In this episode of The Dark Arts of Team Optimization, hosts Kyle Johnson and Franz Aliquo talk with Ry Walker, Founder and CEO of Tembo, Partner at Fireroad, Managing Partner at Cincinnati Ventures and Managing Director at AnotherVenture. This episode digs into the “AI-first” shift in software teams: what it means to be an effective developer, when AI tools can generate code fast, and the bottleneck increasingly becomes evaluation, taste, and decision-making.

Ry Walker is a technologist, founder, and investor based in Cincinnati. An AI engineering teammate designed to help fix bugs and ship features. Ry’s been building software since childhood, started a web design shop in the early internet era, and later founded Astronomer, giving him a long-range view of how tooling revolutions reshape teams and careers.

Expect to Learn

- Why “vibe-coding” is becoming a practical way to interview engineers in 2026

- What “AI optimism” looks like in practice and how even small resistance slows teams

- How AI shifts the work from writing code to evaluating and steering code

- Why AI-era developers may become more “unicorn-like” generalists (not less skilled)

- Predictions on org charts, new specialties and hiring workflows

Episode Breakdown with Timestamps

[00:00:00] – Teaser

[00:01:10] – Introduction to Ry Walker

[00:02:46] – Dropping out to move faster

[00:06:35] – Grit, the Midwest “tech desert,” and learning before Google

[00:09:09] – How to interview engineers in 2026

[00:11:35] – AI as the primary teammate

[00:16:48] – Legacy devs, artisan coding, and offshore leveling

[00:23:54] – AI-led interviews, “cyborg” processes, and what matters in teammates

[00:45:17] – Closing Thoughts

📱 Follow our Guest:

👉 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rywalker/

👉 X: https://x.com/rywalker

👉 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ryandouglaswalker/

👉 Website: https://rywalker.com/

📱 Follow Guest’s Companies:

👉 Tembo LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tembo-inc/

👉 Tembo X: https://x.com/tembo

👉 Tembo Website: https://www.tembo.io/

👉 Fireroad LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fireroad/

👉 Fireroad Website: https://www.fireroad.io/

👉 Fireroad X: https://x.com/fireroadbuilds

👉 Cincinnati Ventures LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/cincinnati-ventures/

👉 Cincinnati Ventures Website: https://cincinnati.ventures/

👉 AnotherVenture LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/anotherventure/

📱 Follow the Hosts Kyle Johnson and Franz Aliquo:

👉 Kyle’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyleclaytonjohnson/

👉 Franz’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/franz-aliquo/

📱 Follow Holonic:

👉 Website: https://www.becomeholonic.com/

👉 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/becomeholonic/

In this episode of The Dark Arts of Team Optimization, hosts Kyle Johnson and Franz Aliquo interview Ruslan Belkin, Head of Platform Engineering at Inflection AI and Co-founder and CEO of Jelled.AI. The conversation centers around the philosophical and practical shifts that AI is imposing on engineering culture, team structures, and personal productivity. The guest shares deeply reflective insights on hope, fear, responsibility, and the role of process all through the lens of decades of Silicon Valley experience.

Ruslan Belkin is a seasoned engineering leader with three decades of experience at industry titans like LinkedIn, Twitter, Salesforce, NAUTO, and MetaMind. Known for his systems thinking, technical rigor, and philosophical clarity, Ruslan is a unique voice in tech leadership, advocating for accountability, vision-driven development, and radical simplicity in engineering management.

Expect to Learn

- Why "too much hope in that equation" became a viral and cautionary mantra for engineering planning.

- How AI is shifting the center of gravity from code to specifications and evaluations.

- What singular ownership and stack-ranked priorities look like in high-performance teams.

- The role of stoicism in leadership and decision-making under pressure.

- How to hire for undefined problems and cultivate emotionally resilient, adaptable teams.

Episode Breakdown with Timestamps

[00:00:00] – Teaser

[00:00:56] – Meet Ruslan Belkin

[00:02:07] – Engineering Without Illusions

[00:06:24] – AI, Specs, and the Death of Code

[00:10:43] – The Next 24 Months of AI

[00:15:39] – Hiring for Ambiguity

[00:23:52] – Stack-Ranked Priorities: No Peanut Butter Planning

[00:25:31] – The Process Paradox

[00:31:32] – Building Teams Like Legos

[00:34:21] – Stoicism at Work

[00:37:02] – The Equation Blog & Personal Balance

[00:39:10] – Advice to a Younger Self

[00:41:12] – Best Teams & Twitter War Stories

[00:43:10] – Where to Find Ruslan

📱 Follow our Guest Ruslan Belkin:

