In this episode of Scaler Pod, we have Shiva Chinnasamy, Vice President of Engineering at Rippling. He unravels his illustrious career and gains valuable insights from his experiences at major tech giants such as Amazon, Google, Target, and more. Also, he explains about Rippling, a workplace management SaaS company and explains how their team is organised, the challenges they have while hiring and the importance of being adaptive in times when AI tools like ChatGPT and GitHub Copilot are gaining popularity. Shiva takes us on a deep dive into his leadership roles in diverse domains like eCommerce, Retail, Search, and Performance Advertisements. He shares intriguing stories and pivotal moments that shaped his journey, providing a unique perspective on the challenges and triumphs he encountered along the way. As the conversation unfolds, Shiva enlightens us about Rippling, a prominent workforce management SaaS company. He delves into the company's origins, shedding light on what intrigued him about the founder's vision and the pivotal reasons that led him to join Rippling. He also touches upon the B2B hurdles for engineers and also about their Billboard Advertisement campaign 'Engineers Run Rippling' that helped them get visibility and brand recognition. Through his firsthand experiences, Shiva offers valuable insights into the tech culture and organizational structure at Rippling, highlighting the company's commitment to maintaining a high hiring bar and the diamond shape structure that they have internally. He explains why Rippling primarily seeks out principal or staff engineers, emphasizing the value of exceptional talent in driving innovation and maintaining industry leadership. Furthermore, Shiva touches upon the ever-growing AI boom and its impact on the tech industry. He shares his perspectives on how individuals can prepare themselves for this transformative wave of technology, emphasizing the importance of adaptability and a growth mindset. Also, check out other Scaler Pod Episodes: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLhBy6YSIT0DjPC-a9j-Alz21GHOjzrVe Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 00:20 Day in His Life at Work 03:45 His Journey and Tech Career (Amazon, Google, Target and more) 08:30 Becoming Manager, Building team and analysing Maxima - Minima 13:30 His Experiences at Amazon and AWS 18:27 Setting up Ads for Amazon, Problem Statement and advice from Jeff Bezos 21:56 Moving back to India and joining Amazon India Team 26:01 Working at Target, Massive Spends and Scale 32:58 Being Technology Director at Tesco 34:26 His Attempt to do a Startup 35:56 His learnings from Google & leading engineering for Gpay 40:14 Why he joined Rippling and Rippling's Idea? 44:54 SaaS, HRIS Systems and Issues 47:54 Rillping Architecture, Product Offerings and Flow 52:39 Tackling Regulations, Payroll and Client Centricity 57:14 Aligning Engineers with Business Logic and Regulatory Complexations 01:01:26 Engineering Challenges at Rippling and Managing Scale 01:05:30 Optimising for Cost and Managing Bandwidth for Engineers 01:10:46 B2B Challenges for Engineers and How rippling deals with it 01:14:56 How to adapt as a Builder & Amozon's Research Case Study 01:20:00 Different Management Styles and Managers 01:24:59 Advise for Team Leaders 01:26:58 Tech Culture at Rippling, Org Complexity and growth opportunities 01:31:02 Onboarding/ Hiring at Rippling and Employee Cycle 01:34:14 Hiring Challenges, Staff Engineers and Effect of Rippling's Billboard Campaign 01:37:05 Being Adaptive and on AI Boom ( ChatGPT, GitHub Copilot) 01:41:55 Outro #Amazon #Google #Scalerpod #rippling #scaler #podcast #scaleracademy

In this episode of Scaler Pod, we have Siddharth Sharma, former CTO of Shaadi.com, he delves into the critical topics of burnout, the significance of taking breaks, the ever-evolving world of engineering management and much more. With his extensive experience in building and managing teams, as well as overseeing systems at various scales, Siddharth provides valuable insights and practical advice for professionals seeking balance, growth, and success in their careers. Siddharth shares his personal journey and explores the importance of preventing burnout and the detrimental impact it can have on individuals and organizations. He discusses the signs and symptoms of burnout, identifies the underlying causes, and offers