1st10 Podcast

On this episode of the 1st10 Podcast, Boris Epstein, founder of 1st10 and former FAANG-level recruiter, reveals a shocking reality behind AI startup hiring practices and why the most talented engineers in tech might be getting left behind. Drawing from his decade of experience recruiting for top tech firms like Robinhood, Instacart, and Stripe, Boris explores why AI founders are wary of FAANG talent, what biases drive this perception, and how engineers can adapt to stay relevant. He contrasts grind culture with lifestyle gigs, zero-to-one building with scale, and passion projects with polished résumés. The episode is a wake-up call for FAANG engineers as well as a cautionary tale for startups dismissing valuable talent too quickly.Tune in to hear Boris explain:The Great Talent Paradox: AI startups systematically avoiding FAANG engineers seems to be creating a disconnect between supply and demand in the hiring market.The Hurdles of Work Culture: The 9-to-5 easy-going lifestyle preferred by FAANG engineers versus the 60-70 hour weeks demanded by AI startups is presenting a major hiring barrier.The HP-Internet Moment: Engineers face a stark choice: be part of the AI future or risk obsolescence if they don't adapt quickly.The Zero-to-One Test: Building something from scratch is the ultimate litmus test for AI startup hiring. Specifically, don't miss the part where Boris reveals how the bias shown by AI startups against FAANG talent could backfire and what FAANG engineers need to do, if (when?) that happens.Chapters00:00 Highlights From The Episode01:23 3 Deadly Biases05:18 A Grand Canyon-Sized Gap12:13 The Power of Passion Projects15:03 HP in 1994, FAANG in 2025?22:05 The Case for FAANG Talent28:21 How to Break Into AI33:27 Startups Don’t Wait, Why Should You?37:52 A Market on Collision Course43:31 Why Both Worlds Must Evolve46:33 Do You Want to Be Part of the Future?Quotes:"The reason [AI Startups] are working very hard is because AI is believed to be by these startups (to be) a completely transformational technology, completely transformational opportunity." - Boris Epstein (07:25)"Get off the FAANG bus, get into the AI startup bus!" - Boris Epstein (17:40)"If I had a dollar and I could only put it into one of the two startups, I’d probably bet on the FAANG startup." - Boris Epstein (23:32)"Your resume isn't showing anybody what you could do for them. Your resume is showing the world what you did in the past." - Boris Epstein (30:53)Spotify: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/1st10podcast Amazon: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/7e8ec9af-f38c-4cd9-8c68-1c1dd4516b 27/1st10-podcastApple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/1st10-podcast/id1760411207 Podcast: https://www.1st10.com/podcast RSS: https://anchor.fm/s/f951319c/podcast/rss YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@1st10podcast Connect with usWebsite: www.1st10.comPodcast: www.1st10.com/podcast Twitter www.x.com/1st10engineersLinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/1st10/YouTube: www.youtube.com/@1st10podcast Links:FAANG companies (Facebook/Meta, Amazon, Apple, Netflix, Google) - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_TechLangChain (open-source AI framework) - https://www.langchain.com/Music by Roman Senyk from PixabayProducer: Shrikant Joshi

Sara Ali, Senior Director of Corporate Development & Strategy at Yahoo, shares insights from over 12 years in M&A with giants like Google and Microsoft. She discusses the current AI M&A landscape, explaining how 'scarcity multiples' are driving talent acquisitions while traditional revenue measures fade. Sara reveals creative deal structures that bypass regulatory scrutiny and how acquired talent can earn vastly more than their traditionally-hired counterparts. Plus, her bold prediction that GPUs will become a valuable deal currency. This is a must-listen for anyone navigating the tech industry!

