CTO Confessions Brought to you by IT Labs

Is the push-pull of feature prioritization giving you a headache? You aren't alone. In this episode, TC Gill sits down with Rigvinath Chevala, CPTO at ServiceChannel, to strip away the hype and get into the real grit of tech leadership.

Rigvinath brings over 20 years of experience scaling B2B SaaS from $10M to $180M. He breaks down why the "sexy" AI solution isn't always the right one and how to bridge the gap between engineering reality and product goals.

In this episode, we explore:
The CPTO Trend: Why the dual role is rising and how it aligns managers and engineers.

- B2B vs. B2C: Navigating the feedback loop when you don’t have millions of users.
- Project vs. Product: Moving away from "one-and-done" thinking toward a recurring growth mindset.
- The Art of the "No": Proven methods for prioritizing features based on impact and frequency.

"There's not only one way to do certain things. You have to force yourself to say: are there alternatives? That’s where the negotiation begins."

Whether you’re a seasoned executive or a fresh tech lead, this episode serves as a practical guide to mastering the "push-pull" of organizational demands.

Your system doesn't need heroes — A guide on building and scaling a team

"If your system needs heroes, you don't have a system."

In this episode of CTO Confessions, TC sits down with engineering leader Swarnim Kumari for a candid conversation on what it actually takes to build and scale high-performing teams. No fluff — just hard-earned lessons and sharp one-liners that'll stick with you long after the episode ends.

They cover why hiring fast isn't the same as hiring right, why 2 a.m. firefighting is a red flag (not a badge of honor), and why AI without purpose is just noise. Whether you're managing your first team or leading an entire engineering org, this one's for you.

What you'll take away:
→ 2 a.m. problem-solving isn't hustle culture — it's a broken system
→ AI needs a clear purpose, or it has no place
→ Don't scale the system before the business is ready
→ Ditch the formal meetings. Build a culture of ongoing communication instead

About Swarnim Kumari: Swarnim is an engineering leader with experience across Senior Engineer, Engineering Manager, and Director of Engineering roles. She specializes in scaling high-performing teams, improving delivery practices, and building reliable, customer-focused systems — always at the intersection of technology, product, and people.

What does it really take to build great hardware in a software-first world?

In this episode of CTO Confessions, we sit down with Nico Cormier, CTO of reMarkable — the company behind the world's leading paper tablet — to explore what modern hardware development actually looks like from the inside.

We get into the risks, the rewards, and the mindset it takes to ship a physical product people love. Nico draws on his experience at Cisco, Nasdaq, and DxO Labs to share what separates hardware teams that succeed from those that don't.

In this episode:

- Why CTOs need to be business builders, not just tech experts
- The brutal reality of hardware risk — and why it's still worth it
- How to listen to user feedback without cherry-picking the good stuff
- Staying mission-driven while staying open to change

"Nothing beats being able to hold a product in your hands." — Nico Cormier

Assuming you know what motivates people is often what disconnects you from them.

In this episode of CTO Confessions, Ravi Soni, VP of Engineering at Curative, shares why strong leadership starts with curiosity — not conclusions — especially in complex, high-stakes environments like healthcare.

Ravi brings a calm, practical perspective shaped by years of scaling SaaS platforms, modernizing legacy systems, and leading teams through real change. From staying close to the technical craft as a leader, to rethinking motivation, to why healthcare still needs urgent digitization, this conversation is a thoughtful reminder that the best leaders ask more than they assume — and listen more than they speak.

Trying to build things perfectly is often what stops them from working at all.

In this episode of CTO Confessions, Stephen Cope, CIO at Astrak, shares why aiming for 80% is usually more than enough — and how letting go of perfection helps teams move faster, learn sooner, and build technology that actually gets used.

Stephen brings a thoughtful, grounded perspective shaped by years of leading real change, from navigating self-doubt to introducing AI in ways that support people instead of overwhelming them. This is a warm, honest conversation about progress, simplicity, and why your people matter far more than any tech stack ever will.