effective strategies for coping and recovering from this pervasive issue. Also, offering guidance on building resilience, setting boundaries, and cultivating a healthy work-life integration. As an accomplished engineering leader, Siddharth also sheds light on the role of managers in organizations. He demystifies the complexities of engineering management, emphasizing the crucial skills needed to effectively lead and motivate teams. Siddharth shares valuable tips on navigating office politics, negotiating effectively, and fostering a collaborative work environment. Through engaging anecdotes and storytelling techniques, he demonstrates how communication and empathy can help individuals thrive amidst organizational challenges. Whether you're an aspiring professional, a seasoned manager, or intrigued by the intersection of technology and human experiences, this episode of Scaler Pod provides a wealth of knowledge and inspiration. Tune in to gain a fresh perspective on burnout, breaks, tech leadership, and more. Also, check out other Scaler Pod Episodes: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLL... Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 00:32 Day in his Life during Sabbatical and His Newsletter 03:25 His Tech Journey and Early Career as Investment Banker 08:43 Building Smartbus Startup rBus and Learnings 13:43 His Role at Shaadi.com as CTO & interaction with Anupam Mittal 17:24 Emotional Connect of Shaadi.com among Indians 19:46 Experiences at InVideo and Browser-based Apps 25:12 How to know you are Burnt out and its possible effects? 31:51 When to get back from a Sabbatical / Break? 35:48 How to Prevent Getting Burnt Out? 39:57 Company Culture and Core of Tech Leadership 45:05 Flexible Work Environment and Pleasure-Driven Development 47:12 Role of Managers and Essence of Engineering Management 52:33 Transition from IC to EM 57:24 Becoming an Engineer Manager and Understanding the Career Ladder 1:02:03 Scaler's Impact and Traditional Indian Mindset 1:05:33 Politics at Workplace and Dealing with it 1:10:15 Negotiating, Storytelling and Building Narratives 1:14:50 Hiring Process and Finding the Right Fit 1:18:05 Importance of QA, Presentation and Attention 1:23:30 Shaadi.com Android App Revamp Story 1:27:20 Organization Physiology and Building Quality Muscle 1:32:23 Becoming Better Managers and Executing Seamlessly 1:37:29 Generative AI, ChatGPT and Does this Affect Engineers? 1:41:50 Outro #Burnout #Startups #workplaceploitics #scaler #edtech #tecnology #shaadicom #podcast #enginnering

In this episode of Scaler Pod, we have Ranjan Sakalley, who takes us on a captivating journey through the world of tech leadership and team management. With over two decades of industry experience, including stints at esteemed tech giants like ThoughtWorks, Gojek, and as the former CTO of Vedantu, Ranjan brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to this insightful podcast. He delves into various facets of tech leadership, sharing invaluable insights gained from his extensive career. Drawing from real-world examples, he offers practical strategies and actionable advice to help CTOs and tech teams scale and grow effectively. Also, he discusses the art of scaling, revealing the key factors that contribute to successful growth and expansion. From hiring strategies to fostering a positive work culture, he dives deep into the intricacies of building high-performing teams. With his experience at ThoughtWorks, Ranjan sheds light on the benefits and best practices of pair programming, an approach that fosters collaboration and knowledge sharing among developers. Additionally, he provides guidance on onboarding new team members smoothly, enabling them to quickly contribute and thrive within the organization. Cost management is another crucial aspect that Ranjan explores, offering insights into effective budgeting and resource allocation. He demystifies the role of a CTO or manager, shedding light on their responsibilities and how they can drive productivity and increase efficiency within their teams. Ranjan shares his perspectives on organizational structures and how they impact team dynamics and success. He offers valuable advice on navigating challenges associated with growth, addressing common pitfalls, and fostering an environment that promotes continuous learning and adaptability. Also, check out other Scaler Pod