Latest news with #Technical.lyBuildersConference
Technical.ly
2 days ago
- Business
- Technical.ly
The other approach to ‘government efficiency': How digital teams serve the public
Government efficiency is a hot-button issue this year, with masses of federal workers having lost their jobs in its name. But when it comes to state and local government, efficiency-based reform is all about making things work smoothly, with the help of tech. 'The Other Approach to Government Efficiency,' a session at the 2025 Builders Conference, featured two civic innovators: Eliza Erickson, who leads permit reform efforts in Pennsylvania's Governor's Office, and Max Gigle, a digital product leader in Connecticut. Moderated by Kaela Roeder, the panel broke down how government can better serve people, even when the results don't make headlines. 'In some ways, government is 15 years behind the arc of technology and innovation in the private sector,' Erickson said. 'But we're recognizing more and more the need for real, high-quality technology in the public sector — and we're finding ways to invest in that talent.' Rather than focus on flashy apps or front-facing dashboards, both panelists stressed that the most meaningful work starts much deeper in the process. Gigle, who leads digital efforts for Connecticut's Department of Administrative Services, described how his team redesigned the state's approach to business licensing. What seemed like a simple task — building a new website — actually required collaboration with more than a dozen agencies, deep process mapping and a culture change in how services are delivered. 'If someone said, 'We made a website and it took eight months,' I think most folks in the tech world would be like, 'What in the world are you doing with their money?'' Gigle said. 'But in order to really get to the core of the challenge, it took a lot of time to ask questions of what's important here, how do we work across a ton of different stakeholders that have different interests, how do we centralize brands and work through tough challenges?' In Connecticut, that meant understanding that the real barrier to entrepreneurship wasn't the form itself, but the knowledge gap around what to do when, and with whom. Sustainability over splash Both Gigle and Erickson emphasized that true government innovation is measured in staying power, not just short-term wins. Erickson stressed that at its core, 'successful government innovation … has to be sustainable,' so it lives on after the specific tech team that led that initiative leaves. Her own team builds from the ground up, empowering the frontline staff who will be there long after an administration changes, making sure they have ownership over new systems and practices. Making lasting change also means being honest about progress: If a new permit system isn't fully rolled out yet, talk about the education campaigns, the translation work and the user testing that's already reshaping the process. Those behind-the-scenes steps may not sound exciting, but they're often the reason a teacher can get certified faster, or a barber can open shop a few months earlier. Narrative, Erikson said, is also important. Government work is often invisible unless it fails, so part of the challenge is sharing success in ways people actually understand, whether that's via TikTok, community meetings or just clearer metrics. She pointed to Pennsylvania's push to reframe permit reform as a tangible quality-of-life issue, not just red tape. 'If you are a teacher looking for a job and it takes you six months to get your certification, that's six months that you're not allowed to work,' Erickson said. 'If we shorten that time to two months, that's four more months of income. That is really impactful.' Inviting more people into public service Civic technologists — a group that once meant mostly IT staff — now include designers, product managers, data analysts and software engineers. Both panelists encouraged students and career switchers to consider public-sector roles, even if they've never seen themselves in government. 'If you care about your city and your state, get involved,' Gigle said. 'Government … can look toxic on the surface. It's not sexy every single day, but, I promise you, the outcome is fantastic.' The skills you build in government — navigating complexity, managing risk, scaling services — translate directly into roles in big tech and beyond, he added. Erickson agreed, especially when it comes to the early career opportunity. 'You can put your skills to positive use in such a tangible way,' she said. 'You do two or three years in the public sector, and it puts you on a really impactful career path.' What innovation really looks like During a wide-ranging Q&A, attendees asked about risk, disruption and why the government seems so slow to change. Gigle offered a clear-eyed take: The real risk is not changing. And disruption can come in many forms, from COVID's sudden shift to remote service delivery to a renewed focus on equity and inclusion within government ranks. Erickson noted that meaningful change often comes from within, when agencies empower the right people to ask why. 'A lot of the bureaucracy and the red tape that exists in government is because someone at some point really believed that it was the right thing,' she said. 'The problem is that we just build bureaucracy and regulations on top of bureaucracy and regulations without unpacking what's been done.'
