The Happy Engineer | Career Success for Engineering Leadership

NEW! Explore the Podcast Hub & Wisdom Engine: Visit www.thehappyengineerpodcast.com to search all past episodes, ask questions, and get personalized insights powered by AI.   When you’re ready, here are three ways I can help you build your engineering career:   1. Engineering Career Accelerator™️ Scorecard … foundational development actions and key points you can check, score, and apply immediately to stand out and excel at work.   2. Join us at Happy Hour … a limited-attendance LIVE monthly workshop where we dig deep into career growth strategies and provide 1:1 open coaching for you at the end of the session.   3. Work with me directly … start with a free chat and ensure it’s a great fit, then work with me and my team privately in our intensive coaching program, exclusively for engineers.   ============================   In this episode, I have two major announcements to share with you.    First, The Happy Engineer Podcast is pressing pause as we wrap up Season 1. Don’t worry—it’s not the end forever, but it’s time to focus my energy on scaling the impact of our Lifestyle Engineering Blueprint coaching program. My mission is to help engineering leaders accelerate their careers without burning out, and the demand for coaching has grown beyond what I can balance alongside the podcast.   The second big announcement? Well, you’ll have to listen to find out..   I want to say a huge thank you for your support—this community has been incredible, and we’re just getting started.    So press play and let’s chat… about what’s next for The Happy Engineer Podcast and how you can still grow with us.   > Full Show Notes, Resources, & More   ============================   WANT MORE AMAZING GUESTS?   “I love Zach and these amazing guests on The Happy Engineer Podcast.” If that sounds like you, please consider following, rating and reviewing the show!    I know it’s a huge favor to ask, but when you follow, leave a 5-star rating, and add an honest review of how these episodes are helping you… it’s a massive benefit for getting the attention of powerhouse guests on this show.    On Apple Podcasts, click our show, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with 5-stars, and select “Write a Review.”   Thank you so much.    ============================   Connect with your host, Zach White:   LinkedIn (primary) Instagram YouTube  

When you’re ready, here are three ways I can help you build your engineering career:   1. Engineering Career Accelerator™️ Scorecard … foundational development actions and key points you can check, score, and apply immediately to stand out and excel at work.   2. Join us at Happy Hour … a limited-attendance LIVE monthly workshop where we dig deep into career growth strategies and provide 1:1 open coaching for you at the end of the session.   3. Work with me directly … start with a free chat and ensure it’s a great fit, then work with me and my team privately in our intensive coaching program, exclusively for engineers.   ============================   Tune in for the critical growth lessons from starting software engineer all the way to Founder & CEO.   How do you manage up? What matters most in big tech vs startups? Why do some leaders burn out and others make it?   Daniel Loreto is the founder and CEO of Jetify, a startup offering a suite of tools to accelerate and simplify cloud application development and deployment.    Before founding Jetify, Daniel held senior engineering roles at Google, Twitter, and Airbnb, where he led the development of Airbnb Luxe. He also served as VP of Engineering at $2B startup Vitra.    Daniel completed his undergraduate and graduate degrees in Computer Science at MIT.   So press play and let’s chat… these lessons are worth their weight in career gold!   > Full Show Notes, Resources, & More   ============================   WANT MORE AMAZING GUESTS?   “I love Zach and these amazing guests on The Happy Engineer Podcast.” If that sounds like you, please consider following, rating and reviewing the show!    I know it’s a huge favor to ask, but when you follow, leave a 5-star rating, and add an honest review of how these episodes are helping you… it’s a massive benefit for getting the attention of powerhouse guests on this show.    On Apple Podcasts, click our show, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with 5-stars, and select “Write a Review.”   Thank you so much.    ============================   Connect with your host, Zach White:   LinkedIn (primary) Instagram YouTube  

