Software People Stories

In this episode Shiv is in conversation with Greg Foster, Cofounder and CTO of graphite.dev.This is the first part, Greg talks aboutHis Journey into Software:Early Days: Started coding in high school, selling iPhone apps.College and Early Career: Studied CS, worked at Airbnb, learned infrastructure and on-call duties.Founding Graphite: Co-founded Graphite with friends to build developer tools.Passion for Developer Experience: Enjoys building tools that improve software development workflows.Key Points:On-Call Experiences: Loved the challenge and responsibility of on-call work, but also experienced the frustrations of dealing with user issues and developer mistakes.Building a Startup: Balancing technical work with business operations, hiring, and team culture.Graphite's Mission: Improving developer productivity by focusing on code review and collaboration tools, inspired by best practices from large tech companies.AI Integration: Exploring AI-powered tools to enhance code review and analysis.https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregmfoster/

This Episode marks six years of the podcast ! Thanks to all your love and support.In today's conversation we have all our three hosts Sivaguru Gayatri and Chitra reflecting their own personal and professional S-curves .They also ideate on what could be coming up next for the podcast.Happy listening!!

In this episode, Gayatri is in conversation with Santana Krishnan.(SK)SK talks aboutHow he started building his own self from the educational perspective in Kochi.Built his firm for independent organization which was creating early wins using agile as a way of workingMoving to ThoughtWorks and then currently consulting with many organizations' in the advisory capacity as well as executive coach.How these leaps of faith during various transitions coincides with both professional and Personal lifeHow is spiritual journey has transcended over decades.How time has helped him realize his decisions..Enjoy the conversations!

Today Gayatri is in conversation with Srini on his personal and professional s-curves, whereHe talks about his multiple decades of career span across geographies.He talks about S-curves that failed and succeeded.He also constantly gives a very good framework of thought processes on how you have to think. When you move up the ladder.He covers around why, what is the intention behind choosing the next level , the effort it needs and the time you should give for the same to materialize understanding the risks associated.He also talks about the need for a mentor or a coach.Happy Listening!!.

In this thematic  conversation on S-curves, I am in conversation with my colleague and Coach at PM Power, Mohan Ram..In this conversation, Mohan touches upon various topics, including:S Curves in Personal and Professional LifeConscious vs. Unconscious S CurvesThe Importance of Support SystemsLetting Go and Moving OnPreparing for New RolesRetrospective AnalysisThe Impact of Rapid ChangeThe Importance of PerspectiveLeveraging Organizational ResourcesHumility and LearningThe Role of Reflection and Self-AwarenessThe Power of Mentorship

In this thematic  conversation on S-curves, I am in conversation with my colleague and Coach at PM Power, Anantha Natarajan. In this conversation, Anand, as he prefers to be called, shared various significant S-curves in his personal and professional life includingDecision to enter the software industry,Migrating to Australia, Pursuing an MBA, and Transitioning to a leadership role. He emphasized the importance of considering multiple dimensions beyond career goals, such as personal growth, family relationships, and financial stability.

In this thematic  conversation on S-curves, I am in conversation with my colleague and  Coach at PM Power, Gopalan.In this conversation, Gopal shares:some Specific S-Curves:Transitioning from Home to Hostel: This early experience fostered independence and adaptability.Shifting from Academics to Professional Life: Adapting to the different demands and expectations of the professional world.Evolving Roles: Taking on leadership positions, managing teams, and transitioning from technical roles to business management.Navigating Organizational Changes: Adapting to changes within organizations, such as mergers, restructurings, and shifts in company direction.Building a Startup: The challenges and rewards of founding and leading a startup.

In this thematic  conversation on S-curves, I am in conversation with my colleague, Coach and serial author, Paramu Kurumathur.In this conversation, Paramu shares some specific S-Curve in his life:School Change: Moving from Trivandrum to Calicut presented challenges like adapting to a new language, culture, and classmates.IIT Entrance and College: Entering IIT brought Paramu face-to-face with high competition, where everyone was a topper.Job Market Challenges: With limited job opportunities for Aerospace Engineers in India, Paramu had to choose between a scholarship abroad with an unrecognized degree or a less promising job.Shifting Gears to Computer Science: This was a major turning point where luck played a role. An available seat in computer science due to others' choices opened a new path for Paramu.Tata Burroughs and Corporate Life: This was another big change, requiring adjustments like dressing professionally. Paramu navigated these changes while building new friendships.Marriage, Children, and Work-Life Balance: These personal milestones presented new challenges alongside professional ones.Job Stagnation and Transition to Digital: Feeling stuck in his US job, Paramu found a pull factor in the challenge of setting up a GCC for digital right Unix development.Startup and NGO: Foray into a startup (Bell Soft) wasn't successful, coinciding with an industry downturn. He then transitioned to a contrasting role at Action Aid, an NGO.Leadership and Scaling: Paramu's roles at Action Aid and Bell Soft involved leadership responsibilities, scaling up operations, and navigating organizational challenges.Entrepreneurship: His entrepreneurial ventures, including the startup, demonstrate his willingness to take risks and pursue new opportunities.https://www.linkedin.com/in/paramu-kurumathur-01489a6/

I continue my conversation with Ben Johnson, the CEO of Particle 41, a company that provides fractional CTO services, software development, data science, data engineering, and AI solutionsIn this part, Ben talks about:The importance of user adoption for successful technology implementation.The challenges and benefits of agile development in contract-based projects.The value of personal practices like journaling and mindfulness for maintaining composure and productivity.Career advice for aspiring technologists, including the importance of continuous learning and specializing in niche areas.The enduring value of expertise and the opportunities created by emerging technologies like AI and blockchain.Benjamin Johnson, CEO & Founder @ Particle41Benjamin Johnson is a serial technical co-founder with a track record of success and hands-on open-source programming experience. He has a wide range of being both a board-level advisor and founder but also an in-depth understanding of how things work. Through his 20+ years as a software developer and leader, he has gained extensive experience with remotely distributed development teams and business hacks.Benjamin is the CEO & Founder of Particle41, a dev firm founded by industry veterans that aims to help companies accelerate their initiatives through Software Development, DevOps, and Data Science.With a constant focus on results and ways to improve, Benjamin is having fun building highly scalable and highly secure applications.https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjaminrjohnson/

I am in conversation with Ben Johnson, the CEO of Particle 41, a company that provides fractional CTO services, software development, data science, data engineering, and AI solutionsSome of the highlights from the conversation are:How he started programming on the Commodore 64Starting a travel company and getting hands on experience with building and managing IT infrastructureWorking in different business domainsThe importance of being adaptable and embracing new technologies.The value of listening to customers and understanding their needs.The need to balance technology adoption with practical considerations.The importance of building strong relationships and networks.The role of personality traits in successful partnerships.The importance of building a strong team culture and focusing on employee engagement.The need for quality assurance and DevOps practices in software development.Benjamin JohnsonCEO & Founder @ Particle41Benjamin Johnson is a serial technical co-founder with a track record of success and hands-on open-source programming experience. He has a wide range of being both a board-level advisor and founder but also an in-depth understanding of how things work. Through his 20+ years as a software developer and leader, he has gained extensive experience with remotely distributed development teams and business hacks.Benjamin is the CEO & Founder of Particle41, a dev firm founded by industry veterans that aims to help companies accelerate their initiatives through Software Development, DevOps, and Data Science.With a constant focus on results and ways to improve, Benjamin is having fun building highly scalable and highly secure applications.https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjaminrjohnson/