groCTO Originals

In this episode of the groCTO Originals podcast, host Kovid Batra engages in a comprehensive discussion with Geoffrey Teale, the Principal Product Engineer at Upvest, who brings over 25 years of engineering and leadership experience.The episode begins with Geoffrey's role at Upvest, where he has transitioned from Head of DevEx to Principal Product Engineer, emphasizing a holistic approach to improving both developer experience and engineering standards across the organization. The discussion further delves into the significance of product thinking for internal teams, highlighting the challenges and strategies of building platforms that resonate with developers' needs while competing with external solutions.Furthermore, Geoffrey offers valuable insights into the decision-making processes, the importance of simplicity in early-phase startups, and the crucial role of documentation in fostering team cohesion and efficient communication.💡 Highlightsa) Getting Candid📈 Journey from Head of DevEx to Principal Engineer🏦 Inside Upvest’s API-powered financial infrastructure model🎶 Geoffrey’s passions: music, open-source, and eco-friendly techb) Key Takeaways💡 Crafting internal platforms that developers love🔒 Balancing security, speed, and strict regulations✍️ Importance of simplicity and clear documentation🧩 Adapting product thinking to complex engineering challenges🌍 Weighing platform options: Internal vs External🛠 Frameworks for better decision-making in engineering🎧 Full EpisodeThis episode is also available on YouTube, Spotify, iTunes/Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music & more.Thanks for listening to the podcast. That’s it for today 👋1) Subscribe to groCTO — If you aren’t already, consider becoming a groCTO subscriber.2) Share amongst fellow Engineering Leaders and CTOs! Your referral empowers & builds our groCTO community. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit grocto.substack.com

In this episode of the groCTO Originals podcast, host Kovid Batra engages in an insightful conversation with Christopher Zotter, the Head of Digital Engineering at Sky, Germany. Christopher brings a wealth of experience, including a decade of leading engineering teams and founding a software development agency.Known for his unique leadership philosophy, Christopher believes in the power of building trust, embracing failures, and fostering a transparent culture. He shares his journey from an apprentice in Germany to a leadership role, emphasizing the importance of hands-on experience and continuous learning. The discussion delves into the challenges and strategies of managing culturally diverse remote teams, effective communication, and transitioning from legacy systems to cutting-edge technologies. Christopher also highlights the significance of being a role model and integrating community involvement into one's career. This episode offers a deep dive into the principles and practices that can guide leaders in nurturing successful global development teams.💡 Highlightsa) Getting Candid📈 Christopher’s journey from apprentice to a global leader💼 Balancing leadership with running a side businessb) Key Takeaways🔑 How to build trust and foster a transparent team culture?📣 Embracing failure as a tool for growth and encouraging open dialogue🌐 Navigating the complexities of remote leadership to drive effective team collaboration👥 Integrating community involvement as a leader to stay connected and groundedLooking for top tech mentors like Christopher who can help you take up your new tech leadership role with confidence or guide you with your next career move? Sign up with groCTO Connect for 1:1 mentorship from top CTOs & tech leaders.Accelerate your journey towards success🚀🎧 Full EpisodeThis episode is also available on YouTube, Spotify, iTunes/Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music & more.Thanks for listening to the podcast. That’s it for today 👋1) Subscribe to groCTO — If you aren’t already, consider becoming a groCTO subscriber.2) Share amongst fellow Engineering Leaders and CTOs! Your referral empowers & builds our groCTO community. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit grocto.substack.com