Technical.ly
2 days ago
- Business
- Technical.ly
How startup leaders are navigating the new normal of remote and hybrid work
Remote work may be here to stay, but that doesn't mean startup leaders have figured it all out. One session at the 2025 Builders Conference tackled the question of how startups can balance the flexibility of remote work with the need for culture-building and engagement. Titled 'Remote vs. Hybrid for Startups: Recruiting & Ecosystem Engagement,' the session featured Raymond Magee of BloomCatch, Jake Stein of Common Paper and Dan Winston of BalancedWork, with Tally Wolff of Arlington Economic Development moderating. With a mix of fully remote, hybrid and in-person experiences among them, the panelists offered candid insights about what's working — and what isn't — in this evolving era of work. 'There are things we got for free in person that we didn't appreciate until they were gone,' Stein said. 'Bumping into each other, building rapport so you give someone the benefit of the doubt on an ambiguous Slack.' One key theme was how founders engage with their local startup ecosystems. Magee pointed to the conference itself as a powerful example: In-person gatherings offer value that remote work can't replicate, but the fact that sessions are recorded makes them more accessible to founders who can't make the trip. 'If you can't physically drive … three hours to get this knowledge firsthand and in person, the ability to watch the recording is key,' Magee said. 'Hybrid and remote work have changed how we engage in conferences and with the local community.' Winston's company, BalancedWork, helps organizations make data-informed decisions about when to meet in person or remotely using calendar data to analyze meetings. The tech then recommends which setup is best suited for the situation. He also noted that local innovation groups like incubators have become less about daily coworking and more about regular, intentional meetups. 'The day-to-day 'we're just sitting next to each other' isn't happening as much,' Winston said. 'Something is different — maybe lost. Whether that matters varies case by case.' Designing new norms, not chasing old ones Though the founders praised the benefits of flexibility, including being able to hire specialized talent from across the country, they were candid about the downsides of distributed teams. But Stein from Common Paper is finding ways to remotely recreate experiences that often take place in person. 'Junior folks learn by eavesdropping; remote loses that,' Stein said. To fill that gap, Common Paper has implemented recurring 'scheduled unscheduled' Zoom calls — intentionally agenda-less spaces where employees can talk about anything from dogs to deal flows. Magee said he regularly meets with his junior team members, often daily, for their first few months and starts every meeting with 5 to 10 minutes of personal small talk because it deepens relationships. 'Once they see you invest in them on their terms,' he said, 'they'll work hard for you.' Leadership behavior sets the tone, Winston noted, and actions matter more than words. 'People sense how a leader feels,' he explained. Ultimately, each panelist stressed that remote and hybrid work can be effective — but only with intention. 'Remote work is a privilege, not a right,' Magee said. 'It's on both the employer and the employee to make it work.' Asked whether they would recommend a remote job to a recent college graduate, the panelists agreed that in-person experience offers value early in a career. 'Take an in‐person one,' Winston said. 'We humans absorb more than screens can show.'
Technical.ly
3 days ago
- Business
- Technical.ly
Still doing the work: How DEI leaders are adapting to political pushback
As national pressure mounts against DEI programs, some organizations are removing terminology, rewriting job descriptions or folding initiatives altogether. But others are adapting, embedding DEI principles throughout their work and refusing to walk away. Experts addressed these themes during 'What Happens to DEI Strategies Now?,' a panel at the 2025 Builders Conference. Sylvie Gallier Howard, founder of Equitable Cities Collaborative, said she's seen organizations across sectors retreat from public-facing DEI branding. Some, particularly those reliant on federal funding, have even received direct warnings: Don't list DEI as a line item, or risk losing support. 'It's this weaponization of DEI,' Howard said. 'A lot of people I know are saying they're scrubbing those words from their websites, from their literature, because they're afraid of losing funding or becoming a target. They consistently tell me, 'We're still doing the work, we're just not using the words publicly.'' That rebranding might mean swapping language on websites or external communications, explained Alyssa Vasquez from the professional training firm Cultured Enuf. Just because the wording changes doesn't mean the mission is different, she said. These moves are made out of necessity and fear of losing funding from the federal government. Vasquez emphasized that these shifts don't have to signal a retreat — but leaders must be intentional in how they implement work policies. 'My hope is that [companies] shift from 'token' to real strategies integrated into talent management. We help them integrate real questions in interviews about experiences: 'Have you been led by a woman of color? Have you had a Black woman as a supervisor?'' Vasquez said. 'Because if [the answer is] never, that may cause issues. Focusing on day-to-day, making it about competencies, not token hires — that's the direction I'd like to see.' Embedding DEI across operations Vasquez and Howard shared how they're navigating this moment with their own businesses. Howard, whose firm includes 'equitable' in the name, said she's had potential clients question whether she'll rebrand. Even if she won't, she admits that not everyone can make such a firm choice. 'What's the opposite of 'diversity, equity, inclusion?' 'Homogeneity, inequity, exclusion?'' she said. 'Is that what we want? I think we who can stand up, must. But some can't. We have to acknowledge that.' Vasquez, who works nationally across sectors, said she chooses her clients carefully. In early conversations, she's upfront about the kind of work she does — and if an organization can't integrate with it, she walks away. But she acknowledged not everyone has that ability. 