Strictly From Nowhere: A Podcast Experiment by Cause of a Kind

Oshri Cohen | The Real Role of the CTO

The tech industry just changed again, and if you are still thinking about it the old way, you are already behind.In this episode of CTO Confidential, Mike Rispoli sits down with Oshri Cohen , a fractional CTO who has been watching the landscape shift in real time. Over the course of this conversation, we unpack what it means to build products in an era where AI writes the code, how to think about technology selection when language no longer matters, and why the entire operational model of software companies needs to be rethought.We get into the honest comparison between Claude and GPT, why programming languages might become irrelevant, and how managing AI agents is completely different from managing human teams. Oshri shares his approach to scaling development work through agentic systems, why product managers need to stop writing tickets and start understanding customers, and what it really takes to build something meaningful in this moment.This is not theory. This is what the work looks like right now.What we cover:The CTO role and why it is the most misunderstood position in techHow AI fundamentally changed the fractional CTO business modelClaude Code versus GPT: a developer's honest perspectiveWhy programming languages might be approaching obsolescenceBuilding architecture decisions with LLMs as the primary toolRuby on Rails, Go, Elixir, and why readability matters to AIManaging multiple AI agents instead of human developersReturn on investment beyond revenue metricsProduct management in the age of AI developersWhy customer satisfaction is the actual ROIThe future of junior developers in a generative AI worldBuilding something and taking real riskshttps://www.linkedin.com/in/oshricohen/https://oshricohen.me/────────────────────────────LISTEN ON ALL PLATFORMSSpotifyhttps://open.spotify.com/show/1V4SjmlnG2sntDnck8UrGWApple Podcastshttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/strictly-from-nowhere-a-podcast-experiment-by-cause/id1804380172iHeart Radiohttps://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-strictly-from-nowhere-a-po-315649122/YouTubehttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWAstEyCK6YsKVTTRsQr37wSUPPORT THE SHOWPatreonhttp://patreon.com/StrictlyFromNowhereCONNECT WITH USLinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/strictly-from-nowhereWebsitehttps://strictlyfromnowhere.com────────────────────────────FOLLOW JUSTIN ABRAMS | @cuzzinjustinLinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/cuzzinjustin/Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/cuzzinjustin/Xhttps://x.com/cuzzinjustinTikTokhttps://www.tiktok.com/@cuzzinjustinFacebookhttps://www.facebook.com/cuzzinjustin24Websitehttps://www.cuzzinjustin.com────────────────────────────FOLLOW MIKE RISPOLI | @mike_rispoli_ctoLinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-rispoli-cto/Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/mike_rispoli_cto/Xhttps://x.com/michael_rispoliTikTokhttps://www.tiktok.com/@mike_rispoliWebsitehttps://michaelrispoli.com/────────────────────────────CAUSE OF A KIND | @causeofakindWebsitehttps://www.causeofakind.comLinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/cause-of-a-kindInstagramhttps://www.instagram.com/causeofakind/Xhttps://x.com/causeofakindTikTokhttps://www.tiktok.com/@causeofakindNewsletter Signuphttp://eepurl.com/gcc-yjNewsletter Archivehttps://us16.campaign-archive.com/home/?u=847ea1526d6523a41ef1eb5a5&id=48d53e9627────────────────────────────────OPEN SOURCE PROJECTSCodeDojohttps://github.com/Cause-of-a-Kind/code-dojo-coreOCR Ruby GEMhttps://activestorage-ocr-demo.fly.dev/────────────────────────────────COMMUNITY INITIATIVESLong Island Technologistshttps://www.longislandtechnologists.comhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/long-island-technologists-networkingWe Build Products, Because We Want Them To Existhttps://coakstudio.com────────────────────────────────Brought to you by Cause of a KindA boutique software development and startup studio from Long Island, New YorkStand up. Show up. Build.

