Build To Succeed: Digital Experience Design & Product Development; Flutter, AI & Tech Leadership

On today’s episode, we’re joined by David Goldman, whose career journey includes roles in investment banking and diversified investing before becoming a Partner at Celesta Capital. David shares insights into deep tech investing, the realities of venture capital, and strategies for navigating technological change in dynamic markets. He also reflects on the role of conviction in startups, the evolving impact of AI, and the traits he sees in successful founders and companies.Key Takeaways:(03:16) Celesta Capital’s focus on early-stage deep tech companies with differentiated technology.(05:04) Technology VC ranges from quick, high-volume investing to deep, conviction-based partnerships.(10:01) Venture capital requires long-term commitments, unlike the quick moves of public market investing.(17:40) Improving productivity in health care, housing and education can make these essentials more accessible and affordable.(23:03) Most AI investment today focuses on foundation models and infrastructure.(30:27) Companies should anchor decisions in their core value to customers before reacting to external changes.(34:54) Startups benefit from being small, enabling tighter collaboration across teams.(41:27) Deep tech investments often require years of R&D before reaching the market.Resources Mentioned:David Goldmanhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/david-goldman-a72895a5/Celesta Capital | LinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/celestacapital/Celesta Capital | Websitehttps://www.celesta.vc/Mech robots of Dexterityhttps://www.dexterity.ai/OpenAIhttps://openai.com/Very Good Ventures designs and builds world-class digital experiences for any screen, with the best tools and engineering approaches for consistent, scalable results. Find out how VGV helps you hit the mark at: https://verygood.ventures/ #Apps #Flutter #AppDevelopment

Brian Abston, Senior Director of Digital Technology at The Wendy’s Company, brings over two decades of experience in software development, platform architecture and IT leadership. Before joining Wendy’s, he spent four years as IT Director and Platform Architect at SONIC Drive-In, leading digital initiatives in QSR. His background includes roles as a Java Developer at MSCI Inc. and Power Costs, Inc., where he honed his expertise in scalable software solutions and enterprise technology.In this episode, Brian shares how he led the mobile transformation of Wendy’s, replacing fragmented native apps with a unified Flutter-based platform. He discusses the importance of automation, feature flagging and staggered rollouts in ensuring fast, reliable updates for millions of customers. He also explains how engineering decisions can drive business success, particularly in high-demand moments like March Madness promotions.Key Takeaways:(03:43) Custom-built technology supports QSR’s mobile, web and e-commerce platforms.(08:08) Why maintaining separate native apps became unsustainable.(11:23) Flutter delivered features twice as fast as native development.(15:35) Product decisions flow from marketing to engineering for implementation.(21:40) A centralized design system ensures consistency across all UI components.(24:01) A critical integration deadline forced a fast technology transition.(25:39) Managing web, iOS and Android separately created inconsistencies.(27:54) How to run big digital promotion events with real-time app updates.(31:52) A unified codebase doubled productivity without increasing team size.(35:05) Transitioning 40 million users required careful planning.(39:56) Software engineering remains an art, requiring human creativity.(41:29) AI’s limitations stem from vague human requirements.Resources Mentioned:Brian Abstonhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/brianpabston/The Wendy’s Company | LinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/wendys-international/The Wendy’s Company | Websitehttps://www.wendys.comLaunch Darklyhttps://launchdarkly.comVery Good Ventures designs and builds world-class digital experiences for any screen, with the best tools and engineering approaches for consistent, scalable results. Find out how VGV helps you hit the mark at: https://verygood.ventures/.#Apps #Flutter #AppDevelopment

Michael Gyarmathy, a Staff Software Engineer at PGA of America, discusses enhancing the golf experience through innovative digital products. He emphasizes the role of customer obsession in software development, sharing insights on iterative processes and the significance of understanding the customer journey. Michael also highlights how Flutter supports scalable app development and how a strong engineering culture drives product success. His journey from consulting to owning product development showcases the importance of mastering both golf and technology.

