Product Driven

🏆 Scaling to $50M: Key Lessons from Building a Global Software Development CompanyJoin Matt Watson and Darrell Blackburn as they celebrate a remarkable milestone at Full Scale - reaching $50 million in revenue and delivering over 2 million hours of software development services. In this candid conversation, they share the challenges, victories, and essential insights gained from building a successful global development team.🔗 Essential Links (Start Here!):Full Episodes: https://product-driven.captivate.fm/episodesConnect with Matt Watson on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattwatsonkc/Subscribe to our Newsletter: https://fullscaleteam.com/newsletterGet our FREE Ebook: https://fullscaleteam.com/productfirstteamsPowered by Full Scale: https://fullscale.io/🎯 Episode Summary:Step inside the journey of scaling a professional services company from startup to industry leader. Matt and Darrell discuss how they transformed common offshore development challenges into opportunities, built a thriving remote-first culture, and maintained exceptional employee retention in an industry known for high turnover. Their conversation reveals the human side of scaling a global tech company while maintaining quality and culture across borders.💡 Key Discussion Points:The evolution from office-based to remote-first operations during COVIDAchieving 94% employee retention in an industry averaging 20-30% turnoverManaging and measuring performance across 250+ software developersBalancing customer satisfaction with employee well-beingThe importance of company culture in global operationsHow listening to both customers and employees shapes company direction⏱️ Chapter Markers:00:00 - Introduction and Company Evolution02:34 - Early Growth and Business Model07:40 - Managing Remote Teams Successfully15:06 - Employee Retention Strategies22:37 - COVID Impact and Remote Transformation28:18 - Customer and Employee Feedback33:39 - Value of Quality Talent🎯 Ready to Scale Your Development Team?Join thousands of tech leaders who've transformed their development capabilities with Full Scale. Hit subscribe and the notification bell 🔔 to stay updated on scaling strategies and tech leadership insights. Share your scaling challenges in the comments - what's your biggest obstacle in growing a development team?

Chris Borchers, Chief Technology and Product Officer at Basis, reveals how Demo Day can transform engineering culture by boosting accountability and fostering celebration. He discusses the evolution of Demo Day from a small team event to a company-wide phenomenon, attracting over 75 attendees. The conversation highlights the importance of executive involvement, safe spaces for feedback, and maximizing feature adoption. Borchers emphasizes building a culture of pride and ownership, ensuring teams connect technical achievements with business value.

Explore the transformative power of roadmap.sh in accelerating developer growth. Discover how Full Scale assesses technical expertise and guides career progression through systematic evaluation. Delve into strategies for bridging knowledge gaps between junior and senior developers, and see how quarterly reviews can enhance performance. The discussion highlights the essential balance of challenge and support for developers, showcasing practical applications for hiring and retention.

🤖 AI in Software Development: Real World Testing & Reality CheckJoin Matt Watson and software veteran Joe Giglio in candidly exploring AI coding tools' current capabilities and limitations. Through hands-on testing and real-world examples, discover the truth behind the hype and what these tools can deliver for development teams.In this discussion, Joe shares insights from months of testing various AI coding tools, from GitHub Copilot to Cursor, revealing their impressive capabilities and significant limitations. Learn why AI remains a productivity tool rather than a developer replacement, and understand the crucial context marketing headlines often miss.🔗 Essential Links (Start Here!):Full Episodes: https://product-driven.captivate.fm/episodesConnect with Matt Watson on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattwatsonkc/Subscribe to our Newsletter: https://newsletter.productdriven.com/Powered by Full Scale: https://fullscale.io/Connect with Joe Giglio on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joegiglio/Or find him on Twitter: https://x.com/ChiefRemoteKey Discussion Points:🎯 Real-world AI coding tool experiments💡 Limitations in complex project scenarios🔄 Testing automation challenges⚡ The reality of AI hallucinations📊 Future potential and current constraints🌱 The importance of developer expertiseChapters:0:00 - Introduction and AI testing background1:27 - Complex project challenges4:30 - Non-developer experiences7:28 - Test automation experiments10:14 - Prompt engineering realities13:09 - Tool limitations and bugs15:49 - Real software development context18:04 - Future possibilities discussionTransform your understanding of AI's role in software development by joining our community of practitioners who separate AI fact from fiction.