Episodes: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLhBy6YSIT0DjPC-a9j-Alz21GHOjzrVe Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 00:25 Day in his Life during Sabbatical 01:48 His Journey - ThoughtWorks, Gojek and more 05:56 ThoughtWorks Culture, Tech Team and Scientific Temper 12:17 Explaining Benefits of ThoughtWork's Pair Programming 16:17 Long Term vs Short Term View 19:07 Arnav's Insights from Zomato, Reviews and Managing Effectively 23:41 Breaking Down Scaling and Team Growth 28:53 Best Practices for Onboarding New People in Team 33:57 Building Trust with New Joiners 36:29 Micro Management and Handling Fires 41:50 Role of CTO/ Top Leadership in a Company 49:15 Failure Rate, Team Structure and PODs 54:52 Organization Design and Defining Objectives 01:01:47 Constructive Mentoring and Managing 01:05:54 Emphasising over Security and its Importance 01:08:38 Product Engineering, Managing Cost and Team Productivity 01:15:38 Decision-Making Framework and Risk Analysis 01:19:07 Observability Measures and Preventing Productivity Falls 01:23:07 Individual Growth, Setting Goals and Managing Time 01:28:50 Measuring Productivity/ Efficiency and Advise for Managers 01:33:12 Journey from Individual Contributor(IC) to Manager 01:37:11 Cross-Organization Culture 01:42:00 Issues with Middle Management and Functional Setup 01:43:48 Parting Note #ScalerPod #RanjanSakalley #Tech #Management #Leadership #timemanagement #Scaler #ArnavGupta

In this episode of Scaler Pod, we have Hardik Shah, VP, Engineering, CleverTap and Darshan Pania, Associate Director, SDK Engineering, CleverTap. They delve into the fascinating world of handling millions of users and take us behind the scenes of managing scale during events like the IPL (Indian Premier League), catering to leading platforms such as Dream11, MPL, Jio, and many more by delivering real-time omnichannel experiences. Darshan and Hardik explore the core aspects of CleverTap's capabilities, focusing on their proprietary database, TesseractDB™. They explain how TesseractDB™ plays a pivotal role in efficiently managing vast amounts of data, enabling CleverTap to deliver personalized and contextual user experiences in real time across multiple channels. They explore the significance of hyper-personalization, behavioural analytics, and AI-driven automation in enhancing user engagement and maximizing ROI. Also, discussing the challenges faced and the cutting-edge solutions deployed to ensure seamless user experiences during high-traffic events like the IPL. Darshan deep dive into the SDK, discussing how it acts as the bridge between CleverTap's platform and mobile applications, enabling the collection of valuable user data and facilitating real-time interactions. They explain the intricacies of integrating the SDK into various mobile platforms, discussing best practices and tips for optimizing performance and data accuracy. They discuss the architecture and technologies employed to handle millions of concurrent users, ensuring high availability, low latency, and efficient data processing. Hardik touches upon topics from load balancing to horizontal scalability, providing insights about the backend systems that make real-time omnichannel experiences possible. ScalerPod by Scaler is a one-of-a-kind podcast for engineers and tech enthusiasts. Our host Arnav Gupta talks to the leaders of the biggest tech companies from India and around the globe about the software engineering challenges they are solving and the products they are building for scale! Also, check out other Scaler Pod Episodes: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLhBy6YSIT0DjPC-a9j-Alz21GHOjzrVe Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 00:29 Day in their Life 02:12 How Darshan got into CleverTap and SDK Engineering 06:12 Hardik's Tech Journey 08:19 CleverTap's Processing Bandwidth and IPL Season 09:57 Handling Millions of Users during IPL and Challenges 14:38 Preparing and Testing for Massive Scale 18:32 Managing Realtime Data at CleverTap 22:52 User Profile Customizations, Omnichannel Experience and Retention 25:37 Storing Data at Scale, Analysis and CleverTap's Optimisations 30:09 Bridging between SDK and Backend 34:37 Handling Delay and Processing Realtime Data 35:38 Insuring Data Uptimes during events like IPL 37:52 Building their own Proprietary Database - TesseractDB™ 42:52 Migrations and Downtimes 46:22 SDK Migrations, Updates and Challenges 48:16 Android X and Scheduling for Scale 54:09 Hiring at CleverTap and Onboarding Journey 1:01:23 Workflows for SDK Development 1:02:54 CleverTap's Plans around AI and ChatGPT 1:03:44 Outro #IPL #Dream11 #IPL2023 #CleverTap #Scaler