In this episode of the groCTO Originals podcast, host Kovid Batra engages with Vilas, an accomplished engineering leader with significant experience at companies like Walmart, Netflix, and Bill.com. They discuss the concept of Developer Experience (DevEx) and how it extends beyond simply providing tools. Vilas highlights the importance of enabling developers with frictionless processes and addresses the multidimensional challenges involved. The conversation delves into Vilas’s journey in DevEx, insights from designing platforms and enabling developer productivity, and the necessity of engaging with key opinion leaders for successful adoption. Vilas shares personal anecdotes and learning experiences, stressing the significance of treating developer enablement as a product and encouraging collaboration. The discussion concludes with advice for those stepping into DevEx roles, underlining the evolving significance of this field in the industry.💡 Highlightsa) Getting Candid🎥 Vilas’s love for cinema & BTS stories🏃‍♂️ Unwinding through movementb) Key Takeaways🔑 The role of frictionless processes in improving DevEx🎯 Treating Developer Enablement as a product to drive real impact🤝 How to engage with key opinion leaders for successful platform adoption💬 Practical advice for those stepping into DevEx rolesLooking for top tech mentors like Vilas who can help you take up your new tech leadership role with confidence or guide you with your next career move? Sign up with groCTO Connect for 1:1 mentorship from top CTOs & tech leaders.Accelerate your journey towards success🚀🎧 Full EpisodeThis episode is also available on YouTube, Spotify, iTunes/Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music & more.Thanks for listening to the podcast. That’s it for today 👋1) Subscribe to groCTO — If you aren’t already, consider becoming a groCTO subscriber.2) Share amongst fellow Engineering Leaders and CTOs! Your referral empowers & builds our groCTO community. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit grocto.substack.com

In this episode of the groCTO Originals podcast, host Kovid Batra is joined by Carlos Neves, the Head of Engineering at Vitality, as they explore the often challenging transition from an individual contributor (IC) to an Engineering Manager (EM).With over 15 years of experience in engineering and leadership, Carlos shares his journey from Portugal to the UK, his initial interest in computer science influenced by a cousin, and his passion for salsa dancing. The discussion delves into the importance of gaining horizontal exposure within an organization, understanding the nuances of management beyond technical skills, and building confidence to overcome imposter syndrome. Carlos emphasizes the significance of proactive communication, trusting the team through delegation, and seeking mentorship. He shares insights into making a conscious decision to transition into management, highlighting the need for self-assessment regarding technical passions and people management skills.The episode concludes with advice for those considering this career path and the introduction of groCTO Connect, a mentoring initiative aimed at helping technical leaders advance.💡 Highlightsa) Getting Candid🇵🇹 Carlos’ path from Portugal to the UK💻 Balancing interests: Sports vs. Computer Science💃 Salsa dancing as a creative outletb) Key Takeaways🧠 How to gain horizontal exposure for a smoother transition into management💬 Tips for overcoming imposter syndrome through better communication🤝 How to effectively delegate by trusting and empowering your team🎯 Career reflection: Deciding between coding & people managementLooking for top tech mentors like Carlos who can help you take up your new tech leadership role with confidence or guide you with your next career move? Sign up with groCTO Connect for 1:1 mentorship from top CTOs & tech leaders.Accelerate your journey towards success🚀🎧 Full EpisodeThis episode is also available on YouTube, Spotify, iTunes/Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music & more.Thanks for listening to the podcast. That’s it for today 👋1) Subscribe to groCTO — If you aren’t already, consider becoming a groCTO subscriber.2) Share amongst fellow Engineering Leaders and CTOs! Your referral empowers & builds our groCTO community. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit grocto.substack.com

Welcome to today’s episode of the groCTO Originals podcast, where host Kovid Batra talks with Jagannath Kintali, former Head of Engineering at Dojo and ex-startup co-founder, about building impactful engineering teams focused on customer delight.Jagannath shares his extensive experience of over 18+ years in engineering, discussing the importance of building what is needed rather than overshooting with extravagant systems. He emphasises creating high-performance teams through trust, purpose, and customer empathy. Jagannath highlights his journey, the learnings from his startup, and how he implemented these insights at Dojo, including stories about curtain ordering systems and observability projects. This episode provides valuable insights on leadership, team building, and aligning engineering efforts towards solving real customer problems.💡 Highlightsa) Getting Candid👨‍💻 Jagannath’s rise from Orissa to tech leadership in the UK✈️ Passion for engineering and a dream to fly📈 Startup lessons: product focus, team-building, and executionb) Key Takeaways👥 Building customer-driven, high-performing teams🛠️ How trust, purpose, and empathy drive engineering success⚖️ Startup insights: start small, iterate fast🔍 Implementing learnings at Dojo with real-world projects🚀 Aligning engineering teams to solve real customer problems👨‍💼 Practical advice for leaders balancing system design with customer needsLooking for top tech mentors like Jag who can help you take up your new tech leadership role with confidence or guide you with your next career move? Sign up with groCTO Connect for 1:1 mentorship from top CTOs & tech leaders.Accelerate your journey towards success🚀🎧 Full EpisodeThis episode is also available on YouTube, Spotify, iTunes/Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music & more.Thanks for listening to the podcast. That’s it for today 👋1) Subscribe to groCTO — If you aren’t already, consider becoming a groCTO subscriber.2) Share amongst fellow Engineering Leaders and CTOs! Your referral empowers & builds our groCTO community. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit grocto.substack.com

