DevReady Podcast
We started the DevReady podcast to help non-techs build better technology. We have been exposed to so many non-techs that describe the struggle, uncertainty and challenges that can come with building technology. The objective for the DevReady podcast to share these stories and give you the tools and insights so that you to can deliver on your vision and outcomes. You will learn from non-tech founders that have invested their time and money into developing technology. We will discuss what worked, what didn’t and how they still managed to deliver real value to their users. These stories are inspirational – demonstrating the determination, commitment and resolve it really takes to deliver technology. Throughout the DevReady Podcast we also invite subject matter experts to the conversation to give you proven strategies and techniques to successfully take your idea through to delivery and beyond. Enjoy the Podcast, it will challenge you, inspire you and provide the tools you will need ...
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Episodes
Jul 23, 2026
Jul 23, 2026
42 min
In this episode of the DevReady Podcast, Anthony Sapountzis, CTO and Co-Founder of Aerion Technologies and DevReady.Ai, is joined by Simon Dell, CEO and Founder of Cemoh, to explore how one unexpected client request evolved into one of Australia's leading fractional marketing marketplaces. Drawing on decades of experience in marketing, Simon shares the journey from running a traditional digital agency to building a scalable platform that connects businesses with experienced marketing leaders on a flexible basis. The conversation covers entrepreneurship, marketplace design, product validation, artificial intelligence and sustainable business growth, offering practical insights for founders, business leaders and technology entrepreneurs.
Simon explains how Cemoh was born after a client urgently needed temporary marketing support during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. That experience uncovered a growing demand for senior marketing expertise without the long-term commitment of a full-time hire, leading Simon and his co-founder to rethink their agency model. Together, they discuss the growing role of fractional executives, why businesses benefit from embedded strategic leadership, and how recognising genuine customer problems can create entirely new business opportunities. Anthony and Simon also reflect on the importance of preparation, adaptability and making the most of unexpected opportunities.
The discussion then turns to the realities of building and scaling a two-sided marketplace. Simon shares the lessons learned from six years of refining pricing models, improving workflows and balancing the needs of consultants, clients and the business itself. They explore the challenges of solving the marketplace supply and demand equation, creating trust between all participants, navigating Australian labour laws and developing long term partnerships that encourage sustainable growth. Simon also offers valuable insights into bootstrapping a profitable business while continually adapting to customer feedback and changing market conditions.
Anthony and Simon examine why successful software products are built through continuous validation rather than assumptions. Simon explains how early versions of Cemoh included features that customers rarely used, reinforcing the importance of understanding real user behaviour before investing in development. They discuss product adoption, workflow integration and the importance of building software that naturally fits into the way customers already work. The conversation highlights why rapid iteration, customer feedback and careful prioritisation remain essential ingredients for successful product development.
The episode concludes with an in-depth discussion about the impact of artificial intelligence on marketing, software development and business productivity. Simon shares practical examples of using AI to transform podcast transcripts into blog articles, streamline content creation and accelerate operational tasks, while Anthony compares AI to productivity tools that enable professionals to work more efficiently without replacing their expertise. Together, they explain why strategic thinking, planning and human judgement remain central to delivering outstanding results. This episode is packed with practical advice for founders, marketers, software teams and business leaders looking to scale their organisations through smarter systems, stronger processes and effective use of AI.
#DevReadyPodcast #Startup #Entrepreneurship #Marketing #FractionalCMO #AI #BusinessGrowth #SoftwareDevelopment
Jul 22, 2026
Jul 22, 2026
47 min
For this episode of the DevReady Podcast, Andrew Romeo, CEO and Co-Founder of Aerion Technologies and Co-Founder of DevReady.Ai, is joined by Jono Wegerle, Owner and Director of Ideate Studios and brand strategist, to explore how brand strategy, organisational culture and AI are reshaping the way businesses grow. With more than two decades of experience spanning branding, design thinking, leadership, digital innovation and organisational development, Jono shares practical insights into building businesses that people trust from the inside out. Drawing on his work with global organisations including Massmart and Walmart, he explains why culture is one of the strongest drivers of business performance and competitive advantage.
