From AI‑powered coding epiphanies to unexpected Objective‑C detours, this episode is equal parts tech therapy and hacker joyride. Kalen and David tame verbose Claude 3.7, celebrate Flow’s new multi‑step loops, and brainstorm auto‑styled Shopify widgets that design themselves. They rant about Figma’s “Dev Mode” trademark, debate whether kids should let ChatGPT ace biology homework, and plot a sabbatical‑fuelled walkabout. Grab headphones and join the chaos; the future of dev life has never sounded messier—or more fun.

0:00 Intro

1:16 Riverside audio struggles

4:02 Mac‑app dreams & Objective‑C fears

5:57 ChatGPT let‑downs, meet DBT

7:21 Claude bracelets & AI‑tool banter

8:56 Dependency hell → modeling wins

15:17 Native Shopify vs external data models

20:40 Dialing in Claude 3.7 prompts

24:38 Model‑name confusion marathon

28:07 AI untangles messy theme‑JS

30:15 AI terminal tools & cost talk

32:32 Rapid Polaris UI building

34:46 Grappling with Shopify MCP

36:26 Dezi.dev & AI layout builders

38:03 Multi‑step loops land in Flow

39:48 AI‑powered app‑theme styling

45:15 Figma “Dev Mode” trademark rant

49:04 Theme price‑tracker insights

55:07 Kids, AI & education debate

58:58 OpenAI “Yeets” rumor mill

59:58 Sabbatical plans & sign‑off

• 00:00:00 - Kicking Things Off: To-Do Lists and Mega Tasks

• 00:01:40 - Proof of Concept: Matching Big SQL Numbers

• 00:02:20 - Low on Juice: Nap Strategies and Brain Refreshes

• 00:03:40 - Hailstorm Panic: Moving Cars and Garage Mayhem

• 00:05:00 - Tesla Regrets and Trash Can Truck Debates

• 00:08:00 - The Secret Admin Block Project Reveal

• 00:12:00 - Building Drag-and-Drop Admin Blocks

• 00:15:00 - Shopify App Blocks Limitations and Challenges

• 00:19:00 - Rant Alert: Hackathon Frustrations

• 00:21:00 - Last-Minute Hotel Booking Disasters

• 00:24:00 - Shopify Platform Fees Confusion

• 00:27:00 - Getting Charged for Historical Order Imports

• 00:30:00 - Knowledge Base Dreams and Empty Data Dictionaries

• 00:33:00 - Lightweight Tools for Client Support

• 00:35:00 - SaaS Hall of Shame: 48-Hour Free Trials and Forced Contracts

• 00:38:30 - Influencer Management Software Gripes

• 00:41:00 - Are Developers Doomed? AI and Combine Harvesters

• 00:46:00 - Will AI Replace Jobs or Transform Them?

• 00:50:00 - Rant: ShopifyQL API Deprecation Drama

• 00:53:00 - Missing the Good Old Forum Days

• 00:55:00 - Better Reports App and 4-5-4 Retail Calendars

• 00:00:00 – Introduction: Testing the “Push” Approach
• 00:01:03 – Cadence & Scheduling
• 00:02:04 – Work-Life Balance & Personal Updates
• 00:02:15 – Fidget & Precision Engineering• 00:03:10 – Finding Calm with a Rock
• 00:04:09 – Productivity & Schedule Adjustments
• 00:05:01 – NetSuite Integration & Product Ideas
• 00:06:42 – Iterative Development & Discovery
• 00:08:01 – Indie Game Inspiration
• 00:10:00 – Shopify Update & Community Feedback
• 00:11:11 – Built-for-Shopify Engagement
• 00:12:09 – Forum Dynamics & Moderation
• 00:16:23 – Payment Processing & Vaulted Cards

