Scaling Tech - The blueprint for successful tech teams

Building and scaling startups involves numerous uncertainties and complexities, from ideation to exit. Many entrepreneurs and tech leaders struggle with innovation risks, team cohesion, and the fear of failure. Today, serial entrepreneur David Hersh shares his lessons from founding and exiting four large companies.

David discusses key tech startup challenges, such as product ideation, early monetization, and building strong teams. He offers tech leaders and aspiring founders valuable lessons on adapting to market needs, making strategic pivots, and navigating the journey from startup to acquisition.

David highlights the critical role of teamwork in navigating the ups and downs of startup life, noting that building a trusted, cohesive team can be more important than the idea itself. He also shares the importance of building the products that customers want and the value of embracing external ideas.

Tune in to hear David’s candid reflections on the highs and lows of entrepreneurship, his best and worst decisions, and his advice on managing post-acquisition transitions in large companies.

In This Episode:

- Lessons from product ideation to execution

- Monetization strategies and business viability analysis

- David’s best and worst decisions: the role of teamwork

- Reflecting on mistakes and pivots

- How to choose an exit strategy as an entrepreneur

- How to navigate post-acquisition challenges

And much more!

Connect with David Hersh:

 - LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/dhersh/ 

Connect with Debbie Madden:

- Website - https://www.stride.build/

- LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/debbiemadden1/

- LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/stride-consulting/

Over the past 18 to 24 months, temporary labor usage in the U.S. has dropped by 15%, despite the strong economic performance. This surprising decline in temp labor penetration highlights a critical shift in workforce strategies and the need for companies to evaluate their labor mix. 

Hugo Malan, President of Kelly Science, Engineering, Technology, and Telecom, is here to discuss one of the most pressing issues for business leaders today: finding the right labor mix. As a seasoned leader in workforce solutions, Hugo shares valuable insights on how companies can achieve the right balance between permanent, temporary, and consulting labor to drive flexibility, continuity, and innovation.

Hugo explains how short-term economic fears, such as concerns about a recession, have led companies to reduce their use of temporary staff and maintain permanent staff. He anticipates a normalization in the demand for temporary staffing by 2025 as economic anxiety decreases and companies look for more flexible labor options.

Tune in to learn how to prepare your company for future demand fluctuations and maintain a flexible, high-performing workforce.

In This Episode:

- Defining labor mix: permanent, temporary, and consulting

- The importance of finding the right labor mix

- Surprising shifts in the U.S. labor market

- The root causes of labor market changes

- The impact of economic anxiety on temporary labor

- Future trends and predictions for the staffing industry

- Advice for business leaders on finding the right labor mix

And much more!

Connect with Hugo Malan:

 - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hugo-malan-0994191/

Connect with Debbie Madden:

- Website - https://www.stride.build/

- LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/debbiemadden1/

- LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/stride-consulting/

As AI continues to shape the future of tech, leaders must ensure they're using it responsibly while maintaining human-centric values. Navigating the ethical complexities of AI is crucial to avoid costly mistakes that could compromise both teams and technology.

Today’s episode features Ken Judy, a partner at Stride. Ken has over 30 years of experience in the tech industry, with 15 years spent in executive leadership roles. He highlights the need for accountability and professional ethics in AI development, emphasizing that adopting AI should enhance human roles, not replace them. 

Ken highlights potential risks, such as intellectual property violations and misuse of AI outputs. He advocates for proactive efforts to avoid these issues, including new governance roles to oversee AI ethics within organizations, much like Agile's Scrum masters ensure accountability.

Are you ready to lead your team into the future of AI responsibly? Tune in to this insightful episode and learn how to align tech practices to long-term values so that AI supports human potential and organizational goals.

In This Episode:

- Ethical principles in AI development

- Transparency and best practices in AI

- Governance and accountability in AI

- Agile principles and AI integration

- Final thoughts on ethics in AI

And much more!

Connect with Ken Judy:

 - LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/kenjudy 

Connect with Debbie Madden:

- Website - https://www.stride.build/

- LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/debbiemadden1/

- LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/stride-consulting/

AI's rapid evolution is impacting the project management profession. It’s shifting the focus from manual crisis management to strategic oversight, enabling tech leaders to deliver higher-quality outcomes faster and more efficiently.

Today’s guest, Adam Roberts, is a seasoned project management expert with over 20 years of experience at major companies such as Disney, Viacom, and NBCUniversal. We are talking about the role of AI in project and program management, exploring its potential, and the challenges it presents.

Adam shares how AI is already reshaping routine tasks, such as note-taking and scheduling, allowing project managers to focus on more strategic responsibilities. He also addresses AI's inherent risks and limitations, emphasizing the need for vigilance and human oversight in leveraging these technologies.

