Beyond Coding
Patrick Akil
Beyond Coding is a weekly podcast with conversations that go "beyond coding" in a fireside chat format.
Common topics are tech, entrepreneurship, and career journeys.
Authentic, informative and inspiring. That's the aim for each episode.
New episodes every Wednesday 🎙
Common topics are tech, entrepreneurship, and career journeys.
Authentic, informative and inspiring. That's the aim for each episode.
New episodes every Wednesday 🎙
Episodes
Mentioned books
Jul 31, 2025 • 46min
Tech Founder: From 0 to 15 Million Users. Here's What We Learned
Maximiliano Neustadt, CTO and co-founder of Polarsteps, shares the incredible journey of building a travel app from 5 people to over 15 million users. From surviving as a travel company during the worst possible timing to scaling without hustle culture, Maxi reveals the key decisions, hiring practices, and leadership lessons that drove their success. Learn how they built strong company values, made tough product choices, and why they spend a full day with every hiring candidate as part of the interview.Connect with Maximiliano Neustadt:https://www.linkedin.com/in/maximiliano-neustadt-90137b2Full episode on YouTube ▶️https://youtu.be/3ZLmpggjcUYBeyond Coding Podcast with 🎙Patrick AkilPowered by Xebia!!OUTLINE00:00:00 - Introducing Maximiliano Neustadt, CTO of Polarsteps00:00:46 - The founding story of Polarsteps00:03:21 - The early days and first key hires00:05:48 - The unique Polarsteps hiring process00:15:15 - Transitioning from CTO to CEO during COVID-1900:19:37 - Rejecting startup hustle culture00:22:51 - Balancing employee freedom and company direction00:29:05 - Polarsteps' five core company values00:33:04 - Balancing user data and intuition in decision making00:38:24 - The approach to adopting new tech like AI00:44:13 - How Polarsteps fosters innovation
Jul 24, 2025 • 51min
Software Engineering Went From Hacker Culture to...
Pauline Vos, a Senior Software Engineer at MongoDB, shares insights on how software culture has transformed from its rebellious hacker roots to a commercial orientation. She highlights the political nature of open source and recalls the idealism of the early web. Pauline discusses challenges faced by modern engineers in the structured DevOps era and the importance of empathy in tech problem-solving. Join the conversation on decentralized web practices, and discover where true hacker culture thrives, from hacker camps to creative competitions.
Jul 16, 2025 • 49min
Search Is In Everything You Build (And You Probably Don't Know It)
Search is just about Google? Think again. In this conversation with Pratim Bhosale (Senior Developer Experience Engineer at Treblle), we discuss how search technology secretly powers nearly every app you use daily.What we discuss:- Why Netflix recommendations are actually reverse search- How dating app swipes and e-commerce filters are sophisticated search in disguise- The evolution from keyword matching to semantic understanding- Why JavaScript developers are writing the most insecure code (surprising data)- How AI is changing what brings developers joy- The authenticity crisis in tech content (and why Pratim blocks AI-generated responses)Key takeaways:- Every filter, recommendation, and personalization feature you build involves search- Modern search goes way beyond text - it's about context, location, and intent- The developer experience is fundamentally changing with AI tools🔔 Subscribe for more Beyond Coding episodes💬 What hidden search problems have you discovered in your projects?Connect with Pratim: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bhosalepratimhttps://x.com/BhosalePratimFull episode on YouTube ▶️https://youtu.be/X4CxFXTpcBQBeyond Coding Podcast with 🎙Patrick AkilPowered by Xebia!!OUTLINE00:00:00 - The Evolving Magic of Search00:03:28 - From Physical Files to Contextual AI00:05:00 - Why All Developers Should Care About Search00:08:28 - Unlocking New Possibilities with Hybrid Search00:12:40 - The Developer Advocate's Dilemma: Depth vs. Breadth00:15:05 - The Joy of Fast Feedback in Backend Development00:18:01 - How AI is Reshaping Creativity and Joy00:21:17 - AI's Impact on Code Generation and Security00:24:57 - Programming Languages and Code Quality00:29:05 - Picking Up New Languages in the Age of AI00:33:12 - The Rise of AI-Generated Content on Social Media00:38:52 - When to Use AI in Your Content Creation00:42:15 - Why Empathy is The Most Valuable Skill for the Future00:45:52 - The Future Value of Human Experiences
Jul 9, 2025 • 41min
Inside VEED’s AI Product Strategy: Speed, Scale, and User Feedback with Samuel Beek
Samuel Beek, Chief Product Officer at VEED, joins me to share how their team ships AI-powered features in days, not months.We explore VEED’s product strategy, how they stay close to users, and what it really takes to build fast without breaking things. If you're building with AI or working in product, this episode is packed with useful takeaways.Topics include:Shipping AI features at startup speedEmbedding user feedback into product decisionsBuilding for scale and testing fastBalancing innovation and executionConnect with Samuel Beek:https://samuelbeek.comhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/samuelbeekFull episode on YouTube ▶️https://youtu.be/UgFbZhWCrGcBeyond Coding Podcast with 🎙Patrick AkilPowered by Xebia!!