When you’re ready, here are three ways I can help you build your engineering career:   1. Engineering Career Accelerator Scorecard … foundational development actions and key points you can check, score, and apply immediately to stand out and excel at work.   2. Join us at Happy Hour … a limited-attendance LIVE monthly workshop where we dig deep into career growth strategies and provide 1:1 open coaching for you at the end of the session.   3. Work with me directly … start with a free chat and ensure it’s a great fit, then work with me and my team privately in our intensive coaching program, exclusively for engineers.   ============================   You don’t need more networking events. You need a sponsor. Do you know the difference?   In this episode, I break down the #1 reason why most engineering leaders struggle to find great mentors—and how to fix it. If you’ve ever felt unsure about who to ask, how to build that relationship, or whether you even need a mentor, you’re not alone. I walk you through a simple, three-level framework that takes you from getting advice to securing a sponsor—someone who will actually go to bat for you when it matters most.   Plus, we take a page from Tony Robbins’ playbook on how he built a world-class network of mentors to fast-track his success. I’ll share practical strategies you can use right now to expand your circle, make the right asks, and unlock career-changing relationships.   If you’re tired of waiting for growth to happen and ready to take control of your future, this episode is for you.   So press play and let’s chat… about the mentors who will change your career.   > Full Show Notes, Resources, & More   ============================   WE GROW BY WORD OF MOUTH   If you have received value from The Happy Engineer Podcast, would you help us pay it forward by SHARING this episode with another engineer?   Hit the SHARE button, or copy the episode URL and paste it into a text message or social media post!   Thank you for helping us grow the show.   ============================   Connect with your host, Zach White:   LinkedIn (primary) Instagram YouTube  

When you’re ready, here are three ways I can help you build your engineering career:   1. Engineering Career Accelerator™️ Scorecard … foundational development actions and key points you can check, score, and apply immediately to stand out and excel at work.   2. Join us at Happy Hour … a limited-attendance LIVE monthly workshop where we dig deep into career growth strategies and provide 1:1 open coaching for you at the end of the session.   3. Work with me directly … start with a free chat and ensure it’s a great fit, then work with me and my team privately in our intensive coaching program, exclusively for engineers.   ============================   Are you tired of job hunting advice that isn’t realistic?    In this episode, you will meet Cassandra Thompson, an expert career coach, job search strategist, globally recognized speaker and networking superstar.   She has helped over 125,000 subscribed job-seekers on YouTube, sharing her powerful insights and advice in free video coaching with MILLIONS of views.   Near the end of our chat, Cassandra shares two things you MUST NOT DO when preparing for a career move.   So press play and let’s chat… because your next role is right around the corner!   > Full Show Notes, Resources, & More   ============================   WANT MORE AMAZING GUESTS?   “I love Zach and these amazing guests on The Happy Engineer Podcast.” If that sounds like you, please consider following, rating and reviewing the show!    I know it’s a huge favor to ask, but when you follow, leave a 5-star rating, and add an honest review of how these episodes are helping you… it’s a massive benefit for getting the attention of powerhouse guests on this show.    On Apple Podcasts, click our show, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with 5-stars, and select “Write a Review.”   Thank you so much.    ============================   Connect with your host, Zach White:   LinkedIn (primary) Instagram YouTube

When you’re ready, here are three ways I can help you build your engineering career:   1. Engineering Career Accelerator Scorecard … foundational development actions and key points you can check, score, and apply immediately to stand out and excel at work.   2. Join us at Happy Hour … a limited-attendance LIVE monthly workshop where we dig deep into career growth strategies and provide 1:1 open coaching for you at the end of the session.   3. Work with me directly … start with a free chat and ensure it’s a great fit, then work with me and my team privately in our intensive coaching program, exclusively for engineers.   ============================   If you had to rehire your entire team today, would you enthusiastically say yes to every person?   In this episode, I share the story of Greg, who found himself trapped in a lose-lose leadership dilemma—step in and fix his team’s mistakes, or delegate and risk failure. Sound familiar?   Greg had been making great progress in his leadership journey, but when pressure hit, he fell back into old habits of doing instead of leading. The result? More hours, more stress, and creeping burnout.    Together, we unpacked the real issue—not just delegation, but the hidden cost of keeping underperformers on the team. I share the most important leadership question that will transform how you assess and develop your team, and we break down the two clear choices every leader must make: coach them up, or coach them out.   If you’ve ever struggled with letting go of work, managing underperformance, or balancing leadership with workload, this one’s for you.   So press play and let’s chat… Are you leading your team, or covering for them?   > Full Show Notes, Resources, & More   ============================   WE GROW BY WORD OF MOUTH   If you have received value from The Happy Engineer Podcast, would you help us pay it forward by SHARING this episode with another engineer?   Hit the SHARE button, or copy the episode URL and paste it into a text message or social media post!   Thank you for helping us grow the show.   ============================   Connect with your host, Zach White:   LinkedIn (primary) Instagram YouTube