In this episode of Scaler Pod, we have Rajiv Srivatsa, Partner/Investor, Antler. He walks us through the world of venture capital, building successful startups, funding and more. Check all other episodes: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLhBy6YSIT0DjPC-a9j-Alz21GHOjzrVe Rajiv Srivatsa has around 20 years of experience in the technology industry, creating scalable businesses and products in the B2C tech, mobile, supply chain, and retail sectors. Currently, he is leading the deployment and operations of the global early-stage VC firm Antler in India. Prior to this, he co-founded Urban Ladder, India's top omnichannel brand for furniture. He starts off by explaining what exactly Venture Capital (VC) is and the important role they play in the startup ecosystem. He talks about the different types of VC funding and what startups should consider when seeking investment. Also, telling about his journey from founder to VC as well as the processes he goes through each day. 👉🏽If you are a tech leader, engineer or coder looking to become a founder, check out the Antler Residency: antler.co/india-residency 👉🏽Learn more about Antler: antler.co/india Rajiv also discusses the key factors that entrepreneurs should consider when starting a company, including when to start, how to get started, and how to choose the right co-founder. He shares some valuable tips and strategies for building a successful startup, including the importance of product-market fit, customer acquisition, and scalability. In addition, he offers advice for those who are considering making the shift from a traditional job to starting their own company. He shares his thoughts on the challenges and rewards of being a tech founder, and how to navigate the unique opportunities and obstacles that come with building a technology-driven startup. Lastly, he also touches upon the future of startups in India and how they can help boost the economy. Whether you are an aspiring entrepreneur, a seasoned startup founder, or just interested in the world of venture capital and entrepreneurship, this episode is packed with valuable insights and practical advice that you won't want to miss. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction - Rajiv Srivatsa, Partner, Antler 01:04 A Day in the Life of a Venture Capitalist(VC) 04:51 His Journey from Job - Founder - VC 13:38 Who is a Venture Capitalist (VC) and what does a VC do? 16:41 How do VC and firms like Antler, Y Combinator Operate? 25:07 Importance of VC and Startups in India 28:02 When you should Startup and how to raise Funding? 32:40 Is a co-founder needed to Startup? 34:48 Converting an Idea into a Startup 38:19 How can one make Shift from a Job to becoming a Founder? 45:12 Engineers, finding a problem and building products 47:03 Different Programs that Antler Offers(Fellowship, Residency, etc) and Choosing a VC 56:50 How to Choose the Best Investor for a Startup? 1:02:00 Choosing an Idea for a Startup and Advice for Tech Co-founders 1:07:29 Importance of Credibility and moving from IC, EM to Founder roles 1:12:59 Thoughts on common risks associated with doing Startup (Career Map explained) 1:23:23 Future Scope of Startups in India #Startups #VentureCapital #ScalerPod #Antler

In this episode of Scaler Pod, we have Rahul Chari, Founder and CTO, PhonePe. We explore the driving forces behind PhonePe's success and its pivotal role in shaping UPI's growth and adoption. Also, unveiling the origins of UPI, the challenges faced during its implementation, and how PhonePe has played a significant role in India's Digital Payments Revolution. Rahul has over two decades of experience in embedded systems, enterprise software development, e-commerce platforms, and mobile applications. Prior to PhonePe, he was the VP of Engineering at Flipkart, where he was in charge of developing the best-in-class e-commerce logistics supply chain system. He talks about his entrepreneurial journey, learnings from Flipkart days and the idea behind PhonePe. He deep down on being mobile native and what challenges they face in managing scale, millions of transitions