The Building Blocks Podcast

In this episode of Building Blocks, we sit down with Vivian Zheng, a product leader who has made waves at Snap, TikTok, and Databricks, and is now embarking on her own entrepreneurial journey. She shares her insights on building industry-leading products from the ground up, the nuances of achieving product-market fit, and the challenges of scaling two-sided marketplaces like TikTok's Branded Mission. Guest: Vivian Zheng LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vivian-zheng-931048122/ Connect with Daivik: https://bento.me/daivik Follow the Podcast: https://bento.me/thebbpod Topics: 0:00: Introduction 2:40: Vivian's journey into product management 6:15: Experience building Branded Mission at TikTok 12:30: Strategies for achieving product-market fit 18:45: Balancing advertiser control and creator incentives 24:00: Transitioning from TikTok to Databricks 29:15: The challenges of building a two-sided marketplace 35:30: Vivian's experience as a first-time founder 41:00: The impact of AI on entrepreneurship 46:15: Advice for aspiring entrepreneurs 51:35: Book Recommendation 53:00: Vivian's next steps and future plans #ProductManagement #Entrepreneurship #CreatorEconomy #StartupLife #TikTok #Databricks #BuildingBlocksPodcast #podcast

Join us for an enlightening episode with Arvind Radhakrishnan, Associate Director at WeWork Labs and founder of 21Dojo. Dive into his unique perspective on the startup ecosystem in India and uncover the strategies that have helped numerous startups secure funding and accelerate growth. Don't miss out on valuable insights into startup strategies, investment criteria, and the challenges of building a two-sided marketplace from someone who has successfully played both roles of founder and investor. Learn more about WeWork Labs: https://wework.co.in/labs/ Guest: Arvind Radhakrishnan LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/arvindrad/ Connect with Daivik: ⁠https://bento.me/daivik⁠ Follow the Podcast: ⁠https://bento.me/thebbpod⁠ Topics: 0:00: Introduction 1:30: Arvind's journey into the startup world 5:00: WeWork Labs' approach to evaluating startups 9:15: The WeWork Labs program and its four pillars 15:00: The unique characteristics of the Indian startup ecosystem 24:00: Strategies for startup scaling 30:30: The story behind 21Dojo and its 21 factors 38:00: How 21Dojo worked for both startups and investors 41:45: Building relationships with investors 44:15: The decision to sell 21Dojo 47:45: Promising sectors in the Indian startup ecosystem 51:35: Recommended books: Winning Middle India & Chip War 53:00: Arvind’s next steps and what to look forward to #startups #venturecapital #investment #incubators #WeWorkLabs #21Dojo #BuildingBlocksPodcast #podcast

Join us for an insightful episode with Utkarsh Sengar, Director of Engineering at WebFlow, as he delves into the experience of transforming website building with WebFlow. Uncover the strategies that propelled Webflow to dominate the market and explore how the platform navigates the line between no code and traditional coding functionalities. Don't miss out on valuable insights into AI startup growth strategies, as Utkarsh shares his perspectives on platform growth, addressing challenges in maintaining relevance for both B2B and B2C! Learn more about Webflow: https://webflow.com/ Guest: Utkarsh Sengar Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/utsengar/ Connect with Daivik: ⁠https://bento.me/daivik⁠ Follow the Podcast: ⁠https://bento.me/thebbpod⁠ Topics 0:00 - Intro 1:29 - What brought him into Product Building? 4:53 - How has decided what to pursue next? 8:38 - What does he think WebFlow did really well to get itself to this point, where it is the dominant player? 14:20 - How has WebFlow gone about retaining simplicity while allowing for true customization? 21:50 - How does WebFlow determine how deep to go? 28:40 - How does he think about ensuring the platform that the platform stays relevant to both B2C and B2B? 33:30 - Is there any fear that another company can come and build a competing platform that just focuses on one side? 41:00 - If he was doing an AI startup, how would he think about creating a growth strategy? 51:30 - Upwork's Growth Explained 49:23 - How has he transferred his skills into new products and companies? 58:38 - Wrapup #product #growth #nocode #tools #technology #productmanagement #BuildingBlocksPodcast #podcast

In this episode, we delve into the mind of Aayush Mudgal, a visionary in the realm of Machine Learning and AI. Currently spearheading Ads Ranking and Privacy Aware Conversion Modeling at Pinterest, Aayush shares his journey from an ML researcher to a tech leader at one of the most innovative social media platforms. We explore how Pinterest continues to revolutionize the way people discover things online and the evolving role of machine learning in ad targeting amidst growing privacy concerns. Aayush also sheds light on his experiences with computer vision at Netflix, his views on the future of General AI, and his venture into seed investing, focusing on Ad and EdTech startups. Guest: Ayush Mudgal Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aayushmudgal/ Connect with Daivik: ⁠https://bento.me/daivik ⁠Follow the Podcast: ⁠https://bento.me/thebbpod⁠ #productmanagement #AIInnovation #BuildingBlocksPodcast#AI #ML #data #syntheticdata #computervision #product #technology #startup #podcast #founders #productbuilding

