IT Career Energizer

Don Pezet, CTO at ITPro.TV, stresses the importance of continual learning in IT careers. He shares a worst career moment involving data loss due to improperly configured servers. Pezet highlights the stability of the IT sector and advises applying for jobs beyond qualifications. He also discusses the transition from law school to a passion for IT and the significance of cybersecurity.

In this week’s show, Phil talks to Greg Edwards, a technology entrepreneur since 1998. Before founding CryptoStopper, he started Axis Backup, a backup and disaster recovery company for the insurance industry. In 2015, Axis backup was acquired by J2 Global, enabling the creation of CryptoStopper which focuses exclusively on cybersecurity. Greg talks about the importance of following up when it comes to the recruitment process. He also discusses the value in taking control of your own career plans.   KEY TAKEAWAYS:   TOP CAREER TIP Always follow up when you’re looking for a company you’d like to work with. Never be afraid to chase your application, or to pursue a hiring manager about vacancies.   WORST CAREER MOMENT Greg lost a huge client to a competitor, which drastically hit his company’s revenue. He initially thought it would be catastrophic, but it turned out to be a blessing in disguise as it allowed his company to grow and scale.   CAREER HIGHLIGHT After performing well, early on in his career, Greg was rewarded with a trip, which left a huge impression on him as a youngster.   THE FUTURE OF CAREERS IN I.T The tech sector is exploding with possibilities, including machine learning and the advances it brings are growing exponentially.   THE REVEAL What first attracted you to a career in I.T.? – Necessity! What’s the best career advice you received? – Be your own boss. Take control and accept control of your own career path. What’s the worst career advice you received? – I’ve always ignored bad advice! What would you do if you started your career now? – Focus on cybersecurity much earlier, and learning how to be a hacker, using that knowledge for good. What are your current career objectives? – Growing the company to an annual $10m revenue level as well as find great people.. What’s your number one non-technical skill? – Being able to identify talent in people. How do you keep your own career energized? – Mental and physical exercise. What do you do away from technology? – Using his private pilot license to fly planes.   FINAL CAREER TIP Determine what you want your career to look like, and plan for the career course that means the most to you.   BEST MOMENTS (4:32) – Greg – “Identify the company you want to work for and then don’t be afraid to follow up” (11:30) – Greg - “There are so many opportunities that I see coming over the next twenty years” (14:09) – Greg – “The democratization of currency is already happening and I think that’s going to proliferate and ultimately be a positive” (15:45) – Greg – “Accept control of your own career path”   ABOUT THE HOST – PHIL BURGESS Phil Burgess is an independent IT consultant who has spent the last 20 years helping organizations to design, develop, and implement software solutions.  Phil has always had an interest in helping others to develop and advance their careers.  And in 2017 Phil started the I.T. Career Energizer podcast to try to help as many people as possible to learn from the career advice and experiences of those that have been, and still are, on that same career journey.   CONTACT THE HOST – PHIL BURGESS Phil can be contacted through the following Social Media platforms: Twitter: https://twitter.com/_PhilBurgess LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/philburgess Instagram: https://instagram.com/_philburgess Website: https://itcareerenergizer.com/contact Phil is also reachable by email at phil@itcareerenergizer.com and via the podcast’s website, https://itcareerenergizer.com Join the I.T. Career Energizer Community on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/ITCareerEnergizer   ABOUT THE GUEST – GREG EDWARDS Greg Edwards is a technology entrepreneur since 1998. Before founding CryptoStopper, he started Axis Backup, a backup and disaster recovery company for the insurance industry. In 2015, Axis backup was acquired by J2 Global, enabling the creation of CryptoStopper which focuses exclusively on cybersecurity.   CONTACT THE GUEST – GREG EDWARDS Twitter: https://twitter.com/cryptostopper LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gedwardswpd Website: https://www.getcryptostopper.com/