The conversation begins by challenging the common perception that branding is primarily about logos and visual identity. Jono explains that a successful brand is built on a clear sense of identity, shared values and consistent leadership behaviours that influence every customer and employee interaction. Through the use of brand archetypes, organisational values and design thinking, he demonstrates how businesses can align leadership, employees and customer experience around a shared vision. Andrew expands on the discussion by highlighting the importance of creating genuine buy in rather than relying on statements displayed on office walls, encouraging organisations to build cultures where values are consistently lived through everyday actions.
Andrew and Jono then explore how culture can be strengthened through continuous engagement rather than isolated initiatives. Sharing examples from large scale organisational transformation projects, Jono explains how gamification, digital platforms and rewards programmes significantly improved employee onboarding, engagement and recognition, with more than 10,000 employees voluntarily adopting one platform within six months. The discussion also examines how strong workplace culture supports employee wellbeing, reduces staff turnover, lowers onboarding costs and protects long term brand reputation. Together, they explain why businesses that invest in their people create stronger customer experiences and more sustainable growth.
The episode also examines the growing role of AI in brand strategy, internal communication and modern marketing. Jono discusses the shift towards search everywhere optimisation, where businesses need to build brands that are discoverable across AI-powered search platforms, recommendation engines, and digital assistants. He also explains why curiosity, reverse mentorship and hiring for cultural alignment are becoming essential qualities for organisations that want to remain innovative. The conversation concludes by exploring how measurable cultural health factors, continuous learning, and strong leadership create businesses that are better equipped to adapt, innovate, and build lasting competitive advantage in an AI-driven world.
#DevReadyPodcast #BusinessAcquisition #Startups #AI #Entrepreneurship #AerionTechnologies
Jul 16, 2026
Jul 16, 2026
55 min
In this episode of the DevReady Podcast, Andrew Romeo, CEO and Co-Founder of Aerion Technologies and Co-Founder of DevReady.Ai,, is joined by Olivia Truong, Director of W&T Investment Management, Co-Founder of WT Acquisition Advisory and Director of Wilson & Truong Developments. With more than 20 years of experience spanning banking, business transformation and product management, Olivia shares how she transitioned from corporate leadership into entrepreneurship, combining artificial intelligence, business acquisition and strategic investing to build long-term wealth. Drawing on her experience helping people acquire businesses and launch new ventures, Olivia offers practical insights for founders, investors and non-technical entrepreneurs looking to turn ideas into sustainable businesses.
The conversation begins with Olivia's entrepreneurial journey and how experimenting with AI enabled her to build Lemonade Empire, a financial literacy game for her daughters, before publishing it to the Apple App Store within days. Andrew and Olivia explore how AI has transformed product development by making prototyping, validation and idea visualisation far more accessible for non-technical founders. They also discuss why experienced technology partners remain essential when moving from early concepts to secure, scalable products, alongside the importance of strategy, product thinking and customer validation before investing heavily in development.
Andrew and Olivia then compare the realities of launching startups with acquiring established businesses. Olivia explains why she and her partner chose business acquisition as a strategy to generate cash flow that can fund innovation, while Andrew reflects on lessons learned from supporting founders through nearly two decades of software development. Together, they examine the role of business intelligence, customer insights, operational dashboards and strong leadership in building businesses that can grow without founders becoming the bottleneck. They also explore how understanding your own strengths helps determine whether entrepreneurship, investment or business operations are the right path.
The discussion moves into the practical side of buying businesses, covering due diligence, profitability, business valuation and the importance of acquiring companies that can operate independently of their owners. Olivia explains why successful acquisitions depend on trust, shared values, experienced advisers and flexible deal structures rather than focusing solely on purchase price. The conversation also highlights how AI, automation and operational improvements can unlock additional value within long-established businesses while helping investors build scalable portfolios that extend beyond their local market.
To close the episode, Andrew and Olivia compare the mindset required for business acquisition and startup success, identifying patience, resilience and continuous learning as essential qualities for both paths. They encourage aspiring entrepreneurs to take meaningful action, ask better questions and seek guidance from people who have already travelled the journey. Whether listeners are planning to build a technology startup, invest in an established business or explore new opportunities through AI, this episode provides practical frameworks for making better decisions and creating long-term business success.
