Ladybug Podcast

Engineering management can look glamorous from the outside — but behind the scenes, it’s often a mix of tough calls, emotional juggling, and constant context switching. In this episode, we’re diving into the hard parts of being an engineering manager — from staying technical and handling conflict, to managing up, balancing expectations, and keeping your own sanity along the way. 06:04: Feeling productive 09:25: Staying technical 10:21: Handling conflicts 18:47: Balancing stakeholder expectations 21:30: Career growth 25:59: Isolation and pressure

In this episode, we explore how to become an effective engineering manager—even without a technical background. We’ll unpack what the role truly entails, how to leverage your strengths in communication, strategy, and people management, and ways to bridge technical gaps with curiosity and trust. Whether you’re transitioning from another field or stepping into your first EM role, this episode will help you lead confidently and earn the respect of your engineering team. 06:52: Why technical expertise is helpful but not essential 11:18: What is the role of an EM? 13:50: Non-technical strengths 17:19: Bridging the technical gap 21:21: Earning respect from engineers 25:02: Learning / Growth strategies 28:48: Impostor syndrome

In this episode, we’ll dig into how managers can balance output, impact, and quality, set meaningful goals, and coach engineers toward growth — not just manage them. We’ll also tackle how to handle underperformance, keep top talent motivated, and build teams that stay engaged without burning out. 02:04 - Why do we measure engineering performance? 03:40 - How to measure engineering performance 11:08 - SMART goals 18:39 - Handling underperformers 27:00 - Motivating and retaining high performers

Hiring great engineers is one of the most important—and difficult—parts of an engineering manager’s job. In this episode, we break down the full hiring journey: from writing effective job descriptions and structuring interviews to evaluating candidates and making the final call. We’ll also touch on building inclusive processes, avoiding common hiring pitfalls, and how to spot not just skill, but potential. Whether you're scaling a team or making your first hire, this episode is your playbook for hiring with intention. 02:04 Recruiting 08:13 Interview process 16:48 Team dynamics and collaboration 32:14 Cultural and values alignment

Remote work is here to stay—but managing a distributed engineering team comes with its own set of challenges and opportunities. In this episode, we dive into what it takes to lead remote engineers effectively. From building trust and maintaining team cohesion to running productive async meetings and handling time zone differences, we cover the key habits and tools that make remote engineering teams thrive. Whether you're leading your first remote team or refining your remote leadership style, this episode is packed with practical insights you can apply right away. 02:56 Setting yourself up for success 03:20 Communication 08:46 Building trust 30:30 Collaboration and innovation

Episode Notes Engineering managers sit at the intersection of tech, product, and people—which means collaboration is key. In this episode, we explore how to build strong working relationships with product managers and stakeholders. From setting clear expectations and communicating progress to managing competing priorities and navigating tough conversations, we’ll share strategies to align teams and drive outcomes. Whether you're in a startup or a large org, this episode will help you lead more effectively across functions. 03:45 Product managers 10:58 Designers 18:57 Other stakeholders 22:40 How to build strong relationships

Episode Notes As an engineering manager, project management isn’t just a skill—it’s part of the job. In this episode, we unpack what effective project management looks like from the EM seat. From setting realistic timelines and tracking progress to balancing technical depth with stakeholder expectations, we explore how to keep projects on track without becoming a bottleneck. Whether you're new to the role or looking to sharpen your execution game, this episode offers practical advice to help you lead projects with confidence and clarity. 02:08 Fundamentals of project management 05:28 The project lifecycle 06:24 Planning and estimation 17:01 Measuring progress 23:09 Handling scope creep 31:13 Communication and stakeholder management

Episode Notes The first 90 days in any new role are crucial—but as a new engineering manager, they can make or break your trajectory. In this episode, we dive into how to approach your first three months with intention and clarity. From building trust with your team to understanding your new responsibilities, setting expectations, and avoiding common pitfalls, we lay out a roadmap to help you start strong. Whether you're stepping into management for the first time or looking to reset in a new role, this episode is your essential onboarding guide. 01:22 Our first 90 days as EMs 13:58 Building a new team vs. taking over an existing team 20:34 Observing to learn 25:07 Understanding the business and tech strategies 26:02 Building influence 31:09 Common pitfalls

