How Features Get Built with Zachary Loughridge, Lauren Haven, and Cody Thurber

How Features Get Built with Zachary Loughridge, Lauren Haven, and Cody Thurber

In this episode of [radically candid], host Ava Hinds sits down with [cognition]’s Development team, Zachary Loughridge, Lauren Haven, and Cody Thurber. In this conversation we talk about how the platform is actually built behind the scenes.  Who's This Conversation For? This conversation is for anyone curious about how software engineering teams actually operate, professionals thinking about a move into development or ad tech, and those who want an honest look at how developers turn product requirements into real-world solutions. What You'll Learn By Listening 1. Planning Takes Up More Time Than Coding While it might seem like developers just sit down and hammer out code, the reality is much more iterative. The team explains that a large majority of their time is spent planning out the architecture and running through proofs of concept. * Building small, step-by-step iterations and running them by the product team ensures they build what is actually needed. 2. Less Is Always More When Building New Features A common misconception is that because it's "just code," everything should be built in at once. The developers emphasize a minimalist approach when starting out.  * It's much cleaner and more efficient to start small and add complexity only as it's truly needed. 3. AI is a Massive Accelerator, But Not a Replacement Tools like Claude have revolutionized the team's workflow by automating repetitive tasks, performing safety checks, and acting as a sounding board to summarize unfamiliar codebases.  * However, the team warns against relying on it to code for you if you don't understand the underlying architecture. AI can easily send a developer down a rabbit hole of over-complex, unoptimized code if they don't know how to evaluate or fix its output. 4. Context Switching is the Hardest Daily Problem Developers are often juggling multiple applications, workspaces, and codebases simultaneously.  * An interruption or a high-priority bug fix means mentally resetting and remembering how different repositories and architectures are handled. 5. Curiosity is Your Best Career Asset For anyone looking to break into development, the team’s biggest piece of advice is to be wildly inquisitive. You don't have to know everything before you start, in fact, knowing everything is impossible.  * Thriving in this role means asking a million questions, daring to fail during trial and error, and taking the time to deeply understand the business side of ad tech so you can build better solutions.

From Client Request To Live Feature In Ad Tech with Travis Pedersen, Product Manager @ [cognition]

In this episode of [radically candid], host Ava Hinds sits down with Travis Pedersen [https://www.linkedin.com/in/travis-pedersen-81907b72/], Product Manager at [cognition], for a conversation about how products actually get built in ad tech. Travis walks through what his day-to-day looks like, how an idea travels from a client request all the way to live in the platform, and why attribution has become one of the biggest players in the industry. Along the way he breaks down the work happening around Headless Analytics, bulk tools, and stitching together the full customer journey across DSPs. Who's This Conversation For?  This conversation is for anyone curious about how product gets made, professionals thinking about a move into ad tech or product management, and those who want to understand how client feedback turns into real platform features. What You'll Learn By Listening 1. Being a Former User Makes a Better Product Manager Travis spent years managing advertising campaigns before moving into product, and that background shapes how he builds. He keeps the user top of mind and works to make their journey as easy and frustration-free as possible. * When you've been the person inside the platform, you understand why a clunky workflow makes someone not want to come back. That empathy is what turns features into experiences people actually use. 2. How an Idea Becomes a Feature Travis explains the path from feedback to launch. The team gathers input from internal and external users, looks for commonality, and prioritizes the changes that make the biggest impact. * Sometimes one user flags a small fix that turns out to affect everyone. Other times pattern emerges, like several people struggling with attribution because their list sizes are too small, and that theme points toward a bigger vision for the platform. 3. Product Enablement Is in the Room Early Travis breaks down how he collaborates with developers and product enablement throughout the build. Enablement helps scope requirements up front and returns once there's a working shell to run through use cases. * Bringing enablement in early means that when a feature rolls out, the sales team and account managers already understand it well enough to apply the new capabilities for clients. 4. Internal and External Releases Need Different Mindsets Travis describes why an internal release and an external launch call for different playbooks. Internal users often get early access and a chance to help expand how a feature is used. * External releases require more communication. Users should never discover a new feature without being aware it's coming, so external launches lean into detailing exactly what's new. 5. QA Is Where the Edge Cases Surface Travis walks through the testing process, from basic unit tests on the code to users running happy path flows and a few edge cases. The goal is to catch the weird stuff before it reaches broader clients. * Sometimes a user tries a tool in a way it wasn't designed for, and a bug appears. That moment matters. Maybe the tool could be used that way, and catching it early is what keeps the external experience clean. 6. Attribution Is the Industry's Biggest Shift Travis points to privacy and customer attribution as the most significant change in advertising. Eight years ago it was click attribution. Now the work is getting down to user attribution and pulling it into a unified view. * This is where HAT (Headless Analytics Tag) comes in. While clean rooms inside Google and Amazon handle attribution from sales lists, HAT helps stitch together the full customer journey across different platforms and devices, so the whole picture comes back into one report.

