Sami Birnbaum - Podcast Details

Shows

Giant Robots Smashing Into Other Giant Robots579: Products you don't want to build with Sami and ChadChad and Sami get creative as they discuss the product ideas they would potentially like to develop. Sami lays out his plan to rejuvenate the queuing system at theme parks, Chad has a bone to pick with his CRM tool, and the pair breakdown why success for a new business is not always as black and white as it might seem. — You can find Chad all over social media as @cpytel and Sami through his website. You can also connect with them both over on their LinkedIn pages - Chad - Sami. ...2025-06-1947 min

Giant Robots Smashing Into Other Giant Robots577: Driving Innovation: Jack Burrows on Cars, Tech, and the Future of CarwowIt’s time to start your engines as Sami talks with Jack Burrows, product director at CarWow, about the tricky world of buying and selling cars. Jack covers the significant change CarWow has seen since he started with the company, the challenges they faced in order to keep up with the competition, and the importance of developing a platform that serves everyone in the buying and selling process. — If you’re at a loose end after listening to today's episode why not join Sami in checking out CarWow’s YouTube channel! If you’re looking...2025-06-0540 min

Giant Robots Smashing Into Other Giant Robots575: I might have to get dressed for these with Chad, Sami and WillThe Giant Robots hosts are back together for more off the wall discussion about construction, movies and a special announcement! Find out what big purchase Sami made through the company during the last UK heatwave, why Chad has a listing on IMDB, and our three hosts turn film critics as they share thoughts on their favourite films. — If you haven’t already, be sure to check out thoughtbot’s YouTube channel! You can find Chad all over social media as @cpytel and Sami through his website. You can also connect with the tr...2025-05-2239 min

Giant Robots Smashing Into Other Giant Robots573: Mocking the Future: Tom Akehurst on WireMock and API TestingSami talks with Tom Akehurst, Co-Founder of WireMock, about the delay and disconnect between front and back end development and how WireMock set out to bridge the two together. Tom explains how his time working for Disney paved the way for WireMock, the different processes of mocking and testing APIs, and provides some useful advice on how to improve your testing process as a whole. Sami also puts Tom’s knowledge to the test as he seeks some feedback on a real world example he’s been working on recently. — Interested in imp...2025-05-0839 min

Giant Robots Smashing Into Other Giant Robots571: Space, Software, and Surprises with Rémy HannequinSami and fellow thoughtboter Rémy look to the stars as they talk all things astronomical. Learn about Rémy’s new open source gem Astonoby that plots the coordinates of objects in space, the hidden inventions developed as humans looked to the stars and listen as the pair theorise whether there truly is other life in the universe. — If you’re enthusiastic about space and want to try out Rémy’s new gem tool, you can find it here. Alternatively you can read more about astronomical computing here. Your host for th...2025-04-2443 min

Giant Robots Smashing Into Other Giant Robots570: Rolling for Initiative with Chad, Will and SamiChad, Will and Sami discuss life outside of thoughtbot and the hobbies that occupy them in their down time. Sami talks about taking the cold plunge, Will about his recent efforts with running, before Chad takes his co-hosts down the rabbit hole that is Dungeons and Dragons. — Watch the trailer for Chad’s upcoming production Thresher, a collaboration between his production company 12 Sided Studios and Critical Role! Check Out Sami’s Running Shoes You can find Chad all over social media as @cpytel and Sami through his website. You can al...2025-04-1750 min

Giant Robots Smashing Into Other Giant Robots568: What does Carbon even mean? With Polly and Otto from TrueSami goes back to school as he asks Otto Terrell and Polly Gupta, head of sustainability and sustainability strategist at True, the key questions around the environmental buzz words of 2025. Sami finds out the differences between carbon neutral and net zero, why the big corporations have been so slow to adopt a sustainable model, and how true is working with companies to forge a clear path for everyone to net zero. — Interested in working with true to reduce your business’ energy costs and work towards net zero? Get in touch with the team, or c...2025-04-0342 min

