Anne Steinhaus, Head of Product at C2FO, joins Zach on today's episode. Like many we've interviewed, Anne's career path was quite circuitous (thanks, Anne, for the vocab word). Believe it or not, she started out as a biochem major, working in a lab her first year post-grad before changing course to data analysis/marketing. After a few years and two cross-country moves, a recruiter introduced her to Product Management, and Anne found her niche.

From startups to Trip Advisor and now finally at C2FO, Anne brings a great deal of heart, passion, and forward-thinking to her product teams. Anne gives great advice to aspiring tech leaders, touching on authority vs influence, analysis paralysis, ambiguity, and much more. No matter your career goals or path, Anne's insight is valuable; there's something here for everyone. 

Key takeaways include...

1. Take Risks: Don't be afraid to step out of your comfort zone and try new things, as some of the most rewarding experiences come from taking risks.
2. Find Mentors: Seek out mentors who can offer guidance, advice, and open doors for you throughout your career.
3. Always Be Learning: Stay up-to-date with new trends and technologies by reading articles, attending conferences, and taking courses to continuously grow in your career.
4. Embrace Diversity: Recognize the importance of diversity and inclusion in the tech industry to create better products and outcomes for everyone.

Key takeaways for quick consumption:

1. Always stay current with evolving technologies and never stop learning.
2. Build relationships through user groups, meetups, and conferences to open up new opportunities.
3. Be open to change and willing to pivot your career path when necessary.

And for more thought-provoking technical insights, be sure to follow Keyhole Software:

• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIxH47xfE1O_nUk3-nOtDj_C0vQlErplv 
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/keyhole-software
• Twitter: @KeyholeSoftware

Find even more Keyhole content on our website (https://keyholesoftware.com/).

About Anne:

Anne Steinhaus is a product leader and problem solver with a history of guiding companies to success. Her pedigree includes everything from startups to large enterprises, like Trip Advisors. She is passionate about product management and believes in leading through influence and by example. In addition to her professional pursuits, she is an avid runner and a dedicated mother.

Find Anne on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annesteinhaus/

Raise your hand if your first venture into programming was building a farming simulator complete with livestock, crops, market prices, microloans, interest rates, and even weather at age 12. Anyone's hand go up? We know for sure that Matt Ruwe's did! He may have started back in middle school on an old IBM machine, but he didn't stop there.

Matt's clear passion for coding has colored his career and really carried him up the ladder from junior engineer to consultant to senior strategist at Kiewit. On this episode of Next Level, Zach dives into Matt's story, opinions, and values. Come along with us as we learn how from his experiences and insight.

Key takeaways for quick consumption:

1. Always stay current with evolving technologies and never stop learning.
2. Build relationships through user groups, meetups, and conferences to open up new opportunities.
3. Be open to change and willing to pivot your career path when necessary.

And for more thought-provoking technical insights, be sure to follow Keyhole Software:

• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIxH47xfE1O_nUk3-nOtDj_C0vQlErplv 
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/keyhole-software
• Twitter: @KeyholeSoftware

Find even more Keyhole content on our website (https://keyholesoftware.com/).

About Matt:

Matt Ruwe is a passionate software architect, developer, mentor, and community leader with over 25 years of professional experience. He excels in leading high-performing software development teams to address complex business challenges and is dedicated to actively contributing to and guiding technology communities. His primary career goal is to create enduring, transformative software systems for organizations.

Matt's passion for fostering technical communities has been a driving force in my career. Since 2008, he has been the principal leader of the Omaha .NET User’s Group, and under his guidance, the group has grown to include over 1,200 software developers. The Omaha .NET User’s Group is renowned for its longstanding presence and unwavering commitment to the Omaha development community.

Find Matt on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattruwe/ 

In the latest episode of Next Level, Zach has the pleasure of chatting with Tom Hill, Engineering Director at Corsearch, about his career journey and insights into tech leadership. Key takeaways for this week's episode include... 

Non-Linear Career Paths: Tom shares his non-traditional journey into tech, starting as a creative and transitioning through various roles, including graphic design and UX/UI design, before finding his niche in software engineering and management.

Internationalization Challenges: Developing software across countries, cultures, and languages is tough! Tom highlights the importance of prioritizing people over purely technical solutions.

Communication is Key: We know this!! Effective communication is critical in solving both technical and non-technical challenges. It's increasingly important to understand the business domain and effectively sell technical solutions to stakeholders.

Personal Touch: On a lighter note, we get to see Tom's passion for guitars. Remember, it's not all about code and algorithms; sometimes, a little creativity and music can spark innovation!

And for more thought-provoking technical insights, be sure to follow Keyhole Software:

• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIxH47xfE1O_nUk3-nOtDj_C0vQlErplv 
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/keyhole-software
• Twitter: @KeyholeSoftware

Find even more Keyhole content on our website (https://keyholesoftware.com/).

About Tom:

As a seasoned software executive, Tom Hill embodies a transformative leadership style, relentlessly challenging the status quo and igniting innovation within the dynamic and fast-paced startup ecosystem. His passion lies in the conception and development of groundbreaking SaaS solutions, pushing the limits of technology to deliver unparalleled user experiences.

Find Tom on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomhill-uk/ 

Today, Zach talks to Jody Claggett, current Manager of Data Operations at Vail Health, life-long learner, data enthusiast, and (plot twist) culinary school graduate and former restauranteur! Jody and Zach walk through Jody's career path, from tech support to manager (and all the steps in between). Key takeaways for devs watching include...