On this episode of the 1st10 Podcast, Boris Epstein sits down with Daniel Rock - economist, professor at Wharton, and co-founder of Workhelix - to decode the messy reality of AI's impact on jobs, productivity, and enterprise transformation. Daniel brings a unique perspective as both an academic economist studying digital technologies and an entrepreneur building AI solutions for enterprises. The conversation explores why AI adoption might take longer than tech enthusiasts expect, how companies can strategically deploy AI tools, and why the "entry-level jobs apocalypse" might not happen as predicted. Daniel also shares his insights on teaching in the AI era, the challenges of building an AI startup, and his measured predictions for the technology's future impact.Daniel is refreshingly clear-eyed about where we actually are and where we're likely going. Below are some of the standout lessons I took away from our conversation.An entry-level job-pocalypse? Well, no. AI could just as likely augment junior talent as replace it, and in some cases, even increase demand for skilled oversight.A job isn't a task. It's a bundle of interdependent skills, roles, and context - making full automation much harder than people think.Generative AI = the new Excel. Used poorly, it's lazy. Used well, it supercharges creativity, productivity, and learning - especially among students.An Educational Revolution Is Underway. AI is quietly transforming classroom dynamics and assessment criteria in ways that mirror future workplace changes.Real transformation takes time. Like electricity and the internet, AI as a general-purpose tech will only reshape enterprise when paired with new systems, workflows, and retraining.AI Has A Real Risk No One's Talking About. It’s not superintelligence - it's bad actors with superpowers. And it matters a lot more in the near term than you think.Chapters00:00 Key Ideas From the Episode05:32 Confessions of a Multi-Disciplinary Economist08:31 How Students Actually Use AI11:24 Redefining Originality in the GPT Era16:21 A Startup That's Betting Against the Wait-and-See Crowd19:30 Inside the Enterprise AI Mess24:22 Jobs Are Systems, Not Widgets28:12 Reviewers, Not Doers: The Software Engineering Shift32:00 Workhelix: Building in the Eye of the Storm38:42 Predictions from the Pragmatist45:26 Careers @ WorkhelixQuotes"I tend to make everyone a little bit upset when I talk about Artificial Intelligence." - Daniel Rock (02:28)"I'm a little skeptical that the entry-level jobs apocalypse is even going to happen. A job is not, like, an easy thing to just take out." - Daniel Rock (00:00)"My friends, Gene Kim and Steve Yegge, call that 'The Potential Closet of Eldritch Horrors.' I do not envy the talent wars that Meta and OpenAI and Anthropic have to fight in." - Daniel Rock (00:00)"You don't get an A if you're correct anymore! You have to be correct AND original! You'll get a B if you're correct." - Daniel Rock (11:56)"AI will pay off your credit card debt on the technical debt side. So if you start racking up a lot of technical debt, that can be okay because AI will wipe it out to some extent later on!" - Daniel Rock (35:06)Follow:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/13UwWOSV1KrJBJgIdt8bJ7Amazon: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/7e8ec9af-f38c-4cd9-8c68-1c1dd4516b 27/1st10-podcastApple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/1st10-podcast/id1760411207 Podcast: https://www.1st10.com/podcast YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@1st10podcast Links:Daniel Rock’s website: https://www.danielianrock.com Daniel Rock (Operations, Information and Decisions Department, Wharton School, UPenn): https://oid.wharton.upenn.edu/profile/rockdi/Daniel’s startup, Workhelix: https://www.workhelix.com/ Music by Roman Senyk from PixabayProducer: Shrikant Joshi

Mark Zuckerberg dropping $100 million each on SIXTEEN engineers (and counting) might be a wild strategy that could hand Meta the AI crown.On this episode of the 1st10 Podcast, host Boris Epstein dives into Meta's jaw-dropping AI talent acquisition spree that's sending shockwaves through Silicon Valley. From $100 million sign-on bonuses to billion-dollar offers, Meta is rewriting the rules of tech recruiting. From the $14B Scale AI buy to $100M+ offers for individual engineers, Boris unpacks the strategic genius - and controversy - behind Zuckerberg's pivot to building a "Superintelligence Lab." He explains why this isn't reckless spending but a calculated blend of corporate development and recruiting tactics, designed to leapfrog competition in the AI arms race. Along the way, he dissects the ripple effects across compensation norms, startup hiring, and the tech