and regulations that arise for fintech platforms. Great watch for everyone who wanted to understand the UPI ecosystem and PhonePe's case study. Rahul also shares about the work culture at PhonePe, expanding in new markets, innovations that they plan and the qualities of a great software engineer. He also talks about the user life cycle, design principles and other verticals like insurance, investment, bill payments etc in which PhonePe is expanding to create the impact in driving UPI's popularity by offering a user-friendly and intuitive platform that integrates seamlessly with the UPI ecosystem for digital payments. ScalerPod by Scaler is a one-of-a-kind podcast for engineers and tech enthusiasts. Our host Arnav Gupta talks to the leaders of the biggest tech companies from India and around the globe about the software engineering challenges they are solving and the products they are building for scale! Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 00:27 A Day in His Life 04:20 His Journey - College Days to PhonePe 11:09 Music Streaming, Flipkart's Flyte and Retro Talks 17:23 Being VP of Engineering at Flipkart(Ekart), Logistics and his Learnings 20:01 Idea Behind PhonePe and How PhonePe Started? 23:33 On Phonepe's acquisition by Flipkart 26:38 Early Days of UPI and Digital Payments in India 32:38 PhonePe's Tech Stack and Choices 38:54 On being Mobile Native and Managing User Interactions 41:35 Decoding Digital Payments, UPI and Future Ahead 47:56 Understanding PhonePe Wallet 51:33 Handling Scale, Mobile App and Innovations 58:23 Thoughts on Cross-Platform Integrations 1:00:36 Organisation Structure, Pods and Qualities of Great Engineers 1:06:33 Regulatory Issues and How PhonePe tackle these Challenges 1:14:18 Onboarding Rituals at PhonePe and PhonePe University 1:17:38 Will PhonePe become a Bank? 1:21:58 Opportunities for Digital Payment Platforms 1:25:21 AI in Fintech and Thoughts on ChatGPT 1:28:09 Outro #PhonePe #UPI #Fintech #Scaler #ScalerPod

Welcome to ScalerPod by Scaler where our host Arnav talks to the leaders of the biggest tech companies from India about software engineering challenges they are solving! In this episode, we have Vikram Verma, Senior Vice President(SVP) Engineering, Yubi(formerly CredAvenue). He shares about his journey from working with tech giants like Oracle, Yahoo! and then shifting to startups and fintech. At Yubi - India's Fastest Growing Fintech Unicorn, Vikram is helping to redefine the Indian finance markets by building a Unified Debt Marketplace, which is aimed at freeing the flow of finance between borrowers, lenders, and investors. He also talks about the challenges associated with SME lending, loans, and the technology required to manage scale, security, and efficiency while working with multiple banks and partners. He shares valuable insights into the fintech industry, startups, and the importance of soft skills like documentation, purpose, and communication. Furthermore, Vikram shares his views on the banking and lending market in India and what the future holds with more innovations happening in these sectors. This episode, SCALER POD 13 is a must-watch for anyone looking to understand more about fintech, startups, and the importance of soft skills for engineers in the ever-evolving world of technology and finance. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 00:26 A Day in His Life 04:12 Journey and Early Days 10:25 Working at Oracle and His Learnings 14:50 Being with Yahoo! Search Team and Managing Scale 23:25 Introduction to Fintech, Startups and CredAvenue 39:32 About Yubi - India's Fastest-Growing Fintech Unicorn 50:38 Tech Challenges, Efficiency and Prioritising Security 57:21 Working with Banks and How the Indian Finance Sector is Evolving 01:06:23 How to choose Tech as an early-stage startup 01:11:37 Yubi's Tech Choices and Stack 01:17:01 Managing Teams Internally and the Importance of Common Purpose 01:24:55 Learning Opportunities, Culture and Growing Alongside 01:29:49 Understanding Soft Skills - Communication, Documentation, etc 01:38:41 Future of Fintech 01:46:32 Outro #Fintech #Scaler #Startups #Yubi