Join us in a captivating episode with Aly Madhavji, Managing Partner at Blockchain Founders Fund, as we traverse the evolving landscapes of venture capital, blockchain, and AI. Aly, also a consultant with the United Nations and an author, unpacks his unique insights into crypto trends, investment strategies, and the future of Web3 and generative AI. Dive into a discussion rich with expertise and predictions about the next big waves in technology. Learn more about the Blockchain Founders fund: https://blockchainff.com Guest: Aly Madhavji Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alymadhavji/ Connect with Daivik: ⁠https://bento.me/daivik⁠ Follow the Podcast: ⁠https://bento.me/thebbpod⁠ #productmanagement #AIInnovation #BuildingBlocksPodcast#AI #ML #data #syntheticdata #computervision #product #technology #startup #podcast #founders #productbuilding

Join us as we sit down with Charles Gellman, CEO of Hido Health, to explore the groundbreaking work being done by his startup in using AI & robotics for patients. Discover how these cutting-edge technologies are transforming the way we deliver healthcare, empowering individuals to take charge of their own well-being. We explore the potential of AI robotics to revolutionize the healthcare landscape! Learn more about Hido Health: https://us.hidohealth.com/ Guest: Charless Gellman Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mshicgellman/ Connect with Daivik: ⁠https://bento.me/daivik⁠ Follow the Podcast: ⁠https://bento.me/thebbpod⁠ Use my special link https://zen.ai/_mMA3vhasMDPeC_bFTy-4aGDtb9c_viq5eHIDYEbXMM to save 30% off your first month of any Zencastr paid plan. #productmanagement #AIInnovation #BuildingBlocksPodcast#AI #ML #data #syntheticdata #computervision #product #technology #startup #podcast #founders #productbuilding

Veeraj is currently the Founder of Puzzl, a platform focused on letting companies manage their remote first workforce. Puzzl is backed by notable SF VC's and even at such a young age, Veeraj has already seen an exit as well as has been an angel investor in several high potential startups. Learn more about Puzzl: https://www.puzzl.app/ Guest: Veeraj Mehta LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/veerajm/ Connect with Daivik: ⁠https://bento.me/daivik⁠ Follow the Podcast: ⁠https://bento.me/thebbpod⁠ #productmanagement #AIInnovation #BuildingBlocksPodcast#AI #ML #data #syntheticdata #computervision #product #technology #startup #podcast #founders #productbuilding

Ido is currently the Director of Product at Datagen, a company focused on providing high-performance synthetic data, with a focus on data for human-centric computer vision applications In 2022, Datagen closed a 50 million dollar Series B funding round and has been working with clients across the world like Nvidia, Google, IBM and Intel. We dive deep into Ido's vast experience as a Product Manager and the nuances of using Synthetic Data to train AI models. We go through how Datagen goes about sourcing its data sets, how they go about curating their initial training set, how the evaluation of the AI models and the future of the platform. Learn more about Datagen: ⁠https://datagen.tech Guest: Ido Halevi LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ido-halevi-381603147/ Connect with Daivik: ⁠https://bento.me/daivik⁠ Follow the Podcast: ⁠https://bento.me/thebbpod⁠ Topics 0:00 - Intro 1:30 - What brought him into Product Management? 7:45 - Talking about Datagen 14:50 - Talking about the benefits of Synthetic Data 22:40 - How does Datagen source data for its own models? 26:05 - How does Datagen decide what features to let its customer control? 31:30 - How do they evaluate Synthetic Data Models? 37:09 - AI Startups 43:40 - Building the platform 47:40 - Wrapup ----- In the upcoming episode of our podcast, we're thrilled to host Ido, an industry leader in Product Management and currently the Director of Product at Datagen, a pioneering startup focused on providing high-performance synthetic data, with a special emphasis on data for human-centric computer vision applications. Ido's journey began at Intel as an Engineer before venturing into Product Management at Logz.io and then serving as a Senior PM at Explorium before finally joining Datagen. Outside of work, he actively mentors at Scale Up, an organization addressing human capital challenges in the hi-tech ecosystem, and also contributes to Max initiative, an educational impact entrepreneurship program. During the podcast, we'll delve into Ido's story, exploring what led him towards Product Management and how he has navigated his career decisions. We'll also discuss his invaluable experience building products at Datagen, a platform enabling users to generate synthetic data tailored for their machine learning models. We'll learn how Datagen addresses the critical role of data in model training, particularly in the challenging domain of Computer Vision. Ido will shed light on how they source data for their own models and the design considerations for their Neural Nets in generating realistic synthetic data. We'll explore the intricacies of evaluating GAN-based models and the compelling advantages of synthetic data over real-world data, from cost-effectiveness to mitigating bias. The future of Datagen's platform will be a focal point, as we'll uncover how they strike a balance between offering user control while maintaining a generalized self-serve platform. Ido will share some recommended reading and offer insights into the next steps for himself and Datagen. Don't miss this enlightening episode that unravels the wonders of synthetic data and its transformative potential in the world of AI! 🎧 #ProductManagement #AIInnovation #Datagen #BuildingBlocksPodcast #AI #ML #data #syntheticdata #computervision #product #technology #startup #podcast #founders #productbuilding

