Ardan Labs Podcast

In this engaging conversation, Brittany Ellich shares her journey from a young gamer to a senior software engineer at GitHub. She discusses the challenges of finding her career path, the importance of education, and her experiences in the tech industry, including the significance of mentorship and the impact of coding standards. Brittany's unique perspective as an all-end engineer and her passion for learning are highlighted throughout the discussion. 

00:00 Introduction

04:40 First Memory of a Computer

10:30 Early Interests

18:30 Starting University

26:40 Navigating Career Paths

38:30 Second Degree

46:20 First Steps in the Tech Industry

54:51 Working at Nike

1:01:00 Joining GitHub 

1:16:38 Contact Info

Connect with Brittany: 

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

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/brittanyellich.com

Mentioned in this Episode:

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 conversation, Laurel Lawson and Bill Kennedy explore the intersection of technology, art, and team dynamics. They discuss the importance of being present in one's work, the challenges of leadership in tech teams, and the ethical implications of using AI in software development. Laurel shares her experiences as an artist engineer and emphasizes the need for collaboration and understanding in both artistic and technical fields. The conversation also touches on the responsibility developers have for their code and the impact of their work on society.

00:00 Introduction

04:50 What is Laurel Doing Today

08:10 Artistic Engineering
17:00 Team Dynamics / Leadership

28:00 Responsibility in Software

33:00 Sense of Ownership

1:06:20 Design Philosophies 

1:09:10 AI Tooling and Industry

1:25:50 Contact Info

Connect with Laurel: 

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

Email: [email protected]

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, Bill Kennedy and Andy Williams explore the intersections of art, programming, and education, reflecting on their personal journeys through university and early career experiences.They delve into Andy's innovative project, Fyne, which aims to simplify the creation of graphical applications using the Go programming language. They later discuss the evolution of technology, particularly in mapping and software development, and share insights from their startup journeys, including successes and failures. The conversation also delves into the governance of open-source projects and the importance of community in driving innovation.

00:00 Introduction

01:00 What is Andy Doing Today

11:26 First Memories of a Computer

17:30 Early Interests / Choices

27:00 College Plans

46:00 Coding and Art 

51:31 Navigating Career Paths After Graduation

59:20 From Employee to Entrepreneur

1:12:18 Starting the Fyne Project

1:20:30 Tech Stack for Graphical Apps

1:25:20 Community in Open Source Projects

1:33:00 Contact info

Connect with Andy: 

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

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/andydotxyz.bsky.social

Mentioned in today’s episode:

Fyne: https://github.com/fyne-io/fyne

 FyneLabs: https://fynelabs.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 engaging conversation, Johnny Boursiquot shares his journey from Haiti to the United States, detailing his experiences with language barriers, cultural adjustments, and his passion for technology. He discusses his early interests in computers, his high school experiences, and the decision to pursue a career in software engineering. Johnny's story highlights the challenges and triumphs of navigating the tech industry while balancing work and education. 
Johnny also shares his story of pausing his college education to embark on a career in software engineering and entrepreneurship. He discusses the challenges he faced in his early career, the transition to full-time work, and the lessons learned from building a startup. Johnny emphasizes the importance of education, mentorship, and the drive to help others learn. He also reflects on his experiences in operations and SRE roles, and his current venture, Skilltype, which focuses on professional development for librarians.

00:00 Introduction

03:55 What is Johnny Doing Today

12:26 First Memories of a Computer

14:30 Beginnings / Life Growing Up

36:30 Getting an Education in the US

48:30 Navigating Early Career Decisions

57:00 Building a Startup

1:03:40 The challenges of Entrepreneurship

1:13:20 First Job in Go / SRE Roles

1:25:30 Using Opportunities

1:30:30 Joining Skilltype

1:41:00 Contact Info

Connect with Johnny: 

Website: https://www.jboursiquot.com/

X: https://x.com/jboursiquot

Mentioned in today’s episode:

Skilltype: https://www.skilltype.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 interviews Tanmai Gopal, co-founder and CEO of Hasura, discussing the evolution of San Francisco post-pandemic, the innovative approach of Hasura, and the importance of data security and access. Tanmai shares insights from his academic journey, including his experiences with internships and his master's degree in computer vision, culminating in a fascinating project involving drones. In this conversation, Tanmai Gopal discusses his journey from academia to entrepreneurship, focusing on his experiences in building a consulting business and transitioning to product development. He shares insights on the evolution of GraphQL, the challenges of navigating business decisions, and the future of data access in the context of AI and emerging technologies. The discussion highlights the importance of understanding data modeling and the need for innovative solutions in the software industry.

00:00 Introduction

03:15 What is Tanmai Doing Today

05:45 Understanding Hasura’s Approach to APIs

14:40 Pre-Hosted Solutions in Hasura

22:26 First Memories of a Computer

35:40 Favorite Classes During University

49:25 From Consulting to Product

1:01:35 Extending GraphQL 

1:10:30 Competitors of Hasura

1:18:40 Data Privacy

1:22:10 Contact Info

Connect with Tanmai: 

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

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

Mentioned in today’s episode:

Hasura: https://hasura.io/

GraphQL: https://graphql.org/

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, Adam Jacob discusses his journey in the tech industry, focusing on the development of his company, System Initiative, and the evolution of DevOps and automation. He shares insights from his early experiences with computers, his unconventional education, and the challenges faced in the ISP era. The discussion also touches on the impact of cloud computing and AI on modern development, emphasizing the importance of understanding underlying technologies to innovate effectively. In this conversation, Adam Jacob discusses the evolution of technology and workflows in the context of DevOps and infrastructure management. He reflects on his journey from consulting to product development, highlighting the creation of Chef and its impact on the industry. Adam introduces System Initiative, a new approach to infrastructure management that emphasizes real-time collaboration and automation. He also addresses pricing strategies and the importance of aligning value with customer needs, while identifying the target audience for System Initiative as innovative DevOps engineers looking for better solutions.