Welcome to today’s episode of the groCTO Originals podcast, where host Kovid Batra sits down with Venkat Rangasamy, Director of Engineering at Oracle and an advisory member at HBR, to discuss how AI is reshaping the engineering landscape. Venkat shares his journey from a humble background to leading at Oracle, diving into his passion for mentorship and the revolutionary impact of AI on the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC).In this episode, Venkat explores how AI is making product development faster, cheaper, and more efficient, while also addressing the challenges of using public versus local LLMs. He offers actionable advice for engineering leaders in startups, focusing on the evolving role of developers and how to navigate this transformative phase in tech.💡 Highlightsa) Getting Candid👨‍💻 Venkat’s humble background to leading at Oracle🤖 His passion for mentorship and generative AIb) Key Takeaways🤖 How AI is revolutionizing the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC)⚖️ Challenges with public vs. local LLMs🔒 Security and IP concerns with AI💡 Making product development cheaper, faster, and more efficient with AI👨‍💼 Evolving role of developers in the AI-driven era🛠️ Actionable advice for engineering leaders navigating this shiftLooking for top tech mentors like Venkat who can help you take up your new tech leadership role with confidence or guide you with your next career move? Sign up with groCTO Connect for 1:1 mentorship from top CTOs & tech leaders.Accelerate your journey towards success🚀🎧 Full EpisodeThis episode is also available on YouTube, Spotify, iTunes/Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music & more.Thanks for listening to the podcast. That’s it for today 👋1) Subscribe to groCTO — If you aren’t already, consider becoming a groCTO subscriber.2) Share amongst fellow Engineering Leaders and CTOs! Your referral empowers & builds our groCTO community. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit grocto.substack.com

Welcome to today’s episode of the groCTO Originals podcast, where host Kovid Batra interviews James Charlesworth, Director of Engineering, Sheffield Site Lead at Pendo, to discuss the common conflict between product and engineering teams. James brings over 15 years of experience in engineering and leadership to share strategies for fostering empathy, collaboration, and effective communication. He emphasizes the importance of understanding each team's priorities, the impact of misalignment, and how impactful one-on-one interactions can build trust within teams.💡 Highlightsa) Getting Candid👨‍💻 James’ background and early passion for tech🎸 Exploring creative non-tech hobbiesb) Professional Journey🎓 A pivotal moment: Choosing the wrong degree🧭 Navigating life and discovering your nichec) Key Takeaways💟 Bridging the ‘Product vs Engineering’ gap with empathy👔 The role and influence of Engineering Managers🤝 How frequent 1-on-1s build trust within teams🌱 Practical tips for introverts in techLooking for top tech mentors like James who can help you take up your new tech leadership role with confidence or guide you with your next career move? Sign up with groCTO Connect for 1:1 mentorship from top CTOs & tech leaders.Accelerate your journey towards success🚀🎧 Full EpisodeThis episode is also available on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music & more.Thanks for listening to the podcast. That’s it for today 👋1) Subscribe to groCTO — If you aren’t already, consider becoming a groCTO subscriber.2) Share amongst fellow Engineering Leaders and CTOs! Your referral empowers & builds our groCTO community. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit grocto.substack.com

