Shows
Team AmplifierEstablishing Intentional Processes with Randall NovalIn this episode, the host discusses the importance of creating 'invisible structures' that automate team flourishing, autonomy, and psychological safety with guest Randall Noval, a tech leader with extensive experience in product and engineering management. Randall shares his insights on the value of intentional process creation and design, drawing from his varied experiences in advertising, healthcare, and telehealth industries. Topics include the concept of intentional processes, examples of such processes like feedback systems and communication protocols, and the challenges leaders face in establishing these processes. Randall emphasizes the significance of psychological safety, trust, and the iterative nature of process...
2025-08-2044 min
Team AmplifierPracticing Intentional AccountabilityIn this episode, the host converses with Robert, a fractional CTO with extensive experience in AI ads, monetization strategy, and engineering. Robert discusses the importance of intentional accountability in tech leadership, sharing insights from his 37-40 years in the industry. Key themes include building team trust through intentional actions, setting up systems like automated updates and PR templates, and using tools like Geekbot for daily check-ins. Robert also emphasizes the necessity of maintaining proper documentation and providing positive reinforcement. Through real-life examples and personal anecdotes, Robert outlines how intentional accountability can lead to better code quality, efficient teamwork, and...
2025-08-1343 min
Team AmplifierStanding in the Gap for Your TeamThis podcast episode features a conversation between Byron and Jon Freedman, a technologist with extensive experience in the financial services industry. The discussion focuses on the concept of 'standing in the gap' for one's team, emphasizing the role of tech leaders in promoting human flourishing within their teams. Key points include the importance of advocacy, psychological safety, and effective communication in team dynamics. Jon shares his journey from working at hedge funds to becoming a fractional CTO, offering insights into the challenges and rewards of leadership. Additionally, both participants discuss personal anecdotes and practical strategies for making teams more...
2025-08-0636 min
Team AmplifierBuilding Autonomy Without AnarchyIn this podcast episode, the guest Dan Hardiker, a former child prodigy turned tech leader and community builder, shares insights into his journey and experiences. Dan discusses his early fascination with technology, starting with getting his first computer, a Commodore 64, at the age of four and selling his first computer program by the age of eight. He also narrates his experience growing up in an evangelical church community and how that shaped his passion for building communities in various settings, including professional ones. Dan highlights the importance of human connection and understanding neurodivergence in building effective teams. The discussion...
2025-07-3054 min
Team AmplifierTeaching Them to be WayfindersIn this episode of Team Amplifier, Byron interviews Chris Leonard, a high-performing team builder, avid musician, and newly appointed board chair for the Nashville Tree Conservation Corps. Chris discusses his journey from a musician and audio engineer to a consultant who now helps businesses and teams improve their performance by fostering collaboration and autonomy. The conversation emphasizes the importance of teaching team members to be wayfinders or individuals who can independently navigate and solve problems within their work environment. Chris advocates for leaders to practice patience, ask open-ended questions, and resist the impulse to micromanage. He also shares practical...
2025-07-2344 min
Team AmplifierTeaching Them About Business StrategyIn this video, the host engages in a conversation with Klaas Ardinois, a seasoned technology strategy consultant and New England Patriots fan. The discussion centers on the significance of educating tech teams about business strategy to help them thrive. Class shares his extensive experience, from being a CTO in various companies to becoming a strategy consultant. He emphasizes the importance of reading outside one's comfort zone for personal and professional growth. Class recommends the book 'Good Profit' by Charles Koch and discusses its core concepts, including the value of 'good profit.' The talk covers real-world examples of how...
2025-07-1634 min
Team AmplifierBalancing Drive with Well-BeingIn this interview, Byron chats with Chris Bee, a seasoned product and engineering leader with over 20 years of experience in big tech and startups, about the crucial balance between drive and well-being in the tech industry. Chris details his extensive career, including roles at Amazon Music, Uber, Zillow, and his current work in a fractional and advisory capacity. They discuss the importance of balancing pressure with sustainability, strategies like dedicating time for non-feature work, the role of trust and shared vision in team engagement, and the impact of planning and reducing chaos. Chris emphasizes the need for leaders to...
2025-07-0225 min
Team AmplifierAligning What You Measure with Your PurposeIn this episode, the host speaks with Scott Weiner, a CTO and expert in high-performing teams, on the importance of aligning metrics with team purpose. Scott shares his experience as a fractional CTO and insights into the overlap between Agile practices and AI development. They discuss the pitfalls of measuring the wrong metrics and how doing so can demotivate teams. Scott emphasizes the importance of trust, autonomy, and clear purpose in fostering high-performing teams. He recounts personal stories to illustrate the impact of these principles and offers practical advice for tech leaders to improve team dynamics and effectiveness. The...
2025-06-1832 min
Team AmplifierAligning Employee and Company GoalsIn this episode, we sit down with Michelle Floyd, a former rocket scientist turned Chief Technology Officer and part-time ski instructor, to discuss the critical topic of aligning team and company goals to promote human flourishing. Michelle shares his diverse background, experiences in the tech industry, and insights on the importance of connecting employees' career aspirations with the company's mission. He also recounts an embarrassing mistake from his past and offers actionable advice for tech leaders looking to enhance team alignment and productivity. Michelle emphasizes the significance of understanding both personal and organizational 'whys' and reflects on the transformational...
