In this episode of the Product Founder podcast, we sit down with Tony Beltramelli, a visionary product leader and founder of Uizard, now Head of Product at Miro. Tony shares his journey of building an AI-powered design platform at a time when no plug-and-play AI tools or APIs were available. From building custom AI models from scratch to now leading product innovation at one of the top collaboration platforms, his story is nothing short of inspiring.
Building AI Products Before OpenAI:
Tony walks us through the early challenges of developing AI-first products before platforms like OpenAI and Stability AI offered public APIs. With limited resources and no pre-trained models, he and his team had to engineer solutions from the ground up often racing against time and budget. He shares what it was like to build a product when even rent was on the line and how timing played a key role in their success.
From Founder to Product Leader:
The transition from a startup founder to a product leader at scale is never linear. Tony discusses the mindset shift required, the importance of trusting your vision, and learning how to make strategic decisions that align with long-term growth. Tony shares the lessons he’s learned about scaling teams, managing product focus, and balancing innovation with stability. He talks candidly about startup hiring dynamics and the blend of fresh perspective with senior experience that tech teams need today.
Why SEO Still Matters in AI Tool Development:
A lesser-discussed topic in product development SEO gets a spotlight here. Tony explains why it’s still a crucial strategy for AI tools and how it affects product visibility, user acquisition, and long-term success.SEO plays a role in AI product strategy too. Tony shares how discoverability for design tools hinges on solid content strategy and relevance, especially in a noisy tech market.
Design Tools, Web vs Native, and the Future of AI:
We also dive into the evolution of design tools, including the ongoing debate between web-based vs native applications, and how edge computing will shape the next phase of AI development, and why focusing on the core problem is the best strategy for any startup, regardless of tech trends.
Dive into the full episode and get a real-world perspective on AI, leadership, and product development now live on Product Founder. If you’re a product builder, tech founder, or someone passionate about AI design tools, this episode offers an in-depth look at how modern products are crafted from idea to execution.