• 00:18:05 – High-Value Transaction Challenges
• 00:21:01 – Social Media & Flow Glitches• 00:23:55 – Debugging API Mutations
• 00:26:03 – Meta Fields & Discount Strategies
• 00:30:22 – Transition to AI & Data Projects
• 00:31:10 – Returns & Order Transfers
• 00:33:01 – Developer Workflow & Refactoring
• 00:35:07 – AI Tools for Code Review
• 00:36:12 – Balancing AI Costs & Productivity
• 00:39:25 – Efficient Use of OpenAI Credits
• 00:40:15 – Evaluating GitHub Bots
• 00:41:51 – AI Chat & “Vibe Coding”
• 00:42:21 – NetSuite vs. Modern Coding
• 00:43:12 – Quick App Script Projects & Badge Design
• 00:45:14 – Displaying Discounts on Product Pages
• 00:46:10 – Discount Strategies
• 00:47:03 – Shopify Discount Challenges
• 00:48:01 – Discount Apps & Alternatives
• 00:49:06 – Testing Discount Options
• 00:50:21 – Discount Meta Objects & Background Jobs

• 00:51:08 – Front-End Discount Integration
• 00:52:03 – Final Thoughts on Discount Testing
• 00:55:01 – App of the Week & Collection Sorting
• 00:56:01 – Wrapping Up Collections & Integrations
• 00:57:08 – Conclusion

• 00:00:00 – Intro & Sponsor Message
• 00:00:44 – Sponsor Details: smile.io & Benefits Overview
• 00:01:25 – Travel & Logistics Update (Hedge Purchase, Passport, IT Budget)
• 00:02:00 – Pre-Event Discussion: Conference Name Change (Predis to Tectonic)
• 00:03:15 – Conference Schedule & Pre-Event/After-Party Details
• 00:05:00 – Casual Chat: Business Networking & Meeting Plans
• 00:10:04 – Technical Deep Dive: JavaScript-to-Rust Conversion
• 00:16:00 – Exploring Cursor, Code Migration & API Integration Ideas
• 00:20:36 – NetSuite Integration: SOAP vs. REST and Schema Changes
• 00:27:00 – Shout Outs & Episode Highlights (Editor, Social Clips)
• 00:41:37 – Fun Segment: Duck Hunt Mini-Game Concept
• 00:46:00 – AI Insights: Sprite Generation, Developer Tools & Support Challenges
• 00:55:31 – Wrap-Up & Final Thoughts

00:00:00 – Introduction & Episode Overview
Kickoff of TSD #11 – Mutate and Dip

00:01:18 – Hedge Booking, Discounts & Tariff Talk
Discussion about hedge booking tickets, discount inquiries, and potential legal/tariff issues

00:03:00 – Conference Experiences & In-Person Networking
Chat about meeting online contacts face‑to‑face at conferences and the magic of real-life interactions

00:07:00 – Travel Booking, Airbnb Deals & Flight Safety
Stories on snagging an Airbnb deal, flight booking quirks, and nonstop vs. layover debates

00:11:00 – Live Podcast Ideas & Operator Demo
Introduction to the concept of live podcasts and a demo of the browser‑controlling operator

00:15:00 – AI Models, Integration & Operator Limitations
Insights on current AI model integrations (GPT, Claude, Cursor) and the need for more seamless automation

00:17:30 – Investment Updates & Industry Buzz
Talk of recent investment news—including a billion-dollar boost into Anthropics—and industry dynamics

00:18:55 – App of the Week: Live Meta Fields on Shopify
Overview of the new Espresso Live Meta Fields app and its live data features for Shopify

00:24:00 – E-Commerce UX: Filtering, Registration Flows & A/B Testing
Discussion on meta field filtering, multi‑step registration flows, and early A/B test insights

00:34:00 – UI/UX Optimizations: Button Colors, Videos & Warranty Messaging
Exploration of simple UI tweaks, the impact of product videos, and warranty language experiments

00:39:00 – Shopify Flow, Webhooks & Infrastructure Insights
Deep dive into how webhooks are handled in Hydrogen, Shopify Flow’s queuing system, and related infrastructure

00:45:00 – New Customer Accounts, Loop Exchanges & Store Credit
Talk on new customer account features, the loop exchange process, and the nuances between store credit and gift cards

00:52:00 – Mutate and Dip: GraphQL Tools & Automation Highlights
Showcasing GraphQL mutations (“mutate and dip”) along with a cool Chrome extension and automation challenges

00:56:00 – Dev Environment Sync & Meta Field Handling
Experiences with Postman, syncing development environments, and tackling meta field reference issues

00:59:00 – NetSuite Integration & Data Pipeline Overhaul
Ventures into NetSuite’s changing APIs, data pipeline revamps, and the evolution of reporting systems

01:01:00 – Wrap-Up & Episode Title Confirmation
Final thoughts, a nod to “Mutate and Dip,” and closing remarks

00:00:00 – Intro: Competitor Research vs. Inspiration
David explains his approach to finding app ideas without heavy competitor research.

