In this episode of Future-Proofed Podcast, host Brent Muller speaks with Chad Pytel, Developer, CEO, & Founder of Thoughtbot, about building successful digital products, leveraging AI in development, and lessons from 20+ years of software innovation. Chad shares his journey from freelancing as a teenager to leading one of the industry's most respected product development firms.

Key Topics Discussed:
The early days of Thoughtbot and the challenges of bootstrapping
The power of niche positioning and saying no to the wrong clients
How Thoughtbot scaled from freelance projects to global product development
The role of AI & automation in modern software development
The future of digital product design and the shift to AI-powered workflows

Timestamps:
00:00 - Welcome & Introduction
00:17 - Chad’s Background & Journey to Thoughtbot
02:15 - From Web Design to Full-Scale Product Development
05:16 - Early Business Struggles & Finding the Right Clients
07:29 - How Thoughtbot Scaled to Work with Startups & Enterprises
10:52 - The Shift to Remote Work & Global Expansion
13:16 - The Evolution of Digital Product Development
15:09 - How AI is Changing Software & Business Models
19:38 - The Impact of AI on Developers & Design Teams
23:21 - AI as a Digital Coworker: Boosting Efficiency & Creativity
27:13 - Thoughtbot’s Internal AI Tools & Use Cases
30:04 - Challenges in Scaling & Thoughtbot’s Growth Strategy
32:05 - How to Work with Thoughtbot

Connect with Chad Pytel & Thoughtbot:
🌐 Website: thoughtbot.com
📧 Email: [email protected]
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cpytel/

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#SoftwareDevelopment #AI #TechStartups #ProductDesign #Thoughtbot #FutureProofedPodcast

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