Giant Robots Smashing Into Other Giant Robots567: The Future of Digital Health: Where Are We Headed with Steven WardellSami talks with Steven Wardell, managing partner of Wardell Advisors LLC, about the lacking tech developments within the healthcare sector. Together they assess why digital health products have failed to maintain the same pace as other consumer technology, the difficulties and regulations involved when develop technology for the health sector and whether AI could finally bridge the gap to play a larger role in medical assessments and data management. — You can email Steven directly at steven@wardelladvisors.llc.com or connect with him over on LinkedIn. If you’ve enjoyed listening to Steven talk...2025-03-2734 min

Giant Robots Smashing Into Other Giant Robots566: Staying Grounded and Product Innovation with Tanu ChellamSami chats with Tanu Chellam, Senior Vice President of Product at Seldon and Chairperson of the Board at Atlas Rosetta, about her journey and career in the world of products. Tanu covers her journey from start to finish, from building websites as a teenager and her dreams of travelling, all the way through to her time at AutoDesk where she was instrumental in scaling one of their largest product’s installation time from 8 hours, to 8 minutes. Learn how Tanu learnt to balance her working life and downtime, and how her definition of success and relationship to...2025-03-2041 min

Giant Robots Smashing Into Other Giant Robots565: Coding Journeys with Will and SamiEver wondered how our Giant Robots hosts got into programming in the first place? In today’s episode Sami and Will take some time to dive into their coding journeys and the lessons they learnt along the way. Hear about their ambitions growing up and where they thought they were headed, the motivation, drive and hurdles they overcame to get to where they are today and how impostor syndrome isn’t just a “new job” problem. — Hear more about Sami and Will’s kids in their previous episode together! Check out the Dunning...2025-03-1343 min

Giant Robots Smashing Into Other Giant Robots563: Next-Gen Aging: The Venture Capital Perspective with James HuestonSami is joined by James Hueston, venture investor at Primetime Partners, as they discuss technology’s failure to connect with the older generation. James explains how technology aimed at older people is often not fit for purpose, how the investment process for new startups is currently swamped with the same AI ideas, and Sami explores the idea of how AI can help improve loneliness in our modern world. — If you’d like to hear more about the importance of keeping accessibility at the forefront every project, check out Episode 559. If you’re an en...2025-02-2742 min

Giant Robots Smashing Into Other Giant Robots561: The One with Chad, Will, and Samithoughtbot hosts Chad, Will and Sami shoot the breeze in this laid back episode of Giant Robots as they discuss the ins and outs of being a parent and growing up with tech. The trio discuss how they manage screen-time with their kids as well as themselves, Sami’s internal HTTP coding for his children’s temper tantrums, and other challenges of bringing up their kids in the digital age. — Listen to the ‘Therapy Through Gaming’ episode for a deeper dive into some of the topics mentioned in today’s episode. Your hosts f...2025-02-1341 min

Giant Robots Smashing Into Other Giant Robots559: The European Accessibility Act: Are You Ready for 2025?Sami and Rémy are back as your hots as they talk with fellow thoughtbot colleague Caro Sotillo Silva about new EU accessibility laws coming into effect later this year. Together they discuss the importance of keeping accessibility at the forefront of every project you work on, why you should be testing your code on a wide range of systems and not just the major OS, as well as a few tips and advice on how to prepare yourself for the new laws that come into effect as of June this year. — Learn mor...2025-01-3037 min

Giant Robots Smashing Into Other Giant Robots557: AI from Automation to Transformation with Andrew RashbassSami talks with Andrew Rashbass, Chairman and Co-Founder of ScultureAI, about the uses of LLMs and where AI is taking us as a society. Learn about Andrew’s 35 year long journey with AI (yes that long), the differing views and reliability Sami and Andrew have of LLMs and wade into the discussion with them over whether AI is creating a more fulfilling life for humans, or a disaster waiting to happen. — If you’d like help shaping your business’ internal culture or would like advice from Andrew and the team you can get in touch...2025-01-1638 min

Giant Robots Smashing Into Other Giant Robots553: The One with Sami and ChadAfter 10 years and 550 episodes of Giant Robots, Chad and Sami are ready to discuss what’s next for the podcast. The pair dive into some podcast role-play as they test out some ideas for iterating the show’s formula. Peek behind the curtain as they discuss the inner workings of the show, the challenges of working on a mature codebase, how thoughtbot tackles impostor syndrome when onboarding new employees and the developing accessibility of AI. — Your hosts for this episode have been Chad Pytel and Sami Birnbaum. You can find Chad all over s...2024-12-0538 min