00:01:00 – Wholesome Vibes & Family Tales
Kalen jokes about David’s wholesome life—quaint B&Bs, shoveling snow, and family snow fights.

00:03:00 – DIY Tech Hack: The Pencil Mic
The duo recounts the hilarious “jerry rigged pencil on a hat” hack for a lapel mic.

00:05:00 – Happy Friday & Keeping It Real
A light moment about resetting expectations and the simple joys of real conversations.

00:06:00 – Family & Jiu Jitsu: Balancing Sensitivity
Discussion on sensitivity, family stories, and how jiu jitsu classes play into growing up.

00:07:00 – Judo Roll Antics & Psychological Barriers
A playful exchange about judo roll lessons and the “psychological barrier” joke.

00:08:00 – Horse Tracks & Pop Culture Quips
The conversation shifts to quirky topics like horse tracks and a tongue-in-cheek Game of Thrones nod.

00:10:00 – Shopify Deep Dive: Exchanges & API Mysteries
David introduces his recent work on Shopify exchanges and the quirks between POS and online store APIs.

00:12:00 – Online Store Exchanges vs. POS
They break down how online store exchanges use a different “return API” compared to the POS system.

00:13:00 – App Shenanigans in Dev Stores
A humorous rant on “shenanigans” when apps lack free dev plans or test charge setups.

00:16:00 – Bundle App Madness & Naming Chaos
The duo debates the complexity of bundle apps and the wild world of app naming conventions.

00:23:00 – Deep Research for B2B Opportunities
Kalen explains how he uses deep research (with lots of clarifying questions) to uncover B2B app pain points.

00:24:00 – Mining Negative Feedback for Opportunity
They discuss how negative reviews can spotlight unmet needs—turning pain points into opportunities.

00:27:00 – Automating Research: Notifications & Iterations
A vision of a system that notifies you when research tasks are complete, letting you iterate on ideas.

00:31:00 – API Keys & Company Accounts: ChatGPT Insights
David shares his experience with signing up for a ChatGPT company account and navigating API key challenges.

00:33:00 – GPT for Topic Generation & App Pitch Tactics
A look at how GPT helps generate topics—and even pitch app ideas with injection tactics.

00:35:00 – Cart Transforms & Bundle Pricing Strategies
The conversation shifts to Shopify’s cart transform functions and strategies for bundling products.

00:42:00 – Forum Frustrations: Old Threads vs. New
Kalen laments the state of old forum threads versus the new, cleaner discussions.

00:44:00 – Open Sourcing the Gadget App
A quick update on the flow extension gadget app that Kalen open sourced for location automation.

00:45:00 – Event Registration Woes & Conference Fears
The duo discusses registration panic for an upcoming event and the rush to secure a spot.

00:47:00 – Tech Swag & AI Glasses: Modern Gadgets
Chat turns to cool swag items like Snapchat and AI glasses, with impressions of bone-conducting audio.

00:49:00 – Sabbatical Plans: Vision Quest & Personal Growth
David reveals plans for a six‑week sabbatical—mixing vision quests, reading, and self‑improvement.

00:50:00 – A/B Testing Cadence & Customer Research
A rundown of their consistent A/B testing schedule and the challenges of tracking customer behavior.

00:52:00 – Leveraging PostHog & Growth Book for Analytics
They delve into using tools like PostHog and Growth Book to analyze conversions and test performance.

00:56:00 – Coding Culture: Vibe Coding & AI Debates
A fun finale discussing “vibe coding,” natural language coding, and the quirks of AI-generated advice.