If you’re a tech leader aiming to stay ahead of the curve and effectively lead your teams in an AI-driven world, this episode is a must-listen. You will learn how AI can drive efficiency, reduce project risks, and potentially redefine the future of project management roles.

In This Episode:

- AI's impact on project and program management

- Challenges and limitations of AI in project management

- The impact of AI on the project and program managers’ profession

- The future of AI in project management

- Myths and misconceptions about AI

- Organizational responsibilities and AI policies

And much more!

Connect with Adam Roberts:

- LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/scrumexpert/ 

Connect with Debbie Madden:

- Website - https://www.stride.build/

- LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/debbiemadden1/

- LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/stride-consulting/

The Harvard Business Review once called data science the “sexiest job in the 21st century.” A decade later, a significant gap exists between academic training and the practical demands of data science in business. Educational programs focus heavily on technical skills without preparing students for real-world challenges.

Marco Morales, a seasoned professional, has spent the last decade at the intersection of business and technology, leading data science initiatives in media and entertainment. Marco explains why tech leaders should care about this gap and offers actionable steps, such as dedicated data science internships, to help new graduates transition smoothly into the industry.

Marco emphasizes the importance of upskilling data scientists to collaborate effectively with non-technical stakeholders in a typical business setting.

Tune in to learn key methodologies and best practices for building impactful data products and mitigating the experience gap for new data scientists entering the workforce.

In This Episode:

- Marco Morales’ background and experience in data science 

- The gap between academic and business data science

- The challenges in applying academic data science

- Problem-solving in a controlled academic setting vs in the real world

- Teaching data scientists to collaborate with other specialized professionals 

- Best practices for data science in business

- How tech leaders can mitigate the gap

And much more!

Connect with Marco Morales:

- LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcomoralesbarba 

Connect with Debbie Madden:

- Website - https://www.stride.build/

- LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/debbiemadden1/

- LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/stride-consulting/

How do you decide between ditching and reusing software? Nolan Frausto, the CTO of AdaptedMind, discusses his experience leading a complete software rewrite at the education technology startup. 

AdaptedMind experienced rapid growth during the COVID-19 pandemic, exposing significant issues with its outdated codebase, which had been developed over ten years by a very small team. Nolan explains his process of assessing the current code, identifying fundamental issues, and deciding to rebuild from the ground up.

He emphasizes the importance of hiring the right people and gaining trust from the founders and team members for a successful migration.

If you are a tech leader tasked with deciding whether to reuse or rewrite software, Nolan’s experience and lessons will help you make the right choice for your organization. Tune in for this and more!

In This Episode:

- Assessing the code quality before the decision to rewrite

- AdaptedMind’s software rewrite journey: Steps and challenges

- Executing the switchover seamlessly

- Migration strategy, timelines, A/B testing, and team growth

- The importance of gaining trust from the founders 

- Reflections and lessons learned in the migration

And much more!

Connect with Nolan Frausto:

- LinkedIn -  https://www.linkedin.com/in/nolanfrausto 

Connect with Debbie Madden:

- Website - https://www.stride.build/

- LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/debbiemadden1/

- LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/stride-consulting/

Are you a tech leader struggling to control tech debt while navigating the rapid advancements in AI? Stride’s Head of AI, Dan Mason, is here to help us unravel the complexities of using generative AI to manage and prevent the tech debt spiral.

Dan explains that GenAI's effect on tech debt largely depends on how organizations use it. With proper guidance and context, GenAI can improve code quality, but without oversight, it can lead to bad code and increased tech debt.

Dan highlights the necessity of providing GenAI with detailed human-level documentation and instructions for teams to achieve better code quality. Also, the benefits of AI tools differ across industries. Cautious industries like banking may see a reduction in tech debt, while fast-moving startups might incur more debt.

Consequently, Dan emphasizes the need for tech leaders to have a strategic plan and ensure AI-generated code is thoroughly reviewed to prevent tech debt accumulation and maintain code integrity. He also warns about the potential pitfalls of ignoring GenAI’s impact on tech debt.

Listen to the full episode to understand how thoughtful integration of AI tools can enhance team capacity and lead to more intelligent decision-making in your organization.

In This Episode:

- The impact of AI on code quality

- The role of human language instructions and human oversight

- How to determine the right AI strategy and tools

- Strategic application of AI in various industries

- How to use Stride Conductor to remediate tech debt

- The evolution of the relationship between GenAI and tech debt

- Best development practices to prevent the tech debt spiral

- Consequences of ignoring GenAI's impact on tech debt

And much more!

Connect with Dan Mason :

 - LinkedIn -  https://www.linkedin.com/in/dnmason 

Connect with Debbie Madden:

- Website - https://www.stride.build/

- LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/debbiemadden1/

- LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/stride-consulting/

Did you know that some principles of code debugging can transform your tech team's productivity? Lisa van Gelder, a tech veteran with over 25 years of experience, shares her journey from debugging code to debugging entire teams.

