On today’s episode, we’re joined by Sam Moore, VP of Architecture at Betterment, where he has led groundbreaking initiatives, including the re-platforming of mobile codebases from native to Flutter, and the launch of Betterment Checking. Sam’s extensive experience in scaling infrastructure and software architecture has made him a key figure in driving Betterment’s technological advancements.



Sam discusses leading major tech transitions, managing technical debt, fostering innovation and scaling engineering teams while ensuring continuous growth in the financial technology space.

Key Takeaways:

(01:16) Fatherhood influences Sam’s leadership and management approach.

(02:13) Guiding teams through questions is more effective than directing.

(08:12) Transitioning to Ruby on Rails improved innovation flexibility.

(12:45) Moving to mobile-first required major strategy changes.

(15:33) Iterative approaches are safer than big bang rewrites.

(17:03) Flutter helped streamline Betterment’s mobile development efforts.

(22:00) Inconsistent architecture patterns slowed development.

(29:42) Developing the tech investment life cycle framework.

(30:03) The four phases of the tech investment cycle.

(39:05) Pilot projects evaluate cross-platform strategies like Flutter.

(42:37) Early team alignment and training ensure success.

(50:03) Full tech adoption needs a complete cleanup phase.

(54:45) Features now take days, not weeks, with Flutter.

(58:02) Confidence in tech transitions is crucial for success.

Resources Mentioned:

Sam Moore -

https://www.linkedin.com/in/samuelamoore/

Betterment -

https://www.linkedin.com/company/betterment/

Betterment LLC -

https://www.betterment.com/

Very Good Ventures designs and builds world-class digital experiences for any screen, with the best tools and engineering approaches for consistent, scalable results. Find out how VGV helps you hit the mark at: https://verygood.ventures/

#Apps #Flutter #AppDevelopment

On today’s episode, we’re joined by Patricia Roller, former co-CEO of Frog Design and current CEO of Vidlet Inc., a company known for pioneering video research in product development. With a rich background in design and leadership, Patricia shares her insights on the critical role of company culture in driving innovation and success within startups.

Key Takeaways:

(02:10) Culture should be the top priority in any startup.

(04:45) The CEO must lead by driving ideas and allowing mistakes.

(08:20) Investing in talent is crucial for success.

(12:30) Strategic actions, like targeted advertising, reinforce culture.

(16:50) Leadership evolves from aggressive to collaborative styles.

(20:15) Success is now measured by the team’s growth.

(24:40) Networking without an agenda builds lasting relationships.

(28:10) Building confidence in young employees is key to their development.

(32:05) Mentorship offers mutual benefits for both mentors and mentees.

(36:30) Adapting to new skill sets challenges traditional thinking.

(39:45) Change is necessary to avoid stagnation and commoditization.

Resources Mentioned:

Patricia Roller -

https://www.linkedin.com/in/patricia-roller-a2047a/

Frog Design | LinkedIn -

https://www.linkedin.com/company/frogdesign/

Frog Design | Website -

https://www.frogdesign.com/

Vidlet Inc. | LinkedIn -

https://www.linkedin.com/company/vidlet-inc-/

Vidlet Inc. | Website -

https://vidlet.com/

Very Good Ventures designs and builds world-class digital experiences for any screen, with the best tools and engineering approaches for consistent, scalable results. Find out how VGV helps you hit the mark at: https://verygood.ventures/

#Apps #Flutter #AppDevelopment

On today’s episode, we’re joined by Kyle Crouse, whose previous roles include Senior Manager, Design Technology at Amazon, Principal Design Technologist at frog and Creative Technology Director at Method and Visa. He is currently Director of Concept Technology at Very Good Ventures. Kyle discusses the integration of design and technology in product development.

Key Takeaways:

(05:11) Building lean MVPs in startups involves rapid prototyping and quick iterations.

(08:46) Integrating design and technology early ensures fidelity and reduces errors.

(13:03) Prototyping physical and digital transitions is crucial for global applications.

(15:09) Rapid prototyping helps identify the best technologies for specific environments.

(16:57) Iterating on-site with real users refines technology and UX for success.

(24:28) Creating delightful user experiences involves saving time and reducing frustration.

(26:36) Companies should not fear prototyping; users will not notice what wasn't included.

Resources Mentioned:

Kyle Crouse -

https://www.linkedin.com/in/kylecrouse/

Amazon -

https://www.linkedin.com/company/amazon/

frog -

https://www.linkedin.com/company/frogdesign/

Method -

https://www.linkedin.com/company/methodinc/

Visa -

https://www.linkedin.com/company/visa/

Very Good Ventures -

https://www.linkedin.com/company/very-good-ventures/

Figma -

https://www.figma.com/

Copilot -

https://copilot.money/

Very Good Ventures designs and builds world-class digital experiences for any screen, with the best tools and engineering approaches for consistent, scalable results. Find out how VGV helps you hit the mark at: https://verygood.ventures/

#Apps #Flutter #AppDevelopment