In this week’s show, Phil talks to Kirk Marple, a customer-focused technology leader. He is the CEO and Founder of Unstruk Data and has more than 25 years of experience developing media management pipelines, leading DevOps at venture backed companies and structuring successful exits. Kirk talks to Phil about how taking risks and looking for opportunities can often provide the most growth. He also discusses the importance in looking past negative feedback and shaking off self-doubt when it arises.   KEY TAKEAWAYS:   TOP CAREER TIP You are the one responsible for your career. Look for ways to take chances. By doing so, you will achieve far more growth and development.   WORST CAREER MOMENT Kirk has experienced what it is to be along some way in a project, only to find that the team are not fulfilling their potential, leading to some strained conversations.   CAREER HIGHLIGHT Working for Public Broadcast Systems, Kirk enacted and created a product that made its way into mainstream society. This was a source of great pride.   THE FUTURE OF CAREERS IN I.T The world of IT is never-ending. The jobs and responsibilities are constantly evolving and developing, leading to infinite possibilities in the space.   THE REVEAL What first attracted you to a career in I.T.? – Kirk first trained as a chef but found a greater aptitude for IT while programming in his spare time. What’s the best career advice you received? – Show empathy and try to see problems from others’ points of view. What’s the worst career advice you received? – The only times bad advice has come, has been when people refused to believe in Kirk. What would you do if you started your career now? – Kirk would focus on Python, Linux and Javascript stacks. He would also focus on videogame development. What are your current career objectives? – Juggling technical with the CEO side of operations. What’s your number one non-technical skill? – Writing ability and communication skills. How do you keep your own career energized? – Staying current, keeping up to date with new technologies and innovations. What do you do away from technology? – Spending time with family and cooking.   FINAL CAREER TIP Don’t doubt yourself. Everyone gets negative feedback from time to time. Learn to see the value in it, and don’t let it dissuade you from your goals.   BEST MOMENTS (5:05) – Kirk – “No one is going to look out for your career as much as you are” (8:06) – Kirk - “Be sure that you have good people around you, but also give them more responsibility” (11:05) – Kirk – “There’s always something new, there’s always another problem to solve, there’s always something new to learn” (13:45) – Kirk – “Think about things from other peoples’ perspectives, even at a technical level”   ABOUT THE HOST – PHIL BURGESS Phil Burgess is an independent IT consultant who has spent the last 20 years helping organizations to design, develop, and implement software solutions.  Phil has always had an interest in helping others to develop and advance their careers.  And in 2017 Phil started the I.T. Career Energizer podcast to try to help as many people as possible to learn from the career advice and experiences of those that have been, and still are, on that same career journey.   CONTACT THE HOST – PHIL BURGESS Phil can be contacted through the following Social Media platforms: Twitter: https://twitter.com/_PhilBurgess LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/philburgess Instagram: https://instagram.com/_philburgess Website: https://itcareerenergizer.com/contact Phil is also reachable by email at phil@itcareerenergizer.com and via the podcast’s website, https://itcareerenergizer.com Join the I.T. Career Energizer Community on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/ITCareerEnergizer   ABOUT THE GUEST – KIRK MARPLE Kirk Marple is a customer-focused technology leader. He is the CEO and Founder of Unstruk Data and has more than 25 years of experience developing media management pipelines, leading DevOps at venture backed companies and structuring successful exits.   CONTACT THE GUEST – KIRK MARPLE Twitter: https://twitter.com/KirkMarple LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/kirkmarple Website: https://www.unstruk.com/

In this week’s show, Phil talks to Craig Goodwin, the co-founder of Cyvatar.ai, a game-changing cybersecurity firm that makes cybersecurity simple for businesses by providing fully managed, customer-centric security solutions. He is a Certified Chief Information Security Officer and a Certified Information Systems Security Professional, having held the role of Global Chief Security Officer for a number of large public and private sector organisations. Craig talks about why we should go wide instead of deep when it comes to knowledge. He also tells us why it’s okay to admit when we don’t know the answers.   KEY TAKEAWAYS:   TOP CAREER TIP Always go wider rather than deeper. If you have aspirations in your chosen branch of the industry, try to broaden your knowledge base rather than specializing too much.   WORST CAREER MOMENT During a lull in his personal life, Craig found himself struggling to deliver at his best. His biggest regret was allowing this to continue. As a result, his reputation suffered, but it has led him to realise that honesty is important.   CAREER HIGHLIGHT After enjoying a successful corporate career, Craig was given an incredible chance to grow a security business into a powerful concern, allowing him to utilize his creativity and imagination.   THE FUTURE OF CAREERS IN I.T Technology is changing the face and the operation of every single business type in the world. This means a huge uptick in opportunities available to people.   