Startup Hustle

In this episode, Matt is joined by Laura Tacho, CTO at DX — one of the leading voices in developer experience research and tooling. Together, they unpack how AI is really affecting software development teams, why developer experience has a “marketing problem,” and why organizational friction — not technology — is the biggest productivity killer.If you’ve been wondering whether AI is living up to the hype in engineering teams, this conversation will give you the data, the reality, and the leadership takeaways you can act on today.Key Discussion Points[00:48] – What “Developer Experience” Really Means[02:55] – The Real Sources of Developer Friction[03:44] – Core Developer Experience Problems (Pre- and Post-AI)[05:46] – Clarity as a Competitive Advantage[07:25] – The Mistake of “Shit Shielding”[08:18] – How AI Raises the Stakes for Product Thinking[10:00] – The 10x Developer Myth’s Real Origin[11:30] – Measuring Developer Experience with the DX Index[14:00] – The Role of Leadership in Removing FrictionResources & Links DX – Research and tools for improving developer experience: https://getdx.com/Developer Experience Index  https://getdx.com/dxi-reportingSubscribe to the Product Driven Newsletter: https://productdriven.com/newsletterWhat Smart CTOs Are Doing Differently With Offshore Teams in 2025: https://hirefullscale.com/offshore-hiring-guide

AI can scaffold an app in seconds, but can it refactor that thousand-line React file when the first bug hits production? In this episode, I sit down with Brian Jenney software engineer and program owner of the coding bootcamp Parsity, to draw a hard line between “code that runs” and “code that lasts.” From mentoring career-switchers to stress-testing AI in real-world pipelines, Brian shares why craftsmanship and product judgment still beat copy-paste prompts.🔗 Essential Links (Start Here!):Full Episodes: https://product-driven.captivate.fm/episodesConnect with Matt Watson on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattwatsonkc/Subscribe to the Newsletter: https://newsletter.productdriven.com/Powered by Full Scale: https://fullscale.io/GET THE PRODUCT DRIVEN BOOK: https://productdriven.com/bookConnect with Brian on LinkedIn :https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianjenney/Check out Parsity here: https://www.parsity.io/Key Discussion Points:“You have to be smarter than the AI.” Why blindly shipping generated code is the fastest way to paint yourself into a technical-debt cornerThe hidden risk of non-deterministic models—like failing a simple “greater-than” check in production testsA training rule of thumb: no AI for your first months of study, then use it only to reinforce fundamentals—not replace themThe “house-of-cards” analogy for code quality and why maintainability still matters when AI writes the first draftHow Parsity’s tight-knit model turns plumbers, teachers, and even doctors into disciplined, product-minded engineers

If you’re running a startup, chances are you’re the bottleneck. Brittany Rastsmith joins Product Driven to talk through why founders constantly end up in this trap and how to escape it. She works with early-stage companies through her consulting firm, Bloom Remote, and she's seen it all. We get into how to create clarity, visibility, and accountability across your team so you’re not stuck answering every question, solving every problem, or staying up all night wondering if anything is getting done. If you want your team to take ownership and drive outcomes—not just check boxes—this episode is for you.[01:00] - Why being the bottleneck it's a stage [02:30] - Choose your hard: micromanage or build trust [07:30] - How to measure what matters[10:30] - Delegating doesn't work if you dump chaos [14:30] - Explain your thinking if you want your team to carry it out [16:00] - The power of decision logs and written rationale [19:45] - Why psychological safety is key to team ownership [21:30] - Rubber-stamping is the death of progress [24:00] - Why most managers are untrained (and why that matters) [28:00] - Productivity vs. busyness: where your team might be stuck [29:15] - Inputs vs. outcomes: how to tell what's actually broken [31:05] - Where to find Brittany and learn more about Bloom RemoteLinks & Resources:Brittany Rastsmith on LinkedIn: Bloom RemoteGet the Book: https://mybook.to/productdrivenNewsletter: productdriven.comConnect with Matt: https://linkedin.com/in/mattwatsonGet the Offshore Hiring Guide: https://hirefullscale.com/offshore-hiring-guide