👉 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rbelkin/

👉 X: https://x.com/ruslansv

👉 Company LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/inflectionai & https://www.linkedin.com/products/jelled/

👉 Company Website: https://inflection.ai & https://jelled.ai/

📱 Follow the Hosts Kyle Johnson and Franz Aliquo:

👉 Kyle’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyleclaytonjohnson/

👉 Franz’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/franz-aliquo/

📱 Follow Holonic:

👉 Website: https://www.becomeholonic.com/

👉 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/becomeholonic/

In this episode of The Dark Arts of Team Optimization, hosts Kyle Johnson and Franz Aliquo interviews Todd Cantalupo, Senior Engineering Manager at KarmaCheck and Director Software Engineering at Meltwater where they talk about what makes engineering leaders truly effective not just in shipping code, but in evolving team dynamics. The conversation centers around agile transformations, why so many fail, and how building trust and psychological safety are essential for long-term success. This episode is for leaders who want to break the mold and actually connect with their teams at a human level.

Todd Cantalupo is an experienced engineering leader with over 25 years in the industry, having worked at organizations like Meltwater and Thunderhead. Known for his people-first approach, Todd has developed a leadership philosophy centered around trust, vulnerability, and psychological safety. He now consults under the brand "Lupo Empowerment," helping teams shift from fear-based to focus-driven work environments.

Expect to Learn:

- How Todd uses emotional intelligence and self-awareness as foundational tools for leadership.

- Why many agile transformations fail and how to prevent that.

- A framework for identifying and transforming fear within engineering teams.

- The power of empathetic listening and how it changes team dynamics.

- Why 50/50 role splits (like coding and scrum mastering) often don't work and what to do instead.

Episode Breakdown with Timestamps:

[00:00:00] - Teaser

[00:01:19] - Introduction of Todd Cantalupo

[00:02:18] - Turning the Mirror Inward: The Role of Self-Awareness

[00:04:58] - The Coaching Breakthrough That Changed Everything

[00:10:59] - Fear to Focus: How to Transform Team Mindsets

[00:28:46] - Why 50/50 Role Splits Don't Work

[00:31:15] - Unpacking Beliefs Through One Simple Exercise

[00:36:36] - The One Takeaway: Empathetic Listening

[00:38:25] - Where to Find Todd & Closing Remarks

📱 Follow our Guest :

👉 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/todd-cantalupo

👉 X: https://x.com/tcantalupo?lang=en

👉 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/toddcantalupo/

👉 Company LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/karmacheck

👉 Company Website: https://www.karmacheck.com/

📱 Follow the Hosts Kyle Johnson and Franz Aliquo:

👉 Kyle’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyleclaytonjohnson/

👉 Franz’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/franz-aliquo/

📱 Follow Holonic:

👉 Website:

In this episode of The Dark Arts of Team Optimization, hosts Kyle Johnson and Franz Aliquo are joined by Brian Berling, Chief Operating Officer at StickerJunkie. Brian brings nearly two decades of leadership experience and shares how empathy, purpose, and trust can transform teams and help businesses thrive. From his early leadership experiences to his current role, Brian explores why protecting your people is the key to long-term success and why traditional, fear-driven leadership is becoming obsolete.

What You'll Learn:

- The importance of leading with empathy and protecting your team

- How leadership styles evolve from authoritarian to collaborative

- Why aligning your team’s values with the company’s core purpose leads to better performance

- The value of hiring people who align with your mission, and how to screen for this in interviews

- Tips for creating a healthy, stress-free work environment that fosters long-term success

Timestamps:

[00:00] – Teaser

[01:24] – Introduction to Brian Birling

[02:22] – Leadership and Mentorship

[09:30] – The Importance of Leading from the Middle

[15:58] – Protecting Your Team

[26:01] – Long-Term Success vs. Short-Term Gains

[21:07] – Intrinsic Motivation and Aligning Team Values

[26:40] – Hiring for Cultural and Psychological Fit

[32:20] – How to Filter for Alignment During Interviews

[33:17] – Wrap-Up and Final Thoughts

📱 Follow our guest Brian Berling:

👉 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianberling

👉 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brianberling/

👉 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brianberling/

👉 Company LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/stickerjunkie

👉Company Website: https://www.stickerjunkie.com/

👉Company Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/StickerJunkie-100079877670675/

👉Company Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stickerjunkie/?hl=en

📱 Follow the Hosts Kyle Johnson and Franz Aliquo:

👉 Kyle’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyleclaytonjohnson/

👉 Franz’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/franz-aliquo/

📱 Follow Holonic:

👉 Website: https://www.becomeholonic.com/

👉 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/becomeholonic/

In this episode of The Dark Arts of Team Optimization, hosts Kyle Johnson and Franz Aliquo interviews Margot Schmorak, Co-Founder and CEO of Hostfully & Co-Founder of VC Backed Moms, about the importance of creating a people-first culture in business. Margot shares her journey of leading a startup for over a decade, focusing on team happiness, effective leadership, and balancing growth with well-being. If you're a leader or founder interested in building a supportive, high-performance team, this episode is packed with valuable insights.