2025-06-0539 min
WFH with 2 GuysRemote Working - Bringing Out the Best in OthersAcklen Avenue has been a remote work environment since they started back in 2011. What started as a 2 person business has grown to over 120 team members today - all working remotely. Colin shares some of the "experiments" they have done that has worked, and others that they have had to refine over time.
Key points are
1. Relationships being developed
2. Good listening
3. Having metrics that team members are measured against
4. Simply as cameras on for all meetings
5. Open communication
Most of these apply to any business but when you are remote - you have to make them your mission and commitment...
2024-04-1624 min
The Dev Amplifier PodcastHow to Grow Your Career in Large Corporations with Garret HamannGarret Hamann is currently working as a Senior Software Engineer at Google working on Google Play. He has worked for several large corporations for extended periods of time. He worked for Nokia for ten years. He shares his experience working for large corporations.
You can find Garret on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hamanng
What You Will Learn:
What great developers do at large corporations
The difference between a manager and a coach
When a junior developer is ready to become a senior developer
2021-12-271h 12The Dev Amplifier PodcastHow to be Better Stewards of Client Relationships with Colleen ReidelbachColleen Reidelbach is CRO at Acklen Avenue. She is the host of the podcast Build Better Tech, a podcast on how the nation’s leading companies use tech as a business strategy to win. She gives her advice on the best ways to work with clients as a great developer and communicator.
You can listen to her podcast here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/build-better-tech-how-the-nations-leading-companies/id1486402397
What You Will Learn:
The conversations that great developers need to have
How to talk with clients in an effective way
How to work with non-technical clients
2021-12-201h 09The Dev Amplifier PodcastBecoming a Senior Developer with Jeremy DeYoungJeremy DeYoung has been building software applications for about the last 20 years. He also has worked with many startups. He is a self-defined coder but not a developer and goes through the distinction. He shares how he got into programming without going to college. He talks about the dangers of creating code just to impress your boss as opposed to creating good code that works well.
What You Will Learn:
How to be a great Senior Developer
The benefits of the 18-month rule
Pair Programming
The rule of 7 backups
2021-12-061h 21The Dev Amplifier PodcastHow Great Developers Get Things Done with Fernando IriasFernando Isias is an IOS Developer at Google for the past six years. He sits down with Byron to talk about the evolution of machine learning and how QA could be improved by developers. He shares what he thinks makes a great developer at both start ups and big companies. You can follow Fernando on Twitter: https://twitter.com/fernandoescher?lang=en
What You Will Learn:
How BlockChain is opening people’s minds
The future of machine learning
Where QA fits
Working at a startup vs. working for a big company
2021-11-291h 03The Dev Amplifier PodcastBe More Senior - Rene RosaRene Rosa from X-Team joins the show today. He wanted to enter the field of electrical engineering but not enough people had signed up for the classes. So out of necessity, he switched to studying programming. He gives his tips on how geeks can be less geeky and how shyness can hurt your career. Learn more about X-Team here: https://x-team.com/
What You Will Learn:
The new faces of programming
The biggest thing that will hold you back
The value of working with intention
Why you need to balance your career and personal life
2021-11-221h 04The Dev Amplifier PodcastAll Things Senior - Derek GreerDerek Greer is a software developer specializing in C Sharp for about 15 years. He started studying computer science in school not knowing much about it. He served as a mentor to Byron and talks about why sharing your knowledge is important.
What You Will Learn:
New implementations of code that are changing the game
Test-driven development v. Behavior-driven development
Is test-drive development appropriate for every project?
What component-level tests are and how they are useful
2021-11-151h 31The Dev Amplifier PodcastHow Great Developers Get & Hold Onto The Big Picture - Andres FloresThe Technical Product Manager from Minno, Andres Flores is here today. He talks about what managers really do even when it seems like they’re just in meetings. He started coding in college, which lead to interning for Hero Unit under Byron, where he had to learn a brand new language. Byron tells the story of why he threw Andres through the wringer during his internship.
What You Will Learn:
What happens when you switch into management
How to quickly learn a new language
Why you need to come out of your comfort zone
Why great dev...
2021-11-081h 04The Dev Amplifier PodcastHow to Learn Anything - Tim CoreyFrom Dallas, Texas Tim Corey, a developer, Microsft MVP, and the host of his YouTube Channel I am Tim Corey, joins Byron today. He got started in programming when his grandfather gave him a computer that was going to be thrown out. He talks about learning how to code from a book when he was a kid. Tim shares his story of when he almost quit coding and what brought him back. You can listen to his podcast “Dev Questions” or watch his YouTube Channel I Am Tim Corey.
https://www.youtube.com/user/IAmTimCorey
What...