Jul 4, 2025 • 41min
From AI Hype to Real-World Results! Getting AI into Production with Sohrab Hosseini
How do you cut through the AI hype and successfully deploy AI products at scale?In this episode, Sohrab Hosseini (co-founder of Orq) shares practical insights into overcoming common challenges of AI production: model hallucinations, cost management, maintaining observability, and scalability. Discover the realities of putting AI into practice and learn what truly matters for achieving real-world results.Essential listening for anyone looking to deploy AI effectively and sustainably. 🎧Connect with Sohrab Hosseini:https://www.linkedin.com/in/sohrabhosseiniFull episode on YouTube ▶️https://youtu.be/WKySqx2OPhQBeyond Coding Podcast with 🎙Patrick AkilPowered by Xebia!!
Jun 25, 2025 • 20min
Why We're Excited About React Compiler (React Compiler Explained) with Lydia Hallie
This was a special episode, recorded at React Summit in Amsterdam! Curious to hear your feedback! The next edition of the biggest React conference will be in New York, on November 18 & 21, and Early Bird tickets are out if you're interested: https://reactsummit.us/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=beyondcodingThe utm tags are only to gauge interest :)I really enjoyed the conference and might see you there if you're going! Excited about the lineup as well: Addy Osmani (Google), Shaundai Person (Netflix), Ken Wheeler (REDACTED), and more.Connect with Lydia:https://www.lydiahallie.iohttps://www.linkedin.com/in/lydia-halliehttps://x.com/lydiahallieFull episode on YouTube ▶️https://youtu.be/yKCWzWSwAK0Beyond Coding Podcast with 🎙Patrick AkilPowered by Xebia!!
Jun 18, 2025 • 56min
AI in Software Engineering: Productivity, Pitfalls, and Practical Advice with Stacy Cashmore
Is AI a productivity tool or a dangerous shortcut for developers?In this episode, Stacy Cashmore, Product Lead at OmniPlan, joins us to discuss the practical realities of integrating AI into software engineering. Stacy shares real-world insights from developing AI-driven products, highlighting both the powerful benefits and significant pitfalls developers face when using tools like Claude and GitHub Copilot.Key topics include:✅ Practical lessons from building and launching AI products.✅ How AI can both improve and hinder developer productivity.✅ Critical considerations for ensuring maintainable, high-quality code when using AI.✅ The balance between automated productivity and intellectual growth in software development.Essential listening for developers and tech leaders who want to leverage AI effectively while avoiding common pitfalls. 🎧Connect with Stacy Cashmore:https://www.linkedin.com/in/stacycashhttps://www.stacy-clouds.netFull episode on YouTube ▶️https://youtu.be/Lwnkjqrzi6gBeyond Coding Podcast with 🎙Patrick AkilPowered by Xebia!!
Jun 11, 2025 • 1h 13min
The Identity Crisis of Software Engineers in the Age of AI with Borislav Nikolov & Rares Mirica
AI is reshaping software engineering—but are developers getting better or worse?In this episode, Borislav Nikolov and Rares Mirica join me to discuss the identity crisis facing software engineers due to AI-driven tools. We explore the balance between increased productivity and potential intellectual decline, and what developers can do to stay ahead in a rapidly changing field.Topics include:✅ Pros and cons of relying on AI tools in coding.✅ The importance of maintaining critical thinking skills as a software engineer.✅ Real-world examples of AI’s impact on productivity and software quality.Tune in to understand the challenges and opportunities AI brings to software engineering and discover how to adapt effectively. 🎧Connect with Rares Mirica:https://www.linkedin.com/in/raresmiricaConnect with Borislav Nikolov:https://www.linkedin.com/in/borislav-nikolov-328ba221aFull episode on YouTube ▶️https://youtu.be/RO--t77O4HEBeyond Coding Podcast with 🎙Patrick AkilPowered by Xebia!!
Jun 4, 2025 • 41min
Can AI Really Replace Human Customer Support?
In this episode, Dennis de Reus, co-founder of Stellar and former Head of AI at ABN Amro, reveals how AI-driven voice technology is redefining customer interactions. We discuss practical experiences, real customer feedback, and the capabilities of AI compared to human support agents.Topics include:✅ How Stellar uses AI to improve customer support experiences.✅ Real-world scenarios where customers prefer AI over human interactions.✅ The strengths and limitations of AI in customer service.✅ Building a successful AI startup from the ground up.Discover where AI excels, where human interaction is still essential, and how technology is reshaping customer service. 🎧Connect with Dennis de Reus:https://www.linkedin.com/in/dennisdereusFull episode on YouTube ▶️https://youtu.be/M_iqxMVB_vsBeyond Coding Podcast with 🎙Patrick AkilPowered by Xebia!!
May 14, 2025 • 53min
Leadership, Burnout & Building Global Teams with Ray Bogman
Great leaders don’t manage—they inspire, coach, and build trust.In this episode, Ray Bogman (Head of Innovation at Alumio) shares his experience leading a global team of 75 people and discusses why traditional management doesn’t work in today’s diverse, remote-driven world. We dive into how empathy, psychological safety, and relationship-building are essential leadership tools that prevent burnout and create highly productive, happy teams.Topics covered:✅ Leading through empathy and coaching rather than traditional management.✅ Identifying and addressing burnout before it's too late.✅ Creating psychological safety in diverse and global teams.✅ Effective strategies for building trust and long-lasting relationships remotely.Whether you're currently leading a team or aspiring to, this episode provides practical guidance on how to lead with authenticity, empathy, and effectiveness. 🎧Connect with Ray Bogman:https://raybogman.comhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/raybogmanFull episode on YouTube ▶️https://youtu.be/fm7nui9WUcQBeyond Coding Podcast with 🎙Patrick AkilPowered by Xebia!!