What You'll Learn:

- The power of a people-first culture and how it contributes to long-term success

- Strategies for onboarding and building strong employee relationships from day one

- How to create an environment that supports work-life balance without guilt

- The challenges and rewards of fundraising while maintaining company values

- Tips for navigating difficult leadership decisions and managing team dynamics

Timestamps:

[00:00] – Introduction of Margot Schmorak

[03:20] – Building a People-First Culture

[06:57] – Prioritizing Transparency and Work-Life Balance

[11:56] – Onboarding and Employee Satisfaction

[20:07] – Caretaking and Employee Wellbeing

[30:01] – Navigating Investor Expectations

[26:52] – Maintaining Culture During Growth

[30:24] – The Importance of Open Communication

[32:27] – Conclusion

📱 Follow our Guest Margot Schmorak & her Companies:

👉 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mschmorak

👉Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/schmorak_/?hl=en

👉Email address: margot@hostfully.com

👉Company LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/vcbackedmoms, https://www.linkedin.com/company/hostfully-inc-/

👉Company Websites: https://www.hostfully.com/ https://www.vcbackedmoms.com/

👉Company Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hostfully/

📱 Follow the Hosts Kyle Johnson and Franz Aliquo:

👉 Kyle’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyleclaytonjohnson/

👉 Franz’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/franz-aliquo/

📱 Follow Holonic:

👉 Website: https://www.becomeholonic.com/

👉 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/becomeholonic/

In this episode of The Dark Arts of Team Optimization, hosts Kyle Johnson and Franz Aliquo interview serial entrepreneur Andrea Lake, who has been building companies since the early days of the internet, including 14 businesses such as Sticker Junkie and Power Chick Mafia. Andrea shares candid lessons on the pitfalls of absentee ownership, the journey of rebuilding a troubled company, and the profound importance of creating a tight-knit, highly transparent, and well-compensated team.

🔑 Key Topics:

1. The Winston House Phenomenon: How a Venice Beach tech hub, started with friends pooling rent money, accidentally became a cultural and musical center for artists and entrepreneurs.
2. The Cost of Absentee Ownership: Andrea recounts her seven-year retirement from Sticker Junkie, revealing the subsequent issues of a failing team, mismanagement, and embezzlement that forced her to step back in.
3. The New Team Ethos: Her philosophy of treating the team like an Olympic-level sports team with high-level structure, clarity, and investment.
4. Compensation and Transparency: Why the CEO should never make more than seven times the lowest-paid team member, and the importance of full financial transparency with all employees.
5. Hiring Philosophy: The need for a three-month trial period and an absolute intolerance for backchanneling or "shitty attitudes," regardless of an individual's sales performance.

Episode Highlights and Timestamps:

[00:00:00] - Trailer and Introduction of Andrea Lake

[00:03:04] - The origin story of the Winston House in Venice Beach as a tech hub and community project.

[00:05:50] - Andrea's technique for curating the "right people" for a community using her Sedona Magic event litmus test.

[00:08:06] - Distinguishing between the early, low-team version of Sticker Junkie/Delinquent and the new team structure.

[00:11:40] - Kyle and Franz ask Andrea to detail the hard lessons learned from the non-functioning team during her retirement.

[00:14:55] - Why it is "profoundly important" for the founder to be "in the weeds" with the team.

[00:19:00] - The strategy behind the 500% annual revenue increase and setting a living wage floor of $32/hour.

[00:20:48] - The core rule: Work is not therapy, and letting people go immediately if they create problems.

[00:26:12] - The dangers of owners who lead through intimidation and fear.

[00:31:20] - Building a work environment where people feel happy, respected, and laugh, which leads to them working harder.

[00:35:06] - An example of a $38,000 mistake where the employee was not chewed out, but the process was fixed.

[00:38:27] - Andrea's most controversial belief: The absolute necessity of keeping team players on the team and immediately firing those with a "shitty...