Your Next Tech Startup

Your Next Tech Startup

By Isabel RasmussenBusinessCareers
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Your Next Tech Startup episodes

  • How We Score The Coding Interview at Counterpart with Director of Engineering Derrick Franco

    In this conversation, Isabel Rasmussen and Derrick Franco discuss the take-home coding test and the evolving landscape of engineering interviews, particularly focusing on how to set candidates up for success. They explore the importance of clear communication, the role of AI in coding challenges, and the need for candidates to engage actively during the interview process. Derrick emphasizes that asking questions is a positive sign and reflects a candidate's problem-solving abilities. The discussion also highlights how AI tools have raised the bar for coding standards and the necessity for candidates to demonstrate their understanding of the code they produce.

    Host: Isabel Rasmussen https://www.linkedin.com/in/isabelrasmussen/

    Guest: Derrick Franco https://www.linkedin.com/in/derrickfranco/

    Chapters

    00:00 Setting the Stage for Success in Interviews
    02:33 The Importance of Communication and Questions
    05:21 Navigating AI in Coding Challenges
    08:02 Evaluating Candidates Beyond Coding Skills
    10:42 Understanding the Startup vs. Big Tech Mindset
    13:04 Leveraging Content for Interview Preparation

    Music by: https://www.bensound.com 

    Artist: Marcus P. 
    License code: 4YKVHGTNVRLVH3BV

    14 min
  • A Software Engineer Interviews a Tech Recruiter for Once!

    In this episode of Your Next Tech Startup, the tables have turned and Dan Johnson interviews Isabel Rasmussen on the recruitment process in the tech startup landscape. They explore the challenges faced by recruiters and candidates alike, the impact of AI on hiring, the importance of ATS systems, and how to craft effective resumes. The discussion also touches on the significance of referrals, trust issues in interviews, and the need for constructive feedback in the hiring process. Ultimately, the conversation aims to provide insights for both job seekers and hiring managers to improve their experiences in the recruitment landscape.

    Host: Isabel Rasmussen https://www.linkedin.com/in/isabelrasmussen/

    Guest: Daniel Johnson https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielljohnson/

    Chapters

    00:00 Introduction to the Conversation
    02:51 The Dynamics of Recruitment
    07:00 Navigating the Hiring Process
    15:19 Crafting the Perfect Resume
    21:47 The Power of Referrals: Warm vs Cold
    23:52 Trust Issues in the Hiring Process
    25:37 The Challenge of Interview Standards
    26:46 The Need for Feedback in Rejections
    34:17 Advice for Job Seekers in Today's Market

    Isabel Rasmussen is a Fractional Head of Technical Recruitment who works directly with engineering leaders to hire top talent — from Senior Software Engineers to Directors of Engineering. With over a decade of experience recruiting for high-growth startups, I bring a strategic, hands-on approach to scaling technical teams that thrive in fast-paced environments.

    📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@yournexttechstartup 📺

    🎧 Spotify: https://lnkd.in/exiBw46n 🎧
    🍎 Apple Podcasts: https://lnkd.in/eYsCN4y4🍎
    ❤️ iHeartRadio: https://shorturl.at/NI3sq❤️

    Let’s connect if you're growing a team or want to talk startups, recruiting, or tech hiring trends.

    Music by: https://www.bensound.com 

    Artist: Marcus P. 
    License code: 4YKVHGTNVRLVH3BV

    39 min
  • Now Hiring: Remote Senior Software Engineer at Anyreach

    In this episode, Isabel Rasmussen interviews Richard Lin, CEO and Co-founder of Anyreach, about a remote senior software engineer role. They discuss the unique aspects of the position, the evolution of Anyreach's AI technology, the technical challenges faced by the development team, and the interview process. Richard emphasizes the importance of curiosity, planning, and the opportunity for engineers to grow and learn in a startup environment focused on voice AI technology.