Giant Robots Smashing Into Other Giant Robots550: Disrupting and Democratizing Private Chefs with Iyabo BelloWhat if booking a private chef was as easy as ordering an Uber? Iyabo Bello is a serial founder and entrepreneur, best known for iKooK, an app connecting private chefs to their target audience. Join us as she shares the unlikely story of how she came up with the idea to start iKooK after working in fashion design and food science. We get into the weeds with the premise of the app, how it differs from other home chef experiences, and how the cooks are vetted before being allowed to register on the app. Iyabo shares her experience of...2024-11-1439 min

Giant Robots Smashing Into Other Giant Robots548: Product Management vs Project Management with Bethan AshleyWhat if, instead of asking how to integrate AI into your product, the question was, should you? During this episode, Jared Turner and Sami Birnbaum interview Senior Product Manager at thoughtbot and Founderland Startup Mentor, Bethan Ashley, who shares her insights and advice on how and when to leverage AI tooling. Sharing her career journey leading up to this point, Bethan makes the key distinction between project management and product management, and why this is essential to understand. Next, you’ll hear about her views on the importance of talking to customers about your products and the different ways to...2024-11-0134 min

Giant Robots Smashing Into Other Giant Robots542: Shaping Company Culture using AI with Elie RashbassCompany culture plays a fundamental role in the success of your organization. Unfortunately, it’s not always clear what methods will lead to optimal outcomes. Top research shows an alarming gap between a company’s stated culture and what employees report about their experience working there. But what if one could harness the power of AI to close this gap? Today on the show, we’re joined by Elie Rashbass, CEO & Co-founder at ScultureAI, a startup developing innovative solutions that shape organizational culture from the ground up. He tells us about the groundbreaking work being done by ScultureAI and how th...2024-09-1241 min

Giant Robots Smashing Into Other Giant Robots540: The Tech Behind Eslando’s Circular Fashion Revolution with Karishma GuptaIn this episode of Giant Robots Smashing into Other Giant Robots (On Tour!), hosts Sami Birnbaum and Svenja Schäfer are joined by Karishma Gupta, the Founder and CEO of Eslando Circular Fashion. Eslando is a fashion company dedicated to changing the clothing industry through circular economy principles and textile recycling. Its mission is to simplify recycling and ensure compliance with EU regulations by connecting brands, consumers, and recyclers, fostering transparency and efficiency in the fashion industry. In today’s conversation, Karishma delves into her company’s innovative Digital Product Passport and how it’s revolutionizing the fashion and textile...2024-09-0437 min

Giant Robots Smashing Into Other Giant Robots539: Human-Centered Design and Innovation with Sheng-Hung LeeGiant Robots On Tour Hosts Sami Birnbaum and Jared Turner introduce Sheng-Hung Lee, a designer, PhD researcher at MIT AgeLab, and board director at the Industrial Designers Society of America. Sheng-Hung shares his journey into design and engineering, emphasizing the importance of interpreting signals in design and the evolving role of designers from problem-solvers to culture shapers. He discusses how designers must now consider broader, systematic issues such as climate change and aging. Sheng-Hung explains that design is a teachable and essential life skill, highlighting the significance of personal experiences and failures in learning design. He elaborates on the...2024-08-2241 min

Giant Robots Smashing Into Other Giant Robots538: Transforming Therapy with Gaming: How MindJam Supports Young MindsIn this episode of the "Giant Robots On Tour" podcast, hosts Sami Birnbaum and Rémy Hannequin interview Dan Clark, the Founder and CEO of MindJam, an innovative platform providing emotional and SEN (Special Educational Needs) support for young people through gaming, game design, and digital skills. Sami shares a personal story about how his mother, an educational psychologist, introduced him to MindJam, highlighting its impact and relevance. Dan explains that MindJam was born out of the need to support young people who feel out of place in traditional educational settings, particularly those with ADHD, autism, and other neurodivergent c...2024-08-1543 min