#DevReadyPodcast #BusinessAcquisition #Startups #Entrepreneurship #ArtificialIntelligence #BusinessGrowth #Leadership #Technology #Innovation #AerionTechnologies
Jul 15, 2026
Jul 15, 2026
35 min
In this episode of the DevReady Podcast, Anthony Sapountzis, CTO and Co-Founder of Aerion Technologies and DevReady.Ai, is joined by Nathan Pollock, Founder and CEO of Katapult Design, to explore the realities of modern product design, connected devices and bringing innovative ideas to market. Drawing on more than 35 years of experience in industrial design, Nathan shares how Katapult Design guides businesses from product discovery and concept development through prototyping, engineering and manufacturing across sectors including MedTech, agritech, sports technology and consumer products. He also reflects on the career journey that led him to establish Katapult Design and discusses how the convergence of physical products and digital experiences is reshaping product development.
The conversation explores why developing hardware requires a fundamentally different approach from software. Nathan explains that while software can evolve through continuous updates, physical products become significantly more expensive to change once manufacturing begins. Anthony and Nathan discuss the critical role of prototyping, validation and early planning, highlighting how advances in 3D printing and digital modelling have accelerated development while reducing risk. They also examine why experienced design partners deliver value by identifying manufacturing challenges before they become costly production problems.
Anthony and Nathan also discuss how artificial intelligence is transforming product design without replacing the expertise of skilled designers. From accelerating research and visualisation to improving presentations and workflows, AI is helping teams deliver more value while keeping human creativity and judgement at the centre of the design process. They also explore the importance of testing products with real users, explaining how prototypes often uncover valuable insights that cannot be predicted during the planning stage. For startups and entrepreneurs, the episode offers practical advice on navigating the full product journey, including manufacturing, crowdfunding and commercialisation.
The discussion then turns to the future of connected products, sustainability and responsible innovation. Nathan explains why customers increasingly expect products to integrate seamlessly with digital ecosystems while also meeting higher environmental standards. He shares how concepts such as circular design, Right to Repair and recyclable components are becoming key design considerations, alongside advances in battery technology, health monitoring and connected devices. The episode concludes with an insightful discussion about purposeful design, the renewed appreciation for tactile user experiences and why the most successful products solve genuine problems while creating meaningful value for the people who use them.
#DevReadyPodcast #ProductDesign #ProductDevelopment #Innovation #IndustrialDesign #Hardware #Manufacturing #ArtificialIntelligence #ConnectedDevices #Startup #Entrepreneurship #AerionTechnologies
Jul 9, 2026
Jul 9, 2026
50 min
Thomas Green, Technology Futurist, Keynote Speaker and Co-Founder of The Really Conscious Group, joins Andrew Romeo, CEO and Co-Founder of Aerion Technologies and Co-Founder of DevReady.Ai, on this episode of the DevReady Podcast for a thought provoking conversation about the future of artificial intelligence, business leadership and human potential. Drawing on his extraordinary life experiences, including a near-death experience that transformed his worldview, Thomas shares why technology alone will not determine the future. Instead, he explores how consciousness, leadership, innovation and purpose will shape the next generation of organisations.
Thomas begins by explaining how his near-death experience reshaped his understanding of technology, consciousness and human connection. Using concepts from computing, quantum science and meditation, he explores the idea that people are connected through more than physical interactions, influencing one another through mindset, behaviour and shared environments. He draws comparisons between clean software code and human thinking, arguing that the language, habits and beliefs people develop ultimately shape their ability to innovate, adapt and lead. Throughout the discussion, Thomas encourages leaders to become more present, question inherited assumptions and rethink the way they approach both technology and business.
The conversation then shifts to the rapid acceleration of artificial intelligence and its impact on organisations. Thomas introduces his concept of a new era of diminishing effort, where AI enables increasingly powerful outcomes with significantly less human input. Andrew and Thomas discuss why many businesses are still operating with outdated structures despite the speed of technological change, highlighting the need to rethink education, leadership, business models and workforce development. Rather than replacing people with AI, Thomas advocates for investing in employees, helping them build new skills and empowering them to become innovators alongside intelligent technologies.