The 10X Developer Decoded: Why Technical Co-Founders Are Startup Gold 💎In this revealing conversation, we unpack one of tech's most polarizing concepts while exploring the brutal realities of building technical partnerships in today's startup ecosystem. Host Matt Watson and Noah Lindner (ex-Airbnb engineer turned consultant) deliver unfiltered insights that challenge conventional wisdom about technical hiring and startup team dynamics.🔗 Essential Links (Start Here!):Get the Book: https://mybook.to/productdrivenNewsletter: productdriven.comConnect with Matt: https://linkedin.com/in/mattwatsonFull Scale Ventures: https://fullscaleventures.comGet the Offshore Hiring Guide: https://hirefullscale.com/offshore-hiring-guideYC Co-Founder Matching: https://ycombinator.com/cofounder-matchingThe Evolution of Engineering Excellence 🚀Redefining 10X: From Myth to MethodologyThe conversation opens with a fascinating transformation—how the once-toxic "10X developer" stereotype has evolved into a legitimate business advantage. Noah's perspective shift reveals something profound: the best engineers aren't just writing code faster; they're architecting workflows that eliminate friction entirely.Real-World 10X Impact:Before: 30-minute CI builds crushing team velocityAfter: 2-second feedback loops enabling continuous iterationResult: Exponential productivity gains through systematic optimizationThe Technical Co-Founder ParadoxMatt delivers a game-changing insight: "To really be a true technical co-founder, they've got to have the vision for what's being built... not just the technical vision, but the product vision."This distinction separates true startup partners from highly-paid order-takers—a critical differentiation in today's competitive landscape.Chapter Timestamps:00:00 - Deconstructing the 10X developer phenomenon08:30 - Technical co-founder vs. founding engineer dynamics16:45 - The four pillars of engineering leadership25:20 - Why big tech creates product-blind engineers32:15 - Navigating the golden handcuffs dilemmaThe Changing Startup LandscapeThe conversation reveals how technological democratization is reshaping co-founder dynamics. When any PM can create "lovable prototypes" using no-code tools, the bar for technical co-founders rises significantly. Success now requires scalable prototyping—building MVPs that can evolve rather than require complete rebuilds.The New Technical Leadership ModelMatt's four-quadrant framework provides clarity:Strategy: Long-term architectural visionOperations: Team efficiency and process optimizationProduct: User experience and market alignmentTechnical: Core engineering excellenceFor early-stage startups, product and technical mastery matter most—operations and strategy complexity come later.Have you experienced the "order-taker engineer" phenomenon? How did your team address it?What's your framework for evaluating technical co-founder potential beyond coding ability?How do you balance technical debt concerns with rapid iteration demands?Share Your Story: Tag us with your technical co-founder journey—the wins, failures, and lessons learned. Let's build a knowledge base for the next generation of technical partnerships.Subscribe for more unfiltered insights on technical leadership, product strategy, and startup team dynamics.

Kathy Keating, an industry veteran and co-founder of CTO Levels, shares invaluable insights into the evolving role of technology leadership. She discusses how modern CTOs must balance strategic and operational tasks, and the challenges they face at different organizational sizes. Kathy introduces her Four Pillars of Engineering Leadership framework, emphasizing adaptability amidst change. She also explores the importance of fostering a healthy company culture while scaling and the impact of AI on emerging software engineering careers.

In this discussion, Craig Ferril, an early reader of 'Product Driven' and collaborator with Matt Watson at Full Scale Venture, shares insights on transforming software development teams. They explore the 'Product Driven Model,' emphasizing the shift towards understanding user needs and fostering a culture of ownership. Key topics include the evolving role of engineering leaders, the challenges posed by AI, and the need for psychological safety to encourage innovation. This conversation is a treasure trove for those looking to adapt in a rapidly changing tech landscape.