How to Build a Career in Streaming TV with Alexandra Mills, Director of People @ [cognition]

In this episode of [radically candid], host Ava Hinds sits down with Alexandra Mills [https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexandrabouchard/], Director of People at [cognition], for a conversation about how to build a career in Streaming TV. Alex shares what actually gets a candidate noticed in a fast-growing company, why curiosity and caring matter more than a perfect resume, and how [cognition] protects its culture while doubling in size. Who's This Conversation For?  This conversation is for job seekers who want to stand out in a competitive streaming TV market, early-career professionals breaking into ad tech without a traditional background, and hiring leaders thinking about how to scale a team without losing what makes their culture work. What You'll Learn By Listening 1. Soft Skills Can Matter as Much as Your Resume Alex explains why [cognition] looks past the black-and-white of what's on a resume. Your skill set and background help, but how you show up as a human is just as important. * A candidate without prior experience can come in with fresh eyes and learn how the team actually works. 2. Authenticity Beats AI-Generated Polish Alex revisits her own advice from last year, know thyself and be authentic, and applies it to a world where most applicants are using AI to some degree. The tool isn't the problem. Replacing yourself with it is. * The tells are easy to spot: robotic phrasing, generic copy, the same opening line everyone else uses. Use AI as a companion to express your authentic self, not as a substitute for it. 3. Your Digital Footprint Should Tell One Story Alex uses the "one shoe" analogy to explain why your resume, cover letter, and LinkedIn profile all need to be cohesive and updated. You wouldn't show up to work missing a shoe, so don't show up online with a piece of you missing. * Cover letters are often optional, but Alex recommends including one. What stands out in the sea of templates is a specific reference to the company's website or work, or a genuine personal story that ties to how you'd show up in the role. 4. The First Three Seconds Set the Tone Alex can tell a lot about a candidate by how they open the call. Energy and warmth go a long way, and nerves are completely human. * Saying "I'm a little nervous, but I'm so excited to learn about this" lands far better than a flat "hi, nice to meet you." Caring is the through-line and a flat open sets the tone for the rest of the conversation. 5. The Interview Is a Two-Way Street Alex encourages candidates to interview the company right back. Asking thoughtful questions doesn't read as ungrateful, it signals you're serious about the role. * No questions are off limits. Ask about benefits, the day-to-day, your future manager, expectations, and next steps. The best interviews feel like a conversation you don't want to end. 6. Bet on Potential, and Protect the Culture as You Grow [cognition] is intentional about taking chances on people who don't have the perfect background but show real potential. Alex points to her own role, which didn't exist until she pitched it. * The company doubled in the last year, but the goal isn't a headcount number, it's growing strategically. That means promoting internally, rewarding hard work quickly, and keeping the small things sacred, from Friday lunches to office candy-tasting contests.

Account Management 101: Manage, Retain, and Scale with Ilka Pritchard, Director of Account Management @ [cognition]

