When Shit Hits the Fan

In this very human and often hilarious episode of When Shit Hits the Fan, Johan and Jeffrey welcome Eric Lajoie, AI specialist at SUSE, to unpack a career shaped by curiosity, failure, and a global perspective. From name mispronunciations to technical missteps, this conversation spans tech, identity, and the unexpected stuff that breaks — including intros, connections, and sometimes, a water pipe.Eric reflects on his journey from the US to Germany, how his multicultural background shapes the way he works, and why making mistakes in public can be one of the best ways to grow.🔗 Links & Mentions:SUSE AIEric Lajoie on LinkedInRed Hat OpenShift AINVIDIA AI Enterprise📣 Subscribe & Follow:New episodes every other Thursday on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all major platformsFollow the show on LinkedInFeedback or guest ideas? Email us at podcast@itq.eu

In this episode of When Shit Hits the Fan, we sit down with long-time ITQ technologist Sander Harrewijnen to talk about building better software, making bad assumptions, and breaking things that needed fixing anyway.We cover everything from Sander’s accidental roast of a client’s legacy app (in front of the people funding it 😬) to his thoughts on vibecoding (letting AI write your code), and his approach to solving tech and people problems in complex environments.Along the way, we discover his unusual hidden talent (spoiler: he’s your guy for photo wallpaper), his Maker side with lightsabers and Mandalorian helmets, and how his developer career evolved from .NET to cloud-native advocacyLinks & Mentions:Sander’s blog: https://harre.devFind Sander on LinkedInPodcast: Cloud Native ChroniclesFisker Ocean vs. Reality: MKBHD video📣 Follow & Subscribe:Got feedback? Email us at podcast@itq.euDon’t miss future episodes — subscribe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or your favorite podcast appFollow us on LinkedIn: ITQ

In this episode of the When Shit Hits the Fan podcast, Johan interviews Aaron Black, the director of product for Omnissa Workspace ONE Security. Aaron shares his career journey, insights on product management, and the importance of security in technology. He recounts memorable moments from his career, including challenges faced and lessons learned, particularly in the context of IT and software development. The conversation also touches on personal anecdotes and life lessons, providing a well-rounded view of Aaron's experiences in the tech industry.Chapters00:00 Introduction to Aaron Black and the Podcast04:09 Rapid Fire Questions and Insights08:03 Career Highlights and Experiences14:03 The Importance of Security in Technology15:09 When Shit Hits the Fan Moments21:29 Life Lessons and Personal Anecdotes

Spencer Pitts, Partner CTO at Omnissa, shares his journey from a bakery to the IT world, emphasizing the significance of preparation and openness to opportunity. He creatively illustrates IT challenges by using bridge metaphors and reflects on the nostalgia of past presentation styles. Personal anecdotes reveal his insights into organizational security through the lens of a historic train tunnel. Amidst the tech talk, he also shares his travel dreams and favorite games, making for an engaging blend of professional and personal tales.

In this episode of 'When Shit Hits the Fan', Johan and Jeffrey welcome Frank Denneman, a distinguished engineer for AI at VMware/Broadcom. The conversation covers Frank's experiences, interests, and career journey, including his insights on technology, movies, and the importance of effective communication in engineering. The episode features rapid-fire questions, discussions about favorite films, and a deep dive into Frank's professional background. The conversation explores his journey from building Microsoft Exchange across multiple countries to his experiences with virtualization, working at VMware, and the challenges of startup life. It highlights his time at PernixData and the lessons learned from mistakes made throughout his career, including the importance of sharing knowledge and overcoming fears in public speaking. Chapters00:00 Introduction and Guest Introduction02:40 Frank's Background and Interests06:41 Binaries and Quickfire Questions11:01 Frank's Career Journey and Early Experiences13:15 Building Microsoft Exchange Across Borders16:45 The Virtualization Journey Begins17:35 Transitioning to VMware and the Startup Experience20:00 The Challenges of Startup Life23:25 Innovations at Pernix Data25:59 Lessons Learned from Mistakes30:04 First Time on Stage: Overcoming Fear31:27 The Thrill of Live Performance34:17 Key Takeaways for First-Time Speakers39:43 Lessons from Experience and Listening41:54 The Importance of Preparation42:53 Learning from Presentation Skills and Shark TankLinks:Frank Simrig account on instagram:https://www.instagram.com/roadtoimmersion/