    Host: Isabel Rasmussen https://www.linkedin.com/in/isabelrasmussen/

    Guest: Richard Lin https://www.linkedin.com/in/linrichard/

    Chapters

    00:00 Introduction to Anyreach and the Role
    01:00 The Vision Behind Anyreach
    04:23 Technical Challenges and Development Approach
    09:31 Engineering Culture and Team Dynamics
    12:52 Hiring Philosophy and Candidate Expectations
    16:24 How to Apply and Engage with Anyreach

    Here is the Job Description: (watch the episode to learn how to apply)

    Senior Software Engineer at Anyreach

    The Role That Will Define the Next Decade of Engineering

    Are you the kind of engineer who sees AI not as a replacement, but as the ultimate
    power tool? Do you spend more time thinking about elegant solutions than writing
    boilerplate code? At Anyreach, we're building the future of Voice AI, and we're
    looking for a rare breed: a 100x engineer who combines deep technical mastery
    with product intuition and leverages AI to move at lightning speed.

    What We're Looking For

    🎯 The Product-Minded Engineer
    You understand that the best voice AI solves real communication problems
    You can translate business requirements into conversational experiences that
    users love
    You think in voice interactions, user intents, and conversation flows beyond
    individual features
    🤖 The AI Whisperer
    You're already using AI tools daily and know their strengths and limitations
    You can prompt-engineer your way to better voice solutions faster than most
    people can Google
    You know when to lean on AI and when to roll up your sleeves and code voice
    systems from scratch
    ⚙️ The Technical Powerhouse
    When AI hits its limits, you don't—you're a skilled engineer who can solve hard
    voice AI problems
    You have strong fundamentals in system design, algorithms, and software
    architecture for real-time systems
    You care deeply about code quality, performance, and maintainability in voice
    applications
    🚀 The Velocity Multiplier
    You're not just fast—you make everyone around you faster in shipping voice
    features
    You build tools, processes, and systems that scale beyond yourself
    You see inefficiencies in voice AI workflows and can't help but optimize them
    Technical Superpowers We Need
    AI Tooling Mastery: Cursor, GitHub Codex, Claude, ChatGPT, and whatever
    comes next
    Voice AI Understanding: You get the nuances of conversation design, speech
    processing, and real-time audio
    System Design: You can architect voice solutions that won't break under
    conversational pressure
    Product Thinking: You build voice features users actually want to talk to
    Documentation Excellence: Your docs are so good, people actually read them
    (even about complex voice systems)
    Quality Obsession: Scalable, reliable, secure, observable—no compromises
    for voice AI

    What Success Looks Like

    You ship voice features that users love to interact with in record time
    Your voice AI solutions scale effortlessly as conversation volume grows
    Your documentation becomes the gold standard for voice AI development on
    the team
    You identify and solve voice interaction problems before they become user
    frustrations
    You make AI work for you to build better voice AI, creating a powerful
    feedback loop

    The Bottom Line

    We're not looking for someone who can just code. We're looking for someone who
    can think, architect, and execute voice AI solutions at superhuman speed by
    partnering with AI. If you're the kind of engineer who gets excited about solving
    hard conversational problems elegantly and scaling voice experiences that matter,
    let's talk.

    At Anyreach, you'll be building the voice AI platform that transforms how people

    communicate. Ready to be the 100x engineer who helps us scale conversations to
    the next level?

    Ready to revolutionize voice AI with us? We want to hear from you.

     

    Music by: https://www.bensound.com

    Artist: Marcus P. 
    License code: 4YKVHGTNVRLVH3BV

    18 min
  • JUST HIRED How to Become a Lead Engineer Candidate: guest Afshan Martin

    In this episode, host Isabel Rasmussen speaks with Afshan, a lead software engineer who shares her journey of navigating the job market after experiencing a layoff. They discuss the challenges of job searching, the importance of crafting an effective resume, and strategies for mastering the interview process. Afshan emphasizes the significance of building confidence, overcoming anxiety, and the value of networking in her career development. Through her experiences, she highlights personal growth and the lessons learned along the way.