industry's status quo.Tune in to hear Boris explain how (and why):Meta isn't "just hiring" - it's merging a long-standing "corporate development" strategy with individual recruiting.Zuck's pivot pattern is clear. Mobile-first, Metaverse, and now AI - with "lockdown" focus and willingness to spend massively to catch up or lead.The hires weren't just motivated by massive paychecks. Mark Zuckerberg's compelling vision of "superintelligence for every human in the world" was a solid hook.Meta has forced an industry-wide compensation reset. Meta's strategy is forcing competitors like OpenAI and Anthropic to dramatically increase their own compensation packages to retain talent. Ripple effects will be seen beyond 'Big AI labs' - every competitor is now rethinking pay, retention, and how to raid rivals' best people.Discover why Meta is betting billions on superintelligence, how they're rewriting the rules of recruiting, and what this means for startups, engineers, and the future of AI.Chapters00:00 Key Ideas From The Episode01:19 Why Meta is Dropping $100M Like Pocket Change03:19 When Acquisitions Hit a Wall07:49 Zuck's Lockdown 2.0 Was Worth $14 Billion?13:20 The Math That Makes "Insane" Offers Make Sense17:04 The Hiring Model That Breaks ALL Industry Rules!21:10 Speed Was the Point, Not the Problem.26:53 What Kind of a Smart Guy Rejects a $1B Offer?!32:25 Will The Riches Trickle Down To... You?37:26 AI for Everyone - Or a Dystopian Nightmare?Quotes:"What Meta did in this case - which is, in my opinion, brilliant and landscape-changing - is they brought in individual people after their initial acquisition but for the same acquisition-level proceeds!" - Boris Epstein (16:44)"If Meta is willing to offer $100+ million, they’re equally allowed to ask for any timeline they want." - Boris Epstein (23:28)"I do believe that we'll see quite a meaningful trickle effect... Every single company CEO is taking notice. Every single company Corp Dev group, every single engineer, is taking notice." - Boris Epstein (32:25)Follow:Spotify: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/1st10podcast Amazon: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/7e8ec9af-f38c-4cd9-8c68-1c1dd4516b 27/1st10-podcastApple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/1st10-podcast/id1760411207 Podcast: https://www.1st10.com/podcast YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@1st10podcast Connect with usWebsite: www.1st10.comPodcast: www.1st10.com/podcast Twitter www.x.com/1st10engineersLinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/1st10/YouTube: www.youtube.com/@1st10podcast Links:“Blink”, by Malcolm Gladwell - https://www.gladwell.com/blink/Open AI’s Head of Recruiting posts about Meta’s “exploding” offers: https://x.com/jquinonero/status/1940926946705395943The Developer Who Got A $1B+ Offer: https://www.business-standard.com/world-news/mark-zuckerberg-mira-murati-meta-thinking-machines-lab-andrew-tulloch-offer-125080601247_1.htmlMusic by Roman Senyk from PixabayProducer: Shrikant Joshi

What if the AI revolution doesn't take all jobs but *just* enough to crash society?On this first episode of the latest season of the 1st10 Podcast, host Boris Epstein is joined by ex-Microsoft, ex-Meta, and ex-OpenAI engineer and founder of the AI-powered podcast app Superphonic, Philip Su for a conversation about AI, jobs, and the future of humanity. Philip lays out why he's building small while the rest of the world races toward scale. He opens up about career pivots, the myth of vibecoding, and the sobering risks that even a 5% disruption from AI could cause. From building Facebook Video Calling to solo-coding his dream podcast app, this is a rare look at tech from someone who's seen every stage of the game but is now sounding the alarm…Tune in to hear them talk about a variety of topics, such as:*Career Pivots Require Self-Awareness: Philip's leap from Microsoft to Facebook (when it was still risky) underscores the importance of recognizing when your skills need reinvention.*Small Teams, Big Impact: With AI tools, a solo developer can now build what once required a team!*Shipping is the real grind: The hardest part of software? Not coding. It's the “business of software”—App Store approvals, signing certs, compliance, etc.Podcasts Are Ripe for Disruption: Superphonic's innovations (like topic-based subscriptions) reveal how overlooked niches can be goldmines for builders.AI is beating us at being human: It does art, music, and writing better than the average person!