Welcome to another episode of exploring tech leadership! Today, your host Kovid Batra welcomes Vladislav Maličević, CTO at Jedox.Vlado shares his 20-year journey from being one of the first developers at Jedox to becoming the CTO of the company. He discusses his personal background, the growth and transformation of Jedox, and the company's strategic decisions, including the shift from open-source to a full-fledged cloud platform.💡 Highlightsa) Getting Candid✨ Vladislav’s introduction🇩🇪 Personal life & shift to Germanyb) Professional Journey👨🏻‍💻 Vlado’s journey from developer to CTO at Jedox🚀 Competing with existing competitors like IBM & SAPc) Key Takeaways📈 Jedox's evolution: How they created space in the market👩‍💻 The role of open source in Jedox's growth✅ Transition to cloud and key decisions🎯 Building vs. Outsourcing: How to make the right choice?Looking for top tech mentors like Vladislav who can help you take up your new tech leadership role with confidence or guide you with your next career move? Sign up with groCTO Connect for 1:1 mentorship from top CTOs & tech leaders.Accelerate your journey towards success🚀🎧 Full EpisodeThis episode is also available on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music & more.Thanks for listening to the podcast. That’s it for today 👋1) Subscribe to groCTO — If you aren’t already, consider becoming a groCTO subscriber.2) Share amongst fellow Engineering Leaders and CTOs! Your referral empowers & builds our groCTO community. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit grocto.substack.com

Welcome to another episode of exploring tech leadership! Today, your host Kovid Batra welcomes Leonid Bugaev, Head of Engineering at Tyk.With 20 years in IT, mostly with startups, Leo brings a fresh perspective on entrepreneurship and leadership. He’ll share his insights on navigating economic downturns, building strong engineering teams, and keeping motivation high in tough times. Leo’s focus on transparent communication and strategic priorities offers valuable guidance for thriving in any economic climate.💡 Highlightsa) Getting Candid👨🏻‍💻 Leonid’s introduction✨ Personal life & hobbiesb) Professional Journey🚀 Starting a business at 17 & working with startups💰 Side hustles & monetizationc) Key Takeaways📈 Understanding the patterns of economic downturns👩‍💻 How to build business context for Engineering teams✅ Avoiding chaos & maintaining motivation🎯 Leo’s strategic priorities during a recession💬 Building trust with transparent communicationLooking for top tech mentors like Leonid who can help you take up your new tech leadership role with confidence or guide you with your next career move? Sign up with groCTO Connect for 1:1 mentorship from top CTOs & tech leaders.Accelerate your journey towards success🚀🎧 Full EpisodeThis episode is also available on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music & more.Thanks for listening to the podcast. That’s it for today 👋1) Subscribe to groCTO — If you aren’t already, consider becoming a groCTO subscriber.2) Share amongst fellow Engineering Leaders and CTOs! Your referral empowers & builds our groCTO community. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit grocto.substack.com

Welcome to today's podcast episode, where we dive deep into the minds shaping the future of tech leadership! Today, your host Kovid Batra sits down with Sergio Visinoni, who is many things - a visionary Fractional CTO, Tech Advisor, and Mentor at groCTO Community. He’s also the brilliant mind behind the newsletter 'Sudo Make Me a CTO'.Sergio made a bold leap from the traditional VP of Engineering role to the world of solopreneurship, and he hasn’t looked back since. In this episode, he’ll unravel how he’s reimagined Maslow’s hierarchy for tech and business teams, offering insights that could transform the way you lead and innovate.💡 Highlightsa) Getting Candid👨🏻‍💻 Sergio’s introduction✨ Personal life & hobbies b) Professional Journey🙋‍♂️ From Software Engineer to Solopreneur🚀 Building the newsletter ‘Sudo Make Me a CTO’c) Key Takeaways📈 How Maslow’s hierarchy for tech teams was created🔺 Levels & benefits of Maslow’s pyramid👩‍💻 How Maslow’s hierarchy serves tech & business needs✅ Addressing implementation challenges📝 Power of data-driven decision-makingYou can now book a complimentary 1:1 mentorship session with Sergio. Contact us to schedule.🎧 Full EpisodeThis episode is also available on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music & more.Thanks for listening to the podcast. That’s it for today 👋1) Subscribe to groCTO — If you aren’t already, consider becoming a groCTO subscriber.2) Share amongst fellow Engineering Leaders and CTOs! Your referral empowers & builds our groCTO community. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit grocto.substack.com

Welcome to today's episode of the podcast! Your host, Kovid Batra, sits down with Leigh Rathbone, Head of Quality Engineering at CAVU, with past contributions to various reputable organisations like Sony Ericsson & The Very Group.Leigh has been at the forefront of tech innovation, from developing the first touchscreen smartphone and smartwatch to working with AR, VR, and AI tech. In this episode, he shares his insights on the evolution of software testing and automation. Tune in to hear his thoughts on balancing human effort and AI in the tech world.💡 Highlightsa) Getting Candid👨🏻‍💻 Leigh’s introduction✨ Life-defining moment in Leigh’s careerb) Professional Journey📱 Building the first touchscreen smartphone & smartwatch at Sony Ericsson🚀 The beginning of automation with WinRunnerc) Key Takeaways📈 The evolution of software testing & growing trends🤖 How to effectively utilize AI in testing✅ Continuous upskilling & team collaboration techniques🎮 Hands-on testing approach to AR, VR & 3D gaming🙋‍♀️ The unique value of humans in testingLooking for top tech mentors like Leigh who can help you take up your new tech leadership role with confidence or guide you with your next career move? Sign up with groCTO Connect for 1:1 mentorship from top CTOs & tech leaders.Accelerate your journey towards success🚀🎧 Full EpisodeThis episode is also available on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music & more.Thanks for listening to the podcast. That’s it for today 👋1) Subscribe to groCTO — If you aren’t already, consider becoming a groCTO subscriber.2) Share amongst fellow Engineering Leaders and CTOs! Your referral empowers & builds our groCTO community. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit grocto.substack.com

In this episode, host Kovid Batra is joined by Paul Lewis, a seasoned technology leader with over 30 years of experience. Paul has held prominent roles, including CTO at Hitachi Vantara, and currently serves as CTO at Pythian.In addition to his professional roles, Paul actively contributes to academia as a board member of the Schulich School of Business. In today’s episode, Paul shares his insights on building tech teams from scratch, offering valuable perspectives from his vast experience in the technology sector.💡 Highlightsa) Getting Candid👨🏻‍💻 Paul’s introduction🌈 Witnessing a spectrum of technologyb) Professional Journey💼 Switching from IT to OT at Hitachi Vantara🚀 Innovation & future tech at Pythianc) Key Takeaways💟 Establishing a collaborative team culture✅ Hiring & talent acquisition strategy💬 Processes & communication in growing teams🤖 Aligning tech innovation with business requirementsLooking for top tech mentors like Paul who can help you take up your new tech leadership role with confidence or guide you with your next career move? Sign up with groCTO Connect for 1:1 mentorship from top CTOs & tech leaders.Accelerate your journey towards success🚀🎧 Full EpisodeThis episode is also available on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music & more.Thanks for listening to the podcast. That’s it for today 👋1) Subscribe to groCTO — If you aren’t already, consider becoming a groCTO subscriber.2) Share amongst fellow Engineering Leaders and CTOs! Your referral empowers & builds our groCTO community. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit grocto.substack.com

In this episode, host Kovid Batra is joined by Jacob Singh, CTO in Residence at Alpha Wave Global. Jacob's impressive career spans over two decades, during which he has held pivotal CTO and Director roles at renowned startups and organizations such as Blinkit, Sequoia Capital, and Acquia. Being a coder & a manager, Jacob understands the challenges faced by both developers & tech leaders and so, we’re super excited to bring to you his extensive knowledge of improving developer experience through this podcast.💡 Highlightsa) Getting Candid👨🏻‍💻 Jacob’s background & upbringing🇮🇳 Moving to India & career breakb) Professional Journey💼 Working in the US & later in India at Grofers (now ‘Blinkit’)🚀 Defining ‘Developer Experience’ & why it’s trendingc) Key Takeaways💻 What separates the tech cultures in India & the West?💟 Creating good DevEx for Gen Z & younger generations✅ Advice for leaders in misaligned organizations📈 How Grofers improved their developer experience🤖 Jacob on PRs, code reviews & utilizing AI tools for developmentLooking for top tech mentors like Jacob who can help you take up your new tech leadership role with confidence or guide you with your next career move? Sign up with groCTO Connect for 1:1 mentorship from top CTOs & tech leaders.Accelerate your journey towards success🚀🎧 Full EpisodeThis episode is also available on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music & more.Thanks for listening to the podcast. That’s it for today 👋1) Subscribe to groCTO — If you aren’t already, consider becoming a groCTO subscriber.2) Share amongst fellow Engineering Leaders and CTOs! Your referral empowers & builds our groCTO community. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit grocto.substack.com

