Farhan Thawar from Shopify

Farhan Thawar from Shopify

Author: Evan McCann May 6, 2025 Duration: 50:19

Farhan Thawar is a VP and Head of Engineering at Shopify.


Takeaways

- Why Xtreme Labs Was So Special

- Why Xtreme Labs Did Almost Zero Interviews

- The Role of AI in Engineering

- Pair Programming and Collaboration

- Story Behind Shopify Being One of The First Companies to Use GitHub Co-Pilot

- Why Shopify Uses GitHub Co-Pilot and Cursor

- Why Shopify Doesn't Use Jira or Linear

- AI and Toil Reduction in Software Engineering

- The Evolution of Prompting in Engineering

- Why Tobi Has The Best Prompts

- Vibe Coding

- Shopify's Delete Code Club - Deleting 5M Lines of Code

- Maintaining a Hacky Culture in a Large Organization

- The Meaning of Elegance in Engineering


Chapters

00:00 The Genesis of Extreme Labs

02:59 Building a Unique Company Culture

06:10 Hiring and Retaining Talent

08:53 Innovative Perks and Employee Engagement

11:53 The Role of AI in Engineering

14:50 Pair Programming and Collaboration

18:04 Navigating Tools and Technologies

21:00 The Future of Engineering with AI

26:57 AI and Toil Reduction in Software Engineering

29:48 The Evolution of Prompting in Engineering

34:23 Shopify's Delete Code Club: A Culture of Efficiency

38:08 Maintaining a Hacky Culture in a Large Organization

46:39 The Meaning of Elegance in Engineering

48:34 Finding Energy in Hard Times


Keywords

Xtreme Labs, company culture, hiring, employee engagement, AI in engineering, pair programming, innovative perks, technology tools, Shopify, talent retention, AI, software engineering, toil reduction, prompting, Delete Code Club, hack culture, elegance, entrepreneurship, Shopify


Evan McCann sits down with the people shaping Canada's business landscape, moving past the polished success stories to get into the real work that happens behind the scenes. The Hard Part with Evan McCann is built on conversations with founders, investors, and leaders who have navigated unique challenges, focusing on the pivotal decisions and often overlooked struggles that define a venture. This podcast explores the specific strategies and personal playbooks that have driven impact, offering a rare look at the operational truths of building something significant. While the spotlight frequently falls on innovators elsewhere, these episodes are dedicated to the Canadian visionaries whose work is redefining global entrepreneurship from here at home. You'll hear candid reflections on risk, resilience, and the moments that tested their conviction, providing not just inspiration but tangible insight into the mechanics of leadership and growth. Each discussion aims to unpack the nuance of achievement, making it an essential listen for anyone curious about the substance behind the headlines in the Canadian business world.
Author: Language: en-ca Episodes: 100

The Hard Part with Evan McCann
Podcast Episodes
Matt Loszak from Aalo Atomics [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:49
Matt Loszak is the Co-Founder and CEO of Aalo Atomics.Aalo builds mass-manufactured nuclear plants that will power anything from a data center to a city. Their mission is to achieve 3¢ / kWh electricity. Their first prod…
Oban MacTavish from Spade [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:22
Oban MacTavish is the Co-Founder and CEO of Spade.Spade is the only transaction data enrichment solution backed by real data. They leverage their vast first-party data network to bring instant clarity and context to ever…
Rob Fraser from Outway (Vol. 2) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 52:11
Rob Fraser is the Founder and CEO of Outway.Outway is The Only Socks™ you'll ever need.- Reflecting on Two Years of Change Since our First Episode- Personal Growth and Business Resilience- Evolving Role of the Entreprene…
Sheetal Jaitly from TribalScale [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:01
Sheetal Jaitly is the CEO of TribalScale.TribalScale builds digital products and transform businesses. They help the world’s largest enterprises and best entrepreneurs identify strategic opportunities to build, design, a…
Aydin Mirzaee from Fellow [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:43
Aydin Mirzaee is the Co-Founder and CEO of Fellow.Fellow.app is an all-in-one AI meeting assistant designed for remote and hybrid teams, offering transcription, summaries, and action item tracking. It streamlines meeting…
Jonathan Shaanan from Circle K Ventures [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:04
Jonathan Shaanan is the Managing Director of Circle K Ventures.Established in 2020, Circle K Ventures invests in startup companies that are developing and deploying solutions that enhance the experience in our stores whi…
Eldon Sprickerhoff from eSentire [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 54:18
Eldon Sprickerhoff is the Founder of eSentire.eSentire is the Authority in Managed Detection and Response, protecting the critical data and applications of 2000+ organizations in 80+ countries, representing 35 industries…
Hassan Ismail from West Tek [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:17
Hassan Ismail is the Co-Founder and CEO of West Tek.West Tek is building the next generation of data and software infrastructure to seamlessly connect traditionally disconnected human systems.Takeaways- The Genesis of a…