EPISODE · Jul 17, 2025 · 50 MIN
Jean-Denis Greze, CEO, Town (former CTO at Plaid, Dropbox)
from Build vs. Buy · host Jean-Denis Greze, Mang-Git Ng
John-Denis Greze joins Mang-Git Ng to dive into JDG's extensive career in tech, including his tenure as CTO at Plaid. JDG shares his decision-making process on build vs. buy, highlighting examples from his time at Plaid. He also discusses his current venture, Town AI, which aims to automate small business tax prep through AI. The conversation touches on the challenges and joys of being a founder, including management philosophies and leveraging modern AI tools. 00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome 01:33 JD's Background and Career Journey 02:25 Joining Dropbox and Career Growth 04:59 Transition to Plaid and Leadership Roles 06:51 Challenges and Reflections on Management 08:52 Networking and Fairness in Tech 14:20 Management Lessons and CTO vs VP of Engineering 23:18 Starting Town and the SMB Tax Space 26:32 Building Products in Existing Markets 28:26 The Build vs. Buy Dilemma 30:58 Strategic Decisions in Product Development 38:17 AI and Rapid Prototyping 43:53 Personal Projects and Tools 47:14 Final Thoughts and Recommendations This episode was brought to you by Anvil [https://useanvil.com].
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John-Denis Greze joins Mang-Git Ng to dive into JDG's extensive career in tech, including his tenure as CTO at Plaid. JDG shares his decision-making process on build vs. buy, highlighting examples from his time at Plaid. He also discusses his current venture, Town AI, which aims to automate small business tax prep through AI. The conversation touches on the challenges and joys of being a founder, including management philosophies and leveraging modern AI tools.
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Jean-Denis Greze, CEO, Town (former CTO at Plaid, Dropbox)
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