In this episode, I’m joined by Alex Bowers, who manages the software development team at Blue Bay Travel, to talk openly about what it really looks like to build and scale software inside a fast‑moving, highly disrupted industry.

Alex has been at Blue Bay since 2012, growing with the company from around 20 people to over 100 today. Along the way, he’s navigated COVID, rising hiring costs, global uncertainty, and the constant pressure to keep legacy systems moving forward — all while running a lean team and supporting people through change.

We cover:

• What happens to engineering teams when global events dictate priorities
• Hiring and rebuilding a dev team during COVID (without recruiters)
• Why flexibility and context‑switching are essential skills — but hard to hire for
• The realities of using offshore developers as true team members
• How Blue Bay is approaching AI carefully, securely, and practically
• Why “how you use AI” matters more than “which tool you pick”

This is a thoughtful, grounded conversation about leadership, sustainability, mental health, and tech decision‑making — without buzzwords or silver bullets.

🎙️ If you enjoy honest conversations about software, scaling teams, and making long‑term decisions in messy environments, this one’s for you.