Guest: Aaron Grando

I heard Aaron Grando drop the term "pretotypes" on Leader Generation this morning and had to hit pause. Three minutes in, I realized I'd been vibe coding for months without knowing there was a name for it.
But pretotypes? That's when I knew I had to get him on the show immediately.
We're talking about taking your stream-of-consciousness ideas and building working drafts before you've even figured out what you want. For business owners doing $0.5 to 10 million a year, this isn't just another tech trend—it's the shift that stops you from waiting weeks for simple prototypes.
Aaron's VP of Creative Innovation at Mod Op, and in this spontaneous follow-up to his Leader Generation episode, we dig into what vibe coding actually means for your bottom line and why small teams are suddenly punching way above their weight class.
Action items to consider that tie to this episode:
Immediate (This Week)
Identify your development bottlenecks - Where are you currently waiting on programmers or outsourced developers?
Try a simple test - Pick one small coding need and experiment with ChatGPT or Claude
Map your current process - Document how long it takes to go from idea to working prototype
Set prompt boundaries - Practice asking AI for logical, non-emotional responses
Short-term (Next 30 Days)
Assess team capabilities - Identify who on your team has enough coding background to effectively prompt AI tools
Start with pretotypes - Use AI to visualize one business idea before investing in full development
Test platform limitations - Use AI to check if your ideas are feasible within your current tech stack
Calculate current costs - Figure out what you're spending on development delays and outsourcing
Medium-term (Next 90 Days)
Build AI into your process - Make vibe coding part of your standard ideation workflow
Train your team - Get key team members comfortable with AI coding tools
Measure time savings - Track how much faster you can go from idea to testable concept
Expand use cases - Beyond coding, use AI for project planning, gap analysis, and cross-industry perspectives
Strategic (Next 6-12 Months)
Evaluate in-house vs. outsourcing - Determine if AI tools change your staffing strategy
Invest in the right tools - Move beyond free ChatGPT to specialized coding tools if volume justifies it
Create AI-enabled processes - Build systems that let AI agents handle routine business tasks
Develop competitive advantage - Use speed-to-market improvements to outmaneuver slower competitors
Key Questions to Ask Yourself
Before listening:
How long does it currently take us to go from business idea to working prototype?
What development tasks are we avoiding because they seem too time-intensive?
After listening:
What's the first idea I've been putting off that I could pretotype this week?
Who on my team could become our "conductor" for AI-assisted development?
What would it mean for our business if we could cut development time by 75%?
Resources Mentioned
Tools: ChatGPT, Claude, Cursor (coding-specific AI)
Concept: Pretotypes (pre-prototype visualization)
Original episode: Leader Generation Podcast - "Vibe Coding" episode with Aaron Grando Here is the episode on Leader Generation.
 
About Guest Aaron Grando:
Aaron Grando, VP, Creative Innovation on Mod Op's Innovation team, is a seasoned technologist with over 15 years of experience at creative agencies. With a background in strategy, design, engineering, and marketing, Aaron has worked extensively in industries like media, entertainment, gaming, food & beverage, fashion, and technology. At Mod Op, Aaron leads efforts to integrate AI into creative processes, creating tools that connect creatives and clients with insights, spark ideas, and enable new brand experiences. Projects include collaborations with companies like NBCUniversal, Bethesda Softworks, Under Armour, Planet Fitness, Dietz & Watson, and more, focusing on infusing creative strategies with innovative technology to create cutting-edge brand experiences.