Dan Hou, Founder and Partner at Eskridge, joins us to discuss how companies can effectively integrate AI into their operations and digital products. With a career spanning Microsoft, Motorola, Huge and Amazon, Dan has spent years identifying paradigm shifts in technology. Now, at Eskridge, he helps mid-market businesses deploy AI strategies that drive real impact.Key Takeaways:(07:08) AI in businesses falls into two categories: internal efficiency and product innovation.(08:51) High-impact AI use cases are those that meaningfully affect cost, revenue or productivity.(12:48) AI use cases vary — what works for one company may not fit another.(17:01) It’s better to start with AI now than to over-optimize later.(20:08) AI-native workflows drive more impact than simply adding AI to existing processes.(24:39) A chat interface often leads to poor UX due to unclear user expectations.(29:49) AI-powered search is reshaping how users find and interact with information.(35:27) AI model selection is becoming more specialized, with different models excelling at different tasks.(38:02) AI governance and legal concerns remain key barriers to enterprise adoption.(42:23) AI isn’t going away — businesses must get comfortable with it.Resources Mentioned:Dan Hou -https://www.linkedin.com/in/danhou/Eskridge | LinkedIn -https://www.linkedin.com/company/eskridge-ai/Eskridge | Website -https://eskridge.coAI For Everyone -https://www.deeplearning.ai/courses/ai-for-everyone/Very Good Ventures designs and builds world-class digital experiences for any screen, with the best tools and engineering approaches for consistent, scalable results. Find out how VGV helps you hit the mark at: https://verygood.ventures/. #Apps #Flutter #AppDevelopment

Thiago Ghisi, Director of Engineering at Nubank, boasts nearly 20 years in tech, previously shaping projects at Apple and American Express. He dives into his journey from engineering to leadership and the pivotal role of being a 'glue person' in teams. The conversation reveals Nubank's adoption of Flutter to unify mobile development, enhancing scalability for 100 million users. Thiago also discusses the groundbreaking server-driven UI that revolutionized their processes, emphasizing flexibility, continuous delivery, and a strong company culture driving success.

On this episode, we’re joined by Jorge Coca, Head of Engineering at Very Good Ventures, whose career spans over a decade of innovative contributions to the Flutter ecosystem and mobile engineering. Jorge’s journey includes pivotal roles at BMW, where he spearheaded Android and Flutter development, and SPR, where he led impactful consulting projects.Jorge discusses the evolution of scalable and user-friendly engineering practices, the importance of aligning technology with business goals and fostering innovation within engineering teams. He also shares insights into balancing complexity with simplicity in solutions, the role of Flutter in transforming mobile app development, and the emerging frontier of augmented reality and wearable technologies.Key Takeaways:(01:12) The parallels between cooking, music and coding.(02:21) Jorge’s journey from Spain to the US through the Erasmus program.(04:31) User experience clicked, inspiring interest in website development.(08:19) First Android hire at BMW, tasked with rapid delivery.(13:06) BMW apps serve multiple brands and regional variations globally.(17:34) Past engineering mistakes taught lessons on balancing complexity.(25:14) Data-driven decisions led to adopting Flutter across engineering.(28:06) Engineering leaders must foster cultures where failure drives learning.(31:34) Scalable solutions require critical, focused ideas with broad impact.(34:21) Avoid over-engineering by focusing on practical, impactful changes.(36:43) Success means delivering value without compromising business stability.(42:26) Wearables may introduce new platforms complementing tools like Flutter.Resources Mentioned:Jorge Coca -https://www.linkedin.com/in/jorgecocaramos/Very Good Ventures | LinkedIn -https://www.linkedin.com/company/very-good-venturesVery Good Ventures | Website -https://verygood.ventures/BMW Group -https://www.bmwgroup.com/Flutter by Google -https://flutter.dev/Firebase -https://firebase.google.com/Very Good Ventures designs and builds world-class digital experiences for any screen, with the best tools and engineering approaches for consistent, scalable results. Find out how VGV helps you hit the mark at: https://verygood.ventures/ #Apps #Flutter #AppDevelopment

On today’s episode, we’re joined by Chris Synan, Vice President of Engineering at Keller Williams Realty, Inc. Chris has been with Keller Williams since just before the COVID lockdown and has played a critical role in driving the company’s technology transformation. With experience managing large teams and overhauling systems at companies such as Dell, AMD, CA Technologies, and General Motors, Chris has valuable insights on large-scale innovation, team culture transformation and technological development.Key Takeaways:(04:42) Investing in technology to drive business forward.(06:37) The importance of simplifying tech processes.(10:55) Transitioning to React Native for scalability.(12:33) Building a culture of trust in the team.(15:48) The importance of strong leadership during difficult times.(17:50) Expert knowledge is critical to building great tech.(23:33) Starting fresh with expert guidance boosts efficiency.(31:10) Scaling the tech stack to support rapid growth.Resources Mentioned:Chris Synan -https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrissynan/Keller Williams Realty, Inc.| LinkedIn -https://www.linkedin.com/company/keller-williams-realty-inc/Keller Williams Realty | Website -https://kw.com/React Native -https://reactnative.dev/Very Good Ventures designs and builds world-class digital experiences for any screen, with the best tools and engineering approaches for consistent, scalable results. Find out how VGV helps you hit the mark at: https://verygood.ventures/. #Apps #Flutter #AppDevelopment