In this episode of [radically candid], host Ava Hinds sits down with Ilka Pritchard [https://www.linkedin.com/in/ilkapritchard/], Director of Account Management at [cognition], to dig into one of the most critical parts of the business: client relationships. From onboarding through long-term partnerships, this conversation covers what it takes to manage, scale, and retain the accounts that keep everything moving. Who's This Conversation For? This conversation is for anyone who wants to understand how strong client relationships are built and maintained in the programmatic and Streaming TV space. Whether you're in account management, working alongside it, or just curious about how [cognition] approaches partnership, this one's for you. What You'll Learn By Listening 1) From Choir Tours to Ad Tech (0:45) Before [cognition], Ilka spent 11 years organizing international choir tours. That same instinct, building trust and helping people succeed, carried directly into her pivot into ad tech. * Great AM skills aren't industry-specific. Curiosity and relationship-building translate anywhere. 2) The AM Team Is the Voice of the Customer (2:40) Day-to-day account management runs on constant communication, internally and externally. Ilka explains how the team brings client feedback to product and tech, advocating for clients in every internal room. * 💡 Key Takeaway: Great AMs have their clients' backs internally. That advocacy turns a vendor into a partner. 3) Responsiveness Without Instant Answers (4:30) Being responsive doesn't mean having an immediate solution. Acknowledging the request, communicating progress, and following up when promised builds far more trust than a half-formed response. * Trust is built in the follow-through, not the first reply. 4) Retention Comes From Active Listening (5:26) Three months or three years in, complacency is the killer. Ilka makes the case that retention hinges on active listening and tying every interaction back to value. Sometimes what a client asks for isn't what will actually solve their problem. * Clients renew when they feel heard. The questions you ask matter as much as the answers you deliver. 5) The Lifecycle Starts Before the Contract (7:13) The client journey begins well before signature, sales discovery, internal and external kickoffs, and a cadence built around what success looks like for that client. * A great kickoff sets the tone for everything that follows. 6) You Don't Need Every Answer, You Need to Care (9:04) Ilka looks for people who like working with people, bring curiosity, and have demonstrated respect and collaboration.  The biggest mistake? AMs who think they need every answer themselves instead of leaning on the team. * Authenticity is the filter. If someone shows up willing to learn and stay themselves, the rest can be built. 7) Data Only Matters in Context (14:49) Reporting is essential, but only when tied to what the client cares about. The team surfaces trends, raises flags proactively, and connects every number back to the client's broader goals. * Data without context is noise. The value is in the connection. 8) Programmatic Misconceptions Worth Addressing (16:27) From "I didn't see my ad, but I know it's working" to preamp vs. FAST, Ilka shares the misconceptions she hears most and why education is core to the AM role. * The clients seeing the most success aren't asking whether to do programmatic. They're asking how to integrate it. Connect with Ilka on LinkedIn here! [https://www.linkedin.com/in/ilkapritchard/]

Behind the Build of Q1 Product Innovation with Michael Lieberman, CTO at [cognition]

In this episode of [radically candid], host Ava Hinds sits down with Michael Lieberman, Vice President of Innovation at [cognition], to recap what the team has been building in Q1 and where innovation is headed for the rest of the year. Who's This Conversation For? This conversation is for anyone who wants to understand the technology and strategy behind [cognition]'s platform. Whether you're a partner looking to get more out of your measurement capabilities or someone in ad tech curious about how cross-channel measurement and Streaming TV attribution are evolving, this one's for you. What You'll Learn By Listening 1) What the Headless Analytics Tag Actually Does Michael walks through how HAT connects the dots across the entire customer journey, from a Streaming TV impression to on-site activity to a form fill. Using a real-world example of someone watching Amazon Prime, searching on their phone, and landing on a dealer site, he explains how HAT stitches that full path together in a way traditional attribution tools can't. * HAT isn't just another pixel. It's two components working together, on-site tracking and a pixel on the creative, to give clients a direct line from impression to conversion. 2) Cross-Channel Visibility Is Expanding HAT doesn't just measure Streaming TV. Because of the on-site tracking layer, clients are also gaining visibility into how search, social, and other channels are performing alongside their streaming campaigns. Michael explains how combining all of those signals is becoming a bigger part of what clients expect and leverage. * Measurement isn't siloed anymore. Clients are starting to see the full picture of how every channel contributes, not just the ones [cognition] executes on. 3) OEM Programs Are Getting Smarter A big Q1 effort focused on helping clients who run OEM programs better manage, filter, and report on those campaigns. Michael shares a fun insight about how customer paths don't always go in a straight line, sometimes a tier-three ad sends someone to the OEM site first before they end up exactly where the ad intended. * The data tells a story. Customers get where the ad wants them to go, but the journey is more complex than most people assume, and now clients can see that. 4) Media Execution Is Getting Faster On the execution side, Q1 was about making the managed service team more efficient and effective. Michael explains why speed of execution is one of the biggest pieces of value [cognition] brings to partners, and why a lot of behind-the-scenes work went into making that faster this quarter. * Not every innovation is client-facing. Some of the most important work is operational, helping the team move quicker so clients see results sooner. 5) DV360 and Beyond [cognition] has been enhancing its DV360 offering with plans to integrate and support more platforms in the months ahead. Michael frames this as part of a larger mission: providing measurement and insight across every channel and DSP clients are working in, not just the ones [cognition] started with. * The vision is platform-agnostic measurement. As new channels and DSPs are added, clients should expect consistent insight no matter where their media runs. 6) What's Next and Why Michael Is Excited Looking ahead, Michael points to new technologies, clean room capabilities, and the speed at which the team can now bring new products to market. At its core, the goal is the same: give partners the tools and insights they need to grow their business, because when they grow, [cognition] grows. * The pace of innovation is accelerating. What's coming in Q2 and beyond is going to give partners yet another reason to lean into the platform.