The Stack Overflow Podcast You’ve got 99 problems but data shouldn’t be one
Jun 27, 2025
Join Toby Mao, CTO of Tobiko Data, and Iaroslav Zygerman, Chief Architect with a past at Netflix and Apple, as they dive into the world of data transformation. They discuss the urgent need for better data engineering tools, drawing from their industry experiences. Discover the evolution of SQL amidst new technologies and the challenges of managing ELT pipelines in today's landscape, especially with generative AI's implications. Learn about innovative solutions like SQL Mesh that streamline data management and enhance pipeline efficiency.
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Toby Mao's Career Journey
- Toby Mao started with a math degree and pharmaceutical consulting before shifting to software engineering at companies like Scribd, Netflix, and Airbnb.
- He helped lead metrics and experimentation platforms before co-founding Tobiko Data to improve data tooling.
Iaroslav Zygerman's Early Path
- Iaroslav Zygerman began programming at age 10 in Ukraine and worked full-time by 18 at contractor companies.
- He moved to the US after university, joining DataRobot, Netflix, Apple, then co-founding Tobiko Data.
Netflix's Data Tooling Gap
- Netflix treats data as a first-class asset but still lacked scalable tooling for data teams.
- Tobiko founders saw an opportunity to build rigorous, scalable data development tools inspired by their experience there.