00:00 Introduction

01:15 What is Adam Doing Today

05:26 First Memories of a Computer

07:30 Early Interests / Life Growing Up

20:06 Early ISP work

35:20 Dealing with Scale in Tech

47:15 New Age Dev Work

59:30 The Birth of Chef 

1:15:00 Starting System Initiative

1:17:30 Revolutionizing Infrastructure Management

1:26:20 Deciding on Pricing

1:33:40 Target Audience for System Initiative

1:50:15 Contact info

Connect with Adam: 

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

Twitter: https://x.com/adamhjk

Mentioned in today’s episode:

System Initiative: https://www.systeminit.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, we talk with Hana Mohan, co-founder of MagicBell, about her path through the tech industry. Hana shares her early fascination with computers, her educational journey through competitive exams, and her eventual transition from electronics to software development. The conversation also touches on her startup experience and the challenges faced along the way. Hana reflects on her career journey, discussing the importance of finding the right job fit and the decision to transition from employee to entrepreneur. She shares insights from her experiences building products, and the challenges faced in the startup world. The discussion also covers her time in Combinator, the process of raising capital, and her vision for the future of her current venture, MagicBell.

00:00 Introduction

04:15 What is Hana Doing Today

09:56 First Memories of a Computer

18:40 Early Interests / Life Growing Up

30:06 Pursuing Engineering in India

43:20 Transitioning from Electronics to Software

52:15 Becoming an Entrepreneur

1:01:30 Shifting Focus to B2B SaaS

1:09:40 Learning from Experiences 

1:15:30 Following Your Product’s Path

1:22:20 Starting MagicBell

1:33:20 Contact Info  

Connect with Hana: 

Linkedin:https://es.linkedin.com/in/unamashana

Twitter: https://x.com/unamashana

Mentioned in today’s episode:

Magic Bell – https://www.magicbell.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, we sit down with Ahmed Aziz Ramadi, a software engineer currently working at GE Healthcare, to hear about his journey from growing up in Tunisia to working on full-stack applications that assist healthcare professionals. Ahmed shares how he discovered his passion for computers and programming at a young age, his academic journey, and his professional experiences. He talks about his transition to the U.S. for college, the challenges of moving to a new country, and how he navigated his way into the tech industry. From his early days playing games and exploring programming, to becoming a full-stack developer working on healthcare technology, Ahmed’s story is one of determination, learning, and a passion for technology.

00:00 Introduction

01:42 What is Ahmed Toing Today

09:36 Early Memories of Working on a Computer

13:00 The Influence of Parents' Engineering Careers

25:00 Reflections on Family and Personal Growth

32 :35 Education System

53:05 Athletics and Education

01:09:09 Acceptance to Purdue University

01:22:17 Discovering the Tech Industry

1:25:00  Joining the Workforce 

1:30:00  Starting at GE Healthcare

1:38:40 Contact Info  

Connect with Ahmed: 

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ahmed-aziz-rmadi/

Github: https://github.com/armadi1809

Twitter: https://x.com/@rmadiaziz1

Mentioned in today’s episode:

GE Healthcare – https://www.gehealthcare.com/

Purdue University – https://www.purdue.edu/

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, Roxana Rodriguez-Becker shares her journey from being a middle school librarian to transitioning into the tech industry. She discusses her educational background, her experiences in teaching, and the challenges she faced while raising a medically complex child. Roxy also talks about her passion for coding, her personal projects, and her aspirations to find a job in software development. Throughout the conversation, she emphasizes the importance of community, mentorship, and continuous learning in her journey.

00:00 Introduction

01:10 What is Roxana Doing Today?

05:00 First Memories of a Computer

11:00 Early Influences

16:00 College Journey

24:40 Becoming a Teacher

35:00 Masters Degree

46:10 Teaching During Covid

52:10 Tube Feed Rate Web App

58:00 Roller Derby

1:00:00 Job Search and Future Aspirations

1:09:10 Contact Info

Connect with Roxana: 

Twitter:  https://x.com/RoxanaCodes

Linkedin:https://www.linkedin.com/in/roxana-rodriguez-becker/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/grrfeisty/?hl=en

Mentioned in today’s episode:

100Devs: https://leonnoel.com/100devs/

Scrimba: https://v2.scrimba.com/home

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, Cameron Balahan, the Product Lead for the Go programming language at Google, shares his unique career journey from law school to leading one of the most popular programming languages. Cameron reflects on his early passion for programming, building websites as a teenager, and the turning points in his life that led him from being a lawyer to a product manager at Google. He discusses the challenges he faced in electrical engineering, his experience in high-frequency trading, and the importance of public speaking in his current role. Cameron also provides insights into the vibrant Go community and the future of the language. Whether you’re interested in career transitions, programming, or the world of law and technology, this episode offers valuable lessons from an inspiring story.

00:00 Introduction

03:43 The Go Programming Language and its Community

9:50 First Memory of a Computer

16:10 Early Interest in Programming and Website Building

24:02 Balancing AP Classes and Pursuing Interests

28:38 Following His Passion for Computer Science  

37:30 Internships During University

43:05 Selling His Website to e-front

48:00 Becoming a Lawyer

01:03:11 Exploring a New Career Path

01:14:02 Becoming a Product Manager at Google

01:17:09 Joining the Go Team

1:24:10 Contact Info

Connect with Cameron: 

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/cameronbalahan

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

Mentioned in today’s episode:

Golang: https://go.dev/

Google: https://www.google.com/about/careers/

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