David Goldman, Celesta Capital — Investing in Deep Tech That Shapes the Future
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
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46:51
Brian Abston, The Wendy’s Company — Redefining QSR Tech With Quality at the Core
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
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44:20
Michael Gyarmathy, PGA of America — How Customer Obsession Drives Better Software
Michael Gyarmathy, Staff Software Engineer at PGA of America, brings a wealth of experience in full-stack development, cloud-native technologies and DevOps. At PGA of America, Michael leads engineering efforts to enhance the golf experience through digital products like PGA Coach, which helps golf professionals streamline their businesses.In this episode, Michael shares how customer obsession, iterative development and engineering culture drive innovation at PGA of America. He also discusses how Flutter enables scalable app development, how his consulting background shaped his product mindset and why self-immersion in the customer journey is key to building great software.Key Takeaways:(02:06) Software engineering is a craft that evolves.(04:05) Consulting builds a strong foundation, but ownership fuels growth.(09:07) Digital tools can streamline operations for service professionals.(11:34) Personal experience with a product’s domain improves development.(15:30) Embedding products into business programs drives adoption.(17:35) The product triad (PM, designer, engineer) guides development.(24:06) Understanding the customer journey leads to better product decisions.(28:24) Technology can enhance remote learning and coaching experiences.(31:42) Modular architectures support scalability and multiple teams.(38:43) Enabling professionals to work efficiently creates lasting impact.Resources Mentioned:Michael Gyarmathyhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-gyarmathy-87ba3364/PGA of America LinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/pga-of-america/PGA of America Websitehttps://www.pga.com/Michael Gyarmathy on Xhttps://x.com/mgyarmathy_PGA Coachhttps://pga.coach/Find a Golf Coach Near Youhttps://www.pga.com/coachVery 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
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41:12
Dan Hou, Eskridge — Driving High-Impact Solutions With AI-Native Workflows
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
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43:30
Thiago Ghisi, Nubank — Scaling Mobile Platforms To Serve 100 Million Customers
On today’s episode, we’re joined by Thiago Ghisi, Director of Engineering at Nubank. With nearly two decades of experience in the software industry, Thiago has held roles such as Senior Software Engineering Manager at Apple, Engineering Director, Mobile Engineering at American Express and Senior Quality Assurance Consultant at Thoughtworks.Thiago shares his evolution from hands-on engineering to leadership, insights into building Canonical platforms and the transformative journey of adopting server-driven UI at Nubank.Key Takeaways:(02:39) The importance of being a “glue person” in engineering teams.(07:59) Lessons learned from effective delegation and giving actionable feedback.(14:42) Nubank’s innovative adoption of Flutter to streamline mobile development.(17:20) Gradual migration without overhauling the entire system immediately.(20:46) Why server-driven UI took years to perfect and how it revolutionized Nubank’s processes.(28:19) Server-driven UI enables continuous delivery for faster iteration cycles.(35:07) End-to-end product ownership means solving problems, not forcing solutions.(39:10) Company culture plays a critical role in driving success.(43:49) Governance is critical for managing server-driven UI effectively.(48:13) Avoiding attachment to technologies enables innovation and adaptability. Resources Mentioned:Thiago Ghisi -https://www.linkedin.com/in/thiagoghisi/Nubank | LinkedIn -https://www.linkedin.com/company/nubank/Nubank | Website -https://www.nubank.com.br/Apple -https://www.linkedin.com/company/apple/American Express -https://www.linkedin.com/company/american-express/Thoughtworks -https://www.linkedin.com/company/thoughtworks/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
"Build To Succeed" explores the world of building successful tech products by dissecting the experiences of leaders who have brought ideas to life and nurtured them into long-term successes. The show delves into the delicate balance of speed and resourcefulness required in today's business landscape, emphasizing the importance of building "the right thing, the right way" – crafting products for longevity while optimizing for business goals. Through interviews with these experienced individuals, listeners will gain insights into navigating the space between launch and long-term growth, making good decisions, and uncovering the patterns that lead to repeated success. Build to Succeed is brought to you by Very Good Ventures.
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