In this episode, Kyle sits down with Jake Moshenko, co-founder and CEO of AuthZed, to discuss his journey from working at major tech companies to becoming a two-time founder. After his first company Quay (a Docker registry service) was acquired, he founded AuthZed to solve application permission challenges. Jake shares the contrasts between his two founding experiences, transitioning from a bootstrapped two-person company to a venture-backed enterprise-focused business. He emphasizes the importance of choosing the right problem space and being prepared for the long journey of entrepreneurship. We also discuss the significance of open-source in modern software development and his perspectives on AI technology.

Jake Moshenko
Jake Moshenko has been an innovator in the cloud-native ecosystem for over 15 years. After engineering roles at Amazon and Google, Jake founded Quay, the first private Docker registry, which was acquired by CoreOS. Jake then became an engineering leader at CoreOS, which was acquired by Red Hat (and then IBM). He is now the co-founder and CEO of AuthZed, the company commercializing SpiceDB, the industry-leading cloud-native permissions database.

Links from the Show:
LinkedIn: Jake Moshenko

Website: AuthZed
Books: The Martian
Games: Azul

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In this episode of Prodity: Product by Design, Kyle sits down with David CM Carter, a serial entrepreneur and mentor. With over 40 years of experience mentoring top leaders and building innovative businesses, David shares his insights on what separates high-performing organizations and individuals from the rest: character development.

David introduces the concept of "Entelechy"—the realization of one’s full potential—and discusses how his Entelechy Academy is helping individuals and organizations worldwide develop 54 essential character qualities. These qualities not only address the so-called "soft skills crisis" but also provide a practical framework for personal and professional growth.

From stories of transforming workplace productivity to practical advice on becoming the best version of yourself, David shares interesting examples of how focusing on character traits like discipline, kindness, and accountability can yield extraordinary results. Whether you're a leader, a team member, or just someone looking to grow, this episode is packed with actionable takeaways.

David CM Carter

A serial entrepreneur otherwise known as “the World’s Leading CEO Mentor” with a 40+ year track record in creating innovative businesses. David CM Carter has mentored leaders and influencers around the globe.

Entelechy Academy is the entelechy of David’s career and his legacy project, where he has gathered brilliant minds in education, coaching and professional organizations to support millions in becoming the best version of themselves.

Links from the Show:
LinkedIn: David CM Carter

Website: Entelechy Academy

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In this episode of Prodity: Product by Design, host Kyle interviews Christoph Steinlehner, a product management coach with a background in interaction design. Christoph shares his journey from web development and multimedia production to product management coaching, where he helps product managers and teams navigate complex challenges, improve communication, and find focus. He emphasizes the importance of visual methods in facilitating better team collaboration and product strategy, offering insights into how product leaders can balance internal and external priorities. Christoph also introduces his "Mapper Method," a six-step framework designed to clarify assumptions, risks, and strategies through visual mapping. Our conversation also delves into practical advice for improving product processes, creating effective communication, and advancing careers in product management. If you are interested in starting or advancing your product career, you won't want to miss this discussion.

Christoph Steinlehner

Christoph Steinlehner is a Product Management Coach. He helps Product Managers and Leaders who are feeling stuck in their work, caught up in endless detail discussions, and struggling to facilitate between different perspectives.

Links from the Show:
LinkedIn: Christoph Steinlehner

Website: mapperclub.substack.com  

Links: todoist 

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In this episode of Prodity: Product by Design, Kyle sits down with Ari Tulla, co-founder and CEO of Elo, a smart nutrition service using AI and data to personalize health solutions. Ari shares his fascinating journey from his early passion for gaming and technology to becoming a leading figure in the healthcare space. He discusses how Elo is turning the concept of "food as medicine" into reality, using biometric data, wearable devices, and AI to create personalized nutrition solutions. Ari also delves into the challenges and innovations that come with building a product in a space where technology, health, and human experience intersect, emphasizing the importance of balance in life and business. Join us to learn more about the future of health and how personalized nutrition is set to revolutionize wellness.

Ari Tulla

Ari Tulla is a San Francisco-based entrepreneur, co-founder, and CEO of the smart nutrition service Elo

Links from the Show:
LinkedIn: Ari Tulla

Website: elo.health

Instagram: Elo Health

Books: Expeditionary Force Series

Links: Hardcore History

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In this episode of Prodity: Product by Design, Kyle sits down with the duo behind Oak Theory, Hannah Ryu and Veronica Shelton. These co-founders share their story of turning a chance encounter into a thriving design studio, all while navigating the chaos of a pandemic. Get an inside look at how Oak Theory is redefining UX/UI with a bold focus on inclusivity and raw authenticity.

Hannah and Veronica break down the latest trends in design, from the rise of AR to the subtle shift toward softer, more organic visuals. They also offer a candid glimpse into the rollercoaster ride of entrepreneurship—highlighting the grit, resilience, and creativity it takes to build something truly unique. If you're into cutting-edge design, tech innovation, or just love a great startup story, this episode is a must-listen.

Veronica Shelton and Hannah Ryu

Hannah Ryu and Veronica Shelton are the Co-Founders behind Oak Theory, a design studio specializing in UX/UI, web and application design.