Episode Notes Stepping into management for the first time can be both exciting and overwhelming. In this episode, we explore the critical shift from individual contributor to engineering manager—what changes, what stays the same, and what new challenges emerge. We’ll discuss common misconceptions, the mindset shift required, and practical tips for navigating your first few months in the role. Whether you're considering the move or already in the thick of it, this episode offers guidance to help you lead with confidence and clarity. 03:30 Responsibilities of an IC vs. EM 09:05 Shifting to delegation 15:04 Conflict resolution 26:31 Team development vs. individual performance 37:31 Communication Find out more at https://ladybug-podcast.pinecast.co

Episode Notes 02:52 What is engineering management? 05:27 Why are we qualified to discuss this? 12:20 What are EMs responsible for? 14:38 The difference between an EM and Tech Lead 24:15 Key skills of an EM 32:37 Challenges with engineering management Resources Crucial Conversations The Making of a Manager

What is a typical day in the life like for a software engineer? To close out Season 6, we thought it’d be a great idea to give you some insight into our workdays, as we all have very different roles and are in different stages of our careers. Show Notes [02:54] Morning routines [16:09] Beginning of the workday [28:15] The rest of the workday [49:03] Evenings and weekends [53:57] Top 3 tools for productivity Resources Any.do Fantastical Canva Things Superhuman Trello Apple Watch Markdown Notes Asana Resilient Management Animedoro Can Do writing The Little Memory Ali’s Trello Setup Transcript Here is this week's transcript

APIs are part of our daily roles as software developers, but what are they? What different types are there? And how can you design a good one? Show Notes [01:53] What is an API? [03:37] Types of APIS [15:02] GraphQL [19:49] REST [28:25] API Design [44:35] Shoutouts Resources The Happiness Project Shopify developer community BrainF**k OneGraph Scott Moss's YouTube Transcript Here is this week's transcript.

The definition of Agile is the ability to create and respond to change. Ultimately dealing with and succeeding in an uncertain or turbulent environment. I think we can all say with confidence that in the world of software development, being agile and agreeable to change helps you learn faster, connect with others better, and makes coding more fun. Today we are talking about the agile framework of software developers, its significance in the workplace and the familiar steps an agile process takes to go from a project’s concept, to the physical minimum viable product. Show Notes [03:00] What is Agile? [04:43] Agile Software Development [15:44] Agile Manifesto For Agile Software Development [16:00] 4 values [19:33] 12 Principles [34:07] Benefits [35:45] Drawbacks [38:34] What is Scrum? [44:05] Careers in scrum [53:56] Shout-Outs Resources The agile Manifesto The Agile Subway Map Sprints Scrum Alliance Certifications SAFe Certifications Transcript Here is this episode's transcript.

Java is a high-level, class-based, object-oriented programming language. It’s a general-purpose programming language designed to let app developers: write once, run anywhere. Today we’re diving into the world of Java. Show Notes [01:30] Our experiences working with Java [04:34] History of Java [07:45] Five goals of Java [13:06] Object oriented [14:00] Threaded language [15:35] Interpreted language [17:39] Terminology [22:04] Basic Syntax [23:33] Inheritance [26:51] Interfaces [28:00] Classes [29:56] Modifiers [31:30] Constructors [33:11] Enums [34:39] Basic Data Types [35:56] Overriding [42:51] Shoutouts Resources Learning Java Interpreter vs. Compiler Access Variables Oracle Angie Jones course on Test Automation U Angie Jones Jocelyn Harper Git Cute Podcast Transcript Here is this episode's transcript.

Whether you’re looking to start your own side business or create a lifelong career, the process of starting a new business can be overwhelming. This week on the podcast we’re discussing how to start your own business. We’ll dig deep into setting you up for success from the beginning and then answer the most common questions I receive about building and scaling your business. Show Notes [02:00] What is our experience with running a business? [05:47] Business plan [13:58] Who are your customers? [18:03] Market opportunities [35:50] Boostrapping vs. raising capital [39:41] Do you need to incorporate? [40:54] Banking and Taxes [51:52] Health insurance (USA) [53:30] Understanding the bookkeeping process [55:32] Shownotes Resources Quantic CORe Clerky Stripe Atlas Inc. Article Polywork Freelancing episode Indie Hackers episode Mercury Transcript Here is this episode's transcript