🔑 Find ways to learn and grow in any way possible. As someone without a traditional college education, Jody's journey highlights the importance of self-education and continuous learning.

🔑 Be resilient and adaptable. Learn how to embrace change and take hold of opportunity even if it's unexpected (like a detour into the culinary world).

🔑 Learn how to recognize others' strengths and talents. As a manager, Jody emphasizes the importance of understanding people in fostering a productive and efficient team environment.

🔑 Embrace new tools for maximized efficiency. Don't get stuck in old habits! Stay open to new techs that can revolutionize problem-solving processes and code.

And for more thought-provoking technical insights, be sure to follow Keyhole Software:

• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIxH47xfE1O_nUk3-nOtDj_C0vQlErplv 
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/keyhole-software
• Twitter: @KeyholeSoftware

Find even more Keyhole content on our website (https://keyholesoftware.com/).

About Jody:

Jody Claggett is a passionate Data Solution Architect with a journey spanning over 20 years in the realm of data and technology. His career has been a blend of innovation, leadership, and a deep-seated love for making data speak.

At heart, he is a storyteller. Whether it's through data analytics, AI strategy, or predictive analytics, his goal is to narrate a tale that not only informs but inspires. His expertise extends across various domains, including the thrilling world of generative AI, the critical field of AI in healthcare, and the ever-evolving landscape of DataOps and data engineering.

Jody on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jodyclaggett/

Today on Next Level, Zach talks to Sascha Goldsmith, the Quantum Knight's CTO. Sascha shares about his unconventional path to becoming a CTO, shaped by self-taught experiences and diverse professional roles. Sascha's narrative emphasizes resilience, problem-solving skills, and a willingness to learn from setbacks as essential qualities for success in the technology industry.

Zach and Sascha encourage aspiring developers to embrace unconventional paths and cultivate a mindset of lifelong learning to navigate the dynamic landscape of technology effectively. If you're looking to take the next step in your career, Sascha's suggestions are invaluable. And for more thought-provoking technical insights, be sure to follow Keyhole Software:

• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIxH47xfE1O_nUk3-nOtDj_C0vQlErplv 
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/keyhole-software
• Twitter: @KeyholeSoftware

Find even more Keyhole content on our website (https://keyholesoftware.com/).

Take your career to the "Next Level" with Zach Gardner, Chief Architect at Keyhole Software, featuring Matt Menzenski, Principal Data Engineer at PayIt. Matt shares his experiences coming from a non-traditional background into programming (starting in Slavic linguistic corpus analysis) for one of the largest providers in the US of software to municipalities. Matt gives his advice to the next generation of tech leaders, how to use the skills gained in a non-traditional background to your advantage.

If you're looking to take the next step in your career, Matt's suggestions are invaluable. And for more thought-provoking technical insights, be sure to follow Keyhole Software:

• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIxH47xfE1O_nUk3-nOtDj_C0vQlErplv 
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/keyhole-software
• Twitter: @KeyholeSoftware

Find even more Keyhole content on our website (https://keyholesoftware.com/).

Find Matt on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/menzenski/ 

Join Zach Gardner, Chief Architect @ Keyhole Software, as he sits down with Jesse Tayler, CTO @ TruAnon and inventor of the App Store, to discuss his career journey. Jesse recalls how he got into programming with "borrowed" chips from MIT, through his foray into Internet-based food delivery, into novel use cases for GenAI in 2024. He also tells the story of when he presented the App Store to Steve Jobs. Jesse concludes with his advice to other introverts on how to become a CTO.

Like, Subscribe, and Follow:

• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIxH47xfE1O_nUk3-nOtDj_C0vQlErplv 
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/keyhole-software
• Twitter: @KeyholeSoftware

Find even more Keyhole content on our website (https://keyholesoftware.com/).

About Jesse:

Jesse Tayler has a storied career in Silicon Valley as the startup, crypto inventor of the first App Store, which he personally demonstrated to Steve Jobs in 1993. His work spans digital solutions from pioneering early-web solutions to modern online identity verification, marking him as one of the most generally prolific software inventors of his time. His work includes the first ever private equity trading platform on the web and pioneering the first geo-coded food delivery, also a Steve Jobs-related startup and curated in the Smithsonian Institute under inventions of the 20th century. Jesse's lifelong contributions are widely recognized for changing the world of computing, with popular inventions showcasing the impact of his larger-than-life role. Jesse is a book author relating to expert software process and is retained for talks on technology, training, and coaching for startups in their early and growth phase. Jesse is also a musician with a composition currently streamed on Spotify and iTunes.

Welcome to Next Level: A Videocast for Aspiring Engineers with Keyhole Software's Chief Architect, Zach Gardner. This series is dives into the pivotal question every software engineer faces: What direction should my career take? Like many of us, Zach grappled with this dilemma until he found guidance from incredible mentors. Now, Next Level brings these insights to you.

Zach interviews tech leaders, delving into their diverse career paths and success stories. Spoiler: careers in tech rarely follow a straight line! Discover the stories, challenges, and strategies behind these industry giants, all aimed at helping you map out your own journey. 

First episode dropping soon! Subscribe on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to podcasts. The next chapter of your tech career starts here.