Alesha Taylor, Founder @ G2G Intelligence | The Power of YOU in an AI World

When you work inside a major corporate transformation, you see the future coming. When you leave that job to build something for the people being left behind, you become part of it.In this episode of Forward to Extraordinary, part of the Strictly From Nowhere network, we sit down with Alesha Taylor, founder of G2G Intelligence. A few years ago, Alesha watched her company get acquired by an AI technology firm. She got a front row seat to how automation and AI transformed operations, how less busy work meant more meaningful work, and how the small business owners struggling to keep up would soon be facing extinction without help. So she walked away from corporate and built a company to bridge that gap.We dig into her zero to market story, what it means to pivot when the data tells you to, and why understanding opportunity cost became the thing that changed everything. Alesha shares hard won lessons about saying no to the wrong clients, protecting your time as your most valuable resource, and why differentiating yourself means understanding that you are your brand, not your company.This is a conversation about finding your way through chaos, and why the struggle is more universal than any of us realize.What we cover:Leaving corporate to serve the small business communityWhat AI transformation looks like from the insidePivoting based on data and the law of averagesUnderstanding opportunity cost as a founderWhy you have to be willing to walk away from the wrong dealsThe moment you realize you are your brandBuilding community around education and AI implementationProtecting your time as your most valuable resourcehttps://g2gintelligence.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/ataylor1011/────────────────────────────────LISTEN ON ALL PLATFORMSSpotifyhttps://open.spotify.com/show/1V4SjmlnG2sntDnck8UrGWApple Podcastshttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/strictly-from-nowhere-a-podcast-experiment-by-cause/id1804380172iHeart Radiohttps://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-strictly-from-nowhere-a-po-315649122/YouTubehttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWAstEyCK6YsKVTTRsQr37wSUPPORT THE SHOWPatreonhttp://patreon.com/StrictlyFromNowhereCONNECT WITH USLinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/strictly-from-nowhereWebsitehttps://strictlyfromnowhere.com────────────────────────────────FOLLOW JUSTIN ABRAMS | @cuzzinjustinLinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/cuzzinjustin/Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/cuzzinjustin/Xhttps://x.com/cuzzinjustinTikTokhttps://www.tiktok.com/@cuzzinjustinFacebookhttps://www.facebook.com/cuzzinjustin24Websitehttps://www.cuzzinjustin.com────────────────────────────────FOLLOW MIKE RISPOLI | @mike_rispoli_ctoLinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-rispoli-cto/Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/mike_rispoli_cto/Xhttps://x.com/michael_rispoliTikTokhttps://www.tiktok.com/@mike_rispoliCAUSE OF A KIND | @causeofakindWebsitehttps://www.causeofakind.comLinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/cause-of-a-kindInstagramhttps://www.instagram.com/causeofakind/Xhttps://x.com/causeofakindTikTokhttps://www.tiktok.com/@causeofakindNewsletter Signuphttp://eepurl.com/gcc-yjNewsletter Archivehttps://us16.campaign-archive.com/home/?u=847ea1526d6523a41ef1eb5a5&id=48d53e9627────────────────────────────────OPEN SOURCE PROJECTSCodeDojohttps://github.com/Cause-of-a-Kind/code-dojo-coreOCR Ruby GEMhttps://activestorage-ocr-demo.fly.dev/────────────────────────────────COMMUNITY INITIATIVESLong Island Technologistshttps://www.longislandtechnologists.comhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/long-island-technologists-networkinghttps://www.instagram.com/longislandtechnologists/────────────────────────────────We Build Products, Because We Want Them To Existhttps://coakstudio.com────────────────────────────────Brought to you by Cause of a KindA boutique software development and startup studio from Long Island, New YorkStand up. Show up. Build.

Selling Service Not Software | Behind Enemy Lines - Confessions of a Forward Deployed Engineer