Links from the Show:
LinkedIn: Veronica Shelton, Hannah Ryu

Company: Oak Theory
Instagram: Oak Theory
Books: What Doesn’t Kill Us, Build the Damn Thing

Other Links from Show: Figma, Clickup, Moleskin

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In this episode of Prodity: Product By Design, Kyle welcomes Aaron Painter, CEO of Nametag, to discuss the critical role of identity verification in preventing social engineering attacks. Aaron shares his extensive experience working at Microsoft and leading global teams, emphasizing the importance of understanding diverse cultural and business contexts. Together, we explore the challenges and innovations in cybersecurity, particularly how Nametag addresses the vulnerabilities in traditional authentication methods. Aaron highlights the impact of AI in both facilitating and combating cyber threats and underscores the importance of design and UX in building trusted products. Join us for a deep dive into the future of identity verification and its implications for personal and corporate security.

Aaron Painter

Aaron Painter is the CEO of Nametag Inc, the identity verification company that stops social engineering attacks at the employee IT Helpdesk.

Links from the Show:
LinkedIn: Aaron Painter

Company: GetNametag
Book: Loyal: Listen or You'll Always Lose

Other Links from Show: Elon Musk Biography, Ring Doorbell

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In this episode of Prodity: Product by Design, Kyle interviews Dr. Lorenzo Conti, founder and managing director of Crover Ltd, a groundbreaking startup based in Scotland. Dr. Conti shares his unique journey from academia to entrepreneurship, detailing the development of the world’s first subterranean drone designed to revolutionize grain storage. They discuss the challenges of creating technology that moves through grain without damaging it, the significant impact of customer feedback on product development, and the importance of resilience in building a successful startup. Dr. Conti also touches on the potential future applications of Crover’s technology, including space exploration, and the exciting expansion plans into the U.S. market. Join us to learn about the innovative advancements in grain storage technology and the inspiring story behind Crover’s success.

Lorenzo Conti

Dr. Lorenzo Conti is Founder & Managing Director of Crover Ltd, a Scotland-based startup that developed the world’s first ‘subterranean drone’ (i.e. a CROVER).

Links from the Show:
LinkedIn: Lorenzo Conti

Company: Crover

Email: [email protected]

Other Links from Show: Altium

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In this episode of Prodity: Product by Design, Kyle interviews Debbie Levitt, often referred to as the Mary Poppins of CX and UX. With a wealth of experience in strategy, research, and customer experience, Debbie shares her insights on the importance of good UX, the need to challenge conventional wisdom, and the critical role of research in product development. Whether you're a product manager, designer, or someone passionate about customer experience, this episode is packed with valuable insights and actionable tips about making products that don't suck.

Debbie Levitt

Debbie Levitt, MBA, is the CXO of Delta CX, and since the mid-1990s has been a CX and UX consultant focused on strategy, research, training, and Human-Centered Design/User-Centered Design. She’s a change agent and business design consultant focused on helping companies of all sizes transform towards customer-centricity while using principles of Agile and Lean.

Clients have given her the nickname, “Mary Poppins,” because she flies in, improves everything she can, sings a few songs, and flies away to her next adventure.

Links from the Show:
LinkedIn: Debbie Levitt

Company: Delta CX Website

Books: Customers Know You Suck

YouTube: Customer Experience - Customer Centricity

Other Links from Show: Ryan George - Pitch Meetings (YouTube)

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Ben Johnson is the CEO and founder of Particle41, a dev firm specializing in software development, DevOps, and data science. In this episode, Kyle and Ben explore the interaction between product management and software engineering, and how important both are to product development. Ben shares his journey as a serial entrepreneur and his approach to balancing work and life through the four pillars of faith, family, fitness, and finance. He delves into the importance of agile scrum processes, the role of a fractional CTO, and the significance of outcome-based communication in business. We also discuss the challenges and strategies for app modernization and team formation, exploring the importance of blamelessness and system optimization.

Ben Johnson

Benjamin Johnson is a serial technical co-founder with a track record of success and hands-on open-source programming experience. He has a wide range of being both a board-level advisor and founder but also an in-depth understanding of how things work. Through his 20+ years as a software developer and leader, he has gained extensive experience with remotely distributed development teams and business hacks.

Benjamin is the CEO & Founder of Particle41, a dev firm founded by industry veterans that aims to help companies accelerate their initiatives through Software Development, DevOps, and Data Science.

Links from the Show:
LinkedIn: Ben Johnson

Books: Building a Story Brand

Links: Claude.ai, 99designs

Site: particle41.com

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It's hard to believe we're at episode 100! Who would have thought? Not me. So to celebrate, we've decided to talk about a few things we've learned through the past 100 episodes and highlight some discussions that have been part of the journey so far.

I wish I could highlight all the moments, but here are some episodes that will give you a sample of the topics and insights:

Learning from Others

• Episode 29 - Balancing life and product
• Episode 37 - Writing as a forcing function
• Episode 93 - Evolution and future of product management

Prioritizing is Everything

• Episode 33 - 3 predictors of burnout
• Episode 67 - Emptying and refilling the tank
• Episode 80 - Gathering and prioritizing feedback

Focus on People

• Episode 49 - Human-centered design
• Episode 70 - Breaking down silos
• Episode 50 - Diverse perspectives

Creating a Clear Vision

• Episode 58 - Creativity
• Episode 69 - Product vision and strategy

Adaptability

• Episode 63 - Pivoting and invention
• Episode 91 - Evolution of technology

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