Code Story: Insights from Startup Tech Leaders S11 E11: Dave Berner, Kinde
Aug 5, 2025
Dave Berner, Co-founder and VP of Engineering at Kinde, shares his unique journey from musician to tech entrepreneur. He candidly discusses the challenges of balancing customer demands with a clear product vision while building a SaaS platform. Dave reveals insights on creating scalable infrastructure and cultivating team culture, emphasizing the importance of hiring effectively in a tech-driven era. He also reflects on his 'low tech' family lifestyle and the significance of teaching fundamental skills without screens. Dive into his creative problem-solving approach!
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Coding Roots in Music
- Dave Berner learned to code to build his band's website and custom MySpace profiles.
- His background in music and side projects sparked his journey into tech and startups.
MVP Infrastructure Challenges
- Building foundational infrastructure like auth and billing took Dave much longer than expected.
- What seemed a thin slice for MVP evolved into a two-year journey to meet real security needs.
Prioritize Common User Needs
- Avoid building features that only 20% of users need.
- Focus on building what most users need most of the time to serve indie hackers and early-stage founders effectively.