Matt is joined by product and leadership consultant Randy Silver to unpack one of the most frustrating problems in product organizations: everyone knows where they want to go, but no one knows how to actually get there.

Together they explore what causes this breakdown in execution, how companies drift from product strategy to dysfunction, and what strong leadership really looks like at scale.

Key Discussion Points

Why strateg...

In this episode, Matt is joined by Laura Tacho, CTO at DX — one of the leading voices in developer experience research and tooling. Together, they unpack how AI is really affecting software development teams, why developer experience has a “marketing problem,” and why organizational friction — not technology — is the biggest productivity killer.

If you’ve been wondering whether AI is living up to the hype in...

AI can scaffold an app in seconds, but can it refactor that thousand-line React file when the first bug hits production? 

In this episode, I sit down with Brian Jenney software engineer and program owner of the coding bootcamp Parsity, to draw a hard line between “code that runs” and “code that lasts.” From mentoring career-switchers to stress-testing AI in real-world pipelines, Brian shares why craftsmanship and...

If you’re running a startup, chances are you’re the bottleneck. 

Brittany Rastsmith joins Product Driven to talk through why founders constantly end up in this trap and how to escape it. She works with early-stage companies through her consulting firm, Bloom Remote, and she's seen it all. We get into how to create clarity, visibility, and accountability across your team so you’re not stuck answering every question, solving...

The 10X Developer Decoded: Why Technical Co-Founders Are Startup Gold 💎

In this revealing conversation, we unpack one of tech's most polarizing concepts while exploring the brutal realities of building technical partnerships in today's startup ecosystem. Host Matt Watson and Noah Lindner (ex-Airbnb engineer turned consultant) deliver unfiltered insights that challenge conventional wisdom about technical hiring and startup ...

From Coding to Catalyst: The Evolution of Technology Leadership 🚀

Journey through the transformation of modern CTOs with industry veteran Kathy Keating, who shares battle-tested insights from scaling teams of 2 to 450+ engineers. This episode unravels the complex tapestry of technology leadership, exploring how yesterday's code-focused roles have evolved into today's strategic business catalysts.

🔗 Essential Links (Start Here!):&nb...

Product Driven: Building Software Teams That Ship Value 🚀

In this special book launch episode, we dive deep into the intersection of engineering leadership, product thinking, and the transformative impact of AI on software development. Join Matt Watson and Craig Ferril as they explore the revolutionary "Product Driven Model" and why traditional development approaches are becoming obsolete.

🔗 Essential Resources:

Get the Book: h...

Product Driven: The Book Launch - A Software Leader's Journey to Creating High-Performance Teams 📚

After months of intensive writing and years of industry experience, Matt Watson unveils his groundbreaking book "Product Driven" - a comprehensive guide for engineering leaders seeking to build teams with a genuine product mindset. This isn't just another business book; it's a practical roadmap for transforming how software teams thin...

Breaking Through Requirements Hell: How AI is Revolutionizing Software Development 🚀

In this compelling exploration of technological transformation, host Matt Watson connects with Chris Rickard, founder of UserDoc, broadcasting from Vietnam. Their conversation unveils a profound shift happening across the software industry—one where artificial intelligence is fundamentally reshaping the relationship between business stakeholders an...

Learning Through Play: How Boddle Built Educational Games That Kids Actually Want

In this insightful conversation, Matt Watson talks with Clarence Tan, founder and CEO of Boddle Learning, about their journey building educational games that have reached over 10 million users. Clarence shares how they tackled the classic problem of educational games - how to make them as engaging as regular games while maintaining educational value. B...

Feedback-Driven Development: Optimizing Your Software Engineering Process

In this enlightening conversation with author Ashley Davis, Matt Watson explores the concept of feedback-driven development and how it shapes effective software engineering practices. Ashley, author of "Bootstrapping Microservices" and the upcoming "The Feedback-Driven Developer," shares valuable insights on how developers can leverage feedback loops to enhanc...

Bootstrapping vs VC: John Rush on Building 25 Successful Products 🚀

In this enlightening episode of Product Driven, host Matt Watson sits down with serial tech entrepreneur John Rush. Known for his prominent presence on social media platforms like Twitter (X) and LinkedIn, John shares his journey from VC-backed companies to successfully bootstrapping 25 different startups over the past 15 years. The conversation explores the stark ...

AI and Agency Evolution: Navigating the Future of Software Development 🚀

In this thought-provoking episode of Product Driven, Matt Watson welcomes Senad Santic, owner of Zendev software development agency and founder of LinkBound. They dive deep into how AI is reshaping software development agencies, training strategies for developers in this evolving landscape, and the challenges of diversifying from agencies into SaaS products. B...

Building Human-Centric Engineering Teams: Culture, Motivation, & Purpose 🛠️

In this episode of Product Driven, Matt Watson talks with John Durant, founder of Human Centric Engineering, about the critical elements that create high-performing engineering cultures. John explains how mastery, autonomy, and purpose form the foundation of intrinsic motivation for engineers and how courage enables teams to overcome organizational fear...

🧪 The AI Testing Revolution: Reimagining QA in the Era of Generative Intelligence

In this intellectually stimulating conversation, Matt Watson and Nuwan Samarasekera (Founder & CEO of TestChimp) explore the transformative impact of generative AI on software testing methodologies. As AI accelerates development cycles, discover why testing has emerged as the new bottleneck and how innovative approaches are creating the perfe...

🔍 Engineering Visibility: Unlocking Team Performance at Scale with Hacker Pulse

In this intellectually stimulating exploration, Matt Watson and Gleb Braverman (Founder & CEO of Hacker Pulse) delve into the universal challenges that emerge when engineering organizations reach critical mass. From identifying "ghost engineers" to optimizing team composition across time zones, discover why seemingly unique organizational challenges...

Full Scale Ventures Launches & The Power of Venture Studios 🚀

In this transformative episode of Product Driven, host Matt Watson introduces his exciting new venture with Craig Ferril—Full Scale Ventures. They dive deep into the concept of venture studios, exploring various models and explaining why they've launched their own. The conversation reveals how their combined expertise in technology, strategy, and operations positions...

🦸‍♂️ Unlocking CTO Mode: When Technical Leaders Become Innovation Heroes

In this intellectually stimulating conversation, Matt Watson and Ron Timoshenko (CIO of Rimbull Health) unpack the multifaceted nature of the CTO role and explore the critical moments when technical leaders must activate their "beast mode" to drive innovation. Through candid discussion about leadership styles, technical debt, and the balance between creativity...

In this episode, Matt Watson interviews Rajiv Nathan, the Startup Hype Man, who shares insights on how to pitch a startup to investors and customers effectively. Rajiv discusses his journey from a marketing background to becoming a pitch expert, emphasizing the importance of understanding the pitch landscape beyond just raising capital. He introduces the K-PASA formula for crafting elevator pitches and highlights common mistakes fo...