🔄 The Evolution of Engineering Leadership: From Individual Contributor to Effective ManagerJoin Matt Watson in a transformative exploration of the critical transition from technical expert to engineering leader. Drawing from over 20 years of CTO experience and real customer insights, discover why many engineering teams struggle with growth and how to overcome these fundamental challenges.This illuminating discussion delves into the complex dynamics of engineering leadership, revealing the three distinct types of engineering managers and why understanding these roles is crucial for organizational success. Through practical examples and personal insights, Matt shares essential strategies for balancing individual contribution with team leadership.🔗 Essential Links (Start Here!):Full Episodes: https://product-driven.captivate.fm/episodesConnect with Matt Watson on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattwatsonkc/Subscribe to our Newsletter: https://newsletter.productdriven.com/Powered by Full Scale: https://fullscale.io/Key Discussion Points:🎯 The transition challenges from individual contributor to manager💡 Three archetypal engineering leader profiles⚡ Balancing technical work with people management🔄 Creating effective teaching moments📈 Scaling strategies for growing teamsChapters:0:00 - Introduction to engineering management challenges1:15 - Three types of engineering leaders2:30 - Individual contributor mindset barriers3:45 - The productivity multiplication effect4:50 - Breaking the bottleneck pattern6:00 - Three essential tips for improvement7:15 - Time management strategies8:30 - Team success focus9:45 - Learning moment opportunitiesThree Critical Tips for New Engineering Managers:1. Structure your day for focused leadership time2. Measure success through team achievements3. Leverage teaching opportunities instead of solving problems directlyTransform your approach to engineering leadership through these proven strategies. Join our community of technology leaders dedicated to building more effective, scalable engineering teams.

🌍 Managing Global Dev Teams: Cultural Nuances & Leadership ChallengesJoin Matt Watson and Oshri Cohen, an experienced fractional CTO, as they dive deep into the complexities of managing global development teams. Learn essential strategies for navigating cultural differences, building effective communication channels, and creating successful offshore development partnerships.In this insightful discussion, Oshri Cohen shares his extensive experience managing development teams across multiple continents, from the Middle East to Latin America. The conversation explores critical aspects of global team management, including cultural sensitivity, communication styles, and the importance of technical leadership. Matt and Oshri break down common challenges in offshore development and provide practical solutions for building successful cross-cultural development teams.🔗 Essential Links (Start Here!):Full Episodes: https://product-driven.captivate.fm/episodesConnect with Matt Watson on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattwatsonkc/Subscribe to our Newsletter: https://newsletter.productdriven.com/Powered by Full Scale: https://fullscale.io/Key Discussion Points:🔵 The three pillars of engineering leadership: Strategic, Operational, and Technical🔵 Cultural nuances in different regions and their impact on team dynamics🔵 The importance of empathy and understanding in cross-cultural communication🔵 Why technical leadership must remain in-house for successful offshore partnerships🔵 Strategies for effective task delegation and project management across time zonesChapters:00:00 - Introduction and Overview00:43 - Meeting Oshri Cohen01:29 - Common Challenges in Remote Team Management02:20 - Components of Engineering Leadership03:33 - Importance of Technical Leadership05:41 - Defined vs Undefined Work07:11 - Cultural Differences and Communication14:49 - Regional Cultural Insights18:24 - Building Trust and Foundation21:07 - Understanding Cultural Communication Styles23:48 - Respecting Cultural Differences25:33 - Closing Thoughts and Contact InformationWhether you're scaling your development team or seeking insights into cross-cultural team management, this episode provides invaluable wisdom for navigating the complexities of global software development in today's interconnected world. 🌐✨

🔑 The Two Critical Elements for Scaling Engineering TeamsJoin Matt Watson as he shares crucial insights from real customer experiences at Full Scale, revealing the fundamental barriers that prevent most companies from successfully scaling their engineering teams. Through practical examples and hard-earned wisdom, discover why undefined leadership can't delegate undefined work.Drawing from conversations with actual customers and years of experience managing 300+ employees, Matt breaks down the essential components needed to scale engineering teams effectively. Learn why product strategy and capable leadership form the foundation of successful team growth, and how to overcome common scaling challenges.🔗 Essential Links (Start Here!):Full Episodes: https://product-driven.captivate.fm/episodesConnect with Matt Watson on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattwatsonkc/Subscribe to our Newsletter: https://newsletter.productdriven.com/Powered by Full Scale: https://fullscale.io/Key Discussion Points:🎯 The importance of clear product roadmaps💡 Transitioning from individual contributor to leader🔄 Finding and developing player-coach leaders⚡ Building trust in development partnerships📊 Balancing strategy, operations, and technical leadershipChapters:0:00 - Introduction to scaling challenges0:50 - Product roadmap importance1:28 - Real customer examples2:13 - Leadership transition challenges3:27 - Solution architect approach4:48 - Trust as a foundation5:31 - Three types of engineering managers6:20 - Closing thoughts and recommendationsEssential Requirements for Scaling:Clear product strategy and roadmapLeadership capable of delegationTrustworthy partnershipsBalance of technical and management skillsDefined processes and structureTransform your engineering team's growth potential by implementing these proven strategies. Join our community of leaders dedicated to building scalable, efficient development teams.