If you have data for your application, you’ve probably used a database to store it. There are so many types of databases, NoSQL, SQL, graph, etc. Let's learn about their benefits and how to use them! Shownotes [02:08] What types of databases have we used? [03:43] SQL vs. NoSQL [15:52] How to model data [19:20] ORM, SDK, Queries [24:02] Horizontal vs. Vertical Scaling [27:21] How to choose [30:22] indexes [37:16] Sharding [46:44] Shoutouts Resources The DynamoDB Book Little Bobby Tables Ladybug Algorithms episode Ladybug System Design episode Hidden Valley Road Peloton app Your friend’s guide to entrepreneurship Transcript Here is this week's transcript

It’s easy to overlook documentation when building an application, but documentation can make or break a consumer’s experience. Today we’re diving into the world of documentation to discuss what it takes to write good documentation, the ethics of documentation, and some popular tools you can use to get started. Show Notes [01:58] Why does a company or app need good documentation? [04:09] Who do we write documentation for? [06:01] What makes good documentation? [11:05] Ethics of documentation [32:47] The structure of your documentation [34:35] What types of documentation should I write? [40:22] Documentation tools [44:51] Shoutouts Resources Alex.js Carolyn’s talk Self Defined Hemingway Bookstack Storybook Writing Technical Documentation video Notion Nuclino Docusaurus Next.js Nuxt.js Gatsby Jekyll Transcript Here is this week's transcript.

Welcome back to the 6th season of the Ladybug Podcast!! In this episode, we’ll be chatting about choosing a tech stack for your project is one of the most important decisions you’ll make as an engineer. It will determine many aspects of your app, from development speed, to scalability, to the cost to run it. We’ll talk about how to choose technologies from two angles: one from an individual developer’s perspective: how do you decide what to learn? And the second from an architectural perspective: how do you decide what technologies to use for your project? Show Notes [02:53] What is a tech stack? [06:01] What are some main points to think about when choosing what to learn? [13:11] Look at job posts in your area [19:49] How to deal with overwhelm [25:28] Think Through your app [31:01] Your engineering resources [39:51] Is the technology production ready? [52:18] Technical concerns [1:00:09] Other important thoughts [1:08:52] Shoutouts Resources Ladybug interview episode Ladybug resume episode Ladybug learning path episode Core-js Article Colby Fayock Ladybug Systems Design Episode Lodash vs. underscore StackShare Transcript This episode's Transcript

TypeScript is an open-source programming language built on JavaScript that provides static type definitions. It has taken the front-end development community by storm over the past few years and today we’re going to give you a beginner-level rundown on the language. Show Notes [02:07] What is TypeScript? [06:46] What is our experience working with TypeScript? [08:35] Is TypeScript a replacement for JavaScript? [11:11] Advantages of TypeScript [13:09] Core Types [15:19] TypeScript Types [28:34] Union Types [30:29] Literal types [32:30] Aliases [35:40] Function Return Types [38:41] Unknown Type [39:23] Resources for learning TS [40:21] Shoutouts Resources Ladybug JS episode TypeScript in 50 lessons Crying in H Mart People we meet on vacation Transcript This week's Transcript

What is it about sitting down building a good study plan that... kinda sucks? Is it the planning? The execution? The Time commitment? Are we committing to learn too much? Regardless of this answer, today we’re sitting down to talk about how to better prepare to learn, how to execute a study plan to meet your goals, build better habits to help you learn and some of our own experiences learning how to learn. Show Notes [05:22] What is a study plan? [14:25] How Do You execute it? [29:05] Learning how to learn [42:48] Make a todo list [47:32] Start with something small [53:06] At least touch it once a day [1:02:03] Analyzing Your habits [1:03:40] Showing or sharing your progress & results [1:05:39] What If You get Stuck? [1:09:16] Shoutouts Resources How to create a study plan video Atomic Habits We Should All Be Millionaires by Rachel Rodgers Mindset by Carol Dweck Start With Why by Simon Sinek Learning How To Learn Ladybug Episode Coursera's Learning How To Learn Make It Stick Moonwalking With Einstein The Power of Habit Why We Sleep Tiny Habits Trello Todoist Asana Ali’s trello set up Badass Habits by Jen Cincero You are a Badass by Jen Cincero DynamoDB book by Alex DeBrie Getting Started In Tech Wellington Johnson The Beginning Software Engineer’s Playbook Amy Cruz Organizing Solutions for People with ADHD, 2nd Edition Transcript Here is this episode's transcript