The Founder to Fortune Podcast

What happens when PMs, designers, and AI all start speaking the same language?In this episode, Vidya Raman sits down with Hailey Nevins (Director of UX Foundations at MongoDB) and Wenbo Wang (founding designer and former Databricks/Cloudera product designer) to explore how vibe coding is collapsing the old boundaries between design, product, and engineering.You’ll hear how GenAI is forcing UX to evolve—from pixel pushing to taste-driven orchestration—and why the best design teams now operate at startup speed without sacrificing rigor.We go deep into:* How “vibe coding” changes collaboration between PM, UX, and Engg* Why the new frontier isn’t just design systems—but design velocity* The rise of hybrid roles like “design engineer” and what they signal* How to build guardrails and evals for GenAI-powered products* When chat interfaces work—and when they absolutely don’tAnd just wait till you hear their hot takes on AI “killing” the wrong kind of design work, why hallucinations can actually make UX better, and what founders get wrong about hiring designers too late.If you care about product velocity, UX craft, or what “taste” means in an AI-first world—this conversation will challenge how you think about building.Relevant links:Hailey Nevins on LinkedInWenbo Wang on LinkedInOpen Lovable This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.foundertofortune.org

In this engaging conversation, Kady Srinivasan, CMO of You.com shares her journey from software engineering to becoming a marketing leader across various industries. She discusses the importance of defining an Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) in B2B marketing, the impact of AI on marketing strategies, and the evolving role of marketers in a fast-paced environment. Kady emphasizes the need for discipline in narrowing down ICP, the significance of content creation, and the necessity of hiring the right marketing talent. She also highlights the importance of judgment in marketing and the need for continuous learning in the ever-changing landscape of marketing.Takeaways* Defining a clear Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) is crucial for B2B success.* Discipline is necessary for narrowing down ICP and avoiding distractions.* AI has drastically increased the speed at which marketers must operate.* Multi-threaded marketers can drive outcomes across various disciplines.* SEO is not dead but GEO and AEO are becoming vital.* Content creation is still table stakes for differentiation in the market.* Hiring the right marketing talent depends on the go-to-market strategy.* Judgment in marketing comes from experience and learning from failures.* Sales leaders should be prioritized in early-stage startups with outbound strategies.* Continuous learning and adaptation are vital in the marketing field.Relevant links:Kady Srinivasan on LinkedInYou.comFounders of You.com: Richard Socher and Bryan McCannSome links to the resources that Kady referred to:MavenGrowthXEvery.toWatch us on YouTube here. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.foundertofortune.org

Ely Kahn’s career spans government, startups, and now leading product at SentinelOne. From shaping U.S. cybersecurity strategy at the White House to building one of AWS’s early security products to launching SentinelOne’s fastest-growing AI product line, his journey offers a rare vantage point on how security and product innovation intersect.In this episode, we dig into:* How AI is transforming threat hunting and investigations—and what that really means for teams on the ground.* The surprising role of “digital twins” in scaling product management.* Why cybersecurity, despite the noise and consolidation pressures, might actually be one of the best spaces for founders.* And the future of AI pricing, product velocity, and reinventing core parts of the security stack.If you’re a founder, operator, or product leader navigating the next wave of AI and security, this conversation will leave you rethinking both the challenges—and the opportunities—ahead.Links:Ely Kahn on LinkedInListen on YouTube This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.foundertofortune.org

Join Jim Fisher, a veteran GTM leader who scaled Cloudera from $50M to $1B ARR, as he shares invaluable insights for founders. He discusses the three golden KPIs crucial for any go-to-market strategy and reveals why getting the Ideal Customer Profile right is critical. Discover the surprising truth that consistency, not just revenue, signals a successful GTM approach. Fisher also dives into the transformative role of AI in sales and provides practical advice on avoiding common pitfalls that can derail growth.