THE REVEAL What first attracted you to a career in I.T.? – Gaining a background in the defense world and seeing how essential it is. What’s the best career advice you received? – You don’t know everything. What’s the worst career advice you received? – That specializing is crucial. What would you do if you started your career now? – Craig would look for hot industries and look for more experience-related growth. What are your current career objectives? Craig’s current objectives are much more business-focussed, including seeing to it that his people are well taken care of. What’s your number one non-technical skill? – Communication. How do you keep your own career energized? – Keep moving forward, and always be learning – professionally and personally. What do you do away from technology? – Fitness and healthy pursuits, such as cycling, running and exercising.   FINAL CAREER TIP Stay wide in your knowledge, continually learn and never be afraid to admit you don’t know something.   BEST MOMENTS (6:40) – Craig – “It’s incredibly important to know a bit about a lot of different things” (12:15) – Craig - “Having an openness with a team, and with a group of people is really powerful” (14:04) – Craig – “The digitalization of everything is growing exponentially” (14:41) – Craig – “Anyone that comes into the tech or IT world now has an opportunity to be in every single sector – to influence and change the very fabric of the way society is being run”   ABOUT THE HOST – PHIL BURGESS Phil Burgess is an independent IT consultant who has spent the last 20 years helping organizations to design, develop, and implement software solutions.  Phil has always had an interest in helping others to develop and advance their careers.  And in 2017 Phil started the I.T. Career Energizer podcast to try to help as many people as possible to learn from the career advice and experiences of those that have been, and still are, on that same career journey.   CONTACT THE HOST – PHIL BURGESS Phil can be contacted through the following Social Media platforms: Twitter: https://twitter.com/_PhilBurgess LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/philburgess Instagram: https://instagram.com/_philburgess Website: https://itcareerenergizer.com/contact Phil is also reachable by email at phil@itcareerenergizer.com and via the podcast’s website, https://itcareerenergizer.com Join the I.T. Career Energizer Community on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/ITCareerEnergizer   ABOUT THE GUEST – CRAIG GOODWIN Craig Goodwin is the co-founder of Cyvatar.ai, a game-changing cybersecurity firm that makes cybersecurity simple for businesses by providing fully managed, customer-centric security solutions. He is a Certified Chief Information Security Officer and a Certified Information Systems Security Professional, having held the role of Global Chief Security Officer for a number of large public and private sector organisations.   CONTACT THE GUEST – CRAIG GOODWIN Twitter: https://twitter.com/MrCraigGoodwin LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/craiggoodwin/ Website: https://cyvatar.ai/

In this week’s show, Phil talks to Maura Charles, the founder of Keep it Human, a digital innovation consultancy. She has 25 years of experience working in digital transformation and digital product management for beloved brands like Bloomingdale’s, Real Simple, and the New York Philharmonic. She loves helping teams get unstuck by finding the right digital processes to build bridges between the technology side and human side so that they can work together. She uses a human-focused approach that helps companies both connect with their customers and prioritize their own people. Maura talks to Phil about the value in keeping a growth mindset. She also discusses why it’s vital for us to pause, reflect, and question everything.   KEY TAKEAWAYS:   TOP CAREER TIP Focus on learning new things at all times. By keeping a growth mindset and always looking for ways to develop, new pathways will open in your career.   WORST CAREER MOMENT During the first years of her career, Maura did not always know how to stand up for herself in the face of bias and discrimination. After several bad experiences, she has since gained the confidence and experience to do so.   CAREER HIGHLIGHT While working for Time Inc, Maura had worked her way up to the level of Executive Director, and was responsible for overseeing a wholesale restructuring of technological systems.   THE FUTURE OF CAREERS IN I.T We are at an incredibly interesting and transformative time that means far more inclusion and far more in the way of opportunity.   THE REVEAL What first attracted you to a career in I.T.? – The fact that is was new and uncharted. What’s the best career advice you received? – Take time to reflect on the things you’ve done well. What’s the worst career advice you received? – Keep your head down and just do your work! What would you do if you started your career now? – Maura would try to stay big and not let things scare her away from a particular path. What are your current career objectives? Learning more about the psychology of leadership What’s your number one non-technical skill? – Emotional intelligence. How do you keep your own career energized? – Building a network of people with similar aims and purposes. What do you do away from technology? – Spending time with family, yoga, reading and art.   