When you’re ready, here are three ways I can help you build your engineering career:   1. Engineering Career Accelerator™️ Scorecard … foundational development actions and key points you can check, score, and apply immediately to stand out and excel at work.   2. Join us at Happy Hour … a limited-attendance LIVE monthly workshop where we dig deep into career growth strategies and provide 1:1 open coaching for you at the end of the session.   3. Work with me directly … start with a free chat and ensure it’s a great fit, then work with me and my team privately in our intensive coaching program, exclusively for engineers.   ============================   Have you ever been a bit too impulsive and said “yes” to too much?   Is it hard for you to sit down and focus on your most important tasks for the day, on demand during those “deep work” calendar blocks?   In this episode, meet Skye Waterson, a former academic turned coach, podcast host, and founder of Unconventional Organisation, an international ADHD support service.    After her surprise ADHD diagnosis during her PhD, she pivoted her entire future and dedicated her life’s work to develop research-based strategies to help people like her.  Her 50+ articles have been read by 250,000+ readers.    As host of the ADHD Skills Lab podcast with over 100,000 downloads, she helps overwhelmed professionals create focused, balanced lives. Through her writing, speaking, and coaching, Skye has assisted thousands in understanding and managing their ADHD.   So press play and let’s chat… because this conversation could change the game for you and your teams, turning ADHD into a strength!   > Full Show Notes, Resources, & More   ============================   WANT MORE AMAZING GUESTS?   “I love Zach and these amazing guests on The Happy Engineer Podcast.” If that sounds like you, please consider following, rating and reviewing the show!    I know it’s a huge favor to ask, but when you follow, leave a 5-star rating, and add an honest review of how these episodes are helping you… it’s a massive benefit for getting the attention of powerhouse guests on this show.    On Apple Podcasts, click our show, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with 5-stars, and select “Write a Review.”   Thank you so much.    ============================   Connect with your host, Zach White:   LinkedIn (primary) Instagram YouTube  

Discover the transformative power of focusing on the present moment rather than getting caught up in the rush for success. Through engaging personal stories, the speaker illustrates how patience and surrender can enhance your journey. Learn how clarity in career vision and the right support can propel engineering leaders forward. Shift your mindset to embrace the process, and you'll not only find joy in your journey but also accelerate your path to achieving your goals.

Mary Guerdoux-Harries, a transformational coach and core energy leadership expert, shares her inspiring journey from engineering to coaching. She dives into the importance of mastering physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual energies for effective leadership. Listeners can expect actionable strategies to enhance their energy levels and prioritize values. Mary emphasizes the need for self-awareness to combat burnout and create fulfilling personal and professional lives, urging everyone to reclaim focus in today’s chaotic world.

Discover how to transform your morning into a launchpad for success. The discussion highlights the importance of establishing a morning routine tailored to personal goals. Learn practical strategies like hydration and morning movement to boost energy and clarity. Explore the benefits of cold exposure to enhance discipline and overcome resistance. Finally, find out how intentional planning and community support can elevate your daily experiences and drive personal and professional growth.

Dive into the pressing issue of digital addiction and its impact on creativity and relationships, especially within engineering. An anxiety specialist discusses the necessity of digital minimalism and mindful screen time for personal and professional growth. Engage in thought-provoking conversations about the challenges of disinformation, the importance of evaluating beliefs, and embracing discomfort for transformation. Practical solutions for conquering distractions and fostering meaningful connections in a tech-saturated world are shared, empowering listeners towards a fulfilling life.