In this episode with Saket Modi, we explore:* How a college dorm-room hacker turned an idea into a global cybersecurity company* The surprising way he landed his first customers (hint: it involved live hacks)* Why he once turned down a multimillion-dollar deal—and why it was the best decision* His unconventional approach to learning (including hiring a PhD tutor just for himself)* The leadership principle he lives by: never ask your team to do what you won’t* Why SAFE is betting on Cyber AGI—and what that means for the future of securityLinks:Saket Modil on LinkedInSafe SecurityListen to this and more episodes on our YouTube channel!Check out Founder to Fortune website for all the latest! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.foundertofortune.org

Michael Raybman, former CTO of Hustle Fund and a founder whisperer, discusses the transformative power of AI-native tools and no-code platforms for aspiring tech entrepreneurs. He emphasizes how non-technical founders can accelerate their progress, showcasing a live demo of a working app built in minutes. The conversation highlights the changing landscape of hiring developers and the renewed value of product managers in the era of AI. Raybman offers valuable insights into navigating engineering team dynamics and scaling from prototypes to fully-fledged products.

What happens when two long-time product and engineering leaders—who once yelled at each other across the office—reunite on a podcast to decode the future of data and AI?In this episode, Vidya Raman hosts Anjan Kundavaram (CPO at Fivetran) and Chandler Hoisington (formerly CPO at EnterpriseDB and AWS exec) for a candid, behind-the-scenes conversation that spans:* Why the Lakehouse architecture is more than a buzzword—and how Iceberg is quietly winning the open standards race* Whether RAG, embeddings, and vector databases are already becoming yesterday’s news* What’s really holding enterprise AI adoption back (hint: it’s not just the models)* Why unstructured data is the new oil—and what most companies are missing* How the roles of PMs and engineers are being reshaped (but not replaced) by AIAnd a whole lot more—from the false promises of CI/CD for data to whether you’ll really need a vector DB six months from now. If you’re building, shipping, or leading in the age of intelligent infrastructure, this episode is one you won’t want to miss. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.foundertofortune.org

What happens when one of the world’s largest asset managers decides to think like a tech company? In this episode, Diwakar Goel, Global Head of Data at BlackRock, pulls back the curtain on how his team is orchestrating one of the most ambitious data transformations in the financial world.From powering global investments with a touchless analytics “green package,” to reimagining operations through a homegrown AI-infused task platform, Diwakar shares how data governance, privacy, and automation are embedded not as afterthoughts—but as design principles. You’ll hear how they balance speed and regulation, why operational excellence isn’t just grunt work anymore, and why he believes most AI projects need to start with something far less sexy: foundational data modeling.Oh, and did we mention he manages a 3,300-person org where 80% of operations are already fully automated?This is not your average CIO playbook.🔑 Topics Covered:* Why BlackRock treats data like code—and how it’s paying off* The surprising way AI is helping reduce employee churn in data ops* Why Diwakar prefers “boring” AI over “magical” AI* How a single-digit governance team handles massive compliance needs* What startups often get wrong when trying to sell to enterprises like BlackRock This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.foundertofortune.org

In this episode, we go inside the minds of two powerhouse CISOs—Rinki Sethi (Upwind, ex-Twitter, Rubrik, Bill.com) and Lucas Moody (Alteryx, ex-Palo Alto Networks)—as they unpack what it really takes to secure an enterprise in today’s world of AI, multi-cloud sprawl, and constant threat exposure.They talk candidly about:* The evolving role of the CISO—from reactive firewalls to boardroom influence* Why some vendors gain trust while others get ignored* The hidden complexity behind “simple” security practices like IAM* What early-stage founders consistently get wrong—and how to fix it* The parallel lessons from cloud, mobile, and now GenAI transformationsIf you’re building for the enterprise, selling to CISOs, or investing in cybersecurity, this is a blueprint you can’t afford to miss. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.foundertofortune.org

Pavi Ramamurthy, the Global CIO and CSO of Blackhawk Network, shares over 20 years of security expertise. He discusses balancing security risks with business goals, urging startup founders to foster genuine conversations with CISOs. Insights on the true costs of vendor switching reveal that perception is crucial, while the rise of shadow AI mimics earlier IT trends. Ramamurthy emphasizes the power of CISO communities, challenges of vendor selection, and why 'best-of-suite' often prevails in decision-making. His mantra? "Know your CISO!"