🎯 Mastering Customer Voice: A Strategic Approach to Product DevelopmentJoin Matt Watson and Dr. George Shannon in an illuminating discussion about capturing and leveraging the voice of the customer in software development. Through the lens of Quality Function Deployment (QFD) methodology and decades of engineering experience, discover how understanding unspoken customer needs transforms product development.This thought-provoking conversation explores the delicate balance between customer feedback, technical requirements, and strategic innovation. Dr. Shannon shares invaluable insights from his extensive engineering and software development background, illuminating how traditional manufacturing methodologies can revolutionize modern software development practices.🔗 Essential Links (Start Here!):Full Episodes: https://product-driven.captivate.fm/episodesConnect with Matt Watson on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattwatsonkc/Subscribe to our Newsletter: https://newsletter.productdriven.com/Powered by Full Scale: https://fullscale.io/Key Discussion Points:🔄 Understanding spoken and unspoken customer needs📊 Implementing QFD in software development💡 Balancing feature development with fundamental requirements🎯 Strategic prioritization of development initiatives⚡ Creating sustainable competitive advantages🌱 Transforming customer feedback into actionable insightsChapters:0:00 - Introduction and background2:22 - QFD framework exploration4:34 - Strategic market analysis7:27 - Feature prioritization insights11:41 - Quality metrics in software14:03 - Customer feedback integration17:23 - Balancing competing priorities20:02 - Unspoken customer needs22:15 - Innovation and competition24:28 - Future development perspectivesTransform your approach to product development by mastering the art of customer understanding. Join our community of innovators who build products that truly resonate with users while maintaining technical excellence.

🎩 Creating Product Magic: The Art of User Delight in Software DevelopmentJoin Matt Watson in an enlightening exploration of why successful software products need a touch of magic—not in their code, but in the user experience. Drawing from Arthur Clarke's famous quote, discover how to create those "wow" moments that transform everyday software into extraordinary solutions.This insightful discussion delves into the essential elements that make products feel magical to users while maintaining clean, simple code behind the scenes. Through practical examples and real-world experiences, learn how to build features that leave users amazed and wanting more, without sacrificing technical simplicity.🔗 Essential Links (Start Here!):Full Episodes: https://product-driven.captivate.fm/episodesConnect with Matt Watson on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattwatsonkc/Subscribe to our Newsletter: https://newsletter.productdriven.com/Powered by Full Scale: https://fullscale.io/Key Discussion Points:🎯 The difference between product magic and code complexity✨ Three types of product magic implementation💡 Anticipating user needs and desires🔄 Removing friction from user experiences📊 Transforming data into meaningful insightsChapters:0:00 - Introduction to product magic1:37 - Understanding magical user experiences3:59 - Anticipating user needs4:47 - Removing user friction6:30 - Providing valuable insights7:17 - Product-driven mindset8:33 - Hiding technical complexityMagic Elements in Product Development:1. Anticipating user desires2. Eliminating friction points3. Surfacing hidden insights4. Simplifying complex processes5. Delivering unexpected valueTransform your product development approach by focusing on user magic while keeping your code clean and simple. Join our community of innovators dedicated to creating extraordinary software experiences.

Dave Reinhold, a Fractional CPO at Venture CPO with a wealth of experience in product strategy, engages in a thought-provoking discussion about product planning dynamics. He explores the critical balance between top-down vision and bottom-up engineering insights. Topics include empowering engineering teams in decision-making, navigating the challenges of strategic planning, and addressing technical debt while fostering innovation. Dave emphasizes the importance of collaboration and a questioning mindset to enhance product development and drive organizational success.