Kit Merker, co-founder and COO at Nobl9, a software reliability platform. Through software-defined SLO’s Nobl9 helps developers, DevOps and reliability engineers deliver more reliable features faster. Kit has had a storied career in tech, and as a result is a great source of wisdom and know how. Especially in regard to navigating the various sides of any given business.

In this episode, Kit offers up some anecdotes from his long history in the software space, and how he transitioned from engieenering to the “business side” of things. He tears down some stereotypical misrepresentations of both sides, and expands on how empathy helps alleviate many of these issues. Kit discusses his partnership experiences, work in M&A, building a “coalition” in open space, and more! Tune in for our conversation for Kit’s emphatic and valuable insight.

Highlights:

Introduction to Kit and Nobl9 (00:00)
Why Kit decided to transition to the “business side” (03:55)
Kit’s reflections on partnerships (06:30)
The importance of building a coalition around Kubernetes (10:00)
Alleviating developer burnout (18:15)
Nobl9 and how it came to be and how they work (20:15)
The challenges of being a consultant first (27:00)
Recognizing the margins (33:30)

Links:

Kit

The Subtle Art of Coalition Building with Kit Merker