Ardan Labs Podcast

In this episode of the Ardan Labs Podcast, Bill Kennedy talks with Salah Mahmud, a medical researcher specializing in epidemiology and medical statistics. Salah shares his journey from growing up in Libya under Gaddafi’s regime to conducting cutting-edge research in Canada on the connection between influenza and heart attacks. He discusses the challenges of running large-scale observational studies, the bureaucratic barriers to accessing medical data, and the importance of diversity in health research. Salah also reflects on his early entrepreneurial ventures, his discovery of programming during medical school, and how resilience and adaptability shaped his personal and professional journey.

00:00 Introduction

02:03 Research on Influenza and Heart Attacks

05:53 Challenges in Data Access

16:51 Life in Libya Under Gaddafi

21:32 From Medicine to Programming

41:18 WHO Collaboration and Education Abroad

57:13 Disappearance and New Beginnings

01:09:33 Immigration and Adaptation in Canada

01:15:45 Balancing Medicine and Technology

01:21:22 Family, Culture, and Reflection

01:25:37 Current Research and Future Goals

Connect with Salah: 

Email: [email protected]

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/salah-mahmud-4177285a/

Mentioned in this Episode:

Golang: https://go.dev/

Want more from Ardan Labs? You can learn Go, Kubernetes, Docker & more through our video training, live events, or through our blog!

Online Courses : https://ardanlabs.com/education/ 

Live Events : https://www.ardanlabs.com/live-training-events/ 

Blog : https://www.ardanlabs.com/blog 

Github : https://github.com/ardanlabs

In this episode of the Ardan Labs Podcast, Bill Kennedy talks with Zack Holland, CEO & Founder of Averi AI, about his journey from early life in Ecuador’s Amazon rainforest to building an AI-powered marketing platform. Zack shares lessons from early business ventures, the challenges of running startups, and the evolution of his entrepreneurial mindset. They explore how Averi AI helps marketers become more creative and efficient, the importance of data security and trust in AI, and what it takes to innovate in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.

00:00 Introduction

02:54 Marketing and AI Evolution

05:58 Changing Digital Landscape

09:04 Early Life and Influences

12:02 From Ecuador to Utah

18:00 First Business in High School

29:53 LLMs and Entrepreneurship

39:44 Lessons from Failure

43:46 Starting a Marketing Agency

56:19 Founding Avery AI

01:08:10 Trust and Data Security

01:13:14 Marketing and AI Adoption

01:17:58 AI Challenges and Opportunities

01:26:00 Contact Info 

Connect with Zack: 

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zackholland

X: https://x.com/zack_holland

Mentioned in this Episode:

Averi AI: https://www.averi.ai/

Want more from Ardan Labs? You can learn Go, Kubernetes, Docker & more through our video training, live events, or through our blog!

Online Courses : https://ardanlabs.com/education/ 

Live Events : https://www.ardanlabs.com/live-training-events/ 

Blog : https://www.ardanlabs.com/blog 

Github : https://github.com/ardanlabs

In this episode of the Ardan Labs Podcast, Bill Kennedy talks with Mike Elgan, technology editorialist, about his journey to becoming a professional writer. Mike reflects on the evolution of journalism, the digital publishing revolution of the 90s, and the role of communication in shaping society. He also shares insights from his nomadic lifestyle, the realities of freelance writing, the impact of AI on creativity, and the importance of adaptability and passion in navigating a rapidly changing technological landscape.

00:00 Introduction 

05:54 Growing Up in the 70s and 80s

11:32 Education, Passion & Early Work

31:32 Politics, Journalism & First Writing Roles

45:16 Transition to Technology Journalism

54:30 Digital Media Revolution

01:03:01 Becoming a Freelance Writer

01:05:52 Nomadic Lifestyle & Financial Realities

01:24:36 AI’s Impact on Work, Writing & Education

01:42:56 The Future of Writing & Communication

01:50:52 Cyberpunk Reality & Technology’s Next Era

01:55:11 Finding Passion & Success in Life

Connect with Mike: 

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikeelgan

X: https://x.com/MikeElgan

Mentioned in this Episode:

Mike Elgan’s Newsletter: https://machinesociety.ai/

Gastronomad: https://gastronomad.net

Want more from Ardan Labs? You can learn Go, Kubernetes, Docker & more through our video training, live events, or through our blog!