FINAL CAREER TIP Don’t take everything you see or hear at face value. Find your blind spots and question everything.   BEST MOMENTS (4:54) – Maura - “What I’ve learned from having a growth mindset is that you will challenge your own assumptions and learn new pathways” (6:57) – Maura - “You’re not always going to have the answers laid out for you. It’s not a script. There’s not a right way to do everything all the time” (19:50) – Maura – “Innovation and technology are the future of our business and personal worlds” (21:27) – Maura – “Celebrate your wins”   ABOUT THE HOST – PHIL BURGESS Phil Burgess is an independent IT consultant who has spent the last 20 years helping organizations to design, develop, and implement software solutions.  Phil has always had an interest in helping others to develop and advance their careers.  And in 2017 Phil started the I.T. Career Energizer podcast to try to help as many people as possible to learn from the career advice and experiences of those that have been, and still are, on that same career journey.   CONTACT THE HOST – PHIL BURGESS Phil can be contacted through the following Social Media platforms: Twitter: https://twitter.com/_PhilBurgess LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/philburgess Instagram: https://instagram.com/_philburgess Website: https://itcareerenergizer.com/contact Phil is also reachable by email at phil@itcareerenergizer.com and via the podcast’s website, https://itcareerenergizer.com Join the I.T. Career Energizer Community on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/ITCareerEnergizer   ABOUT THE GUEST – MAURA CHARLES Maura Charles is the founder of Keep it Human, a digital innovation consultancy. She has 25 years of experience working in digital transformation and digital product management for beloved brands like Bloomingdale’s, Real Simple, and the New York Philharmonic. She loves helping teams get unstuck by finding the right digital processes to build bridges between the technology side and human side so that they can work together. She uses a human-focused approach that helps companies both connect with their customers and prioritize their own people.   CONTACT THE GUEST – MAURA CHARLES Medium: https://mauracharles.medium.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mauracharles/ Website: https://keepithuman.consulting

In this week’s show, Phil talks to Kevin Harris, who has been in the IT field for over 20 years, holding positions that range from Systems Analyst to Chief Information Officer. He is now a higher education administration official at American Public University System, continuing to make system improvements to support student success and learning. As a faculty member he has delivered instruction in several disciplines including business, cybersecurity, computer science, and computer networking, with particular interest in information security and computer forensics. Kevin joins Phil to talk about how exposure to new opportunities can help to shape our attitudes. He also discusses the value to be found in sharing our own career stories, and how this can inspire others.   KEY TAKEAWAYS:   TOP CAREER TIP Make sure you’re always stepping out of your comfort zone. By pushing yourself into spaces outside of your comfort zone, you develop new sensibilities and attitudes.   WORST CAREER MOMENT During a junior role, Kevin and his team assumed that all the work they had done was enough, but upon the rollout of the project, it transpired that things were not as prepared as they may have liked. This taught Kevin the value of understanding each organisation’s political structure.   CAREER HIGHLIGHT Kevin was given the chance to return to his college and work on prestigious projects. Working on the other side of learning was quite a thrill.   THE FUTURE OF CAREERS IN I.T IT has become a more inclusive place to work, and a sector that allows for many more opportunities for growth, as well as more diversity in terms of raising up minorities.   THE REVEAL What first attracted you to a career in I.T.? – The challenge of finding solutions to problems. What’s the best career advice you received? – As long as you understand the consequences, you can do anything you want to do. What’s the worst career advice you received? – Don’t seek roles above you and stay where you are until something comes up. What would you do if you started your career now? – Kevin would be more intentional about finding an internship. What are your current career objectives? Focusing on more ways to introduce tech to more diverse communities. What’s your number one non-technical skill? – Being able to take something highly technical and communicating it to a wider audience. How do you keep your own career energized? – Kevin is always asking questions, as well as reading and listening. What do you do away from technology? – Kevin regularly “unplugs” by going fishing and getting back to nature.   