Discover the journey of creating a groundbreaking book that redefines engineering leadership. Dive into the significance of a product-driven mindset for high-performance teams. Matt Watson shares insights on transforming team culture and practical frameworks for immediate implementation. Learn how to elevate software development from executing code to truly understanding customer needs, setting teams up for sustainable success. A personal tale of evolution from developer speech to essential guide awaits!

Breaking Through Requirements Hell: How AI is Revolutionizing Software Development 🚀In this compelling exploration of technological transformation, host Matt Watson connects with Chris Rickard, founder of UserDoc, broadcasting from Vietnam. Their conversation unveils a profound shift happening across the software industry—one where artificial intelligence is fundamentally reshaping the relationship between business stakeholders and development teams.What emerges is a fascinating paradox: as AI accelerates coding capabilities, the critical constraint shifts from "how do we build it?" to "what exactly should we build?" Chris's journey from software engineer to product innovator illustrates this transformation, revealing how traditional bottlenecks are being reimagined through AI-powered requirements management.🔗 Essential Links (Start Here!): Full Episodes: https://product-driven.captivate.fm/episodes Connect with Matt Watson on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattwatsonkc/ Subscribe to our Newsletter: https://fullscaleteam.com/newsletter Get our FREE Ebook: https://fullscaleteam.com/productfirstteams Powered by Full Scale: https://fullscale.io/ Download the FREE Offshore Hiring Guide: https://hirefullscale.com/offshore-hiring-guideUserDoc: https://userdoc.comChris Rickard on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrickard/Key Discussion Points:AI-Powered Requirements Creation: How UserDoc accelerates requirements by 50-70% while maintaining human oversightReverse Engineering Legacy Systems: Converting complex source code (including COBOL) into understandable business featuresThe Shifting Development Bottleneck: Why clarity becomes paramount when AI makes development fasterIntegration with Modern Workflows: Connecting requirements directly to AI coding tools like Cursor and GitHub CopilotChapter Timestamps:00:00 - The Universal Developer Dilemma02:28 - Genesis of UserDoc07:57 - Beyond Product Managers: Who Really Needs This14:40 - Technical Challenges of Code Analysis22:44 - The Great Bottleneck Shift27:04 - Pricing and Market AccessibilityReady to break free from requirements chaos and accelerate your development workflow? The conversation with Chris Rickard reveals a pivotal moment in software development—where AI amplifies human potential rather than replacing it. Share your own requirements management challenges in the comments below. How has AI changed your development process? What bottlenecks are you experiencing as coding becomes more automated?

Learning Through Play: How Boddle Built Educational Games That Kids Actually WantIn this insightful conversation, Matt Watson talks with Clarence Tan, founder and CEO of Boddle Learning, about their journey building educational games that have reached over 10 million users. Clarence shares how they tackled the classic problem of educational games - how to make them as engaging as regular games while maintaining educational value. By creating fun games first and then "sneaking in" learning content, Boddle has found success in the competitive educational technology space.The most valuable lesson? Get out of the office and actually watch users interact with your product. Rather than spending money on complex analytics, the Boddle team discovered their biggest product issues simply by visiting classrooms and observing how kids used their app. Clarence also shares how they eventually cracked the monetization code by understanding that parents were buying subscriptions not because they understood the educational benefits, but because their kids wanted the in-game items.🔗 Essential Links (Start Here!):Full Episodes: https://product-driven.captivate.fm/episodesConnect with Matt Watson on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattwatsonkc/Subscribe to our Newsletter: https://newsletter.productdriven.com/Powered by Full Scale: https://fullscale.io/GET THE PRODUCT DRIVEN BOOK: https://productdriven.com/bookCheck out Boddle here: https://www.boddlelearning.com/Key Discussion Points:🎮 Building educational games that are genuinely fun first🧠 How Boddle "sneaks in" learning content after establishing engaging gameplay💰 The journey from zero users to 10 million through COVID and beyond📊 Why watching actual users beats fancy analytics tools🔑 The monetization breakthrough: understanding kids are the real decision makers🚀 Pivoting from building many games to focusing on the most successful one📱 How Boddle connects with both teachers and parentsChapters:00:00 - Introduction and Welcome00:46 - Origins of Boddle Learning02:08 - Making Education Fun Through Games04:17 - Early Funding and Productization05:36 - Impact of COVID on Growth07:42 - Getting on the White House Educational Resources List08:19 - Server Challenges with Rapid Growth09:04 - Moving to Tulsa for VC Funding10:30 - The "Leaky Bucket" Discovery11:21 - Monetization Challenges13:57 - Finding the Most Popular Game Mode14:51 - The Pet Battle Game Success15:58 - NFT Experiment Mistakes16:52 - Keeping Education in Fun Games18:45 - The Power of Classroom Observation20:47 - First-Time User Experience Issues22:32 - Learning to Sell to Parents Through Kids25:40 - Tapping Into the Entertainment Wallet26:45 - Boddle Bucks and Future Growth27:38 - Impact and Educational ValueReady to transform your child's screen time into learning time? Visit https://www.boddlelearning.com/ to try their educational games that kids actually want to play!