Online Courses : https://ardanlabs.com/education/ 

Live Events : https://www.ardanlabs.com/live-training-events/ 

Blog : https://www.ardanlabs.com/blog 

Github : https://github.com/ardanlabs

In this episode of the Ardan Labs Podcast, Bill Kennedy talks with Jasson Casey, CEO and co-founder of Beyond Identity, about modern cybersecurity. Jasson shares his journey from early interests in technology and networking to leading startups and building products that address today’s security challenges. They explore the evolution of authentication, the need for hardware-backed identity systems, the realities of insider threats, and how cultural and customer insights shape better security solutions.

00:00 Introduction

00:30 What is Jasson Doing Today?

7:00 Fundamentals of Security

15:30 First Memory of a Computer

22:00 Interest in Physics 

36:00 Working in College

43:00 Joining a Startup

50:00 Becoming a Product Manager at 21

58:30 Culture Shock 

1:03:20 Moving to Executive Roles

1:10:00 Starting Beyond Identity

1:19:00 Monitoring Threats

1:34:00 Contact Info

Connect with Jasson: 

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jassoncasey/

X: https://x.com/jassoncasey

Mentioned in this Episode:

Beyond Identity: https://www.beyondidentity.com/

Want more from Ardan Labs? You can learn Go, Kubernetes, Docker & more through our video training, live events, or through our blog!

Online Courses : https://ardanlabs.com/education/ 

Live Events : https://www.ardanlabs.com/live-training-events/ 

Blog : https://www.ardanlabs.com/blog 

Github : https://github.com/ardanlabs

In this episode of the Ardan Labs Podcast, Bill Kennedy interviews Jonathan Amsterdam from the Go team at Google about his journey from academia and finance to software engineering, his work on Go and API design, and the importance of adaptability, community, and building impactful software.

00:00 Introduction

00:30 What is Jonathan Doing Today?

02:00 First Memories of a Computer

09:30 Entering University

14:00 Early Coding / Academics 

20:50 Interest in AI / ML

27:00 Career Beginnings 

33:00 Transitioning to Java and Teaching

41:00 Distributed Software

45:00 Ambitions / Finding Stability 

55:00 Experiences at Google 

1:07:20 Joining the Go Team

1:17:00 Go and MCP

1:24:00 API Design and Philosophy

1:30:20 Contact Info

Connect with Jonathan: 

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-amsterdam-b901b21/

Mentioned in this Episode:

Go-sdk: https://github.com/modelcontextprotocol/go-sdk

Want more from Ardan Labs? You can learn Go, Kubernetes, Docker & more through our video training, live events, or through our blog!

Online Courses : https://ardanlabs.com/education/ 

Live Events : https://www.ardanlabs.com/live-training-events/ 

Blog : https://www.ardanlabs.com/blog 

Github : https://github.com/ardanlabs

In this conversation, career coach Kacie Bail discusses her work helping others navigate the job market. She emphasizes the growing importance of soft skills in job applications, the challenges of job rejections, and the need for empathy from interviewers. Kacie shares her journey from bioengineering to consulting, highlighting the significance of internships and the continuous nature of career development. The discussion also touches on the impact of automation on job opportunities and the importance of finding clarity in career goals. 

00:00 Introduction

00:30 What is Kacie Doing Today? 

01:30 Job Search Process

09:00 Interviewing and Soft Skills

15:00 Having Attention

20:00 Highschool Interests

33:00 University in Maryland

39:00 Entering Consulting

55:00 Looking for Change

01:03:00 Moving to Chile

1:18:00 Getting the Interview

1:22:00 Sourcing Clients

1:27:10 AI Automation for Resumés

1:31:30 Contact Info

Connect with Kacie: 

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kaciebail/

Kacie’s Newsletter: https://kaciebail.substack.com

Instagram: @kaciebail

Mentioned in this Episode:

Kacie’s Site: https://www.kaciebail.com/

Want more from Ardan Labs? You can learn Go, Kubernetes, Docker & more through our video training, live events, or through our blog!

Online Courses : https://ardanlabs.com/education/ 

Live Events : https://www.ardanlabs.com/events/ 

Blog : https://www.ardanlabs.com/blog 

Github : https://github.com/ardanlabs

In this episode of the Ardan Labs Podcast, host Bill Kennedy sits down with Facundo Giuliani, Solutions Engineering Team Manager at Storyblok, to trace his path from his early experiences with computers to leading a remote solutions engineering team. They explore headless CMS, the shift into developer relations, the balance of technical and soft skills, and the economic and community-building realities shaping today’s tech careers.

00:00 Introduction

02:30 What is Facundo Doing Today? 