Andrew and Thomas also examine the ethics of growth, questioning whether technology should simply accelerate existing systems or create better ones. Thomas reflects on his decision to walk away from opportunities that conflicted with his values and explains why stakeholder-driven organisations, supported by technologies such as AI, blockchain and tokenisation, have the potential to create more sustainable outcomes. Together, they discuss why meaningful innovation begins with challenging assumptions, remaining open to new perspectives and designing businesses that create lasting value for customers, employees and society.
The episode concludes with a broader discussion about leadership, intelligence and what success will look like in the AI era. Thomas argues that future-ready organisations must develop more than technical capability by strengthening emotional, physical and collective intelligence alongside traditional business skills. Andrew reinforces the importance of continuous learning, adaptability and investing in people during periods of rapid disruption. Together, they leave listeners with a compelling message that the organisations best equipped for the future will combine human potential, purposeful leadership and emerging technologies to create value that extends well beyond financial performance.
#ArtificialIntelligence #AI #BusinessInnovation #Leadership #DigitalTransformation #BusinessStrategy #Technology #FutureOfWork #Innovation #DevReadyPodcast
Jul 8, 2026
Jul 8, 2026
30 min
In this episode of the DevReady Podcast, Andrew Romeo, CEO and Co-Founder of Aerion Technologies and Co-Founder of DevReady.Ai, sits down with Dan Borthwick, Founder of NiceGit, to explore how software development is evolving in the age of AI. Drawing on a career that spans early video game development, high-growth startups and product innovation, Dan shares the experiences that shaped his approach to building technology that empowers both technical and non-technical teams. From pioneering mobile and Facebook gaming to creating a simpler approach to source control, this conversation offers valuable insights for founders, product managers and anyone involved in building digital products.
Dan reflects on how a childhood fascination with computer games in the UK led him into software development, beginning with programming on early 8-bit and 16-bit computers. His career progressed through the rapidly evolving games industry, where he worked on cutting-edge mobile games before smartphones became mainstream and later helped shape the rise of Facebook gaming. He discusses the technical innovation, rapid experimentation and product thinking that defined those years, along with the ethical considerations surrounding gaming mechanics such as loot boxes. These experiences laid the foundation for his passion for creating products that solve real-world problems through better technology.
The discussion then turns to NiceGit and the growing challenge of collaboration in modern software development. Dan explains how his experience leading multidisciplinary teams inspired him to simplify source control for designers, writers, product managers and other contributors who increasingly play an active role in software projects. After conducting more than 80 user interviews and participating in leading startup accelerator programs, he discovered that product leaders, rather than developers alone, were driving demand for better collaboration tools. Together, Andrew and Dan explore how AI coding tools have accelerated software creation while exposing new workflow challenges that require a fresh approach to version control and team collaboration.
Dan also shares the lessons he learned from co-founding Pearlii, an AI-powered dental health startup that sought to identify dental conditions through smartphone images. He discusses the realities of building a deep tech company, including securing investment, collecting specialised datasets and ensuring founders share clear expectations from the outset. Although the venture ultimately closed, the experience reinforced the importance of customer validation, founder alignment and disciplined product strategy, all of which have influenced the way he has built NiceGit.
Looking ahead, Dan outlines his vision for NiceGit as the collaboration platform for the next generation of software creators. As AI continues to lower the barriers to building software, he believes teams need intuitive tools that make collaboration as straightforward as sharing files in cloud storage while still supporting professional development practices. The conversation highlights why productivity software requires extensive testing, why software quality depends on effective collaboration, and why the future of product development belongs to teams where technical and non-technical contributors can work together seamlessly.
