Working In Tech

On this episode of #WorkingInTech, we're talking to Eric “Doctor Dapper” Jones. Eric is a tech founder, cultural strategist, and entrepreneur building the future of community-driven experiences. He is the founder of Memberly, a platform helping event producers turn their audience into members and their events into ecosystems.Eric began his career in hospitality with The Outlet LA, curating upscale nightlife experiences for a community of over 50,000 professionals in Los Angeles. He later transitioned into tech with the acquisition of the event discovery platform ETA and the launch of Outlet Tech, where he develops AI-powered products merging hospitality, social connection, and automation.Eric will share his journey building Memberly, his approach to merging tech and culture, and advice for creating meaningful, sustainable experiences that connect people.𝕏 CONNECT WITH ME ON SOCIALS 𝕏

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Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedoctordapper

In this episode, we feature a Network Engineer with experience supporting large-scale network systems. Their work focuses on keeping complex networks reliable, secure, and efficient, including deploying critical infrastructure, improving performance, and using automation to streamline operations.With a background in Computer Information Systems and certifications such as CCNA and CISSP (with CCNP in progress), they bring a strong mix of technical skill and collaboration. They’ll share insights on working in high-pressure environments, growing as a network engineer, and building a long-term career in tech.𝕏 CONNECT WITH ME ON SOCIALS 𝕏Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/juwonthetechie/

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TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@juwonthetechieCONNECT WITH WALI

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wali-egal-cissp-511453203/

On this episode of #WorkingInTech, we’re talking to Alexandria, a Senior Program Manager at Google. With nine years of experience in tech, she’s worked at major companies like Amazon, Uber, PayPal, and now Google.While building her career in big tech, Alexandria also founded NoCeilings Career Consulting, where she helps people break into tech and business by improving their resumes, mastering interviews, and using AI for career growth. Her insights on resume gaps were recently featured in Business Insider.Alexandria will share her story of pivoting from operations to big tech, the lessons she’s learned along the way, and how you can build a career that fits your path.𝕏 CONNECT WITH ME ON SOCIALS 𝕏Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/juwonthetechie/Twitter: https://twitter.com/JuwonTheTechieThreads: https://www.threads.net/@juwonthetechieIG: https://www.instagram.com/juwonthetechie/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juwon-io/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@juwonthetechieCONNECT WITH ALEXANDRIALinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexandriasauls/

On this episode of #WorkingInTech, we’re talking to Modupe Akintan, a Privacy & AI Engineer at Amazon with a strong interest in tech policy.

Modupe went from being the top student in her Computer Engineering program in Nigeria to earning her Master’s at Stanford University and has since worked at major tech companies like Apple and Amazon.

She also helped build the Paragon Policy Fellowship, where she served as Director of Partnerships, using her passion for tech policy to make real impact.

Modupe will share her journey from Nigeria to Silicon Valley, lessons learned in privacy engineering and AI safety, and how you can chart your own path in tech.

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CONNECT WITH MODUPE

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/modupe-akintan/

Portfolio: https://github.com/ModupeAkintan

CHAPTERS

0:00 - Intro

1:40 - Why Tech?

6:20 - Privacy in Tech

12:45 - What is Privacy Engineering?

14:10 - Top Skills

17:01 - Privacy Tech Stack

21:03 - Prepping for the Big Leagues

23:30 - Doing it Without Stanford

26:10 - Getting into Tech Policy

30:35 - Fear of Rejection

45:20 - AI Privacy

57:50 - Why Tech Instead of Other Fields?

1:00:30 - Shoutouts

1:02:00 - Conclusion

The #WorkingInTech series follows the career journeys of thriving tech professionals. We unpack their stories to turn lessons learned into useful tips to help you make winning career moves.

On this episode of #WorkingInTech, we’re talking to Jarrett Albritton — a technology strategist, community builder, and entrepreneur with over a decade of experience in product, partnerships, and business development.

Jarrett has helped scale startups and enterprise projects in AI, SaaS, and workforce innovation, leading efforts that connect technology with opportunity. He’s passionate about helping underrepresented professionals break into and grow in tech.

He’s also the founder of Big Stage Energy, a platform and community that connects ambitious professionals to top conferences, recruiters, and speaking opportunities around the world.

Jarrett will share his journey building Big Stage Energy, lessons from working across the tech industry, and advice for turning access into real career advancement.

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CONNECT WITH JARRETT

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jarrettalbritton/

Website: http://direct.me/BigTechEnergy

CONNECT WITH TY

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tyrellsmith/

CHAPTERS

0:00 - Intro

3:25 - Taking the Non-traditional Path to Tech

5:58 - How to Break into Tech in 2025

9:46 - Big Stage Energy

17:00 - The Art of Networking

22:00 - Balancing Helping People with Your Goals

42:10 - Founder Events with Big Stage Energy

48:00 - Why Join Big Stage Energy?

53:05 - One Skill to Succeed in Tech

55:30 - Wildest Way to Get a Job

1:02:05 - Final Advice

1:07:37 - BSE Tech Conferences

1:12:15 - Conclusion

On this episode of #WorkingInTech, we’re talking to Sandra Mosquera Vargas. Sandra is an Afro-Colombian immigrant and award-winning tech executive with nearly a decade of experience leading technical product teams at Fortune 500 companies, including Thomson Reuters, Comcast, and JPMorgan Chase.

An expert in API integration, reliability engineering, and operational excellence, Sandra delivers scalable digital solutions that benefit millions worldwide. Passionate about social impact, she also co-founded Latinas in Tech Philadelphia, empowering underrepresented communities through technology.

Sandra will share her journey as a tech leader, lessons from working at global companies, and insights on creating opportunities for others in tech.