'If we're not aligned, that's a red flag,' Vasquez said. 'If you have the privilege, you can do that. Not everyone does.' Howard noted that in her economic development experience, strategies like supplier diversity or equitable small business funding are being reframed around geography, income or disinvestment — still equity, just with a different lens, she said. There are organizations that are doubling down. Vasquez praised the School District of Lancaster as an example of leadership in DEI. 'Maybe they shift job titles, but they're not retreating from the actual pillar of equity. That's real leadership,' she said. If DEI is seen as a standalone program — or a quick post-2020 fix — it will always be vulnerable to political shifts. But when it's baked into operations, it becomes part of how an organization functions and survives. Vasquez cited the interview process and retention strategy as examples of where this integration matters. It's also important organizations and companies work together toward these goals. 'A big part of this is forming coalitions for advocacy,' Howard said, 'to do it carefully but not give up.'
Technical.ly
6 days ago
- Business
- Technical.ly
Product-market fit starts long before launch. Here's how to sell your idea early.
Startups don't die from lack of money. They die from lack of market. That was the message at the 2025 Builders Conference panel on 'Early Stage Sales & Marketing: Finding Product-Market Fit,' where Parity founder Bree Jones and product strategist Lindsay Tabas broke down why even the most visionary product ideas fail without early validation. 'The number-one reason startups fail is they launch to no market need,' Tabas said. 'They were high off their own idea and built their own product based on what they wanted, didn't really talk to customers and there was no one waiting for it when they launched.' Tabas, founder of and a seasoned startup advisor, has helped founders and investors avoid these pitfalls through process-driven customer discovery. Jones, whose real estate company Parity transforms hyper-vacant blocks in Baltimore into communities of affordable homeownership, has lived that lesson firsthand. The nut of their argument: If you can't find people excited about your idea before it exists, you won't find them after it's built. Product-market fit isn't an end goal; it's a process that starts from day one. Jones illustrated this with her own story. Before she raised a total of $8 million for Parity, she validated her concept with a single $100 rendering she bought off Craigslist. 'I talked to every single person who would listen, and I showed them that $100 rendering. I said, 'Hey, if we could buy all these properties and fix them up, would you want to live here?'' Jones recounted. 'More and more people continued to say yes.' This scrappy approach helped her build a community of would-be homeowners long before renovations began. That early validation led to coverage by a major catalyst that Jones says created the social proof she needed to attract funding. 'Investors like to be the first to be second, meaning that they never want to be first in money,' she said, 'but as soon as someone else like JPMorgan Chase throws their hat in the ring, everyone else is like, 'Oh my gosh, here you go, take my money.'' Tabas emphasized that traction can start even earlier. She recommended beginning with interviews — not surveys — to get deep insights from target users. Her top three questions: Why did you decide to take this call with me today? What do you stand to gain if we solve this problem, or what do you stand to lose if we don't? What's the timeline to solving it? This kind of pointed inquiry, she said, helps separate mild interest from real urgency — and helps startups spend their time on the people most likely to convert. From idea to product As for how to find those people, both panelists stressed leveraging existing networks. Go back to your LinkedIn connections, Facebook groups and email lists. Build community from the ground up, not through expensive ad campaigns. 'We all already have a community; we just don't know how to use it and leverage it,' Tabas said. 'That's where I tell people to always start — looking at the community you already have and the relationships you already have.' Jones, who founded Parity after leaving a corporate job in DC, challenged assumptions about who wants to live in distressed neighborhoods. Her goal: create equitable homeownership without displacement. But when early investors told her no one would choose to live in Baltimore, she didn't argue. She went and found people who disagreed. By capturing their responses, Jones created a flywheel effect, or once a concept starts moving, it becomes self-perpetuating. As interest grew, she was able to show demand. That, in turn, helped unlock more investment. Parity now owns over 50 properties in Baltimore. Each transformation costs about $350,000, but the commitment from future residents keeps things moving. Selling the vision, not the product One underutilized tactic is creating a customer advisory board, a group of early supporters willing to offer ongoing feedback, according to Tabas. Jones said that those advisors often become the company's biggest evangelists, promoting the product even when the founder isn't in the room. It's a tactic grounded in psychology: People want to be part of something. When they see their input reflected in the product, they become emotionally invested. They bring others along. Both panelists noted that storytelling plays a critical role in the early stages. Jones closed her presentation with a short video of one of Parity's homebuyers and her daughter walking through a gutted house, watching it transform into a family home. For early-stage founders, the message was clear: Product-market fit isn't a milestone, it's a mindset. The earlier you embrace the reality that people buy solutions to their own problems, not your idea, the more likely your business will survive. 'Always remember that when it comes to raising capital,' Jones said, 'you also hold power.'
