The Changelog: Software Development, Open Source

From WeWork to upskilling at Wilco (Interview)

Jul 24, 2022

On Freund, former VP of Engineering at WeWork and now co-founder & CEO of Wilco, discusses his transition from scaling WeWork to revolutionizing developer education with Wilco. He compares the dramatic portrayal of WeWork in the series 'WeCrashed' to reality, highlighting unique challenges in tech scalability. With Wilco's gamified simulations, he emphasizes the importance of practical skill acquisition in tech, enabling developers to learn in real-life scenarios. The conversation is packed with insights into building immersive experiences and the future of AI in education.

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ANECDOTE

WeCrashed vs. Reality

On Freund, former VP of Engineering at WeWork, shares his perspective on the Apple TV+ series "WeCrashed".
He notes the show's fictionalized nature, highlighting altered timelines and character portrayals.

INSIGHT

WeWork's Tech

WeWork relied heavily on technology for scaling its operations, despite external perceptions.
Its tech enabled managing a vast real estate inventory and member network.

ANECDOTE

Invisible Tech at WeWork

On Freund discusses the seamless key card system at WeWork as an example of invisible tech.
This tech, enabling access without reprogramming, even impressed hotel conferences.

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This week we’re joined by On Freund, former VP of Engineering at WeWork and now co-founder & CEO of Wilco. WeWork you may have heard of, but Wilco maybe not (yet).

We get into the details behind the tech and scaling of WeWork, comparisons of the fictional series on Apple TV+ called WeCrashed and how much of that is true. Then we move on to Wilco which is what has On’s full attention right now. Wilco has the potential to be the next big thing for developers to acquire new skills. Wilco aims to be the ultimate simulator to gain new skills on a real-life tech stack. If you want to skip ahead, you can request access at trywilco.com/changelog — they are moving our listeners to the top of the waiting list.

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Featuring:

On Freund – Website, GitHub, LinkedIn, X
Adam Stacoviak – Website, GitHub, LinkedIn, Mastodon, X
Jerod Santo – GitHub, LinkedIn, Mastodon, X

Show Notes:

Something missing or broken? PRs welcome!