Giant Robots Smashing Into Other Giant Robots537: Navigating the Startup Ecosystem with Marc GauthierIn the latest episode of the "Giant Robots On Tour" podcast, hosts Rémy Hannequin and Sami Birnbaum welcome Marc G. Gauthier, a solopreneur and startup coach, who shares his journey from software development to becoming the founder and developer of The Shadow Boxing App. Marc describes how his interest in software engineering began at a young age with QBasic and evolved through various leadership roles at companies like Drivy (now Getaround) and Back Market. His early passion for gaming led him to learn coding, and over time, he naturally transitioned into management roles, finding excitement in organizing and l...2024-08-0845 min

Giant Robots Smashing Into Other Giant Robots536: Exploring AI and Mental Health with Sara WilderIn this podcast episode of "Giant Robots On Tour," hosts Sami Birnbaum and Rémy Hannequin explore mental health in the age of artificial intelligence with Sara Wilder, a Therapeutic Life Consultant and Licensed Clinical Social Worker. Sami shares his own brief foray into psychotherapy before transitioning to tech, highlighting the relevance of mental health in today's rapidly evolving technological landscape. Sara, whose path to therapy was influenced by her personal struggles and a desire to help others, discusses her unique approach as a Therapeutic Life Consultant, which blends traditional therapy with direct coaching and consulting. Sara e...2024-08-0143 min

Giant Robots Smashing Into Other Giant Robots532: Building Trust and Community in Sustainable BusinessIn this episode of the Giant Robots Smashing into Other Giant Robots (On Tour!) podcast, hosts Sami Birnbaum and Jared Turner are joined by Ishani Behl, CEO and Founder of Skillopp and Sustainr. Ishani, an instructional designer by trade, began her journey by creating online courses and eventually moved into sustainability, inspired by her exposure to startups at the UNDP. She founded Sustainr, a platform that connects sustainable brands, and Skillopp, which simplifies learning using AI, aiming to reduce information overload. Ishani discusses how her educational background and experiences shaped her desire to improve learning and sustainability...2024-07-0339 min

Giant Robots Smashing Into Other Giant Robots530: Giant Robots On TourHost Will Larry announces an exciting new Giant Robots Smashing Into Other Giant Robots podcast limited series focusing on Europe, West Asia, and Africa and introduces new co-hosts Sami Birnbaum, Svenja Schäfer, Rémy Hannequin, and Jared Turner! Sami sets a fun challenge for the team to devise a name for the new series by the end of the podcast. The co-hosts engage in an icebreaker game where Sami randomly generates questions for each to answer. The team members talk about their paths into the tech industry. Jared, Rémy, and Will share stories of discovering the...2024-06-2025 min

North Star with Ellin BessnerBonjour Chai's second annual Great Canadian Seder episodeThe CJN Daily returns Tuesday April 11, 2023 with regular programming but for today, Monday, April 10, we are offering a bonus – for subscribers only: the chance to sit down for the Great Canadian Seder, second edition, brought to you by our colleagues at The CJN podcast Bonjour Chai. Politicians and proletarians, cantors and comics, all coming together to share stories, songs, wisdom and musings from across the country. Hosts Avi Finegold and Phoebe Maltz Bovy were joined at their virtual seder table by: Sami Elmagrehbi Cantor Eric Moses Ellin Bessner Mindy Pollak Ralph Benmergui Rabbi Gila Caine Ophira Ei...2023-04-101h 24

Not in HeavenThe Second Annual Great Canadian SederWe’re proud to host our second annual Great Canadian Seder! Politicians and proletarians, cantors and comics, all coming together to share stories, songs, wisdom and musings from across the country. This year, we're joined at our virtual seder table by: Sami Elmagrehbi Cantor Eric Moses Ellin Bessner Mindy Pollak Ralph Benmergui Rabbi Gila Caine Ophira Eisenberg David Birnbaum Rabbi Adam Stein David Bezmozgis Barbara Kay Jon Kay Jess Salamon Yael Halevi-Wise David Sklar and Ilana Zackon The Menschwarmers Marc Gold Rabbi Ilana Krygier Lapides Oro Librowicz David Abitbol Credits Bonjour Chai is ho...2023-04-021h 23