2021-11-011h 15The Dev Amplifier PodcastTransitions - Cristian “Thecap"Cristian “Thecap” is started studying astrophysics but was surprised to learn that there was not a lot of money in the field. He then began coding as a hobby and then decided to follow his dreams and make coding a full-time career. He discusses how to write code for humans not for computers. Cristian also talks about when it’s time to make a transition in your career.
What You Will Learn:
The skills you need to succeed as a developer
How to be a full stack human
The importance of turning off your phone
Balancing making...
2021-10-2556 minThe Dev Amplifier PodcastWhy Some of the Best Developers Don’t Get the Job - David RobertsFrom all the way across the pond, UK developer David Roberts shares his experience working at Arc.Dev, where he helps developers get jobs. He started developing when he didn’t know what he wanted to study and his dad encouraged him to pursue a career in coding. While he didn’t love it at first, he shares how his passion for coding grew. Learn more about Arc.Dev here: https://arc.dev/
What You Will Learn:
The benefits of diversity in technology
How imposter syndrome can hurt you
How to sell yourself for the job
What...
2021-10-1859 minThe Dev Amplifier PodcastAdaptability - Alex MigutskyStraight from Berlin, Alex Migusky is a senior developer working a Microsoft working on the GitHub Team. He moved to Berlin to join several startups before ultimately landing a job a Microsoft. He discusses the new Microsoft and how it has become more developer-oriented. He discusses what makes a great developer and team player.
You can find Alex on GitHub: https://github.com/mr-mig
What You Will Learn:
What developers need to get better at
Why it’s important to improve your communication skills as a coder
Why you should taking ownership over your pro...
2021-10-0439 minThe Dev Amplifier PodcastBecoming a True Lean/Agile Developer - Tommy NormanTommy Norman is Vice President of Agile Operations at Acklen Avenue in Nashville, TN. For almost 30 years he has been helping clients build solutions using Agile approaches. Tommy discusses his take on the future of AI and the importance of continuous improvement.
What You Will Learn:
Fail fast and learn quickly
Consumer first, technology second
When to have those crucial conversations
How to accelerate your path
2021-10-0458 minThe Dev Amplifier PodcastThe Shape of a Developer - Alejandro CorpeñoAlejandro Corpeño is a software developer who runs Hello Iconic. He knows works with a range of clients from Disney to new startups. He created the app Dead Yourself for the Walking Dead. When he was young, he learned how to draw with code by recreating Beavis and Butthead. Now he’s excited that software has expanded beyond coders to everyone. You can find out more about his company
Hello Iconic here: https://www.helloiconic.com/.
What You Will Learn:
How to be productive even if you’re not coding
The pros and cons o...
2021-09-2747 min
The Dev Amplifier PodcastBetter Technical Debt - Isaac MartinezIsaac Martinez is an experienced software developer. He talks about how winning his first laptop in a cookie raffle led to him learning how to code. They discuss a new take on how to deal with technical debt. Isaac gives tips to Junior Developers to stay on top of the industry.
In this episode, we're talking about some more "senior" ways to approach technical debt in a software project.
What You Will Learn:
What makes a great coder
How to deal with technical debt
How to document technical debt in a way that’s pr...
2021-09-2038 minThe Dev Amplifier PodcastGetting Into the Senior Mindset - Viktor ZavalaToday’s guest Viktor Zavala is the Senior Front End Developer at Cool Blue, an electronics store in the Netherlands. In high school, he began programming in his senior year. Now he’s excited for the future of front-end development. He talks about the importance of continuing to learn and communicate with your team even as you grow in your career.
In this episode, we're talking about how to develop a mindset that is more "senior-like".
You can find Viktor on Github at https://github.com/ZSnake .
What You Will Learn:
The key a...
2021-09-1626 minThe Dev Amplifier PodcastHealthy Habits of Senior Devs - Will JohnsWill Johns is a staff engineer at the Butterfly Network. He is a strong believer in giving back to the community through coding. They discuss how the recruiting landscape has drastically changed over the past years.
Today we're going to be taking a tour of some healthy habits of senior developers and some unhealthy habits of junior developers.
What You Will Learn:
The future of software development
How companies are using low code and no-code solutions
When and how to ask questions at a new job
What software developers need to get better at
...
2021-09-151h 11The Dev Amplifier PodcastClient and Time Management - Carlos SolorzanoCarlos Solorzano is the Director of Technology at Acklen Avenue. He has been coding since he was 10 years old when he wanted to know how video games were made. Currently, he’s been working in Godot to create new games. He tells the story of the worst thing he’s ever done with code when he was working at a pharmacy. He goes over the best way to prioritize your work in the most productive way and the importance of being a well-rounded coder. And he gives advice to young developers.
In this episode, we're discussing client manag...
2021-09-1453 minThe Dev Amplifier PodcastEpisode 0 - Coming Soon!The Driven Developer is a podcast for aspiring master developers. Each week we will host a new guest with new advice for anyone wanting to level-up their game.
2021-08-0200 min
Guidance Counselor 2.0Episode 52 - w/Byron Sommardahl & How to Interview BetterIf you like what you hear connect with me...
LinkedIn
Website
Twitter
2021-07-0924 min