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CONNECT WITH SANDRA

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandrammosquera/

Website: https://www.sandramosquera.com/

CHAPTERS

0:00 - Intro

0:40 - Why Tech?

3:30 - Building Technical Knowledge

6:49 - Product Management

13:15 - Who can be a PM?

15:00 - Common Issues PMs Face

22:15 - An SVP

26:25 - Understanding Customers

41:50 - Breaking into Product in 2025

54:00 - Bad Products

57:00 - Latinas in Tech

1:03:39 - Shoutouts

1:05:00 - Conclusion

The #WorkingInTech series follows the career journeys of thriving tech professionals. We unpack their career stories to turn lessons learned into useful tips to help you make winning career moves.

On this episode of #WorkingInTech, we’re talking to Uma Abu. Uma is a Software Engineer at Netflix, where he works on large-scale distributed systems. He began his career at Microsoft and now shares his experience to help others grow in tech.

Through his social media channels, Uma creates content for software engineers — offering technical insights, career tips, and practical advice for learning and navigating the tech industry.

Uma will share his journey from Microsoft to Netflix, how he builds distributed systems at scale, and advice for engineers looking to level up their skills and careers.

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IG: https://www.instagram.com/juwonthetechie/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juwon-io/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@juwonthetechie

CONNECT WITH UMA

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/umaabu/

Coaching and Courses: https://umacodes.com/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@umacodes

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/umacodes/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/UmaAbu

CHAPTERS

0:00 - Intro

1:20 - Why Tech?

10:00 - Building Consistency

14:30 - Tech Stack

16:50 - Misconceptions about SWE

19:30 - Are CS degrees overrated?

23:00 - SWE Interviews

28:42 - Picking a Right Path

32:15 - FAANG

34:35 - Getting a Job in 2025

42:50 - Networking

51:00 - Going the Extra Mile

53:30 - Certifications

57:00 - Learning Right

1:09:03 - Final Words

1:11:53 - Conclusion

On this episode of #WorkingInTech, we’re talking to Desiree Weston. Des is proof that it’s never too late to pivot into tech. After a successful career in accounting and enterprise software, she is now becoming a Cloud Engineer with a focus on AI/ML.

She’s currently working on AWS certifications and building AI/ML projects powered by AWS, while also sharing her journey on YouTube and social media to inspire other Black and Brown women to break into tech.

Des is also the co-host of Commit & Slay, a podcast that highlights the stories of women of color making their mark in tech and business. She will share her story of starting fresh in tech, her approach to learning cloud and AI/ML, and how she’s using her platform to inspire others to make bold career moves.

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TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@juwonthetechieCONNECT WITH DES

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/desiree-weston/

CHAPTERS

0:00 - Intro

1:30 - Why Cloud Engineering?

4:38 - Why Tech?

7:45 - Pivoting into Tech

15:30 - Committing to a Mid-career Switch

23:30 - Challenging Yourself & Accountability

29:15 - Getting the first Tech Job

37:49 - Finding Your Dream Career

1:01:05 - Starting in Cloud Engineering

1:04:15 - Final Words

1:07:00 - Conclusion

On this episode of #WorkingInTech, we're talking to Chuks C-Madu. Chuks is a Site Reliability Engineer with experience at top companies like LinkedIn and Netflix. He also spent three years as the founder of Manful Health, a men’s mental health startup.

Passionate about mentoring, Chuks teaches people how to break into the industry by leveraging their authentic stories with employers. Guided by his belief in practical execution and “creating your own luck,” he aims to inspire others to build careers that reflect who they are.

Chuks will share his journey across tech and entrepreneurship, insights on mentorship, and advice on how to create your own opportunities in the industry.𝕏 CONNECT WITH ME ON SOCIALS 𝕏

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TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@juwonthetechieCONNECT WITH CHUKS

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ccmadu/

Website: http://www.manfulhealth.com/

CHAPTERS

0:00 - Intro

1:20 - Why Tech?

4:40 - Breaking into SRE Without a Degree

6:20 - Skills you need in SRE

12:15 - Communication

18:00 - Business Knowledge in Tech

29:50 - The Personality Type for SRE

37:30 - Networking

46:00 - Asking the Right Questions

53:40 - Career Progression

56:40 - Resume Review

1:00:40 - Final Words

1:01:40 - Conclusion

On this episode of #WorkingInTech, we’re talking to Kierra Dotson. Kierra is a multi-disciplinary technologist with experience in data, cloud engineering, cloud DevOps, and artificial intelligence.

As a data + AI practitioner, speaker, and startup founder, she’s on a mission to make the field more accessible and help people successfully pivot into tech.

Through her platforms on Substack, Twitter, LinkedIn, TikTok, and Instagram, Kierra brings culture, creativity, and accessibility into conversations about technology. She also leads The Data Bloq, a consulting and career coaching firm where she has guided hundreds of professionals to secure new roles, promotions, and lasting career growth.

Kierra will share her journey building in data and AI, why accessibility in tech matters, and the lessons she’s learned coaching professionals into thriving careers.

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CONNECT WITH KIERRA

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kierra-dotson-8a2b05111/

Newsletter: https://dataconversationalist.substack.com/

CHAPTERS

0:00 - Intro

1:10 - Why Tech?

7:30 - Being a Self-starter

13:02 - Getting the First Opportunity

17:12 - Should I Learn to Code?

24:20 - Discovering Love for Tech

29:30 - The Art of Not Knowing & Impostor Syndrome

34:57 - AI in Home Appliances

42:09 - Tech Roles in FinTech

47:30 - Sacrifices and Hard Work

1:01:05 - Shoutouts

1:04:25 - Conclusion