In this episode of Behind Enemy Lines, a segment of CTO Confidential, Michael Rispoli breaks down a lesson every forward deployed engineer, consultant, and AI builder needs to understand:Selling service is not selling software.That same lesson applies directly to forward deployed engineering.An AI phone system that books more appointments might sound like an obvious win until it overwhelms the team, frustrates customers, or damages the reputation the business depends on. A mobile ordering system sounds great until customers complain that their coffee is cold. Automation can be technically successful and still be operationally wrong.In this episode, Michael explores:- Why sales is really an empathy skill- Why engineers need to stop projecting their own assumptions onto customers- Why SaaS thinking often fails inside service businesses- How AI can create new operational problems if deployed carelessly- Why “too much growth” can be a real concern- Why service businesses need good growth, not growth at all costs- Why the service is the moat for many SMB and mid-market companies- How forward deployed engineers can design solutions that protect the customer experienceIf you are selling AI, building tools for Main Street businesses, working with clients, or trying to become a better forward deployed engineer, this episode is a reminder that the best technology is not always the thing that creates the most volume.It is the thing that helps the business grow without destroying the trust, service, and reputation that made customers choose them in the first place.────────────────────────────────LISTEN ON ALL PLATFORMSSpotifyhttps://open.spotify.com/show/1V4SjmlnG2sntDnck8UrGWApple Podcastshttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/strictly-from-nowhere-a-podcast-experiment-by-cause/id1804380172iHeart Radiohttps://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-strictly-from-nowhere-a-po-315649122/YouTubehttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWAstEyCK6YsKVTTRsQr37wSUPPORT THE SHOWPatreonhttp://patreon.com/StrictlyFromNowhereCONNECT WITH USLinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/strictly-from-nowhereWebsitehttps://strictlyfromnowhere.com────────────────────────────────FOLLOW JUSTIN ABRAMS | @cuzzinjustinLinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/cuzzinjustin/Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/cuzzinjustin/Xhttps://x.com/cuzzinjustinTikTokhttps://www.tiktok.com/@cuzzinjustinFacebookhttps://www.facebook.com/cuzzinjustin24Websitehttps://www.cuzzinjustin.com────────────────────────────────FOLLOW MIKE RISPOLI | @mike_rispoli_ctoLinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-rispoli-cto/Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/mike_rispoli_cto/Xhttps://x.com/michael_rispoliTikTokhttps://www.tiktok.com/@mike_rispoliWebsitehttps://michaelrispoli.com/────────────────────────────────CAUSE OF A KIND | @causeofakindWebsitehttps://www.causeofakind.comLinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/cause-of-a-kindInstagramhttps://www.instagram.com/causeofakind/Xhttps://x.com/causeofakindTikTokhttps://www.tiktok.com/@causeofakindNewsletter Signuphttp://eepurl.com/gcc-yjNewsletter Archivehttps://us16.campaign-archive.com/home/?u=847ea1526d6523a41ef1eb5a5&id=48d53e9627────────────────────────────────OPEN SOURCE PROJECTSCodeDojohttps://github.com/Cause-of-a-Kind/code-dojo-coreOCR Ruby GEMhttps://activestorage-ocr-demo.fly.dev/────────────────────────────────COMMUNITY INITIATIVESLong Island Technologistshttps://www.longislandtechnologists.comhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/long-island-technologists-networkinghttps://www.instagram.com/longislandtechnologists/────────────────────────────────We Build Products, Because We Want Them To Existhttps://coakstudio.com────────────────────────────────Brought to you by Cause of a KindA boutique software development and startup studio from Long Island, New YorkStand up. Show up. Build.

Zechariah Thomas, Founder @ ⁨Swift Hockey⁩ | Disrupting Hockey

What does it take to build a business in a hundred year old industry when you are young, bootstrapped, and going head to head with billion dollar giants? In this episode of Forward to Extraordinary, part of the Strictly From Nowhere network, we sit down with Zechariah Thomas, founder and CEO of ⁨@SwiftHockey⁩ . A former pro hockey player from Oshawa, Ontario, Zechariah turned a problem he lived every season, sticks that cost a fortune and broke constantly, into a mission driven company built to make the sport more accessible and affordable. We get into his zero to market story, why content volume became his single greatest competitive weapon, and how he survives a business that operates week to week with bills stacked on bills. Zechariah shares hard won lessons on financial literacy, building a team rather than a family, and why he believes entrepreneurship is not for everyone. It is an honest, unfiltered look at the grit behind the accolades. What we cover: The zero to market story behind Swift Hockey Why content and distribution beat venture capital Treating your company like a team, not a family Embracing pressure as a tool for growth Why financial literacy is the skill founders wish they had sooner Going up against hundred year old giants as a young founder The daily calculated gamble of running a business If you are building something against the odds, this conversation is for you. https://swifthockey.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/zechariah-thomas ──────────────────────────────── LISTEN ON ALL PLATFORMS Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/1V4SjmlnG2sntDnck8UrGW Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/strictly-from-nowhere-a-podcast-experiment-by-cause/id1804380172 iHeart Radio https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-strictly-from-nowhere-a-po-315649122/ YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWAstEyCK6YsKVTTRsQr37w SUPPORT THE SHOW Patreon http://patreon.com/StrictlyFromNowhere CONNECT WITH US LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/strictly-from-nowhere Website https://strictlyfromnowhere.com ──────────────────────────────── FOLLOW JUSTIN ABRAMS | @cuzzinjustin LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/cuzzinjustin/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/cuzzinjustin/ X https://x.com/cuzzinjustin TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@cuzzinjustin Facebook https://www.facebook.com/cuzzinjustin24 Website https://www.cuzzinjustin.com ──────────────────────────────── FOLLOW MIKE RISPOLI | @mike_rispoli_cto LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-rispoli-cto/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/mike_rispoli_cto/ X https://x.com/michael_rispoli TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@mike_rispoli Website https://michaelrispoli.com/ ──────────────────────────────── CAUSE OF A KIND | @causeofakind Website https://www.causeofakind.com LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/cause-of-a-kind Instagram https://www.instagram.com/causeofakind/ X https://x.com/causeofakind TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@causeofakind Newsletter Signup http://eepurl.com/gcc-yj Newsletter Archive https://us16.campaign-archive.com/home/?u=847ea1526d6523a41ef1eb5a5&id=48d53e9627 ──────────────────────────────── OPEN SOURCE PROJECTS CodeDojo https://github.com/Cause-of-a-Kind/code-dojo-core OCR Ruby GEM https://activestorage-ocr-demo.fly.dev/ ──────────────────────────────── COMMUNITY INITIATIVES Long Island Technologists https://www.longislandtechnologists.com https://www.linkedin.com/company/long-island-technologists-networking https://www.instagram.com/longislandtechnologists/ ──────────────────────────────── We Build Products, Because We Want Them To Exist https://coakstudio.com ──────────────────────────────── Brought to you by Cause of a Kind A boutique software development and startup studio from Long Island, New York Stand up. Show up. Build.