00:00:00 - Introduction: The Shopify Way

00:01:10 - Discussion on Bundles and Pricing Strategies

00:02:00 - Different Approaches to Bundling Products

00:03:00 - Merchants' Greed in Bundling

00:04:00 - Handling Complex Bundles and Customer Experience

00:05:00 - Challenges with Bundle Pricing and Customer Options

00:06:00 - Examples of Bundling in Retail

00:07:00 - User Interface Challenges with Bundles

00:08:00 - Recursion and Complexity in Bundling

00:09:00 - Challenges with Existing Bundling Apps

00:10:00 - Importance of Deep Links in Admin

00:11:00 - App Functionality and User Experience

00:12:00 - Example of a Well-Designed App: Loop Returns

00:13:00 - Challenges with Discounting and Bundles

00:14:00 - Personal Experiences with Discounting in Magento

00:15:00 - The Shopify Approach to Functionality

00:16:00 - Adding B2B Pricing and Customer Tags

00:17:00 - New Contribution to the Podcast: Sound Machine

00:18:00 - Importance of Feels Good Experience in Apps

00:19:00 - Debugging and Logging in Shopify Flow

00:20:00 - Adventures with Cursor and JavaScript

00:21:00 - Transition from Alpine to Plain JavaScript

00:22:00 - Benefits of Plain JavaScript in Development

00:23:00 - Personal Experiences with JavaScript and jQuery

00:24:00 - Expanding Skills in JavaScript for Various Platforms

00:25:00 - Discussion on Hot Reload and Syncify

00:26:00 - Experiences with Shopify Theme CLI

00:27:00 - Challenges with Authentication and Hot Reload

00:28:00 - Exploring Syncify for Faster Development

00:29:00 - Search and Discovery App in Shopify

00:30:00 - Client Requirements for Search Features

00:31:00 - Using Meta Fields for Category Filtering

00:32:00 - Customizing Search Results with Liquid

00:33:00 - Client Simplification Wins and Challenges

00:34:00 - Importance of Simplicity and Native Features in Shopify

00:35:00 - Exploring Third-Party Authentication and Registration Tools

00:36:00 - Redirecting After Login in Shopify

00:37:00 - Customizing the Customer Account Section

00:38:00 - Adding Custom Features to Customer Accounts

00:39:00 - Admin Extensions and Custom Buttons in Shopify

00:40:00 - Deep Linking and Theme App Extensions

00:41:00 - Considerations for Building Shopify Apps

00:42:00 - Success Stories in Shopify App Development

00:43:00 - Identifying Gaps and Opportunities in the Shopify Ecosystem

00:44:00 - Experiences with NetSuite and API Integrations

00:45:00 - Challenges with iPass Solutions and Logging

00:46:00 - Opportunities for Building Custom Integration Solutions

00:47:00 - The Future of Making Internet Money

00:48:00 - Personal Reflections on Career and Retirement Plans

00:49:00 - Conclusion: Embracing Creativity and New Opportunities

[00:00:00] – Intro & Back-In-Stock Flow
David kicks things off by explaining how the back‐in‐stock flow automatically fires when inventory becomes available.

[00:01:07] – Badge Brag & Community Wins
David shares his excitement over earning a Shopify community badge while Kalen reveals he just unlocked a custom “flow” badge.

[00:03:21] – Pre‑Launch Jitters & Project Pressure
The conversation turns to launch anxiety—with both discussing the stress of pre‑launch lists, last‑minute tasks, and the pressure of agency projects.

[00:06:05] – The Agency Owner Problem
Kalen explains the challenges of working with demanding clients and the pitfalls of making rapid, short‑term decisions in agency work.

[00:07:52] – Meta Objects & Bulk Editing Limits
They dive into using meta objects in Shopify—touching on bulk editing, the entry limits, and how these tools open up new possibilities.

[00:11:56] – Multi‑Location Inventory Management
David explains his setup for managing inventory across six live stores, including the challenges of marketing inventory versus online availability.

[00:16:30] – Client Call Chaos
A humorous recount of a kickoff call with a vendor (and a missing CEO) highlights the often awkward nature of agency meetings.

[00:18:32] – AI & Prompting Techniques
The pair discuss new AI tools and prompt frameworks (including ChatGPT techniques) as they brainstorm ways to automate tasks like email classification.