On today’s episode, we’re joined by David Chen, whose previous roles include Chief Technology Officer of Skycatch and Senior Software Engineer at Twitter. He is currently Head of Software Services at Agtonomy, where he focuses on building autonomous farming solutions to address labor shortages in agriculture. David shares his journey from drone-based mining technology to robotics in agriculture, offering insights into designing impactful technology.Key Takeaways:(01:14) Autonomous rides set a new standard for reliability.(02:59) From Twitter to drones: a journey into autonomy.(04:11) Mapping mines is safer and faster with drone technology.(07:30) On-site immersion ensures products meet real-world demands.(11:50) Human-centered design is critical for robotics success.(14:12) Focused investments in core tech drive impactful results.(17:04) Strategic tech choices enhance user experiences in the field.(19:10) Cross-platform development simplifies maintenance for small teams.(20:32) Multi-platform design reduces the need for specialized engineers.(22:49) Strategic investments in tech drive flexibility and scalability.(25:38) First impressions in UX determine an app’s success.(27:55) Critical industries demand smarter, safer processes for sustainability.(31:04) Passion drives innovation and improves decision-making.Resources Mentioned:David Chen -https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-chen/Agtonomy | LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/agtonomy/Agtonomy | Website - https://www.agtonomy.com/Skycatch | LinkedIn -https://www.linkedin.com/company/skycatch/Skycatch | Website -https://www.skycatch.com/Waymo -https://waymo.com/Very Good Ventures designs and builds world-class digital experiences for any screen, with the best tools and engineering approaches for consistent, scalable results. Find out how VGV helps you hit the mark at: https://verygood.ventures/#Apps #Flutter #AppDevelopment

On today’s episode, we’re joined by Sam Moore, VP of Architecture at Betterment, where he has led groundbreaking initiatives, including the re-platforming of mobile codebases from native to Flutter, and the launch of Betterment Checking. Sam’s extensive experience in scaling infrastructure and software architecture has made him a key figure in driving Betterment’s technological advancements.Sam discusses leading major tech transitions, managing technical debt, fostering innovation and scaling engineering teams while ensuring continuous growth in the financial technology space.Key Takeaways:(01:16) Fatherhood influences Sam’s leadership and management approach.(02:13) Guiding teams through questions is more effective than directing.(08:12) Transitioning to Ruby on Rails improved innovation flexibility.(12:45) Moving to mobile-first required major strategy changes.(15:33) Iterative approaches are safer than big bang rewrites.(17:03) Flutter helped streamline Betterment’s mobile development efforts.(22:00) Inconsistent architecture patterns slowed development.(29:42) Developing the tech investment life cycle framework.(30:03) The four phases of the tech investment cycle.(39:05) Pilot projects evaluate cross-platform strategies like Flutter.(42:37) Early team alignment and training ensure success.(50:03) Full tech adoption needs a complete cleanup phase.(54:45) Features now take days, not weeks, with Flutter.(58:02) Confidence in tech transitions is crucial for success.Resources Mentioned:Sam Moore -https://www.linkedin.com/in/samuelamoore/Betterment -https://www.linkedin.com/company/betterment/Betterment LLC -https://www.betterment.com/Very Good Ventures designs and builds world-class digital experiences for any screen, with the best tools and engineering approaches for consistent, scalable results. Find out how VGV helps you hit the mark at: https://verygood.ventures/ #Apps #Flutter #AppDevelopment

On today’s episode, we’re joined by Patricia Roller, former co-CEO of Frog Design and current CEO of Vidlet Inc., a company known for pioneering video research in product development. With a rich background in design and leadership, Patricia shares her insights on the critical role of company culture in driving innovation and success within startups.Key Takeaways:(02:10) Culture should be the top priority in any startup.(04:45) The CEO must lead by driving ideas and allowing mistakes.(08:20) Investing in talent is crucial for success.(12:30) Strategic actions, like targeted advertising, reinforce culture.(16:50) Leadership evolves from aggressive to collaborative styles.(20:15) Success is now measured by the team’s growth.(24:40) Networking without an agenda builds lasting relationships.(28:10) Building confidence in young employees is key to their development.(32:05) Mentorship offers mutual benefits for both mentors and mentees.(36:30) Adapting to new skill sets challenges traditional thinking.(39:45) Change is necessary to avoid stagnation and commoditization.Resources Mentioned:Patricia Roller - https://www.linkedin.com/in/patricia-roller-a2047a/Frog Design | LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/frogdesign/Frog Design | Website - https://www.frogdesign.com/Vidlet Inc. | LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/vidlet-inc-/Vidlet Inc. | Website - https://vidlet.com/Very Good Ventures designs and builds world-class digital experiences for any screen, with the best tools and engineering approaches for consistent, scalable results. Find out how VGV helps you hit the mark at: https://verygood.ventures/ #Apps #Flutter #AppDevelopment