*The "Faster Faster" Problem: AI's self-improving nature means societal disruptions could happen at an accelerating pace.Specifically, don't miss the part where Philip explains how specialization won't necessarily save you from losing your job to AI but something else will. Listen to the episode to know what that might be!Chapters00:00 Introduction05:23 A Risky Leap: From Microsoft to Facebook13:47 Building a Podcast Player (in 2025!)19:36 Coding Now vs Then (Spoiler: It's Wild!)23:02 Can A Solo Dev Compete With The Big Guys?30:11 Vibe Coding - It's What You've Been Waiting For!32:46 Inside OpenAI: A Glimpse Behind the Curtain38:09 AI Is Not Like Social Media; It's MUCH Bigger!43:30 Why This Time Might Actually Be Different46:02 Winter is Coming -- For ALL White-Collar Workers!Quotes:"Most of software development is not the coding of Tetris. That is hardly the hard part of the problem." - Philip Su (30:11)"We used to think with the Jetsons that the robots would clean our houses while we did art and music and all this stuff. And it turns out that the robots first came for the art and the music, and we're still cleaning our own houses." - Philip Su (39:54)"Winter is coming. That is my warning." - Philip Su (49:03)Connect with usWebsite: www.1st10.comPodcast: www.1st10.com/podcast Twitter www.x.com/1st10engineersLinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/1st10/YouTube: www.youtube.com/@1st10podcast Links:Music by Roman Senyk from PixabayProducer: Shrikant Joshi

SummaryOn this final episode of Season 2 of the 1st10 Podcast, Boris Epstein and Alexis Munger outline a comprehensive Hiring Playbook for founders building early-stage startups. They list seven critical steps to attract and hire top talent, emphasizing the importance of storytelling, leveraging networks, and the founder's active role in recruiting. Through anecdotes, examples, and actionable advice, they explore how founders can craft compelling narratives, identify red flags, and sell their vision to potential hires.Some key takeaways from this episode:Storytelling is King: Without a compelling narrative, even the best opportunities can fall flat.  Founders Must Recruit: Founders need to be deeply involved in outreach, even if it means facing a high rejection rate.  Sell the Vision: Top candidates are drawn to the mission and the team, not just the salary.Go Beyond Technical Skills: Cultural fit, conflict resolution, and collaboration skills are just as important as technical abilities.  Specifically, don't miss the part where Boris and Alexis compare recruiting to getting married! That one will definitely unlock a whole new perspective about startup recruiting for sure!Chapters00:00 Introductions02:55 Hiring With Stories: Why Narrative Matters07:32 Hidden Networks: Talent You Already Know12:07 Founder's Grind: Don't Outsource Recruiting15:08 Filter for Fit: Know Your Deal-Breakers and Red Flags23:00 Beyond the Code: Interview for Culture and Conflict27:22 Sell the Dream: How to Win Over Top Talent35:44 Art of the Offer: Make It Personal39:25 Final Thoughts: What Really Moves the Needle?Quotes"I feel like some of the best hires I've ever made where I can see that that person stuck around the company a long time probably didn't look obvious on paper." - Alexis Munger (16:01)"If your story sucks but your deal-breakers are high, you're going to be doing a lot of evening-crying." - Boris Epstein (22:05)  "Founders and startups do a very poor job of infusing a sense of conflict and tension into the interview process." - Boris Epstein (23:49)  "Don't underestimate the emotional aspect of changing jobs and how that plays into a candidate's decision. It's not just money-based!" - Alexis Munger (30:35)  "At that point, you're basically asking the candidate to marry you!" - Boris Epstein (35:55)Follow UsSpotify: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/1st10podcast Amazon: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/7e8ec9af-f38c-4cd9-8c68-1c1dd4516b 27/1st10-podcastApple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/1st10-podcast/id1760411207 Podcast: https://www.1st10.com/podcast YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@1st10podcast Website: www.1st10.comTwitter www.x.com/1st10engineersLinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/1st10/LinksMusic by Roman Senyk from PixabayProducer: Shrikant Joshi