#DevReadyPodcast #ArtificialIntelligence #SoftwareDevelopment #Startup #Founders #ProductManagement #Git #Technology #Innovation #AerionTechnologies
Jul 2, 2026
Jul 2, 2026
54 min
In this episode of the DevReady Podcast, Andrew Romeo, CEO and Co-Founder of Aerion Technologies and Co-Founder of DevReady.Ai, sits down with Themi Stergianos, Founder & CEO of LabWorks and Founder of Stergianos Group, to explore the realities of entrepreneurship, business growth, leadership, and artificial intelligence. Drawing on decades of experience across startups, property, business coaching, and scaling companies, Themi shares practical insights into building sustainable businesses, developing leaders, and creating organisations that can thrive without constant founder involvement. From navigating uncertainty and burnout to leveraging AI for competitive advantage, this conversation offers valuable lessons for founders, business owners, and leaders looking to scale effectively in an increasingly technology-driven world.
Themi reflects on his entrepreneurial journey, which began without a university degree but with a strong passion for business, innovation, and creating opportunities. From launching a successful pizza delivery venture to building businesses in real estate, technology, and coaching, he discovered that long-term success comes from understanding personal strengths, building strong teams, and creating systems that support growth. His transition into business coaching, including his experience with ActionCOACH and entrepreneur Brad Sugars, helped shape his philosophy around leadership, accountability, and helping business owners overcome common challenges in sales, people management, and execution.
A major theme throughout the discussion is the challenge founders face when they become trapped in the daily operations of their businesses. Themi explains how entrepreneurs often wear multiple hats across sales, marketing, operations, finance, and delivery, increasing the risk of burnout and limiting their ability to focus on strategy and growth. He shares how LabWorks was intentionally designed to operate profitably without relying on his constant involvement, highlighting the importance of documenting processes, delegating effectively, and creating repeatable systems that allow businesses to scale. Andrew reflects on Aerion Technologies' own growth journey, emphasising the adaptability, resilience, and long-term thinking required to build a successful company.
The conversation also explores the growing role of artificial intelligence in modern business. Both Andrew and Themi discuss how AI tools such as ChatGPT and Claude are helping founders improve decision-making, increase productivity, create documentation, and gain strategic insights. Themi explains how he uses AI as a virtual coach, combining it with personality profiling frameworks to better understand leadership styles, team dynamics, and organisational design. They agree that business owners who embrace AI, equip their teams with the right tools, and focus on high-value activities will be better positioned to innovate, compete, and grow in the years ahead.
The episode concludes with a discussion on balancing automation with human connection. Themi introduces his philosophy of "systemising the routine 80% and humanising the exceptional 20%", arguing that while systems, SOPs, and integrated technology create consistency and efficiency, genuine relationships, empathy, initiative, and problem-solving remain uniquely human strengths. Together, Andrew and Themi highlight the importance of building cultures where people are empowered to think creatively, take ownership, and continuously improve. Their conversation serves as a powerful reminder that sustainable business growth comes from combining effective systems, strong leadership, and meaningful human relationships.
#DevReadyPodcast #Entrepreneurship #BusinessGrowth #Leadership #ScalableBusiness #FounderLife #ArtificialIntelligence #BusinessSystems #Innovation #AerionTechnologies
Jul 1, 2026
Jul 1, 2026
35 min
In this episode of the DevReady Podcast, Andrew Romeo, CEO and Co-Founder of Aerion Technologies and Co-Founder of DevReady.Ai, sits down with Julian Fayad, Founder and CEO of LoanOptions.ai, to explore how technology, automation, and customer-focused innovation are transforming the lending industry. From launching an app on the Apple App Store as a teenager to building one of Australia's fastest-growing fintech businesses, Julian shares the journey behind LoanOptions.ai and the lessons learned along the way. This conversation covers fintech innovation, embedded finance, SaaS growth, AI-powered lending technology, startup scaling, and the future of financial services.
Julian's career began in software and app development before financial responsibilities led him into finance broking. As he progressed from broker to general manager, he developed a deep understanding of lender policies and recognised how heavily the industry relied on manual processes and fragmented systems. Seeking a way to scale his expertise, he built a sophisticated spreadsheet-based decision engine capable of matching borrowers with suitable lenders. That early solution laid the foundation for LoanOptions.ai, which officially launched during the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic and reached profitability within its first month.
