Executive Runtime

Smruti Patel is the SVP of Engineering at Apollo GraphQL, where she leads the charge in building highly performant APIs at scale. With more than two decades of experience, she previously transformed Stripe's Data Platform organization, scaling the team from 30 people to nearly 180 while bringing dozens of discrete products under its umbrella. Her journey includes 11 years at VMware building enterprise disaster recovery solutions and pioneering cloud-based data protection initiatives. Known for her "shift left" engineering philosophy and systems thinking approach, Smruti has mastered the art of building critical infrastructure that ensures security, reliability, and efficiency for global businesses.   Follow and subscribe to Executive Runtime: X YouTube Instagram Web Follow your host, Johnny! X Web Chapters (00:00:00) - Introduction and Guest Welcome(00:01:10) - Smruti's Role at Apollo GraphQL(00:02:22) - Smruti's Origin Story and Early Career(00:04:47) - Navigating Career Challenges and Growth(00:08:19) - Building a Network and Personal Brand(00:18:13) - Evolving Engineering Leadership(00:25:46) - Measuring Engineering Success(00:27:10) - The Role of AI in Engineering(00:32:35) - AI's Impact on Junior Engineers(00:36:27) - Transitioning to Senior Leadership(00:41:48) - The Importance of Mentorship and Sponsorship(00:44:06) - Balancing Leadership and Personal Life(00:47:32) - Final Thoughts and Advice

Stephen Ovadje is a seasoned P&L leader and Chief Marketing Officer at Best Egg, bringing over two decades of expertise in consumer finance, fintech, and strategic leadership. With an impressive track record spanning JPMorgan Chase, where he led Chase Sapphire acquisitions and loyalty marketing, to his consulting work at Deloitte delivering $60MM in profitability improvements, Stephen has consistently driven growth and transformation across major financial institutions. Beyond his corporate leadership, he's an active entrepreneur and board member, co-founding multiple ventures including energy companies in Nigeria and serving as a trustee at St. Anne's Episcopal School. Armed with an MBA from Wharton and deep expertise in analytics, strategic planning, and multi-channel marketing, Stephen offers unique insights into scaling financial products, building customer acquisition strategies, and leading through complex organizational transformations. This conversation explores his journey from analyst to C-suite executive and his perspective on the evolving landscape of consumer lending and fintech innovation.   Follow and subscribe to Executive Runtime: X YouTube Instagram Web Follow your host, Johnny! X Web

Rob Zuber brings a refreshingly unconventional path to the C-suite, having evolved from analyzing production defects on factory floors with an engineering physics degree to leading distributed teams of 200+ engineers across five continents. As a three-time founder and five-time CTO, Rob has navigated the full spectrum of startup life—from watching businesses "disappear overnight" when Facebook flipped their mobile switch to successfully guiding companies through acquisitions and multi-round funding cycles. His leadership philosophy centers on being "wrong as fast as humanly possible" to discover what's right, a mindset forged through decades of building in an industry where, as he puts it, the only constant is that software engineers are fundamentally uncomfortable with things staying the same. When he's not solving complex technical problems, you'll find Rob snowboarding, playing guitar, or perfecting his appreciation for viscous cappuccino.   Follow and subscribe to Executive Runtime: X YouTube Instagram Web Follow your host, Johnny! X Web Chapters (00:00:00) - Welcome(00:00:38) - Guest Introduction: Rob Zuber(00:01:06) - From Engineering Physics to Software Development(00:02:56) - The Intersection of Manufacturing and Software(00:04:53) - AI and Software Development(00:06:21) - Entrepreneurial Journey and Early Lessons(00:13:44) - Navigating Market Shifts and Pivots(00:23:31) - Transition to CircleCI(00:24:27) - Joining CircleCI: The Early Days(00:24:55) - Transition to Leadership(00:28:51) - Skills for Scaling a Company(00:30:21) - Humility and Continuous Learning(00:34:08) - Building a Talented Team(00:37:22) - Evolving Leadership Styles(00:41:52) - Effective Communication(00:47:01) - Balancing Work and Family(00:50:55) - Conclusion and Final Thoughts