SummaryOn this episode of the 1st10 podcast, hosts Boris Epstein and Alexis Munger sit down with Ilya Sukhar, a seasoned entrepreneur, engineer, and venture capitalist. Ilya shares his journey from immigrating to the U.S. as a child to founding Parse, getting acquired by Facebook, and eventually transitioning into venture capital. Ilya shared with us his experiences building and scaling startups and his insights on what makes a successful founder and early-stage company.Tune in to hear them talk about:Advantages of Being a Technical Founder: Technical founders can quickly iterate and build products that meet customer needs.  Having Resilience: Founders who can persevere through challenges and build in less-hyped areas often develop stronger companies in the long run.  Conflict Resolution In Early Teams: Founders and early-engineers must test how they handle disagreements, as conflict resolution is crucial in the high-pressure environment of a startup.  Real-World AI: Ilya is particularly excited about AI applications that impact the physical world, such as smart cameras and healthcare devices, and believes these areas hold immense potential. Specifically, don't miss the part where Ilya shared details about his unique, contrarian investment philosophy as a VC and what an AI-powered future might potentially look like!Chapters:00:00 Introductions & Icebreakers05:24 A Soviet Immigrant And His American Dream Come True09:29 The Addiction: Why Ilya Felt Attracted to Early-Stage Companies12:33 Building Parse Through Serendipitous Symbiosis17:26 Importance of Having a High Quality Early-Engineering Team19:43 Facebook Acquisition and Life At Facebook25:57 The YC Founder Brand: What Makes Them Unique?  28:33 Contrarian Investing: Finding Diamonds in the Rough35:03 Real-World AI and the Future of Tech  37:26 Ilya's Advice for Founders and Engineers40:41 Contact Details And ExpectationsQuotes:"America, despite its faults, is really quite special [...] It's pretty magical to be an American if you want to go start a company." - Ilya Sukhar (05:53)"I haven't quite made up my mind whether people learn more from success or from failure.  I think the people that get after it again, after a failure are very motivated in a way that I think is pretty special!" - Ilya Sukhar (17:11)"I'm an early-stage person and a lot of why I got into investing is I just want to be involved in multiple projects at that stage." - Ilya Sukhar (30:25)"I think a lot of VC is pattern-matching - for good and bad. And, I think if you really look in the sort of long-term lens, the great, great enduring companies are really odd in one fashion or another." - Ilya Sukhar (34:34)"I relentlessly recommend referencing! It's just always astonishing to me how little energy some founders put into referencing prospective hires and vice-versa!" - Ilya Sukhar (39:31)Follow Us:Spotify: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/1st10podcast Amazon: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/7e8ec9af-f38c-4cd9-8c68-1c1dd4516b 27/1st10-podcastApple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/1st10-podcast/id1760411207 Podcast: https://www.1st10.com/podcast RSS: https://anchor.fm/s/f951319c/podcast/rss YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@1st10podcast Links:Podcast: ⁠www.1st10.com/podcast⁠ Website: www.1st10.comTwitter www.x.com/1st10engineersLinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/1st10/YouTube: www.youtube.com/@1st10podcast Music by Roman Senyk from PixabayProducer: Shrikant Joshi

SummaryOn this episode of the 1st10 Podcast, hosts Boris Epstein and Alexis Munger sit down with Kevin Liu, Engineering Lead at AngelList and a seasoned builder in the tech industry. Kevin shares his journey from being a fresh computer science graduate during the post-dot-com bust to becoming a key player in high-growth startups like Klout and Nextdoor. He discusses the importance of staying hands-on as a builder, even while transitioning into leadership roles, and how AI is reshaping the engineering landscape.Here are some key insights that Kevin shared during this conversation:Staying Hands-On In Leadership: Maintaining technical skills even as you move into management roles is important. Kevin describes his style as that of a "coach-player", where he continues to code and build alongside his team.  Early-Stage Startups Are Rocketships For Early-Careers: Joining a startup early in your career can accelerate your growth and open doors to diverse experiences, from engineering to business strategy.AI Can Be A Productivity Booster: AI tools like Cursor have significantly boosted Kevin's productivity, but he cautions that they are most effective when used by skilled engineers who know how to direct them.Career Progression Needn't Be Linear: Career growth doesn't always follow a strict upward trajectory. Kevin advocates for following your interests and embracing lateral (or even backward) moves if they align with your passions and skills.Chapters:Additionally, don't miss Kevin's reflections on the shifts in the tech industry, from the dot-com bust to the social media boom, and the meteoric rise of AI in recent times.00:00 Introductions & Icebreakers06:02 From ColdFusion to AI: A Tech Journey Through the Decades10:14 Klout, "Influencers", And