A key focus of the discussion is how LoanOptions.ai reimagined the lending experience by simplifying what had traditionally been a lengthy and frustrating process. Through OCR technology, contextual AI, automated data extraction, and bank connectivity, the platform can pre-fill up to 80 per cent of a loan application using information from documents such as identification, bank statements, and payslips. This innovation dramatically reduced manual data entry while increasing speed, transparency, and customer confidence. The result was rapid growth, multiple years of triple-digit expansion, and the evolution of the platform into a SaaS solution adopted by brokers and lending organisations across Australia.
Julian also explains the importance of focus and strategic partnerships in scaling a technology business. Rather than competing directly with mortgage brokers, LoanOptions.ai specialised in non-property lending, including vehicle finance, personal loans, and commercial lending. The company developed a white-label and embedded finance model that combines the trust of established brands with the scalability of digital technology. Today, LoanOptions.ai powers more than 2,000 partnerships across industries including automotive, solar, marine, property, and e-commerce, helping businesses seamlessly integrate finance options into their customer journeys.
Looking ahead, Julian shares his vision of becoming the infrastructure layer that powers lending businesses globally. He reflects on navigating regulatory changes, supply chain disruptions, and shifting market conditions while remaining committed to a single mission: making lending faster, easier, and more transparent. The conversation also explores the impact of artificial intelligence and large language models on software development, product experimentation, and innovation. For founders, fintech leaders, and technology professionals, this episode offers valuable insights into scaling a SaaS platform, building strategic partnerships, leveraging AI, and creating products that challenge conventional industry thinking.
#DevReadyPodcast #Fintech #LoanOptionsAI #ArtificialIntelligence #EmbeddedFinance #SaaS #SoftwareDevelopment #DigitalTransformation #CustomerExperience #Technology #StartupGrowth #AerionTechnologies
Jun 25, 2026
Jun 25, 2026
35 min
In this episode of the DevReady Podcast, Anthony Sapountzis, CTO and Co-Founder of Aerion Technologies and DevReady.Ai, sits down with returning guest Dr Simon Skalicky, Senior Glaucoma & Cataract Surgeon, Director & Principal Associate at Eye Surgery Associates, Founder & CMO of Eyeonic, researcher, academic, and healthtech entrepreneur. Dr Simon shares how his passion for improving patient outcomes led him from ophthalmology into software development, artificial intelligence, and medtech innovation. The conversation explores the future of digital health, AI-powered diagnostics, healthcare entrepreneurship, and the challenges of bringing regulated medical technology to a global market. This episode offers valuable insights for founders, healthcare professionals, software developers, and anyone interested in how technology can improve access to healthcare and prevent avoidable blindness.
Dr Simon's journey into technology began with a simple observation from clinical practice. While treating glaucoma patients, he repeatedly heard complaints about the traditional visual field test used to diagnose and monitor the disease. Recognising that patient discomfort could negatively affect both participation and diagnostic accuracy, he started exploring ways to redesign the experience using software and game-inspired interactions. At the same time, his research highlighted a significant global challenge, with millions of people living with undiagnosed glaucoma despite effective treatments being available. These insights became the foundation for Eyeonic, a digital vision testing platform that has now delivered more than 45,000 tests across over 80 countries and supports 29 languages.
The discussion also explores the realities of building a healthcare technology company from the ground up. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr Simon taught himself programming and developed an early minimum viable product, refining the software through direct patient feedback and clinical testing. As the product matured, support from industry mentors, Microsoft's startup ecosystem, and a growing team of specialists helped transform the prototype into a commercially deployable medical device. Along the way, he navigated complex challenges including cybersecurity, software architecture, regulatory approvals, quality management systems, and compliance requirements across multiple international markets.
Anthony and Dr Simon discuss the importance of assembling strong teams, sharing a compelling vision, and recognising the value of diverse perspectives. As Eyeonic expanded internationally, gaining adoption among clinicians often proved more challenging than securing regulatory approval. Building trust, understanding cultural differences, and working closely with local healthcare leaders became essential components of the company's growth strategy. Dr Simon reflects on how collaboration across disciplines, countries, and cultures has played a significant role in helping Eyonic scale globally while maintaining clinical credibility.
