Engineering Talent Wars

Shaan Puri discusses how traditional companies like Chick-fil-A are competing for tech talent and implementing advanced technology, leading to observations about how non-tech companies can approach their tech needs.

• Traditional Companies Are More Tech-Advanced Than Expected

  • Chick-fil-A has 100+ smart devices in stores
  • Using machine learning algorithms to optimize operations
  • Investing heavily in technology integration

• Challenges in Tech Talent Acquisition

  • Traditional companies struggle to compete with tech giants for talent
  • Hard to attract top engineers against Google, Facebook, OpenAI
  • Some exceptions exist (Walmart Innovation Lab in Silicon Valley)

• Two Potential Solutions/Opportunities:

  1. Spin-Out Model
     • Engineers could spin out of companies like Chick-fil-A
     • Generalize their solutions for broader market
     • Sell to other restaurant chains
  2. New Age Tech Consulting
     • Create a "McKinsey for tech" focused purely on engineering
     • Different from traditional consulting firms
     • Staffed with ex-Facebook, Google, Stanford engineers
     • Focus exclusively on technical implementation
     • Distinguished by engineering-first culture ("CEO with Cheeto dust")

• Evolution Path for Tech Consulting

  • Start as consulting agency
  • Eventually develop proprietary software
  • Natural path to bootstrap a software company
  • Learn from working with multiple clients

• Market Validation

  • Traditional consulting firms already offer these services
  • Opportunity to differentiate with tech-only focus
  • Build brand specifically around engineering expertise
  • Target companies needing deep technical implementation