Lightning-In-A-Bottle16:20 Joining Nextdoor And The Power of Lateral Moves25:03 Web 1.0, Web 2.0, And... Web AI?29:06 Is Kevin Worried About AI Taking His Job?34:30 Working Through The Startup Ecosystem Food-Chain37:36 Kevin's Career Wisdom: Your Path Need Not Be A Straight Line41:12 Kevin's Contact Details & Career Prospects At AngelListQuotes:"When you join a high-growth company in a 'right-place-right-time' thing, as the company grows, you grow. You are forced to grow." - Kevin Liu (14:36)"Don't get soft. Whatever that means to you, whatever you need to do to make sure you don't get soft, that's on you." - Kevin Liu (19:40)"How can you be there for your people if you cannot empathize with what their day-to-day is? So I think it's a prerequisite to be an engineer before you can manage engineers." - Kevin Liu (23:13)"[AI] is a power tool. And if you don't know what you're doing, or if you don't know where you want to place that tool, it's not going to help you." - Kevin Liu (31:49)"Your job is to maximize the congruence between how you spend your days and what the company is willing to ask of you!" (40:51)Connect with us:Spotify: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/1st10podcast Amazon: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/7e8ec9af-f38c-4cd9-8c68-1c1dd4516b 27/1st10-podcastApple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/1st10-podcast/id1760411207 Podcast: https://www.1st10.com/podcast RSS: https://anchor.fm/s/f951319c/podcast/rss YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@1st10podcast Webpage: https://www.1st10.com/podcast/ Twitter www.x.com/1st10engineersLinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/1st10/YouTube: www.youtube.com/@1st10podcast Links:Kevin’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevliu/AngelList: https://angel.coKlout: https://klout.comNextdoor: https://nextdoor.com776: https://776.org500 Startups Vietnam: https://500.co/vietnamAscend Ventures: https://ascend.vcMusic by Roman Senyk from PixabayProducer: Shrikant Joshi

On this episode of the 1st10 Podcast, hosts Boris Epstein and Alexis Munger sit down with Joshua Inkenbrandt, Pinterest's first frontend engineer and a seasoned builder. Josh shares his journey from being one of Pinterest's early engineers to transitioning into product management, and eventually co-founding startups. He also discusses the unique situation of navigating second stints with his own experience of returning to Pinterest to work on the emotional well-being app, 'How We Feel'.Josh emphasizes the importance of relationships, adaptability, and the value of self-learning in his career. The conversation is filled with insights on navigating early-stage startups, the evolution of tech roles, and the importance of building meaningful connections in the tech industry.Tune in to hear Josh talk about the importance of:Relationships: Josh's career choices, including joining Pinterest over Instagram, were heavily influenced by his relationships with and the cultural fit of the Pinterest team.  Adaptability: Josh's ability to wear multiple hats -- from engineering to product management -- highlights the importance of being open to new challenges and roles, especially in fast-growing startups.  Self-Learning: Josh's journey as a self-taught developer shows that passion, curiosity, and hands-on experience can be just as valuable as a formal CS degree in the tech industry.  Early-Stage Startups: Joining a startup early allows for significant impact, exposure to diverse roles, and the chance to shape the company's culture and direction.Specifically, don't miss the part where Josh drops hints about his current stealth project - a social-focused tool which aims to foster empathy and compassion in a disconnected world.Chapters:00:00 Introductions & Icebreakers07:02 On Being A Self-Taught Flash Developer13:04 Pinterest vs Instagram And Being “Love-Bombed”22:05 Wearing Multiple Hats: From Engineering to Product Management30:59 Leaving Pinterest At A ‘Klutch’ Time and The Boomerang34:03 Using Technology For Emotional Well-Being: The ‘How We Feel’ App39:30 Josh’s Future Plans, Advice for Early Engineers, And Contact DetailsQuotes:"I quickly realized I was the dumbest person in the room... [but] I had a huge advantage because I got to work with people who are really smart and learn from them." - Josh Inkenbrandt (11:09)“One of the challenges… [for transitioning from an IC role to non-IC roles is that] you have to be able to let other people do the work that you're used to doing.” - Josh Inkenbrandt (24:02)"The early group of people that are working on [the product] need to care about it and use it." - Josh Inkenbrandt (29:40)"If you kind of self-start stuff, if you