FINAL CAREER TIP Share your story. No matter where you’re at in your career, sharing your story so far can act as a beacon to others who may be at the beginning of their own journey.   BEST MOMENTS (5:51) – Kevin - “Exposure changes attitudes” (12:20) – Kevin - “There’s a lot of underrepresented populations in the tech field that we need to focus on, but I think the momentum is there” (13:55) – Kevin – “You can do anything you want to do but you must understand the consequences to it” (17:13) – Kevin – “Anyone who’s interested in tech can find their place and a really rewarding career”   ABOUT THE HOST – PHIL BURGESS Phil Burgess is an independent IT consultant who has spent the last 20 years helping organizations to design, develop, and implement software solutions.  Phil has always had an interest in helping others to develop and advance their careers.  And in 2017 Phil started the I.T. Career Energizer podcast to try to help as many people as possible to learn from the career advice and experiences of those that have been, and still are, on that same career journey.   CONTACT THE HOST – PHIL BURGESS Phil can be contacted through the following Social Media platforms: Twitter: https://twitter.com/_PhilBurgess LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/philburgess Instagram: https://instagram.com/_philburgess Website: https://itcareerenergizer.com/contact Phil is also reachable by email at phil@itcareerenergizer.com and via the podcast’s website, https://itcareerenergizer.com Join the I.T. Career Energizer Community on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/ITCareerEnergizer   ABOUT THE GUEST – KEVIN HARRIS Kevin Harris has been in the IT field for over 20 years, holding positions that range from Systems Analyst to Chief Information Officer. He is now a higher education administration official, continuing to make system improvements to support student success and learning. As a faculty member he has delivered instruction in several disciplines including business, cybersecurity, computer science, and computer networking, with particular interest in information security and computer forensics.   CONTACT THE GUEST – KEVIN HARRIS Twitter: https://twitter.com/kevinharristech LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/harris-kevin/

In this week’s show, Phil talks to Leon Kuperman, the co-founder and Chief Technical Officer of Cast AI. He has worked in technology for more than 20 years in roles that cover product management, software design & development though to production deployment.   Leon talks about the value in fostering an engineering mind-set. He also discusses the importance of following our passions and how working on things we’re interested in can help us to be far more productive.   KEY TAKEAWAYS:   TOP CAREER TIP Developing an engineering mind-set is a keystone element in ensuring that you have a successful career as an IT leader. You must be immersed in the subject matter of what you are building.   WORST CAREER MOMENT A system was taken offline by hackers who demanded a ransom in order to release it back to the company Leon was working for. Rather than pay their demands, Leon was tasked with fixing the problem, retrieving the site and ensuring it could not happen again. However, this was not possible. The ransom was paid. But Leon learned about new ways in order to safeguard systems.   CAREER HIGHLIGHT Leon had an opportunity for a larger role in cloud security at Oracle, overseeing products that customers use to secure their environments. It was a time in which Leon was allowed to be more creative.   THE FUTURE OF CAREERS IN I.T Machine learning and data science has exploded recently, and this is incredibly exciting. There are many opportunities in the field, and many opportunities for self-development in the area.   THE REVEAL What first attracted you to a career in I.T.? – Receiving the first computer as a child and learning coding at home. What’s the best career advice you received? – If you work to work yourself out of a job, then you’ll never be out of a job What’s the worst career advice you received? – The engineers can’t be business people, and that business people can’t be engineers What would you do if you started your career now? – Leon would take his time and focus upon what he was passionate about and interested in. What are your current career objectives? Looking for ways in which he can positively impact the IT industry. What’s your number one non-technical skill? – Being able to communicate clearly and with empathy. How do you keep your own career energized? – Deep diving into topics, and focusing on self-development. What do you do away from technology? – Spending time with family and participating in mixed martial arts.   FINAL CAREER TIP Always make sure that you’re working on something you’re passionate about. If you do this every day, then work will never seem like work.   