Robby Russell

Robby helps product teams with existing Ruby on Rails applications regain momentum, reduce technical debt, and build with confidence. As the founder of Planet Argon, he leads strategy, sales, and marketing. His focus is translating complex technical challenges into practical, long-term solutions that help clients get more value out of what they’ve already built.

A self-taught developer and early Ruby on Rails adopter, Robby co-founded Planet Argon in 2002 and has spent over two decades helping teams improve and extend mature software systems. He created the open-source project Oh My Zsh, used by millions of developers, and today hosts two podcasts: Maintainable, where he interviews experienced engineers about long-term code health, and On Rails, the official podcast of the Rails Foundation.

Robby speaks regularly at conferences across North America, Europe, and South America on topics like open source, team culture, and sustainable software practices. His work bridges the gap between technical legacy and business goals, helping ensure software continues to serve users rather than slow teams down.

Outside of work, he plays guitar in an instrumental post-rock band, travels in search of great hikes and better coffee, and previously spent over a decade on the board of a Portland nonprofit focused on ending homelessness.