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The Data Stack Show

232: Building a Business Solo: Streaming Data, Synthetic Testing, and Startup Lessons with Michael Drogalis of ShadowTraffic.io

Mar 12, 2025
Michael Drogalis, founder of ShadowTraffic.io and an expert in streaming data and synthetic testing, shares his entrepreneurial journey. He discusses the nuances of solopreneurship, revealing the balance between technical work and business strategy. The conversation dives into the challenges of synthetic data generation and the importance of reliable testing methods in the B2B SaaS space. Michael also reflects on lessons learned from past startups and the significance of a customer-centric approach while navigating growth.
48:22

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

  • Michael Drogalis emphasizes the challenges of synthetic data generation, which requires careful consideration to create realistic datasets that mirror production environments.
  • The importance of customer engagement is highlighted as crucial for validating product ideas and shaping features based on user feedback.

Deep dives

Importance of Streaming Data in Modern Applications

Streaming data has become essential for many applications requiring real-time processing, facilitating immediate decision-making. Distributed systems that emerged around 2010 played a pivotal role in this evolution, driving innovations in how data is transmitted and processed. The speaker's early interest in this field led to the development of open-source projects aimed at addressing shortcomings in existing streaming solutions. This passion not only sparked new technologies but also cultivated an entire community centered around streaming data.

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