Libsyn Directory

How Mission-Driven Organizations Maximize Impact with Limited Resources with Jason Fraser

Release Date: 05/14/2025

Best of Convergence: Building Customer-Centric Teams: Josh Seiden on OKRs and Agile

Convergence.fm

In this episode, Ashok sits down with , to explore key insights from Josh's latest book, "Who Does What by How Much." The conversation centers around using OKRs (Objectives and Key Results) to align teams and improve organizational outcomes. They examine the challenges many teams face when implementing frameworks like OKRs or Agile and emphasize the importance of understanding the "why" behind these systems. Josh also reflects on his early work, such as developing the Kensington Turbo Mouse and collaborating with Alan Cooper, widely known as the "Father of Visual Basic." Unlock the full...

Best of Convergence: How Generative AI and DORA Metrics Transform Software Development Teams with Derek Ferguson

Convergence.fm

Derek Ferguson from The Fitch Group returns to share how his team of 600+ developers leverages generative AI tools like Amazon’s CodeWhisperer and implements DORA metrics to boost productivity and team health. In this second part of the conversation, he delves into the transformative impact of these tools and the innovative strategies driving adoption and success at scale. Listen to Derek’s experiences in introducing cutting-edge tools to a large organization, his lessons in fostering experimentation, and the surprising parallels between today’s AI adoption and the internet boom. From...

Best Of Convergence: Crafting "Surprisingly Great" Developer Experiences with Kenneth Auchenberg

Convergence.fm

Great developer experience isn’t just about clean docs or helpful error messages—it’s about intentionally delighting your user at every step. In this episode of Convergence.fm, host Ashok Sivanand is joined by Kenneth Auchenberg—former product leader at Microsoft and Stripe—for a masterclass on what it really takes to design and scale developer-centric platforms. The Convergence.fm podcast team is taking a break in the month of August, but we’ll be back with new episodes in the fall. Until then, Ashok wants to share one of his favorite episodes. We’ll be back in September with a...

Best Of Convergence: How To Drive Product Development and Market Expansion with Ben Foster, Prodify

Convergence.fm

As former Chief Product Officer at Whoop, Ben Foster had a front-row seat to one of the boldest product decisions in wearables: selling hardware as a subscription. In this encore episode, Ashok and Ben explore what it takes to align hardware, firmware, and software teams to create a seamless membership experience—and how that strategy set the stage for Whoop’s continued success, including the recent release of the Whoop 5. The Convergence.fm podcast team is taking a break in the month of August, but we’ll be back with new episodes in the fall. Until then, Ashok wants to share one of his...

Q&A: No One Understands Your Demo? Here’s WHY | TDD Isn’t Just for CODE — Use It Everywhere!

Convergence.fm

If you’ve ever wondered how to make test-driven development more than a coding technique, this episode is for you. Ashok Sivanand and producer Doug Branson answer listener and Reddit-sourced questions about building better product teams—covering everything from mindset shifts to hard truths about performance reviews and strategic alignment. Ashok connects TDD to the principles of Essentialism by Greg McKeown, revealing how teams can define success before they begin and cut through the noise of Slack and OKRs. Hear practical advice for first-time founders struggling to articulate value...

The Dangers of Vibe Coding Addiction and Single Points of Failure - Your Product Team Questions Answered!

Convergence.fm

What happens when your lead engineer leaves and takes the product knowledge with them? In this episode, Ashok Sivanand tackles some of the most pressing product and engineering questions straight from the community—including how to prevent panic-inducing knowledge loss, when founders should or shouldn’t vibe code, and how to choose between building full-service or self-serve platforms. Ashok is joined by producer Doug Branson for a first-ever audience Q&A format that covers real problems from real teams. From unit test-driven documentation to AI-assisted code exploration, this episode...

The Missing Link in Hybrid Teams? A Sense of Belonging.Why It’s More Strategic Than DEI

Convergence.fm

Dan Berger led Social Tables through a $100M exit and now he’s focused on something even harder to build: belonging. In this vulnerable conversation, he shares what most leaders miss about culture, how his board almost ousted him due to a toxic exec hire, and why belonging should be treated as a leadership choice — not an HR initiative. He also unpacks why rituals matter, why alcohol doesn’t belong in team settings, and what founders can learn from AA meetings about structure, vulnerability, and connection. We also get into his latest venture, Assemble Hospitality Group, a new asset...