Sayantan is currently the GM at Nubank, a fintech company challenging the status quo to create a new generation of financial services in LATAM At Nubank he is leading their customer Experience Platform with over ~100 XFN reporting to him. They are building products and services used for all customer services needs for 70M+ global users and 10K+ support agents. We delve into his vast experience in building technology for companies like Pinterest, Facebook and Twitter. We discuss how he thinks about building products in Fintech, how he thinks about product innovation and his time building funnels for ads within social media platforms. Learn more about Nubank: https://nubank.com.br/en/ Guest: Sayantan Mukhopadhyay LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sayantanmukhopadhyay/ Connect with Daivik: https://bento.me/daivik Follow the Podcast: https://bento.me/thebbpod Topics 0:00 - Intro 1:35 - What brought him into Product Building? 10:45 - How has decided what to pursue next? 21:28 - What set Nubank apart? 33:20 - How do you build products in different verticals at the same time? 37:30 - How do you choose what to keep that has worked and where to innovate? 49:23 - How has he transferred his skills into new products and companies? 57:30 - What trends shaped advertising? 1:07:49 - Wrapup ----- Sayantan, the current General Manager of Nubank, is a seasoned professional with a remarkable journey in the tech industry. He kickstarted his career as a Software Engineer and Consultant at Accenture before venturing into Data Science and Business Analyst roles at Twitter. His tenure at Twitter witnessed him taking on various key responsibilities, starting as a DS/Analyst for Global Ops, later advancing to become the head of sales analytics, and ultimately transitioning into a Product Manager for both their Internal Tools and Core Ads teams. Moving on to Pinterest, Sayantan assumed the role of Product Lead for their Ads Delivery Team, showcasing his diverse expertise. His journey continued to flourish as he made his way to Facebook, leading their Market Dynamics team with precision. Eventually, he joined Nubank as a Product Director, contributing to the company's vision of revolutionizing financial services in Latin America. Beyond his professional achievements, Sayantan shares his knowledge and experience as a guest lecturer at the Product School and fulfills a mentoring role at Fast Track, nurturing the next generation of talents in the industry. #nubank #product #technology #LATAM #fintech #startup #podcast #founders #productbuilding

This week, I had the pleasure of having David E. Weekly, the Head of The Capital One Lab, on the podcast. We delve into his vast experience in building technology for startups, mid-sized companies, and international corporations. We discuss how he identifies problems that need to be solved, sets up a groundwork for products to ensure scalability and success, and achieves product-market fit. David also shared his thoughts on balancing innovation while ensuring cohesion between products, fostering environments that encourage innovation, and transferring skills and past experience to new products in different domains. We also touched on his experience in bringing connectivity to developing markets and how entrepreneurs in these countries can compete on a global level. Learn more about The Capital One Lab: https://www.thecapitalonelab.comGuest: David E. WeeklyLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dweekly/Twitter: https://twitter.com/dweeklyConnect with Daivik: https://bento.me/daivikFollow the Podcast: https://bento.me/thebbpodTopics0:00 - Intro1:51 - What brought him into Entrepreneurship?4:20 - How has decided what to pursue next? 10:59 - What was the motive behind joining The Capital One Lab?13:31 - How has he identified problems worth solving? 17:49 - How do you make things that are scalable? 21:35 - The rise of new technology all over the world25:40 - How does David make time to do all the things he does?29:05 - Wrapup-----David E. Weekly is the head of The Capital One Lab, leading engineers, product managers, designers, and strategists focused on exploring the intersection of emerging technology and finance. He is also a seasoned technical product executive with 30 years of experience building technology for startups of his own creation, mid-sized companies, and international publicly-traded corporations.David has served as an angel investor and built and run commercial research teams for Google and Meta’s predecessor, Facebook. He brings a global perspective from a range of diverse experiences across the planet. Earlier in his career, he formed a high performing seed-stage fund backing entrepreneurs from Mexico. In Africa, he worked with the Tunisian government on connectivity, witnessed fiber trenching in Uganda, and taught elementary school students about technology in Ghana. On the continent of Asia, he reported for the Korean press and climbed mountains in northern India to support hilltop community wireless networks. He is a certified PADI Rescue Scuba Diver, a certificated private rotorcraft (helicopter) and instrument-rated fixed-wing pilot, and a Part 107 licensed commercial drone operator. David received his Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from Stanford University.