make things that you can show people [...] when we're hiring people, that's literally the best heuristic to use [for us]." - Josh Inkenbrandt (42:35)Connect with us:Spotify: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/1st10podcast Amazon: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/7e8ec9af-f38c-4cd9-8c68-1c1dd4516b 27/1st10-podcastApple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/1st10-podcast/id1760411207 Podcast: https://www.1st10.com/podcast RSS: https://anchor.fm/s/f951319c/podcast/rss YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@1st10podcast Follow:Website: www.1st10.comPodcast: www.1st10.com/podcast Twitter www.x.com/1st10engineersLinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/1st10/YouTube: www.youtube.com/@1st10podcast Links:How We Feel App: https://howwefeel.org/Josh's Shoe-related Pins on Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/joshink/shoes/Josh’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/importantginger/Music by Roman Senyk from PixabayProducer: Shrikant Joshi

On this episode of the 1st10 Podcast, Boris Epstein and Alexis Munger sit down with Sophie Z. Novati, founder and CEO of Formation.dev. Formation is a company dedicated to build a more equitable tech industries by helping underrepresented engineers reach their full potential. Sophie shares her journey from being an early engineer at Facebook and Nextdoor to founding Formation, driven by her mission to bridge the skills gap in tech hiring. She discusses the challenges of traditional interview processes, the importance of mission-driven work, and how her experiences shaped her approach to building Formation. Tune in to hear them talk about:Mission-Driven Work: Sophie's passion for creating equitable opportunities in tech fueled her transition from engineer to founder.Succeeding at Technical Interviews: Success in technical interviews requires a holistic approach, including problem exploration, collaboration, and testing.The Engineering Method: This problem-solving framework is applicable not just to coding but also to product development and business decisions.Embracing Chaos As A Founder: Building a startup is a rollercoaster, and founders need to find deep fulfillment in their work to navigate the inevitable challenges and setbacks.Diversity in Tech: Sophie's experience with hiring processes revealed systemic barriers for underrepresented groups.Sustainable Business Models: Founders must focus on building sustainable business models that align incentives and solve real problems.Specifically, don't miss the part where Sophie shares the incredibly insightful advice she received from Mark Zuckerberg during a late-night chess session, while she was an intern at Facebook!Chapters:00:00 Introductions04:58 From Facebook Intern to Mission-Driven Founder10:07 Chess with Zuck and the Art of Problem-Solving15:59 Sophie’s Journey From Engineering to Leadership22:15 The Birth of Formation: Solving the Interview Paradox28:50 Common Mistakes Engineers Make During Coding Interviews35:30 The “Engineering Method” Framework For Problem-Solving37:09 Sophie’s Contact Details & Advice For Early-Engineers & FoundersQuotes:"If you're able to capture people's valuable attention, you can always figure out how to turn that into money later."  – Mark Zuckerberg, quoted by Sophie Z. Novati (12:20)"If your business is, I'm going to give you $10 and you give me $5 back, then of course people are going to be happy with you. But that's not actually a business model."  – Sophie Z. Novati (34:40)"Coding interviews are only maybe 40% about coding. So much of it is about how you're exploring the problem space, understanding what the constraints are in your problem."  – Sophie Z. Novati (29:42)"If you're going to embark on the journey of being a founder, figure out a way to absolutely love your work. You have to have such a deeply anchored sense of fulfillment in the grand scheme of things to get you past the hard things."  – Sophie Z. Novati (40:19)Follow:Spotify: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/1st10podcast Amazon: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/7e8ec9af-f38c-4cd9-8c68-1c1dd4516b 27/1st10-podcastApple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/1st10-podcast/id1760411207 Podcast: https://www.1st10.com/podcast RSS: https://anchor.fm/s/f951319c/podcast/rss YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@1st10podcast Follow:Website: www.1st10.comPodcast: www.1st10.com/podcast Twitter www.x.com/1st10engineersLinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/1st10/YouTube: www.youtube.com/@1st10podcast Links:Formation: https://formation.devMusic by Roman Senyk from PixabayProducer: Shrikant Joshi