Artificial intelligence is another major theme throughout the conversation. Dr Simon explains how AI-assisted development tools are accelerating innovation and helping teams experiment, prototype, and iterate more quickly than ever before. At the same time, he highlights the need for strong governance frameworks, intellectual property protection, cybersecurity safeguards, and regulatory oversight when deploying AI within healthcare environments. Anthony and Dr Simon also examine whether aspiring developers should learn traditional programming fundamentals before relying on AI coding tools, agreeing that a solid understanding of software architecture, planning, data structures, and code review remains essential for building reliable systems.
Looking ahead, Dr Simon is focused on expanding Eyeonic's international presence while developing a broader suite of AI-powered eye care solutions. He envisions a future where patients can complete more eye health assessments from home through digital diagnostics and telehealth platforms, allowing clinicians to concentrate on higher-value care and complex decision-making. The conversation concludes with a broader discussion about Australia's opportunity to become a global leader in digital health innovation, leveraging its world-class healthcare system, scientific expertise, and growing technology sector to deliver meaningful healthcare improvements worldwide.
#HealthTech #AI #DigitalHealth #MedTech #StartupFounder #Innovation #DevReadyPodcast #Glaucoma #HealthcareTechnology #SoftwareDevelopment
Jun 24, 2026
Jun 24, 2026
35 min
In this episode of the DevReady Podcast, Andrew Romeo, CEO and Co-Founder of Aerion Technologies and Co-Founder of DevReady.Ai sits down with Peter Kakris, Founder of ScreenCoach, Founder and Head of Technology at LifeTech Balance, and Director of Datalink Internet Systems. Drawing on decades of experience building and scaling technology businesses, Peter shares the story behind ScreenCoach, a digital wellbeing platform designed to help families manage children's screen time through positive behavioural incentives, financial literacy and habit formation. From his early days as a young entrepreneur to leading complex software ventures, Peter reveals how personal experiences as a parent, business owner and technology leader shaped his mission to improve family relationships and children's digital habits.
Peter's entrepreneurial journey began long before ScreenCoach, starting with small business ventures as a teenager and evolving into the launch, growth and eventual exit of multiple technology companies. After achieving semi-retirement at 35, he immersed himself in personal development, life coaching and business coaching, experiences that fundamentally influenced his approach to leadership, motivation and product design. Inspired by values-based education and behavioural psychology principles, Peter developed a vision for helping children build positive habits while empowering parents with practical tools to encourage responsibility and accountability.
A key theme throughout the conversation is the complexity of solving screen time challenges in modern households. Peter explains why many traditional parental control solutions fall short, particularly when children have access to multiple devices across different platforms. ScreenCoach was designed to address this challenge through a comprehensive cross-platform solution that works across phones, tablets, computers and gaming devices. By combining screen time management with rewards, task completion, delayed gratification and pocket money systems, the platform aims to create meaningful behavioural change rather than relying solely on restrictions and limitations.
Andrew and Peter also explore the realities of building a sophisticated technology startup. Peter discusses the significant technical, financial and operational challenges involved in developing a product that operates at a deep operating system level while supporting both online and offline functionality. The conversation highlights lessons in product development, fundraising, scaling technology platforms and navigating changing market conditions. Peter reflects on the importance of long-term thinking, strategic execution and maintaining a clear vision when building a technology business designed for lasting impact.
The episode concludes with Peter's vision for the future of ScreenCoach and its potential to support families around the world. Beyond reducing screen time disputes, the platform is designed to strengthen parent-child relationships, encourage healthy routines, teach financial literacy and help children develop lifelong skills. With multilingual capabilities, scalable infrastructure and plans for future AI-powered enhancements, Peter sees ScreenCoach as a global digital wellbeing solution that can positively influence families, education and children's development for generations to come.
#DevReadyPodcast #ScreenCoach #DigitalWellbeing #ParentingTechnology #StartupFounder #Entrepreneurship #Technology #ProductDevelopment #SaaS #BehaviouralScience #ScreenTime #AerionTechnologies