07:00 First Memory of a Computer

12:00 Highschool Interests

16:00 University Studies

28:00 Importance of a Degree

38:00 Moving Jobs

45:00 Working Remotely / Cost of Living

56:00 Engaging With Others 

1:00:00 Developer Relations Engineers

1:09:20 Solutions Engineering

1:15:30 Understanding Customer Problems

1:20:00 Next Steps 

1:27:00 Contact Info

Connect with Facundo: 

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/facundogiuliani/

Facundo’s Site: https://fgiuliani.com/

Mentioned in this Episode:

Storyblok: https://www.storyblok.com/

React Miami: https://www.reactmiami.com/

Want more from Ardan Labs? You can learn Go, Kubernetes, Docker & more through our video training, live events, or through our blog!

Online Courses : https://ardanlabs.com/education/ 

Live Events : https://www.ardanlabs.com/live-training-events/ 

Blog : https://www.ardanlabs.com/blog 

Github : https://github.com/ardanlabs

In this episode Bill Kennedy and Kenneth Stott discuss the evolving role of AI in organizations, emphasizing the importance of human intelligence in leveraging AI tools effectively. They explore the challenges and opportunities presented by generative AI, the need for a structured data language within organizations, and the ethical considerations surrounding AI insights. Ken shares insights from his upcoming book on redefining organizational intelligence in the age of AI, highlighting strategies for effective human-AI collaboration.

00:00 Introduction

2:45 AI and Organizational Behavior

5:30 Limitations of Generative AI

11:00 Learning the AI Tooling

15:00 Using AI Tools for Code

20:00 Business Decisions / Analytics

25:00 Trusting AI Insights 

36:00 What is an AI Agent

43:00 Future of Organizational Intelligence 

Connect with  Kenneth: 

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kenstott/

Mentioned in this Episode:

Hasura: https://hasura.io/

Cursor: https://cursor.com/

Claude: https://www.anthropic.com/claude-code

Want more from Ardan Labs? You can learn Go, Kubernetes, Docker & more through our video training, live events, or through our blog!

Online Courses : https://ardanlabs.com/education/ 

Live Events : https://www.ardanlabs.com/live-training-events/ 

Blog : https://www.ardanlabs.com/blog 

Github : https://github.com/ardanlabs

In this episode, Mary Moore-Simmons, VP of Engineering at Keebo, shares her journey from early tech interests to leadership roles at SendGrid, GitHub, and Keebo. She discusses navigating career transitions, the value of mentorship, and her passion for building innovative developer tools and empowering teams.

00:00 Introduction

07:48 First Memory of a Computer

10:30 Interest in Languages

16:00 Highschool / College

23:00 Engineering in University 

27:40 Joining the Work Force

38:05 First Job in Software

48:00 Project Management 

54:00 Working in DevOps

1:05:30 Working in Crypto/Blockchain

1:14:00 Leadership Aspirations 

1:20:00 Team Dynamics

1:32:00 AI Tooling

1:42:00 Contact Info 

Connect with Mary: 

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mmooresimmons/

Mentioned in this Episode:

Keebo: https://keebo.ai

SendGrid: https://sendgrid.com/en-us

Github: https://github.com

Want more from Ardan Labs? You can learn Go, Kubernetes, Docker & more through our video training, live events, or through our blog!

Online Courses : https://ardanlabs.com/education/ 

Live Events : https://www.ardanlabs.com/live-training-events/ 

Blog : https://www.ardanlabs.com/blog 

Github : https://github.com/ardanlabs

In this episode, Ali Hafizji, founder of Wednesday, shares insights into his unique approach to product engineering through a sprint model that emphasizes outcomes over time. He discusses the importance of Agile methodology in adapting to change, the dynamics of client relationships, and the challenges of communication across time zones. He discusses the importance of embracing AI in product development and emphasizes the lessons learned from his experiences.

00:00 Introduction

00:40 What is Ali Doing Today?

04:30 Selling Sprints

16:00 Success as a Company

19:00 Timezone Challenges

21:30 First Memory of a Computer

27:30 Moving from Dubai to India

30:00 Entering University

37:30 Internships

44:00 Building Mobile Games

53:00 Entering Consulting

57:00 Scaling a Business

1:19:00 Starting Wednesday

1:25:00 AI Tooling

1:33:00 Contact Info

Connect with Ali: 

Linkedin: https://in.linkedin.com/in/alihafizji

X: https://x.com/ali_hafizji?lang=en

Mentioned in this Episode:

Wednesday: https://www.wednesday.is/ 

Want more from Ardan Labs? You can learn Go, Kubernetes, Docker & more through our video training, live events, or through our blog!

Online Courses : https://ardanlabs.com/education/ 

Live Events : https://www.ardanlabs.com/live-training-events/ 

Blog : https://www.ardanlabs.com/blog 

Github : https://github.com/ardanlabs