Technical.ly
25-05-2025
- Business
- Technical.ly
Early-stage founders use AI to save time, build smarter — and dream bigger
Artificial intelligence may not replace human founders anytime soon. Instead, with the right tools, AI can be a founder's best friend. That was the message from the 'AI Tools for Entrepreneurs and Early-Stage Teams' panel at the 2025 Builders Conference. Moderated by Intake Media founder (and former editor) Stephen Babcock, the panel featured Laneisha Roberts, cofounder of the Atlanta-based performance evaluation platform ReviewTailor, and Ashwin Jaiprakash, founder of the DC-headquartered go-to-market intelligence company Eazy. The speakers shared how they're already leveraging AI in their startups — and what kinds of tools they wish existed to help founders like them, and the others in the room, juggle the endless demands of building something new from scratch. 'We're learning to use these tools still,' Babcock said. 'We're the early users today.' Roberts, who previously spent 15 years in government, healthcare and corporate leadership, started ReviewTailor to solve a specific pain point: performance reviews that eat up time, perpetuate bias and rarely reflect employees' real contributions. She recalled one manager who flagged emails, had Word docs and relied on memory to write reviews. That discovery, she said, made it clear AI had the potential to streamline the process. Jaiprakash, whose background includes years in enterprise tech consulting, founded Eazy to support IT services firms as they assist clients in modernizing their data infrastructure. By using AI to analyze patterns in sales and client needs, Eazy helps reduce the failure rate of digital transformation projects — an issue Jaiprakash said affects 70% of large-scale efforts. 'If you can improve people's experience in the way that they interact with other people, and AI is just the mechanism to do that, let's do that,' Jaiprakash said. Founder favorites: Tactical AI tools and wishes for the future Beyond their own products, the panelists also shared their go-to tools and hacks for using AI in their everyday work: ChatGPT remains a daily go-to for Roberts, who uses it for everything from analyzing survey results to drafting content. 'ChatGPT is my employee of the week every week,' she joked. OpusClip was a crowd favorite. This tool breaks down long videos into bite-sized clips and ranks them by their potential virality for social media. Roberts said the free version makes 20-30 clips from a 45-minute video. Supademo helps Roberts create interactive onboarding and demo videos tailored to the employee's role. Magic Patterns, recommended by Jaiprakash, auto-generates UI interfaces and design elements, helping teams create faster mockups or chat-based interfaces without needing a designer. AskHumans, a voice-based survey tool, allows founders to send personalized questions and receive spoken feedback. 'We found that when people speak, you capture 35% or 40% more context,' Jaiprakash said, adding that this richer feedback is vital for effective discovery. Asked what AI tool they wished existed, the panelists had no shortage of ideas. Roberts proposed a 'cofounder whisperer' — an AI that could monitor team communication and flag early signs of burnout or interpersonal tension. 'I don't know if there's any investors in the room, but that would also be valuable for investing in early-stage startups, where those issues tend to surface up,' she said. Jaiprakash dreamed of a tool that scans a founder's network and proactively recommends who to contact for help solving a specific problem. He imagined an AI that would tell him the people he should be reaching out to, 'and schedule a call for me with them tomorrow.' Panelists agreed that the real promise of AI lies in speeding up feedback loops and decision-making, not skipping foundational work. 'You need to know to the very minuscule level what the manual process is,' Jaiprakash said, adding: 'I don't think you can build something effectively if you haven't gone through the pain of doing that manual work.'