In this episode of Scaler Pod, we have Sanjeev Barnwal, the Founder and CTO of Meesho - India’s True E-commerce Marketplace. An Electrical Engineering graduate from the Indian Institute of Technology(IIT) Delhi, Sanjeev worked as a software engineer with Sony, contributing to the camera technology for DSLRs and Sony Mobile. He takes us through his journey as an entrepreneur and the challenges he faced in building Meesho from scratch. Under Sanjeev’s leadership, they have created a simple yet robust tech stack to handle scale and give users a seamless shopping experience across the country. Sanjeev shares his thoughts on the importance of user empathy and how Meesho is using the social commerce boom to target the right set of audiences for delivering millions of requests per day. Also, he highlights the mega sales and what preparation it takes to get the platform ready for handling scale and maintain a loyal customer base by prioritizing customer satisfaction. ScalerPod by Scaler is a one-of-a-kind podcast for engineers and tech enthusiasts. Our host Arnav Gupta talks to the leaders of the biggest tech companies from India and around the globe about the software engineering challenges they are solving and the products they are building for scale! #meesho #socialcommerce #ScalerPod #Podcast #Scaler #ArnavGupta #meeshoshopping #ecommerce Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 00:23 Day in his life as Meesho's CTO and Founder 04:10 Connecting with Team and Involvement in Core Tech 06:57 His Journey from IIT to Japan 12:43 Arnav's thoughts on taking Electrical Engineering 15:48 Decoding Software vs Hardware and his learnings from Sony 21:00 Starting Fashnear and Meesho's early days 24:32 The Social Commerce Trend 26:43 Integrating with platforms like WhatsApp, Facebook etc and challenges 29:15 User Empathy and Meesho's Listen or Die(LoD) Ritual 32:25 Meesho's tech stack to handle scale and diversification 38:11 Various Tech Challenges while scaling 41:22 Importance of keeping things simple 43:33 Perf Testing, Sales and Distributed ownership 46:32 Preparing for Mega Sales and handling Traffic 53:47 Data Engineering and its Uses at Meesho 58:04 organising teams and understanding the Pods structure 1:02:09 Future Plans for Meesho and the Use of AI for better predictions 1:04:45 Advice for Young Engineers 1:07:01 Outro

In this episode, our host Arnav Gupta is in talks with Srikanth Varma Chekuri who is the co-founder of Applied AI and Applied Roots. He is a highly accomplished professional with over 13 years of experience in the field of AI and Machine Learning. Currently, he leads the DS/ML vertical at Scaler and is dedicated to empowering every student with the best results. Srikanth has also worked as a Senior Machine Learning Scientist at Amazon in both Palo Alto and Bangalore, where he played a key role in developing cutting-edge AI technologies. In addition, he is a Co-Founder of Matherix Labs, where he works to advance the field of AI and Machine Learning through innovative research and development. Srikanth began his career as a Research Engineer at Yahoo Labs, where he gained valuable experience working with some of the brightest minds in the industry. He holds a Masters from IISc Bangalore and achieved an impressive GATE AIR 2 ranking in 2007. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 0:30 Day in the life of Srikanth 03:55 His journey, college and Gate AIR 2 08:37 Getting into Yahoo and his early startup 11:52 Experiences and learnings at Amazon as a Machine learning Scientist 17:07 Starting ed-tech startup Applied Roots 22:45 What is the daily job of a Data Scientist? 28:49 Understanding the need for Data and Problem-Solving Approach 31:21 Arnav's story about a Data Scientist 37:01 Case studies and practical-based learning 40:47 Possible roles in the Data Science field explained 48:39 Different domains of work in DS/ML 51:37 Interview Process for DS, ML jobs 55:21 Tools required for getting started in DSML 58:57 Understanding the Math part of Data Science 1:07:18 Can someone from Non-tech transition and scope ahead in DS, ML 1:08:50 Advice for upcoming Data Science Startups 1:15:07 His take on the future of AI, ChatGPT, and ML 1:22:36 Outro 

A conversation with Arpit Bhayani about his journey in big tech companies, creating a programming language for kids, and teaching system design. They discuss the importance of understanding core engineering, exploring ongoing tech trends like AI/AR, and the need to develop a curious mindset. Topics include managing teams, shifting from IC to people management, and the evolution of data platforms in company growth.