Episode Guest:

Matt Madrigal is the Chief Technology Officer at Pinterest, where he leads product management, engineering, and infrastructure for the platform. With a career spanning eBay, Google, and Fanatics, Matt is a seasoned e-commerce and tech leader passionate about building positive, high-impact user experiences.

Episode Timestamps:

0:00 Introduction

1:23 From Chico to Pizza Shop: Matt’s First Job

3:45 Lessons in Work Ethic from Immigrant Parents

5:32 What Hard Work Really Means

8:01 The Cheers and Chores Philosophy

10:46 Breaking into Tech & Early Career Moves

13:30 Surviving the Dot-Com Boom

15:58 Joining eBay and Learning at Scale

19:15 Why Shopping & E-Commerce Hooked Matt

21:40 Choosing Managers vs. Missions

24:01 The Truth About AI & Early Career Jobs

27:18 What Makes a Great Software Engineer

30:12 The Red Flags in Tech Talent

32:14 Key Lessons from Google

35:17 Undoing Old Habits to Grow

37:20 Why Matt Said Yes to Pinterest

39:34 What Sets Pinterest Apart

42:01 Using Pinterest to Inspire Youth Spaces

44:00 Why Pinterest Is a Great Place to Work

46:19 Matt’s Biggest Life Lessons

48:35 Matt’s Duvet Flip: Solving Hard Problems with Great People

Episode Partners

Hg Foundation

Together with The Hg Foundation, we’re on a mission to motivate and inspire young people like you to explore, or even start a career in technology through inspirational talks from industry.

https://bit.ly/4mwzRGs

Disclaimer:

The content provided on Duvet Flip is for informational and entertainment purposes only and should not be considered professional advice. The views expressed by hosts, guests, brands or contributors are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the show's producers, sponsors, or affiliates. The information shared is not a substitute for professional advice, including but not limited to career counseling, financial guidance, legal consultation, or mental health support.

Listeners and viewers are responsible for their own decisions and actions based on the content provided, and Duvet Flip assumes no liability for any outcomes resulting from reliance on the information shared. By engaging with the show, you acknowledge and agree to this disclaimer.

If you’re struggling with debt, trusted advice and free support can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/debt-advice

If you’re struggling with mental health of any kind, you can find free support here: https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/