BEST MOMENTS (7:13) – Leon - “If you want to have a career as an IT leader, it’s absolutely a perquisite to have an engineering mind-set” (7:51) – Leon - “You gain a lot of credibility and respect from your team if you’re able to understand their jobs at a detailed level” (10:29) – Leon – “Partners want to be able to trust you, and technical excellence is something that they hinge on” (27:25) – Leon – “Being able to sell, even in a technical role, is highly advantageous”   ABOUT THE HOST – PHIL BURGESS Phil Burgess is an independent IT consultant who has spent the last 20 years helping organizations to design, develop, and implement software solutions.  Phil has always had an interest in helping others to develop and advance their careers.  And in 2017 Phil started the I.T. Career Energizer podcast to try to help as many people as possible to learn from the career advice and experiences of those that have been, and still are, on that same career journey.   CONTACT THE HOST – PHIL BURGESS Phil can be contacted through the following Social Media platforms: Twitter: https://twitter.com/_PhilBurgess LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/philburgess Instagram: https://instagram.com/_philburgess Website: https://itcareerenergizer.com/contact Phil is also reachable by email at phil@itcareerenergizer.com and via the podcast’s website, https://itcareerenergizer.com Join the I.T. Career Energizer Community on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/ITCareerEnergizer   ABOUT THE GUEST – LEON KUPERMAN Leon Kuperman is the co-founder and Chief Technical Officer of Cast AI. He has worked in technology for more than 20 years in roles that cover product management, software design & development though to production deployment.   CONTACT THE GUEST – LEON KUPERMAN Leon Kuperman can be contacted through the following Social Media platforms: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/itexecutivecto/ Website: http://www.cast.ai/  

In this week’s show, Phil talks to Sunir Shah, the founder and CEO of AppBind as well as president of the Cloud Software Association. He has spent his career creating and selling software products to improve how the internet works. And he believes that nothing is more profitable than becoming a piece of the internet! Sunir talks to Phil about why we should make use of the internet to reach out to those with knowledge and experience. He also discusses the value in reminding ourselves of our own capabilities when challenges arise.   KEY TAKEAWAYS:   TOP CAREER TIP The world is filled with fascinating people, each imbued with an arsenal of knowledge. Seek them out and talk to them. The internet has made this a much easier prospect as we are all connected.   WORST CAREER MOMENT As well as suffering a crisis of self-doubt and pivoting in his career, Sunir was fired after a particularly disappointing business encounter. But this experience led him to the founding of his company.   CAREER HIGHLIGHT Sunir had delivered a system designed to provide the foundation for a TV channel, Sunir took all the code he thought was useless and deleted it, despite many insisting that it was an extreme approach. The choice turned the code into something far more efficient and useable.   THE FUTURE OF CAREERS IN I.T The fact that we can now reach out across the world and connect with people that may otherwise never have had their voices heard. Talent is now global.   THE REVEAL What first attracted you to a career in I.T.? – The family had a Vic 20, and Sunir’s passion for coding soon made itself known, especially when his sister was declared to be “cooler” than he was! What’s the best career advice you received? – Always remember that people are different. What’s the worst career advice you received? – To be strong – the implication is that we are naturally weak What would you do if you started your career now? – Get started on Scratch much sooner What are your current career objectives? Sunir is committed to solving the problem of subscriptions for companies. What’s your number one non-technical skill? – Effective networking, and how to approach people. How do you keep your own career energized? – Interacting with the community that he has helped to build. What do you do away from technology? – Spending time with family   FINAL CAREER TIP You only live once, so make sure you spend that time doing something you enjoy. If you don’t know what you are doing at a certain moment, remind yourself that are not stupid, and that you will figure it out.   BEST MOMENTS (2:49) – Sunir - “When you think about what’s the purpose of life, what’s the rewarding part? For me it has been seeing other people’s lives improve through my work” (5:19) – Sunir - “Reach out to people. Even people you don’t understand. Ask questions. Learn to see the world through their eyes. You’ll gain something from them, no matter what” (12:18) – Sunir – “No one can run a business if they can’t even control their own time” (15:55) – Sunir – “You can do anything if you have confidence. If there’s no risk, then what is stopping you?”   ABOUT THE HOST – PHIL BURGESS Phil Burgess is an independent IT consultant who has spent the last 20 years helping organizations to design, develop, and implement software solutions.  