     

    Host: Isabel Rasmussen https://www.linkedin.com/in/isabelrasmussen/

    Guest: Afshan Martin https://www.linkedin.com/in/afshan-aman/

     

    Chapters 00:00 Navigating Job Applications in a Changing Landscape

    09:44 Crafting an Impactful Resume

    14:58 The Interview Process: Challenges and Strategies

    17:26 The Journey to Effective Interviewing

    24:06 Overcoming Introversion in Interviews

    31:39 Networking and Building Connections

    33:09 From Candidate to Lead Engineer

     

    Music by: https://www.bensound.com

    Artist: Marcus P.

    License code: 4YKVHGTNVRLVH3BV

    35 min
  • Pre-Seed Startup Hiring - Founder Interview with Preston Lee

    In this episode, host Isabel Rasmussen interviews Preston Lee, the founder of Tribe Money. They discuss the unique aspects of hiring and building a startup team at the pre-seed stage. Preston elaborates on his strategy of hiring friends or friends of friends within the U.S., the importance of having multiple eyes on complex FinTech code, and the significance of passion and curiosity in engineering, aside from technical skills. The conversation delves into Preston's unconventional hiring approach that emphasizes project-based interviews over traditional coding tests and explores his experiences and insights on building a robust engineering team from the ground up.

     

    Host: Isabel Rasmussen https://www.linkedin.com/in/isabelrasmussen/

    Guest: Preston Lee https://www.linkedin.com/in/prestonwlee/


    00:00 Welcome to Your Next Tech Startup
    00:26 Building a Team in the Pre-Seed Stage
    01:09 The Importance of Hiring Friends and Local Talent
    02:27 Challenges in FinTech Development
    04:12 Hiring Philosophy and Vetting Process
    05:43 Technical Deep Dives and Real-World Problem Solving
    13:33 Unexpected Learnings from Hiring
    15:56 Future Hiring Strategies and Conclusion

     

    Music by: https://www.bensound.com

    Artist: Marcus P. 

    License code: 4YKVHGTNVRLVH3BV

     

    19 min
  • Startup Interview Advice from a VP of Engineering

    In this episode, we speak with Sameer, the VP of Engineering at Tellius, about the current challenges in hiring engineers with AI experience. Sameer shares his experiences as a hiring manager, discussing the evolving expectations and skill gaps caused by the rise of AI tools like ChatGPT. He highlights the importance of core engineering fundamentals and provides advice for early-career software engineers on how to effectively grow and prepare for roles in AI-focused companies. The conversation includes tips on self-improvement, learning key AI concepts, and the importance of in-depth understanding despite the availability of advanced tools.

     

    Host: Isabel Rasmussen https://www.linkedin.com/in/isabelrasmussen/

    Guest: Sameer Mangalampalli https://www.linkedin.com/in/sameermangalampalli/

     

    00:00 Introduction to the Interview

    00:29 Challenges in Hiring AI Engineers

    03:53 Core Fundamentals for Engineers

    05:19 Advice for Aspiring AI Engineers

    07:31 Understanding AI Tools and Concepts

    10:00 Final Thoughts and Interview Tips

     

    Music by: https://www.bensound.com

    Artist: Marcus P.

    License code: 4YKVHGTNVRLVH3BV

    12 min
  • Recruitment Strategies to Boost Women in Tech

    In this conversation, Isabel Rasmussen and Kelly Kaplan discuss the importance of fair and consistent hiring practices, particularly in the tech industry. They explore the challenges of building diverse teams, the necessity of intentional hiring efforts, and the impact of unconscious bias in interview processes. The discussion emphasizes the need for structured interview environments and effective debriefing practices to ensure fairness in hiring decisions.

     

    Host: Isabel Rasmussen https://www.linkedin.com/in/isabelrasmussen/

    Guest: Kelly Kaplan https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelly-kaplan/

     

    Chapters

    00:00 Introduction to Fair and Consistent Hiring

    01:08 The Importance of Diversity in Tech
    02:56 Building Diverse Teams: Strategies and Challenges
    05:06 Creating Inclusive Hiring Processes
    06:51 Addressing Unconscious Bias in Interviews
    10:21 Structuring Fair and Consistent Interviews
    12:52 New Chapter

     

    Music by: https://www.bensound.com

    Artist: Marcus P.