Lisa explains the concept of 'debugging' a tech team, akin to debugging code, which is crucial to identifying and resolving productivity and performance issues. She outlines the importance of metrics, specifically the DORA metrics and cycle time.

Lisa advocates for a comprehensive debugging strategy involving data analysis and team conversations to uncover and address problems, emphasizing mastery, autonomy, purpose, and psychological safety as essential elements. 

The conversation also highlights challenges and best practices for managing small and large teams and the necessity of stakeholder communication when making changes to avoid negative consequences.

If you are a tech leader, this conversation will give you insights on managing and improving your team’s performance effectively, so tune in!

In This Episode:

- What is team debugging?

- How to start team debugging

- Interpreting metrics and team dynamics

- Best practices for gathering data and team insights

- Frameworks for interpreting data and understanding team issues

- Debugging different team sizes

- How to manage adverse debugging outcomes

- When to debug a team

And much more!

Resources Mentioned in the Episode:

- Learn more about DORA metrics -  https://cloud.google.com/blog/products/devops-sre/using-the-four-keys-to-measure-your-devops-performance

- Buy “Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us” by Daniel Pink - https://a.co/d/4OtPnKA 

Connect with Lisa van Gelder :

- LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-van-gelder 

- Twitter - https://twitter.com/lisa_van_gelder

Connect with Debbie Madden:

- Website - https://www.stride.build/

- LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/debbiemadden1/

- LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/stride-consulting/

In a world where traditional programming skills are evolving faster than ever, tech leaders must adapt to stay ahead. Today’s guests, Rob O’Brien and Moin Haque, discuss the emerging concept of "English is the new Python."

Rob is a partner at Stride and has over 10 years of experience in product and management consulting. Moin is a lead technologist at International Flavors & Fragrances (IFF) with over 20 years of experience in tech and data analytics.

Rob and Moin explain how natural language interfaces are creating efficiencies and reshaping various tech fields. They highlight the critical role of prompt engineering in effectively utilizing AI technologies.

The guests provide practical steps for organizations to adapt to the evolution, such as building knowledge graphs and ensuring a strong data foundation. The conversation also emphasizes the evolving role of technologists and the growing importance of communication and critical reasoning skills for tech leaders.

As a tech leader, it’s time for you to embrace the shift towards natural language and AI. Tune in to learn how you can adapt your leadership strategies to stay competitive and drive innovation in your organization.

In This Episode:

- English is the new Python: What does this mean?

- How do you know when technologies are wrong?

- Natural language disruption: Challenges and opportunities for organizations

- The role of prompt engineers in building natural language interfaces

- External resources on natural language and prompt engineering

- Advice for the next generation of technologists

- The future of natural language interfaces

And much more!

Connect with Rob O'Brien:

- Website - https://www.stride.build/ 

- LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-o-brien-82865b25

Connect with Moin Haque:

- Website - https://www.iff.com/ 

- LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/haquem

Connect with Debbie Madden:

- Website - https://www.stride.build/

- LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/debbiemadden1/

- LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/stride-consulting/

Remote work became increasingly attractive to employees after the pandemic because of its flexibility. Consequently, organizations now have easy access to the best talents worldwide. However, managers have to constantly deal with the overlap of the employees’ home and work life.

How can managers help remote workers achieve work-life balance and create objective performance measures to optimize their productivity? Today’s guest has valuable insights for managing remote teams.

Sean Campbell, CEO and founder of Cascade Insights, is a well-regarded consultant, speaker, author, trainer, mentor, and educator. Sean shares insights on remote work productivity and work-life balance tips from his expertise in leading remote companies for over 24 years.

He emphasizes the need for managers to master asynchronous communication and remote workers to sharpen their writing skills. In addition, companies should adapt hiring and management strategies to the remote work model and invest in their digital footprint.

Sean also underscores the need for clear performance measures and the importance of embracing flexibility while setting reasonable business constraints to ensure productivity and employee satisfaction in remote settings.

If you're grappling with dwindling productivity among your remote workers or seeking practical strategies to help your employees achieve a healthier work-life balance, this episode is for you!

In This Episode:

- Sean’s 24-year journey, and the evolution of remote work

- The importance of a strong digital footprint 

- Eras of remote work: From impossible to hybrid

- Best practices for managing remote workers

- Tips for balancing work and home life for remote employees

And much more!

Connect with Sean Campbell:

- Website - https://www.cascadeinsights.com/

- LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/seancampbell 

Connect with Debbie Madden:

- Website - https://www.stride.build/

- LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/debbiemadden1/

- LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/stride-consulting/