Answer Engine Optimization Is Here | Episode #064

Search is changing faster than the mobile shift ever did, and most businesses have not caught up yet. In this episode of Strictly From Nowhere, we dig into Answer Engine Optimization, the emerging practice of getting your business recommended by AI tools like ChatGPT and Gemini. We share what we learned building our own AEO measurement tool, why it behaves nothing like traditional SEO, and what it means when an answer engine becomes a trusted advisor that people simply believe. We get into the technical foundations every business should put in place, why removing content can be smart in AEO even though it is sacrilege in SEO, and why retail and commoditized products face the toughest road of all. We also talk through what happens when SEO and AEO start pulling in opposite directions, and why the website as we know it may not be the final destination much longer. This is an honest, unpolished look at a craft that is still being invented in real time. What we cover: Why AEO is a new game and not just an extension of SEO The technical basics: llms.txt, full site markdown, and page level markdown How answer engines make human like recommendations Why removing content can actually help your AEO Balancing SEO performance against AEO goals Why retail and commoditized products are the hardest category The Jeopardy method for auditing how LLMs see your brand Why answer engines act as a trusted advisor people rarely question We are also looking for design partners for the AEO tool we are building. If this topic has your head spinning and you want to get ahead of it, reach out to us at causeofakind.com. https://www.causeofakind.com/blog/is-your-website-optimized-for-LLMs ──────────────────────────────── LISTEN ON ALL PLATFORMS Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/1V4SjmlnG2sntDnck8UrGW Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/strictly-from-nowhere-a-podcast-experiment-by-cause/id1804380172 iHeart Radio https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-strictly-from-nowhere-a-po-315649122/ YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWAstEyCK6YsKVTTRsQr37w SUPPORT THE SHOW Patreon http://patreon.com/StrictlyFromNowhere CONNECT WITH US LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/strictly-from-nowhere Website https://strictlyfromnowhere.com ─────────────────────────── FOLLOW JUSTIN ABRAMS | @cuzzinjustin LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/cuzzinjustin/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/cuzzinjustin/ X https://x.com/cuzzinjustin TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@cuzzinjustin Facebook https://www.facebook.com/cuzzinjustin24 Website https://www.cuzzinjustin.com ─────────────────────────── FOLLOW MIKE RISPOLI | @mike_rispoli_cto LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-rispoli-cto/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/mike_rispoli_cto/ X https://x.com/michael_rispoli TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@mike_rispoli Website https://michaelrispoli.com/ ─────────────────────────── CAUSE OF A KIND | @causeofakind Website https://www.causeofakind.com LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/cause-of-a-kind Instagram https://www.instagram.com/causeofakind/ X https://x.com/causeofakind TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@causeofakind Newsletter Signup http://eepurl.com/gcc-yj Newsletter Archive https://us16.campaign-archive.com/home/?u=847ea1526d6523a41ef1eb5a5&id=48d53e9627 ─────────────────────────── OPEN SOURCE PROJECTS CodeDojo https://github.com/Cause-of-a-Kind/code-dojo-core OCR Ruby GEM https://activestorage-ocr-demo.fly.dev/ ─────────────────────────── COMMUNITY INITIATIVES Long Island Technologists https://www.longislandtechnologists.com https://www.linkedin.com/company/long-island-technologists-networking https://www.instagram.com/longislandtechnologists/ ─────────────────────────── We Build Products, Because We Want Them To Exist https://coakstudio.com ─────────────────────────── Brought to you by Cause of a Kind A boutique software development and startup studio from Long Island, New York Stand up. Show up. Build.