Episode 110: Cows, Tech Careers, Working at Microsoft, and Even More About Cows, with Saad Ansari
In this episode, Whitney and Coté speak with Saad Ansari, a product manager at Databricks, about his journey from working at Microsoft to co-founding a startup focused on creating sensors for monitoring cow behavior. They go over the challenges and rewards of transitioning from large corporations to startups and back, the differences in company scales, and the various lessons learned along the way. Saad shares some stories about developing technology for dairy farming, tackling supply chain issues, and the importance of passion in one's work. The conversation also touches on the unique cultural aspects of dairy farming around the world, managing imposter syndrome, and the value of hands-on experience. Special Guest: Saad Ansari.
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Episode 109: Everyday AI and AI Everyday, with Hannah Foxwell
In this episode, Whitney and Coté talk about the integration of AI into daily life with Hannah Foxwell, organizer of AI for the Rest of Us, among many other doings. They talk about stuff like practical applications of AI in daily tasks like finding recipes and tech support to the complexities of adopting AI in professional settings. Hannah also talks about building AI communities and conferences in general. Also, you hear about the upcoming conference AI for the Rest of Us.
You can also watch the video recording of this interview (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qPWbr-5Qhag), if you prefer that kind of thing.
AI for the Rest of Us - https://aifortherestofus.live/london-2025
Discount code: SDI20 for 20% off the conference.
The application form for financial support: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfrOR2OBJUZEJV72lmL_zXFjUyjJPul-NCoqZV4EzQnkhIe6A/viewform
Her LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hannah-foxwell/
Her Keynote at QCon: https://qconlondon.com/speakers/hannahfoxwell
Paper she mentioned: https://gradual-disempowerment.ai/ Special Guest: Hannah Foxwell.
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Episode 108: Venture Capital, AI, and Horses, with Rachel Chalmers
In this episode, Whitney and Coté talk with Rachel Chalmers. Rachel shares her experiences as an analyst, her approach to VC investing, and a little on life as a industry analyst. The conversation also touches on the evolving landscape of venture capital, the importance of psychological safety in teams, and innovative methods for engaging with early-stage startups. Also, lots of horse-talk.
You can also watch the video recording (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l30kHn1S0Bg), if you're into that kind of thing.
Rachel's podcast: https://www.heavybit.com/library/podcasts/generationship
The Generationship fund: https://www.generationship.ai
Rachel LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachalmers/ Special Guest: Rachel Chalmers.
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Episode 107: The business value of developer relations, devrel history, plus more stuff, with Mary Thengvall
In this episode, Whitney and Coté chat with Mary Thengvall, exploring the development and significance of Developer Relations (devrel) over the years. They discuss the transition from tech "evangelism" to the modern devrel roles, the challenges and successes in community building, the importance of internal support for devrel teams, and the impact of AI on content creation. Mary also shares insights from her book, The Business Value of Developer Relations (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40167835-the-business-value-of-developer-relations), and her experience with the devrel Collective community.
You can also watch the video version of this episode (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJpguFkwYDc) if you're into that kind of thing.
Links:
* The Business Value of Developer Relations (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40167835-the-business-value-of-developer-relations).
* https://www.marythengvall.com/
* https://www.linkedin.com/in/marythengvall/
* https://www.persea-consulting.com/book
* https://www.communitypulse.io/ Special Guest: Mary Thengvall.
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Episode 106: Communications Skills, Ultrarunning, and Whacky YouTube Thumbnails, with James Eastham
In this episode, Whitney and Coté talk with James Eastham about developing social skills through reading, the importance of deep work in productivity, and the mental challenges of ultrarunning. They also discuss strategies for reducing screen time in an age of Internet addiction, how thumbnails in YouTube videos influence viewer engagement, and the evolving landscape of short-form video content.
Watch the video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AivOuK_xC50), if you prefer that kind of thing.
Mentioned in the show:
Manager versus Maker (https://paulgraham.com/makersschedule.html).
Deborha Tannan books: Talking 9 to 5 (https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/330609.Talking_from_9_to_5) and You Just Don't Understand: Women and Men in Conversation (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/147222.You_Just_Don_t_Understand).
More on James:
Website - https://jameseastham.co.uk/
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-eastham/
Bsky - https://bsky.app/profile/jameseastham.co.uk
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCutBMcgLfbSfRL-MB5Bskxg Special Guest: James Eastham.
New Zealand