In this episode of 'When Shit Hits the Fan', Johan and Jeffrey welcome Duncan Epping, Chief Technologist at Broadcom/VMware (and former co-host of this podcast). The conversation explores Duncan's journey from a consultant to a Chief Technologist, his passion for running, and his involvement in the tech community. They discuss Duncan's career highlights, including the development of EvoRail/VxRail and the organization of the VMworld Fun Run, showcasing his dedication to both technology and fitness. In this episode, Duncan shares his experiences in organizing community events, the challenges faced during his career in technology, and the valuable life lessons learned along the way. He emphasizes the importance of communication, the unpredictability of outcomes in both work and personal endeavors, and the significance of enjoying the journey rather than solely focusing on the end goals.Chapters00:00 Introduction to the Podcast and Guest02:19 Duncan's Background and Interests09:10 Duncan's Career Journey at VMware/Broadcom13:18 Rapid Fire Questions with Duncan15:37 Duncan's Passion for Running and Blogging19:14 Career Highlights and Achievements24:45 Organizing the VMworld Fun Run29:11 When Shit Hits the Fan: Personal Experiences41:46 Life Lessons and the Importance of Communication

In this episode of 'When Shit Hits the Fan', hosts Johan and Jeffrey welcome Dashaun Carter, a Spring Advocate at VMware. The conversation covers Dashaun's journey from professional cheerleading to tech, the importance of upgrading software, and insights into the Spring framework. They also discuss Raspberry Pi projects, lessons learned from mistakes, and the significance of automation in software development. Chapters00:00 Introduction and Setup02:57 Guest Introduction: Deshawn Carter06:08 Rapid Fire Questions08:59 Deshawn's Career Journey12:06 The Importance of Upgrading Software15:08 Understanding Spring Framework18:08 Raspberry Pi Projects and Efficiency21:09 Lessons from Mistakes and Automation24:00 Final Thoughts and Advice

In this episode of 'When Shit Hits the Fan', hosts Johan and Jeffrey interview Coté, a developer advocate at Broadcom. The conversation explores Coté's background, his insights on DevOps and platform engineering, the challenges of changing corporate culture, and the importance of building relationships in a remote work environment. Coté shares his career journey, highlighting key transitions and the lessons learned along the way. In this episode, Coté shares insights on his unique name, lessons learned from mistakes in tech, the importance of work-life balance, and how to maintain objectivity as an analyst. He reflects on his career transitions and the challenges of pushing oneself to grow while managing personal well-being.Chapters00:00 Introduction to Coté and the Podcast05:04 Rapid Fire Questions and Insights11:00 Coté's Career Journey17:00 Navigating Corporate Transitions20:10 Building Relationships in Remote Work20:51 The Origin of Coté's Name22:46 Learning from Mistakes in Tech27:55 Work-Life Balance and Personal Reflections30:22 Lessons from Career Transitions35:38 Maintaining Objectivity as an Analyst

In this episode, Johan and Jeffrey sit down with industry legend and long-time community contributor Chris Wahl to explore a career journey that spans from VI admin to independent content creator and platform engineer. Chris shares his unique take on working symbiotically with developers, learning from failures (including a UCS upgrade gone nuclear), and the importance of showing what good looks like rather than just telling.⏱️ Highlights:00:37 – Meet Chris Wahl: Blogger, technologist, gamer, legend03:00 – The IKEA Wheel and unwinding with brutal dungeon games05:00 – Rapid fire: Terraform, PowerShell, Kubernetes vs vSphere08:30 – Career evolution: From vSphere to Kubernetes and AWS12:30 – Drinking from the firehose: Adapting to cloud-native18:00 – Developers vs IT: Building a real Dev+Platform culture22:00 – When Shit Hit the Fan: How a UCS upgrade took down a 5,000-person org30:00 – Chris’s Life Lesson: “Don’t tell people what good looks like—show them.”👤 Guest:Chris Wahl🌐 https://wahlnetwork.com🔗 LinkedIn🎮 Bonus: Discover which brutal RPG Chris uses to unwind—and why his kid might be better at Mario Kart than Johan.📩 Feedback?Email us at: podcast@itq.eu

In this episode of 'When Shit Hits the Fan', hosts Johan and Jeffrey welcome Katarina Brookfield, a staff technical marketing architect at Broadcom/VMware.Katarina shares her journey in IT, overcoming gender biases, and her transition from VDI to Kubernetes. She discusses her passion for public speaking and community engagement, as well as her love for cooking and fine dining. The conversation highlights her daring experiences and insights into effective presentations. In this conversation, Katarina Brookfield shares her experiences in IT, focusing on the importance of engaging presentations, learning from mistakes, and fostering a supportive team culture. She emphasizes the need for transparency when errors occur and the value of continuous learning in both personal and professional development.Chapters00:00 Introduction to the Podcast and Guest03:00 Getting to Know Katharina Brookfield05:58 The Journey into IT and Overcoming Challenges09:12 Career Highlights and Daring Experiences11:59 Transitioning from VDI to Kubernetes14:56 Public Speaking and Community Engagement18:01 Secrets to Effective Presentations21:11 The Art of Engaging Presentations23:56 Learning from Mistakes in IT32:49 Embracing Failure as a Learning Opportunity38:03 The Importance of Team Culture in Handling Mistakes41:13 The Lifelong Journey of Learning and Improvement