12 episodes

Welcome to The Better Build, a podcast that explores the world of software engineering leadership, and the people who are shaping it.

This podcast is presented by Mission, an award-winning network and platform for fully managed teams of senior-level software engineers to find opportunities and continue to level-up. For more information, check out mission.dev

The Better Build Mission

    • Technology

Welcome to The Better Build, a podcast that explores the world of software engineering leadership, and the people who are shaping it.

This podcast is presented by Mission, an award-winning network and platform for fully managed teams of senior-level software engineers to find opportunities and continue to level-up. For more information, check out mission.dev

    When You’re a Founder, You’re Trying to Break Something - with Raymond Luk (Hockeystick, Flow)

    When You’re a Founder, You’re Trying to Break Something - with Raymond Luk (Hockeystick, Flow)

    Mission CTO & Co-Founder Fred Brunel sits with Raymond Luk (Hockeystick, Flow) for an insightful conversation into founding, investing, AI, and the importance of making time to be around people in our increasingly remote world.
    Key Takeaways
    The unintended consequences of remote work (11:18)
    Spending time with founders (26:02)
    The "no pain, no gain" mindset (38:25)
    The challenges of finding "A" Players (41:36)

    • 44 min
    Keeping the User in Control with Kaj van de Loo (UserTesting)

    Keeping the User in Control with Kaj van de Loo (UserTesting)

    In this episode of The Better Build, hosts Stephane Rossi (Mission CEO and Co-Founder) and Fred Brunel (Mission CTO and Co-Founder) sit down with Kaj Van de Loo, a seasoned engineering leader and CTO at UserTesting, to explore his journey through the software engineering landscape and discuss the present and future of AI.
    From his early days at SAP Labs to leading innovative projects at Oracle and UserTesting, Kaj shares insights into the evolution of software engineering, the impact of AI and machine learning, the critical role of AI in transforming engineering practices, and the importance of user feedback in driving successful AI adoption.
    Key takeaways:
    The system analyst process (02:42)
    Not seeing the value for the customer during the dot-com era (06:50)
    The challenge of explaining one's value (07:50)
    Pinpointing the big takeaways and real value of professional experience (14:50)
    How user feedback is the key to successful adoption of AI products (20:59)
    Are coding skills becoming irrelevant? (33:08)

    • 37 min
    Patterns and Anti-Patterns of Operational Success with David Subar (Interna)

    Patterns and Anti-Patterns of Operational Success with David Subar (Interna)

    In this episode of The Better Build, Mission CTO Fred Brunel sits down with David Subar, Founder and Managing Partner of Interna, discusses the challenges and strategies in enhancing product development processes for technology companies. Subar highlights the common pitfall of engineering teams becoming mere feature factories and cost centers, emphasizing the importance of aligning engineering and product management to drive company growth and create value for investors.
    Key topics:
    The challenges of going back to an in-office setup with 100% remote teams (3:42)
    Tips for maintaining esprit de corps among team members (4:42)
    Why you shouldn't "cut to a number" if layoffs are necessary (12:16)
    The importance of historical knowledge and taste when using AI effectively (17:28)
    Why we can be optimistic about the transformation of software languages (26:58)
    Reach out to work with us or join our network of product building and engineering talent at mission.dev

    • 31 min
    Finding Overachievers in Overlooked Industries with Martin Kess from Fractal

    Finding Overachievers in Overlooked Industries with Martin Kess from Fractal

    In this episode of The Better Build, we sit down with Martin Kess, Head of Engineering at Fractal, a venture studio on a mission to launch vertical B2B SaaS companies into billion-dollar industries. With an impressive background that spans from Google and Lyft to now steering the ship at Fractal, Martin brings a wealth of experience and unique insights into building successful tech startups.
    Fractal's innovative approach to identifying and capitalizing on hidden opportunities in niche markets has led to the launch of over 140 startups. Martin discusses the qualities they look for in founding CTOs, the importance of grit and adaptability in the startup world, and how Fractal supports its companies through the journey from idea to market leader.
    Listeners will also get a behind-the-scenes look at the challenges of remote work, the advantages of a distributed team, and how empathy and curiosity play crucial roles in understanding and solving real-world problems with technology.
    Whether you're a tech leader, a startup founder, or simply fascinated by the art of building impactful companies, this episode offers valuable lessons on leadership, innovation, and the power of looking where others aren't.
    Key Moments:
    The essential traits of a founding CTO and how to scale from a solo engineer to leading a dynamic team. (03:10)
    The unique model that Fractal uses to identify billion-dollar opportunities in overlooked industries. (13:41)
    Insights into the challenges and triumphs of scaling over 140 startups (19:43)
    The impact of remote work on startup culture and product development. (43:35)

    • 48 min
    The Leadership Pipeline with Sophea Loche (VP of Engineering at Egencia)

    The Leadership Pipeline with Sophea Loche (VP of Engineering at Egencia)

    Mission COO Gabriel Sundaram sits with Sophea Loche (VP of Engineering at Egencia, an Amex GBT company) to discuss how things have changed for women in tech (3:30), how she made a big career decision that required moving to another country (9:08), how she goes about building teams remotely (12:08), the importance of building a leadership pipeline (15:05), how to build trust and get aligned across teams (19:45), and how different country cultures deal with failure (22:17).
    Learn more about how Mission can help you hire senior-level software talent backed by a powerful insights platform at mission.dev.

    • 42 min
    Extreme Programming at Ford with Scott Erkkila

    Extreme Programming at Ford with Scott Erkkila

    Even if you don’t own a vehicle, you know the name Ford. Over 120 years after selling its first vehicle, Ford remains one of the world’s largest automotive companies. What’s kept them going is a willingness to innovate and change with the times, often topping the charts of best selling cars in America well into the 21st century.
    Within Ford Pro, which oversees Ford’s commercial and fleet vehicles, is a hub of innovation: the Ford Pro technology team and its 600+ workers, including over 300 software engineers. And managing these top developers is this episode’s guest, Scott Erkkila, Head of Software Engineering at Ford Pro.
    Scott sat down with Mission CEO Stephane Rossi to talk the latest at Ford Pro, with a particular focus on extreme programming, the methodology being implemented by over 100 software engineering teams within Ford Pro tech. Scott talks benefits and dispels myths around the “controversial” methodology, while giving clues as to how this massive company founded over a century ago continues to meet their customers’ needs and effortlessly stays ahead of the times.
    Key moments
    What is extreme programming? (10:00)
    Key features of extreme programming (11:56)
    Pair programming (15:20)
    Why did Ford Pro adopt extreme programming? (15:45)
    The importance of inclusivity and collaboration (21:42)

    • 37 min

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