Feedback-Driven Development: Optimizing Your Software Engineering ProcessIn this enlightening conversation with author Ashley Davis, Matt Watson explores the concept of feedback-driven development and how it shapes effective software engineering practices. Ashley, author of "Bootstrapping Microservices" and the upcoming "The Feedback-Driven Developer," shares valuable insights on how developers can leverage feedback loops to enhance their productivity, make better decisions, and deliver more value to customers. They discuss the shifting landscape of software development in the age of AI, the importance of personal feedback systems, and why understanding product priorities is crucial for modern developers.🔗 Essential Links (Start Here!):Full Episodes: https://product-driven.captivate.fm/episodesConnect with Matt Watson on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattwatsonkc/Subscribe to our Newsletter: https://fullscaleteam.com/newsletterGet our FREE Ebook: https://fullscaleteam.com/productfirstteamsPowered by Full Scale: https://fullscale.io/GET THE PRODUCT DRIVEN BOOK: https://productdriven.com/bookAshley Davis on Twitter: @ashleydavis75"Bootstrapping Microservices" book: Manning.com/books/bootstrapping-microservices-with-docker-kubernetes-and-terraform"The Feedback-Driven Developer" (Early Access): Manning.comKey Discussion Points:🔄 The concept of personal feedback loops in the development process🎯 How prioritizing by "value over cost to deliver" leads to better decisions🔍 The critical importance of getting clarity before diving into code🚀 Why prototyping is one of the most effective feedback mechanisms🤖 How AI is shifting the bottleneck from engineering to product decision-making⚠️ The pitfall of "moving fast in the wrong direction" with AI assistance🧩 Techniques for self-review and maintaining working code🏗️ When microservices architecture makes sense (and when it doesn't)Chapters00:00 - Introduction and Welcome00:25 - The Experience of Being a Tech Book Author00:53 - Origins of "The Feedback-Driven Developer" Book02:11 - Defining "Feedback" in Software Development03:52 - The Importance of Understanding Trade-offs05:35 - Ensuring You're Working on the Right Thing07:34 - Getting Feedback on Implementation Approaches09:06 - Clarity as the Fuel of Software Development11:16 - AI's Impact on the Software Development Bottleneck13:13 - Why the Best Developers Think Like Product Owners14:54 - Process Theater vs. Value Delivery16:19 - Building Feedback into Your Development Loop17:23 - Production Monitoring and Performance Feedback19:32 - Key Insights and Aha Moments from the Book22:44 - Developers QA-ing Their Own Code25:21 - When to Use Microservices Architecture27:43 - Book Information and Closing ThoughtsReady to transform your development process with effective feedback systems? Get early access to "The Feedback-Driven Developer" at Manning.com by searching for the book title. New chapters are released every month or two, and the first three chapters are available now. Check the show notes for a special discount code for our listeners!