Phil has always had an interest in helping others to develop and advance their careers.  And in 2017 Phil started the I.T. Career Energizer podcast to try to help as many people as possible to learn from the career advice and experiences of those that have been, and still are, on that same career journey.   CONTACT THE HOST – PHIL BURGESS Phil can be contacted through the following Social Media platforms: Twitter: https://twitter.com/_PhilBurgess LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/philburgess Instagram: https://instagram.com/_philburgess Website: https://itcareerenergizer.com/contact Phil is also reachable by email at phil@itcareerenergizer.com and via the podcast’s website, https://itcareerenergizer.com Join the I.T. Career Energizer Community on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/ITCareerEnergizer   ABOUT THE GUEST – SUNIR SHAH Sunir Shah is the founder and CEO of AppBind as well as president of the Cloud Software Association. He has spent his career creating and selling software products to improve how the internet works. And he believes that nothing is more profitable than becoming a piece of the internet!   CONTACT THE GUEST – SUNIR SHAH Sunir Shah can be contacted through the following Social Media platforms: LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/sunirshah Twitter: https://twitter.com/Sunir Website: https://www.appbind.com/

In this week’s show, Phil talks to Meredydd Luff, the CEO and cofounder of Anvil, a platform for building full-stack web apps entirely in Python. He has a PhD in building usable programming systems from Cambridge University and he wants to make programming more accessible for everyone. Meredydd talks about the importance of finding your “and” – the secondary skill that adds value to you. He also discusses why bringing your unique offerings to your IT career can make all the difference.   KEY TAKEAWAYS:   TOP CAREER TIP Look for what your personal “and” is. If you are just a developer then that’s okay, but it’s always best to be one thing “and” another. This makes life much more interesting and yourself much more valuable.   WORST CAREER MOMENT After completing a huge amount of work, Meredydd discovered that his system had been built upon degraded hard disks. This led to a huge outage for a popular messaging system in the Philippines.   CAREER HIGHLIGHT Starting and building Anvil – taking the complete system from an idea to fruition, and the experiences learned along the way.   THE FUTURE OF CAREERS IN I.T As cloud services and the like continue to grow, it has meant that the doors are open to far more people. So long as people have the drive to do so, the IT sector is open to all.   THE REVEAL What first attracted you to a career in I.T.? – Meredydd was attracted to the creative component of IT. What’s the best career advice you received? – That studying something we enjoy is fine, and can sit well alongside a serious career. What’s the worst career advice you received? – That he should have taken the money over a route that seemed more fun. What would you do if you started your career now? – Meredydd would begin tinkering with systems a lot earlier than he did. What are your current career objectives? Refining and perfecting Anvil and turning into the best system it can be. What’s your number one non-technical skill? – Being an extrovert, caring about others, and curiosity. How do you keep your own career energized? – Running a startup! What do you do away from technology? – Flying airplanes and ballroom dancing.   FINAL CAREER TIP Find the thing that is interesting to you, and upon which you can offer a unique perspective, and bring that to your IT career.   BEST MOMENTS (6:00) – Meredydd - “The way things are with traditional web development, there’s not much a learning curve as a learning cliff” (8:12) – Meredydd - “Being at the intersection of someone who can do two different things – that’s really valuable” (23:53) – Meredydd – “If you are one of these people who has the bit between their teeth, the fact that there are so many routes into a career means that you can afford to follow your heart” (27:02) – Meredydd – “If you are the tinkering type, then tinkering your way into a career is as valid a choice as ever”   ABOUT THE HOST – PHIL BURGESS Phil Burgess is an independent IT consultant who has spent the last 20 years helping organizations to design, develop, and implement software solutions.  Phil has always had an interest in helping others to develop and advance their careers.  And in 2017 Phil started the I.T. Career Energizer podcast to try to help as many people as possible to learn from the career advice and experiences of those that have been, and still are, on that same career journey.   CONTACT THE HOST – PHIL BURGESS Phil can be contacted through the following Social Media platforms: Twitter: https://twitter.com/_PhilBurgess LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/philburgess Instagram: https://instagram.com/_philburgess Website: https://itcareerenergizer.com/contact Phil is also reachable by email at phil@itcareerenergizer.com and via the podcast’s website, https://itcareerenergizer.com Join the I.T. Career Energizer Community on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/ITCareerEnergizer   ABOUT THE GUEST – MEREDYDD LUFF Meredydd Luff is the CEO and cofounder of Anvil, a platform for building full-stack web apps entirely in Python. He has a PhD in building usable programming systems from Cambridge University and he wants to make programming more accessible for everyone.   CONTACT THE GUEST – MEREDYDD LUFF Meredydd Luff can be contacted through the following Social Media platforms: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meredydd/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/meredydd Website: https://anvil.works

