In this episode I chatted with Juan, Engineering Manager at GoodNotes; a leader helping shape the next chapter of GoodNotes - the once simple iOS note‑taking app that has evolved into a cross‑platform productivity engine used by students and professionals worldwide.

We get to understand how the company has scaled toward 500 employees, expanded beyond education into broader productivity markets, and continued to sharpen its mission along the way.

Juan opens up about weaving AI into the fabric of GoodNotes: why the company chose to embrace AI early, how their users are adopting it, and what it means to remove the stigma around intelligent tools in everyday life.

From engineers using AI as a language tutor to surprising breakthroughs in code quality, this chat highlighted where human creativity meets machine capability.

We also dug into the realities of leading a globally distributed engineering team; building psychological safety, creating communication systems that don’t depend on time zones, and the unexpected power of gaming to unlock connection.

Finally, we talk about the transition from individual contributor to manager: the struggle to let go of control, the shift from output to strategic influence, and why great leaders must occasionally let the system wobble.

Modern leadership. Remote culture. The future of digital productivity. It has it all.