In this episode, host Kovid Batra welcomes Roman Kuba, VP of Engineering at a tech-based startup Tset. Roman brings a wealth of experience from his leadership roles at renowned organizations including GitLab, Cloudbees, and CodeSandbox.Roman explores the intricate dynamics of scaling a startup with a people-first approach, balancing effort & value delivery and overcoming challenges along the way by learning from one’s mistakes.💡 Highlightsa) Getting Candid🏆 Roman’s life-defining moments🇦🇹 Moving from Australia to Austriab) Professional Journey💼 Roman’s role & responsibilities at Tset🚀 The importance of a people-first approachc) Key Takeaways💪 Aligning & keeping young developers motivated🔍 Navigating the Zero-to-One journey⚖️ Balancing effort & value delivery at startups👨‍🏫 Advice for developers & aspiring engineering leaders🎧 Full EpisodeThis episode is also available on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music & more.Thanks for listening to the podcast. That’s it for today 👋1) Subscribe to groCTO — If you aren’t already, consider becoming a groCTO subscriber.2) Share amongst fellow Engineering Leaders and CTOs! Your referral empowers & builds our groCTO community. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit grocto.substack.com

In today’s episode, host Kovid Batra is joined by Glenn Santos, VP of Engineering at PDAX. Glenn is also dedicated to empowering developers to become leaders with his initiative eHeads, a community for engineering leaders to exchange experiences and insights. His vast experience includes valuable contributions to renowned companies such as Salarium, TraXion Tech Inc., and HCX Technology Partners.💡 Highlightsa) Getting Candid🏆 Glenn’s life-defining moment🍝 Being a foodie & an avid car loverb) Professional Journey🚀 Discovering TechCrunch & outsourcing💼 Glenn’s role & responsibilities at PDAXc) Key Takeaways🤝 Aligning tech & business goals & keeping developers motivated⚖️ Managing velocity while fulfilling compliances📝 Implementing DORA metrics & SonarQube✅ Building trust in the initial days as a leaderWelcome to groCTO! Every week we publish a curated selection of articles, and podcasts to accelerate the growth of passionate engineering leaders 🚀 By subscribing, you empower us to deliver to you insights most valued by fellow CTOs and industry experts.🎧 Full EpisodeThis episode is also available on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music & more.Thanks for listening to the podcast. That’s it for today 👋You can find us here too!LinkedIn | YouTube | Instagram | X (Twitter) This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit grocto.substack.com

In today’s episode, Kovid Batra is joined by two dynamic engineering leaders: Miroslaw Stanek and Francis Lacoste.Miroslaw, the Director of Engineering and PL Engineering Site Lead for the Poland R&D division at Papaya Global, also authors the much-loved newsletter ‘Practical Engineering Management’.Francis, an expert at fostering high-performing, collaborative cultures, is a VPE and CTO Coach specializing in helping startups scale up! He brings invaluable insights to this episode from his time with Heroku and its acquisition by Salesforce later on.💡 Highlightsa) Getting Candid🚵🏻‍♀️ Miroslaw on being a father, an athlete & a leader.🎶 Francis’s interest in music & teaching meditation online.b) Professional Journey🚀 Miroslaw’s journey from Azemo to its acquirer Papaya Global.💼 Francis’s story of leadership at Heroku to its acquisition by Salesforce.c) Key Takeaways🔍 The various types of acquisitions with examples.⚖️ Navigating culture shifts, team mergers & evolving missions.📝 Onboarding & talent utilization.✅ Maintaining team motivation & efficiency during transitions.Welcome to groCTO! Every week we publish a curated selection of articles, and podcasts to accelerate the growth of passionate engineering leaders 🚀 By subscribing, you empower us to deliver to you insights most valued by fellow CTOs and industry experts.🎧 Full EpisodeThis episode is also available on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music & more.Thanks for listening to the podcast. That’s it for today 👋You can find us here too!LinkedIn | YouTube | Instagram | X (Twitter) This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit grocto.substack.com