In this week’s show, Phil talks to Ulf Schwekendiek, the first mobile engineer at Siri before it was acquired by Apple as well as a co-founder of Ditto which was acquired by Groupon. He is now the co-founder and CEO of Centered, designing the platform and building a team that shares his passion for achieving mindfulness at work. Ulf talks about the importance of keeping your creative spirit alive as your career progresses. He also discusses the value in documenting your ideas.   KEY TAKEAWAYS:   TOP CAREER TIP If you have a creative spirit, always make sure that you keep this spirit alive in whatever you do. Make time to create and always be curious about what could be.   WORST CAREER MOMENT Ulf experienced a time in his career when he felt as though he should become a manager, because of the expectations placed upon him by others. He soon realized that this was not where his passion truly lay.   CAREER HIGHLIGHT Ulf prefers to focus upon the failures of his career, rather than become too nostalgic for the highlights. He feels that this spurs him on to do better.   THE FUTURE OF CAREERS IN I.T Ulf is most excited about the accessibility of the IT sector, and how it allows anyone entry, no matter what their background is. He also finds himself intrigued by the advent of “emotional software”   THE REVEAL What first attracted you to a career in I.T.? – Being from Germany, engineering was always a part of Ulf’s DNA. What’s the best career advice you received? – You always want to have a smaller piece of a much larger pie. What’s the worst career advice you received? – That he should not speak his mind for fear of offending someone. What would you do if you started your career now? – Ulf would focus on AI, ML and other technologies that are changing the world. What are your current career objectives? Ulf is focusing upon the non-technical side of running and operating a business. What’s your number one non-technical skill? – Learning about human psychology and how the brain works. How do you keep your own career energized? – Learning about new things and iterating constantly. What do you do away from technology? – Ulf is dedicated to his newborn daughter. He also enjoys hang gliding.   FINAL CAREER TIP Get out of your own head. If you have ideas then make sure you are documenting them always. Ideas never come to anything if they remain internal ones.   BEST MOMENTS (10:57) – Ulf - “If you are a maker or a builder, just make sure that you never lose that” (13:07) – Ulf - “Find something that you’re really passionate about, and not something society shows you as your next step” (13:30) – Ulf – “It’s fun to talk about your highlights, but it’s so much more powerful to talk about your failures” (23:14) – Ulf – “If nobody understands what it is that you’re doing, then there’s no point in doing it”   ABOUT THE HOST – PHIL BURGESS Phil Burgess is an independent IT consultant who has spent the last 20 years helping organizations to design, develop, and implement software solutions.  Phil has always had an interest in helping others to develop and advance their careers.  And in 2017 Phil started the I.T. Career Energizer podcast to try to help as many people as possible to learn from the career advice and experiences of those that have been, and still are, on that same career journey.   CONTACT THE HOST – PHIL BURGESS Phil can be contacted through the following Social Media platforms: Twitter: https://twitter.com/_PhilBurgess LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/philburgess Instagram: https://instagram.com/_philburgess Website: https://itcareerenergizer.com/contact Phil is also reachable by email at phil@itcareerenergizer.com and via the podcast’s website, https://itcareerenergizer.com Join the I.T. Career Energizer Community on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/ITCareerEnergizer   ABOUT THE GUEST – ULF SCHWEKENDIEK Ulf Schwekendiek was the first mobile engineer at Siri before it was acquired by Apple as well as a co-founder of Ditto which was acquired by Groupon. He is now the co-founder and CEO of Centered, designing the platform and building a team that shares his passion for achieving mindfulness at work.   CONTACT THE GUEST – ULF SCHWEKENDIEK Ulf Schwekendiek can be contacted through the following Social Media platforms: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sulfme Website: https://www.centered.app/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/sulf