[00:21:00] – Klaviyo Flows & Webhook Woes
They review how Klaviyo handles back‑in‑stock notifications—covering both the strengths and quirks of using webhooks without response feedback.

[00:24:30] – Streamlining Flow Solutions
David describes an additional Flow he added for “shop my” orders that automates fulfillment location changes, noting how simple (and exportable) the solution is.

[00:26:00] – AI-Driven Template Generation
The conversation shifts to using AI for generating templates and automating parts of their workflow, highlighting the blend of rules‑based processing and GPT fallback.

[00:29:00] – Deep Dive into AI Prompting
They explore different prompting strategies (like “role-play” prompts and “before–after–bridge” frameworks) and debate how this new “prompting” skill is reshaping search and learning.

[00:33:00] – On AI Sentience & the Future of Intelligence
A playful but thoughtful debate arises about whether AI can “feel” pain and what truly differentiates human experience from machine processing.

[00:40:00] – Geolocation & Native Shopify Tools
Discussion moves to technical integration—using Hydrogen and a privacy API to achieve region‑level geolocation without a server‑side call.

[00:44:00] – The Joys (and Quirks) of Documentation
David and Kalen share their different takes on reading documentation—from thorough manual deep dives to quick search-and‑skip approaches.

[00:46:15] – Returns & Exchange Flow with Loop Returns
They break down how Loop Returns integrates with Shopify to handle exchanges (including credit adjustments and order updates) and compare it with other return solutions.

[00:52:00] – Managing Exchange Orders
A closer look at how exchange orders work in Shopify—how items are “returned” on the original order and updated in NetSuite to keep things in sync.

[00:55:00] – ERP, NetSuite & the Future of Shopify Apps
The conversation shifts to the broader ecosystem as they discuss the limitations of NetSuite, the potential of native Shopify ERP solutions, and the challenges of integrating third‑party systems.

[01:00:00] – Looking Ahead: Native Solutions & the B2B Push
They wrap up by speculating on the future—how Shopify’s growing B2B focus might drive the development of native apps (including ERP tools) that could eventually replace traditional systems like NetSuite.

[01:02:00] – Wrap‑Up & Final Thoughts
David and Kalen sign off with reflections on all the topics they’ve covered—from innovative Flow solutions and AI prompting to the evolution of Shopify’s ecosystem.

00:00:00 - Intro. Sponsored by Smile.io, because your discounts are out of control.

[00:00:00] Intro

[00:01:08] Black Friday Recap - Survived the sales madness, barely.

[00:03:18] Bonus & Team Morale - Because tattoos last longer than bonuses.

[00:04:28] Tsunami Scare - Almost washed away... in notifications.

[00:06:00] Disaster Plans - How to plan for everything, except surprises.

[00:09:01] Black Friday Tech - Data so cool, even our spreadsheets cheered.

[00:13:21] Game Dev Nostalgia - When TI-85 games were peak tech.

[00:15:47] Academic Tales - How to ace tests... after a power nap.

[00:17:01] Time Juggling - Managing tasks... or at least pretending to.

[00:20:46] B2B Complexities - Edge cases? We prefer to call them adventure modes.

[00:22:04] Integration Evolution - From "it works" to "who built this?"

[00:25:04] Dev Tools Talk - Gadgets, scripts, and a sprinkle of magic.

[00:30:17] Partner Program Updates - When revenue shares get a remix.

[00:33:08] Admin Fix Wishlist - Shopify bugs, consider yourselves warned.

[00:36:04] Bulk Editing Fun - Because clicking 1,000 times isn’t fun.

[00:42:55] Liquid Tricks - Outsmarting pagination one loop at a time.

[00:50:17] Data Sync Magic - Syncing data like pros (after enough coffee).

[00:53:15] Hidden Variants - Making products disappear... intentionally.

[01:04:51] GraphQL Power - Mastering GraphQL queries with ease.

[01:07:03] Dev Tools Chat - Postman, GraphiQL, and many head scratches.

[01:09:49] Tech Throwbacks - Linux servers and FTP... still alive!

[01:16:05] Final Thoughts - Dreaming of projects that debug themselves.