Authenticity by Design: Building Mental Health Tools That Actually Work with Seth Micarelli of Volo Health

Convergence.fm

AI can make therapy more accessible—but only if it's done right. In this episode, ex-Google and Amazon product leader Seth shares his journey from panic attacks to building Volo Health, an AI-powered tool for anxiety, depression, and addiction. He breaks down how most therapy tools get it wrong, what makes human-centered AI actually safe, and how product teams can reconnect with the humans they serve—even at scale. Seth opens up about leaving Silicon Valley, his personal journey with emotional healing, and the limits of traditional therapy. Along the way, we explore the ethics of AI in...

Startups Are Nailing Agentic Workflows — And Why Enterprises Aren’t

Convergence.fm

Karthik Suresh has seen the software industry from all sides — high-frequency trading, Meta’s product teams, early-stage startup trenches, and now the frontier of AI agents. As co-founder of Double-O, he’s building a platform that helps non-technical teams automate complex business processes using AI agents described in plain English. In this episode, Karthik shares hard-won lessons about what it really takes to make agentic workflows work in production — and why most companies are still getting it wrong. We talk about the structural failures hiding inside most AI proof-of-concepts,...

Scaling Intelligently: What Intrapreneurs Can Teach Startup CEOs and Investors with Scott Jones, Realeyes

Convergence.fm

Some of the biggest product breakthroughs didn’t come from startups — they came from intrapreneurs. In this episode, we speak with Scott Jones, a career intrapreneur who has launched new lines of business at Lenovo, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, and Realeyes, a computer vision AI company serving some of the world’s most influential platforms. Scott shares a detailed, experience-backed look at what it takes to make innovation work inside companies that weren’t built for speed. He breaks down the mindset, team dynamics, and cultural rituals that allow new bets to thrive — and provides...

More Episodes

Most companies have a mission statement. But few are truly mission-driven in practice. In this episode, Jason Fraser joins Ashok to unpack what it actually means to prioritize mission over profit — and how the best organizations are able to do both. Jason reflects on the differences between performative mission language and the kind of operational decision-making that aligns tightly with purpose. He shares the concept of “mission ratios” and how teams can use them to identify where they’re constrained, where they have leverage, and how to get disproportionate outcomes from limited inputs.

Drawing on examples from Patagonia, World Central Kitchen, and a federal asylum processing team, Jason walks through the tools and frameworks that mission-first leaders can use to improve focus, clarity, and measurable impact. Whether you’re running a nonprofit, a B Corp, or just trying to do more meaningful work, this episode gives you language and direction to guide your team’s decisions. Plus, Jason shares how to spot the ratios that matter most — and what to do once you find them.

Unlock the full potential of your product team with Integral's player coaches, experts in lean, human-centered design. Visit integral.io/convergence for a free Product Success Lab workshop to gain clarity and confidence in tackling any product design or engineering challenge.

Inside the episode...

What really defines a mission-driven organization
Mission vs. permission work: how to make trade-offs without guilt
Why purpose can actually boost profitability and team alignment
Introducing “mission ratios”: the unit economics of social impact
Frameworks for identifying your most limiting constraints
How to apply the impact mapping tool to optimize outcomes
Lessons from World Central Kitchen, Earthshot Prize, and a USCIS case study
Tractability vs. leverage: how to prioritize what’s actually solvable
The hidden assumptions that reduce efficiency and how to challenge them
How organizations can operationalize ethics without compromising viability

Mentioned in this episode

Jason and Janice’s book, Farther, Faster, Way Less Drama
Jason’s workshops and events: https://missionratio.com/events/
Jason’s linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonfraser
World Central Kitchen
Patagonia
CERO Bikes
The Earthshot Prize
Climatebase Fellowship
Good Strategy, Bad Strategy by Richard Rumelt
Impact Mapping by Gojko Adzic
Deloitte Study
Target versus Costco
Value Chain

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