From First Principles to Real World Systems

From First Principles to Real World Systems

Offered by Andrew Q.

5.0

()

Ex-OpenAI & Spotify AI Lead | Helping engineers master applied ML and build

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Studied at Yale School of Management

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Works at AndMaverick L.L.C.

Package Description:

This package is a high level working partnership focused on how real AI and ML systems are designed, evaluated, and scaled in production. I spent years building and shipping AI systems at OpenAI, Spotify, and Coinbase, including work that shaped early large language model platforms and developer tooling. This package transfers the way experienced AI engineers think before anything is built. We focus on judgment, architecture, and decision making rather than surface level tools or tutorials. Sessions are tailored to you, but commonly cover: • How modern AI systems are structured end to end • How strong engineers reason about models, data, retrieval, and orchestration • When to use classical ML versus LLM based systems and how they coexist • How infrastructure, latency, reliability, and security shape design choices • What changes when systems move from demos to real users • How AI engineering differs across startups, big tech, and regulated environments • How hiring managers evaluate AI engineers beyond resumes and buzzwords This is not a walkthrough of libraries or a collection of tricks. It is a way of thinking that lets you make correct decisions when there is no obvious answer. Each session is a deep technical and strategic conversation grounded in real world experience. You will leave with clarity on how systems should be built, how to talk about them, and how to position yourself as someone who understands more than just the surface.


What you'll get from this package

A clear mental model of modern AI and ML engineering

The ability to reason about AI systems in interviews and design discussions

Confidence explaining tradeoffs instead of reciting patterns

A stronger signal when speaking with senior engineers, founders, and hiring managers

Clear next steps tailored to their technical and career goals


Additional details

Coaching delivered via live sessions and .

My coaching is grounded in first principles and real production experience, not frameworks or scripts. Most guidance in this space starts with tools or trends. I start with how AI systems are actually built, evaluated, and scaled when the stakes are real. Sessions feel less like coaching and more like working through decisions alongside someone who has already made them in production. There is no fixed curriculum. I focus on the few decisions that matter, call out what will not, and explain tradeoffs the way they show up in the real world. Clients usually leave feeling grounded and clear. Things stop feeling abstract. Judgment replaces guessing.

Refund Policy

This package includes up to 7 hours of ongoing coaching, typically used over 4 to 6 weeks. Sessions are scheduled flexibly based on availability and client needs. To keep momentum, I recommend spacing sessions consistently rather than compressing them into a short window. This engagement is designed for strategic and technical guidance rather than hands on implementation. Any materials or follow up resources are shared at my discretion when they support clarity or progress.

Services included:

LinkedIn Review

Resume Review

Technical Interview Prep

Technical Skills


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Andrew Q.

Offered by Andrew Q.

Joined September 2025

5.0

Ex-OpenAI & Spotify AI Lead | Helping engineers master applied ML and build

I have led AI and product strategy at OpenAI, Spotify, and Coinbase, guiding teams that deployed GPT-powered assistants, predictive analytics, and generative systems across marketing, personalization, and operations. My experience spans end-to-end delivery using tools such as OpenAI API, Claude, Gemini, Vertex AI, Azure AI Studio, AWS SageMaker, LangChain, Hugging Face, Pinecone, Weaviate, and LlamaIndex. I help founders and executives translate emerging AI capabilities into measurable business outcomes. Together we identify the highest-leverage opportunities, prototype with tools like Streamlit, Zapier, and Replit, automate workflows through API orchestration and vector search, and scale what works. Clients I’ve worked with have launched internal copilots, improved team efficiency, and unlocked new revenue streams through applied AI strategy.

Coaches professionally

Experience level: Executive

100+ people coached for AI & ML Engineering

$1,899

7h of coaching

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    From First Principles to Real World Systems by Andrew Q. | Leland