Every Vibe Code Camp
Visualization

From Zero to Production

Five paths to AI-powered building, converging at Vibe Code Camp

Five speakers from radically different backgrounds—a no-code entrepreneur, a staff writer, a serial founder, an iOS engineer, and a VC—each found their way to building production software with AI. Their journeys trace distinct paths through the tech landscape before converging at Vibe Code Camp.

The Journeys

Ben Tossell

Non-technical builder who "can't code, still can't"

  • Built MakerPad (2019) teaching no-code tools like Webflow, Airtable, Zapier
  • Sold MakerPad to Zapier
  • Started Ben's Bites AI newsletter before ChatGPT launched
  • Investor in Factory, working on DevRel
  • Now builds production software daily with AI agents despite "not coding"

Key insight: "It's always a me problem" - taking responsibility for guiding agents effectively, not blaming the AI when things go wrong.

Katie Parrott

Staff writer turned vibe coder

  • Staff writer at Every, writing "Working Overtime" column
  • Started exploring AI during Every's "Think Week" (quarterly innovation time)
  • Discovered Lovable, built six apps in two weeks
  • Progressed from terminal-intimidated to ambitious builder
  • Now builds AI-powered editorial tools with Claude Code

Key insight: Desktop app accessibility unlocks non-coders - the visual interface removes terminal intimidation barriers.

Ryan Carson

25-year CEO and founder building AI startup

  • Led Treehouse with 100+ employees
  • Builder-in-Residence at AMP
  • Founded Untangle after watching sisters' difficult divorces
  • Created open-source "Compound Product" autonomous loop system
  • Runs AI agents 24/7 to analyze, plan, and ship features autonomously

Key insight: "For 15 cents you can have a VP" - Opus 4.5 acts as VP of Product analyzing data daily, removing the human bottleneck.

Paula Dozsa

8-year iOS engineer exploring AI-first development

  • Learned to code at her own startup
  • Worked at Spotify for several years
  • Joined Portola as iOS engineer for Tolan (AI companion app)
  • Built production features with Claude in minutes (token animations in 5 min)
  • Enables designers to open iOS and backend PRs with AI assistance

Key insight: "Vibe coding is production-ready" - not just for prototypes; her team ships Claude-generated code to hundreds of thousands of users.

Tina He

VC and writer embracing coding as creative practice

  • Started programming as a child with RPG Game Maker
  • Founded developer platform acquired by Coinbase
  • Led developer tools for Base at Coinbase
  • Joined Pace Capital as VC, continued writing "Fake Pixels"
  • Now builds playful apps as creative expression and gifts for friends

Key insight: "Vibe coding is more about the vibe than the coding" - writers make excellent vibe coders because LLMs created a "renaissance of wordcell power."

Based on speaker bios and talk summaries from Every Vibe Code Camp (January 17, 2026). Journeys are interpretive representations of each speaker's path to AI-powered development.