software Engineer at Superformula, and Mobile Lead at SteadyIQ. He is currently Staff Engineer at Etsy, where he leads platform work on the Etsy Seller app. With over 20 years in the industry, Landon brings deep experience in web, Android, iOS, and Flutter development. He shares how Etsy’s mobile team adopted Flutter to build a more efficient and scalable seller experience.



Landon walks us through the team’s unique “away team” model, how strong architecture supports cross-functional collaboration, and why focusing on business impact is essential for engineering leaders.

Key Takeaways:

(00:46) Landon’s transition from native mobile to Flutter development.

(05:10) Etsy Seller app evolved from shared native code to standalone Flutter.

(10:27) Strong engineers and solid docs keep the Flutter team effective and stable.

(14:58) Etsy’s “away team” model lets product teams build features directly.

(21:37) Etsy organizes teams by feature, enabling web and mobile builds.

(25:36) Flutter enabled faster, easier delivery of a feature-rich seller app.

(34:15) Don’t chase shiny tech, focus on solving real business problems.

(36:31) Understand the business early — it’s key to long-term growth as an engineer.

Resources Mentioned:

Landon Robinson

https://www.linkedin.com/in/landon-robinson-3b2a402/

Superformula

https://www.linkedin.com/company/superformula/

SteadyIQ

https://www.linkedin.com/company/steadyiq-total-income-verification/

Etsy | Website

https://www.etsy.com/

Flutter

https://flutter.dev

Very Good Ventures designs and builds world-class digital experiences for any screen, with the best tools and engineering approaches for consistent, scalable results. Find out how VGV helps you hit the mark at: https://verygood.ventures/

#Apps #Flutter #AppDevelopment