Glen Naysmith

I grew up in Glenfield, Auckland. Not a lot of redeeming features, to be fair — it sits in the middle of the North Shore, so it isn’t close to a beach or even the motorway.

My step-dad was a mechanic and then a business owner selling caravans. Mum worked at the council as a PA and later in real estate. The trait I took from them both is to always have a long-term plan to work towards.

A couple of jobs — a paper run and a supermarket — and the rest of the time with friends surfing, body boarding and cycling.

I was a software developer after uni, then moved more into IT management, but with smallish teams where I was still doing development work, which is my preference. I also completed a building and construction course and worked as a builder for a couple of years, sort of a break from IT.

I was, and still am, obsessed with AI and using it to rapidly build great software. It started as a side hustle while I was working for a traditional software development company, and going back to software that way felt frustrating and obviously slow. I tried to bring AI into the job, but the software we were using didn’t lend itself to AI, or even Git, so I started looking for a way to turn the obsession into full-time work.

Using spreadsheets based on tribal knowledge and epic formulas that are hard to change or improve.

Engaged clients with a desire to be part of changing things for the better.

How quickly we can turn an idea into something real. You can spot a problem in the morning, sketch out a better workflow, ship it, and immediately see the improvement in the product. That fast feedback loop — seeing an idea become something people can actually use — is what keeps me motivated.

“A rising tide lifts all boats.” — John F. Kennedy

Cooking and building. I love both.

Carl Sagan. Contact is one of my favourite books, and I’d love to hear him explain the universe.

Film and music, and the stories around the making of them.

Funny, curious, thoughtful, approachable.