I'm thrilled to welcome Kathryn Koehler, Director of Developer Productivity Engineering at Netflix. Kathryn brings over 25 years of software development experience and embodies what it means to be both a product-focused and people-oriented leader.  Follow and subscribe to Executive Runtime: X YouTube Instagram Web Follow your host, Johnny! X Web Chapters (00:00:00) - Introduction and Guest Welcome(00:00:50) - Katherine's Early Passion for Race Car Design(00:01:55) - Transition to Software Engineering(00:04:36) - Balancing Technical Knowledge and Leadership(00:08:18) - Netflix's Culture of Informed Leadership(00:14:11) - Building Communication Skills(00:18:13) - Journey from Individual Contributor to Leadership(00:24:32) - Decision-Making and Accountability(00:29:35) - Evaluating Job Hopping in Talent Acquisition(00:32:10) - Navigating Organizational Change During COVID-19(00:32:49) - Challenges and Adaptations in Hybrid Work(00:35:29) - Netflix's Competitive Edge and Content Strategy(00:39:12) - Creating a Thriving Work Environment(00:41:11) - Career Risks and Their Rewards(00:43:54) - Balancing Work and Personal Life(00:47:59) - Future Goals and Leadership Development(00:49:52) - Favorite Shows: Love, Death & Robots vs. Black Mirror(00:51:01) - Conclusion and Farewell

Please join me in welcoming Will Larson, Chief Technology Officer at Imprint and a thought leader whose work has shaped how many of us think about engineering leadership. Will is the author of three influential books in the engineering leadership space: "An Elegant Puzzle: Systems of Engineering Management," "Staff Engineer: Leadership beyond the management track," and his most recent release, "The Engineering Executive's Primer."   Will's books: The Engineering Executive's Primer: Impactful Technical Leadership Staff Engineer: Leadership beyond the management track An Elegant Puzzle: Systems of Engineering Management   Follow and subscribe to Executive Runtime: X YouTube Instagram Web Follow your host, Johnny! X Web Chapters (00:00:00) - Show Intro(00:00:26) - Guest Intro(00:01:22) - The Need for an Engineering Executive's Primer(00:02:54) - Challenges in Middle Management(00:06:23) - The Role of Senior ICs in Organizations(00:17:03) - Early Career Experiences at Yahoo and Digg(00:25:30) - Lessons from a Painful Management Transition(00:26:17) - Executive Offer Negotiation Insights(00:32:59) - Identifying Red Flags in Job Offers(00:38:38) - Contextual Leadership vs. Playbooks(00:45:21) - The Power of Writing in Leadership(00:51:08) - Final Thoughts and Farewell

I'm excited to welcome Troy Dennis, Head of Digital Transformation for North America at Mastercard. Troy brings over two decades of experience in fintech innovation, payments strategy, and product leadership across some of the most influential financial institutions in North America.   Follow and subscribe to Executive Runtime: X YouTube Instagram Web Follow your host, Johnny! X Web

Today, I'm thrilled to welcome Dr. Lucia Guillory, Chief People Officer at Virta Health and a fascinating example of someone who's successfully bridged the worlds of academia and corporate leadership. Lucia's journey offers a masterclass in combining analytical thinking with human-centered leadership.   Follow and subscribe to Executive Runtime: X YouTube Instagram Web Follow your host, Johnny! X Web

Join me as I speak with Zaina Orbai—a remarkable executive coach and growth catalyst who has helped shape some of Silicon Valley's most successful companies. With over 20 years of executive leadership experience, Zaina played pivotal roles in scaling both Yelp and The RealReal through their IPOs, growing Yelp from $80M to $1B in revenue and expanding it to over 20 countries.   Zaina's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zainaorbai/Learn more about Zaina's coaching service: https://zainaorbai.com/Email Zaina: zaina.orbai@gmail.com ----- Branding and design by Lori Evelyn: https://www.lorievelyn.com/ Follow and subscribe to Executive Runtime: X YouTube Instagram Web Follow your host, Johnny! X Web

Welcome to the Executive Runtime Podcast. Here's a quick introduction to your host and the purpose of this show. Stay tuned for our first full episode and guest in the coming weeks!