    License code: 4YKVHGTNVRLVH3BV

     

    Keywords

    fair hiring, consistent hiring, diversity in tech, women in tech, intentional hiring, unconscious bias, interview processes, recruitment strategies, engineering teams, hiring practices

    13 min
  • Now Hiring: Chicago Full Stack Engineer (Javascript) at Cameo

    In this episode, Isabel Rasmussen interviews Dom Scandinaro, the CTO of Cameo, discussing the current hiring for a senior full stack engineer role. Dom shares insights about his journey to Cameo, the company's growth and stability, technical challenges, unique engineering culture, and the interview process. The conversation highlights the exciting opportunities at Cameo and the importance of understanding the product for potential candidates.

    Host: Isabel Rasmussen https://www.linkedin.com/in/isabelrasmussen/

    Guest: Dom Scandinaro https://www.linkedin.com/in/dom-scandinaro/

     

    Chapters

    00:00 Introduction to the Role at Cameo

    01:07 Dom Scandinaro's Journey to Cameo

    04:21 Core Values and Growth Opportunities

    05:32 Current Landscape and Challenges at Cameo

    07:23 Technical Challenges and Engineering Focus

    10:08 Engineering Culture and Onboarding Process

    11:17 Interview Process and Candidate Preparation

     

    Music by: https://www.bensound.com

    Artist: Marcus P.

    License code: 4YKVHGTNVRLVH3BV

    15 min
  • Networking in Tech: Insights from a VP of Engineering

    Maximizing Networking for Engineering Hires: Insights from Randy Chong, VP of Engineering @ Healthcare.com

    In this episode, we sit down with Randy Chong, VP of Engineering at Healthcare.com, to discuss the power of networking in making successful hires. Drawing from his extensive experience with over 100 hires and countless interviews, Randy shares compelling stories and practical advice. Learn how he utilizes LinkedIn, personal connections, and even board game nights to build a strong team. Whether you're an engineering leader or a job seeker, discover valuable tips on leveraging your network effectively. Don't miss this insightful conversation packed with real-world examples and actionable takeaways!

     

    Host: Isabel Rasmussen https://www.linkedin.com/in/isabelrasmussen/

    Guest: Randy Chong https://www.linkedin.com/in/randy-chong/

     

    00:00 Introduction to the Interview

    00:56 Utilizing Your Network for Hiring

    01:23 Networking Through Board Games: The Story of Alvin

    03:46 Networking Through Board Games: The Story of Simon

    10:47 Networking Through Board Games: The Story of Theodore

    18:28 General Networking Tips and Conclusion

     

    Music by: https://www.bensound.com Artist: Marcus P. License code: 4YKVHGTNVRLVH3BV

    21 min
  • How to Hire People who Build Awesome Products

    How to Hire People who Build Awesome Products: Insights from SERV Founder Nickhil Bhave

    Blog: How to Hire People who Build Awesome Products https://bhave.substack.com/p/hire-product-people-that-build-awesome?sd=pf

     

    Join Isabel Rasmussen as she sits down with SERV founder Nickhil Bhave to discuss his extensive hiring experiences across various stages of company growth—from Amazon to late-stage startups to founding his own startup. They discuss the importance of a rigorous and competent hiring process. The key parts to a great hiring process are defining the must haves, training and aligning the hiring team, and focusing the debrief around the requirements. This is a great episode for startup leaders who need to hire people to build awesome products.

     

    Host: Isabel Rasmussen https://www.linkedin.com/in/isabelrasmussen/

    Guest: Nickhil Bhave https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickhil-bhave/

     

    00:00 Welcome and Introduction

    00:46 Nickhil's Background and Experience

    02:09 Challenges of Startup Hiring

    03:41 Importance of Mission Alignment

    07:07 Effective Interview Planning

    09:47 Debriefing and Feedback

    15:17 Final Thoughts and Advice

     

    Music by: https://www.bensound.com

    Artist: Marcus P.

    License code: 4YKVHGTNVRLVH3BV

    18 min

About Your Next Tech Startup

From the publisher's feed

Hiring is tough — software engineers hate job searching, hiring managers are stretched thin, and interviews? They suck for everyone. But finding the right people is critical for building a great startup.