In this episode, host Kovid Batra welcomes Lubo Drobny, Senior Leader & Software Engineering Coach at Cisco. With an impressive professional background at Seimens & SAP Labs, Lubo also actively contributes to the tech community through blogging, hosting podcasts, and organizing meetups centered around product and software engineering topics. Today, you can find Lubo talking about building teams from scratch vs branching, engineering metrics, team excellence, & much more.💡 Highlightsa) Getting Candid🍃 Lubo’s love for programming, hiking & gardening.👨‍🏫 A life-defining moment in Lubo’s career shaping his current coaching style. b) Professional Journey🚀 The story of leadership at Slido to its acquisition by Cisco.💼 Working at Slido vs Cisco.c) Key Takeaways⚖️ How to balance hiring, training & delivery while scaling up?📝 Crucial engineering metrics for assessing team excellence.✅ The impact of metrics on delivery and quality.🔍 Finding the root cause of inefficiency in teams.Welcome to groCTO! Every week we publish a curated selection of articles, and podcasts to accelerate the growth of passionate engineering leaders 🚀 By subscribing, you empower us to deliver to you insights most valued by fellow CTOs and industry experts.🎧 Full EpisodeThis episode is also available on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music & more.Thanks for listening to the podcast. That’s it for today 👋You can find us here too!LinkedIn | YouTube | Instagram | X (Twitter) This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit grocto.substack.com

In this episode, host Kovid Batra welcomes Jörg Godau, Chief Digital Officer at Doctorly and one of the founding members of The EL Club in Berlin, Germany. His vast experience includes valuable contributions to renowned companies such as VRR Consulting UG, Nortal, and IBM. The discussion revolves around ‘Leading with Empathy & Compassion’.The episode kicks off with Jörg discussing his hobbies and life-defining events before delving into his role and daily challenges at Doctorly. He emphasizes leveraging user insights and business understanding for software development and aligning individual career aspirations with organizational needs during team scaling.Furthermore, Jörg explores measuring engineering team success both qualitatively and quantitatively. Wrapping up, he shares his final thoughts on remote work.Welcome to groCTO. Every week we publish a curated selection of articles, and podcasts to accelerate growth for passionate engineering leaders By subscribing, you empower us to deliver to you insights that have already shown value to fellow CTOs and technology readers.You can find us here too!LinkedIn || YouTube This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit grocto.substack.com

In this episode, host Kovid Batra welcomes Ricardo Castro, Platform Engineer/SRE at FanDuel.The episode kicks off with Ricardo shedding light on his personal interests and transformative life experiences. He imparts valuable wisdom on differentiating between DevOps, SRE, and Platform Engineers. He also advises adopting best practices for implementing CI/CD pipelines in startups, medium-sized enterprises, and large corporations and presenting a robust framework for cultivating effective DevOps teams.Lastly, Ricardo provokes thoughtful reflection on whether deployment frequency truly encapsulates DevOps efficiency, or if the focus should shift towards the value delivered.Ricardo on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mccricardo/groCTO is an exclusive series of podcasts with tech leaders across the globe, sharing learnings about dev processes, growth, culture, and well-being.Connect with us!LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/typoapp/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/typo_app/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/Typoapp_⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100088731559819⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Try typo for free: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://typoapp.io/⁠⁠--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/beyondthecodebytypo/message This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit grocto.substack.com

This episode features Claus Höfele, Head of Engineering at On and the author of the newsletter ‘Drawn to Leadership’. He has a rich technical background at the Doctari Group, eBay Classifieds, Sony Ericsson, and more.The episode begins with Claus sharing the core function of his company ‘On’ and the inspiration behind his newsletter. Following that, he explores his definition of ‘Leadership’ and describes his journey from a software engineer to a leader. He also offers insights into his role as a Director of Engineering, managing multiple teams, context switching, and escalations, particularly in lean structures or during hiring phases.Lastly, Claus delves into defining success for engineering teams and discusses his significant success as an Engineering Director and the contributing factors.Claus on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/claushoefele/groCTO is an exclusive series of podcasts with tech leaders across the globe, sharing learnings about dev processes, growth, culture, and well-being.Connect with us!LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/typoapp/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/typo_app/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/Typoapp_⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100088731559819⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Try typo for free: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://typoapp.io/⁠⁠--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/beyondthecodebytypo/message This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit grocto.substack.com