Summary
In this episode of the Overcommitted Podcast, host Bethany and co-hosts Erika and Brittany welcome Rick Turoczy, a veteran in the Portland tech startup scene. They discuss Rick's journey from a hobbyist developer to a key supporter of startup founders, the unique culture of Portland's tech community, and the importance of mental health for founders. Rick shares insights on the challenges of being a founder, the evolution of startup culture, and the role of PIE in supporting startups. The conversation also touches on local recommendations and the vibrant community in Portland.
Takeaways
- Learning how to learn is a crucial skill for navigating the startup world.
- Portland's tech scene is characterized by a unique culture of humility and creativity.
- Founders often face significant mental health challenges and need support systems.
- The PIE initiative aims to foster collaboration between startups and established organizations.
- Mistakes are a part of the learning process for founders, and experimentation is key.
- The startup landscape has evolved, making it easier to build products but harder to sell them.
- The challenges of being a founder are often underestimated, leading to burnout.
- Understanding the difference between wanting to build a product and wanting to build a company is crucial for founders.
Links
PIE Cookbook: https://github.com/piepdx/pie-cookbook/blob/master/docs/pie-cookbook-0.9.md
Powell’s City of Books: https://www.powells.com/bookstore/powells-city-of-books?srsltid=AfmBOoqCGKjvdY5g6DowX0ReNqRlLARxeI5WKwGyc8P0Pq3O8j9Fd0NQ
Deadstock Coffee: https://deadstockcoffee.com/?srsltid=AfmBOopNiNhvGUigNJxASlm97jUCcSb6l36xCJ6sZF6mRIkyIseejJQy
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In this episode of the Overcommitted Podcast, Erika and Brittany delve into the concept of flow state in software development, exploring its significance for productivity and job satisfaction. They share personal experiences of achieving flow, discuss the balance between challenge and skill, and highlight the importance of psychological safety and team dynamics. The conversation also touches on managing interruptions, the role of pair programming, and strategies for improving flow state within teams. The episode concludes with a fun quiz to engage listeners in reflecting on their own flow experiences.
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In this episode of the Overcommitted Podcast, host Brittany Ellich and co-hosts Bethany and Erika welcome Thomas Dohmke, former CEO of GitHub. They discuss Thomas's journey in software development, pivotal moments in his career, the importance of passion and continuous learning, and advice for overcoming career stagnation. The conversation also touches on the future of software development, particularly the impact of AI, and concludes with a fun round of questions about LEGO.
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SummaryIn this episode of the Overcommitted Podcast, host Erika and co-hosts Bethany and Brittany Ellich engage in a conversation with Don McKinnon, founder of Searchcraft. They discuss Don's journey in software engineering, the challenges faced while building Searchcraft, and the unique features that make it accessible for developers of all levels. The conversation also touches on the integration of AI, market competition, and the path to founding a startup, concluding with a fun segment about walkout songs.Takeaways
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In this episode of the Overcommitted Podcast, hosts Brittany Ellich and Erika engage with Brad Heller, co-founder and CTO of Tower, discussing his journey from software engineer to startup founder. They explore the evolution of software engineering careers, the challenges of entrepreneurship, and the skills necessary for success in the tech industry. Brad shares insights on the importance of aligning passions with work, the realities of startup life, and advice for aspiring engineers. The conversation also touches on the impact of AI on coding and the importance of understanding the fundamentals of software development.
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In this episode of the Overcommitted Podcast, hosts Bethany and Brittany discuss their experiences at recent tech conferences, including Cascadia JS and GopherCon. They reflect on their goals from the past quarter, sharing successes and challenges, and set new objectives for the upcoming quarter. The conversation also touches on the importance of community engagement and personal development in the tech industry, culminating in a fun segment where they share ideas for potential TED talks.
Takeaways
The importance of community in tech events.
Reflecting on past goals helps in personal growth.
Engagement in newsletters can shift focus from self-promotion to sharing others' work.
Attending conferences can provide fresh insights and networking opportunities.
Setting realistic goals is crucial, especially during busy times.
Public speaking can be a rewarding experience despite initial anxiety.
Finding enjoyment in activities is essential for long-term commitment.
Quarterly retrospectives can help realign personal and professional goals.
Exploring new interests can lead to unexpected opportunities.
Community engagement is vital for mental well-being in remote work environments.
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In this episode of the Overcommited podcast, the hosts engage in a deep conversation with Indrajith Premanath, an engineer at GitHub, who shares his journey of transitioning from an individual contributor to an engineering manager during an interim manager role while his manager was on leave. Indrajith discusses the challenges and lessons learned during his six-month stint as an interim manager, emphasizing the importance of team dynamics, transparency, and personal growth. The conversation also touches on career aspirations, technical interests, and the significance of building strong relationships within a team. Indrajith offers valuable advice for future managers and reflects on his childhood aspirations, providing a well-rounded perspective on his career journey.
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In this episode of the Overcommitted podcast, host Brittany Ellich and co-hosts Erika, Bethany, and Jonathan Tamsut engage in a conversation with Annie Sexton, a developer advocate at fly.io. They explore Annie's unique journey into developer advocacy, her approach to education and community building, and the importance of teaching techniques in the tech industry. The discussion also delves into the role of AI in learning and development, as well as personal interests outside of software engineering, highlighting the multifaceted lives of software professionals.
Takeaways
Annie Sexton transitioned from software engineering to developer advocacy through her passion for education.
Developer advocacy involves community building, education, and marketing to developers.
Education is a powerful tool for building trust with an audience.
Asking basic questions is crucial for effective teaching and learning.
AI can be a valuable resource for research and learning, but fact-checking is essential.
Understanding the audience's knowledge level is key to effective communication.
Annie emphasizes the importance of storytelling in education and advocacy.
The journey to becoming a developer advocate can be unconventional and varied.
Engaging content can attract a wider audience beyond just product promotion.
Personal interests and hobbies contribute to a well-rounded life as a software engineer.
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In this episode of the Overcommitted Podcast, Brittany, Erika, and Jonathan delve into the complex relationship between software engineering, social media, and ethics. They explore their personal experiences with social media, the evolution of algorithms, and the monetization strategies that have transformed platforms into profit-driven entities. The conversation highlights the societal impacts of social media, particularly on mental health, and discusses the responsibilities of engineers in creating user-centered designs. They also consider potential regulatory measures, such as profit caps, and the need for a code of ethics in software engineering to mitigate harm.
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Join Bethany, Erika, and Brittany as they dive into the art of storytelling in tech — and discover why your next presentation or documentation doesn't have to be boring! From the visual wizardry of Astro's docs to Julia Evans' beloved wizard zines, this episode explores how great technical communication combines compelling narratives with clear information. Whether you're crafting a lightning talk (like Bethany's upcoming NeoVim presentation at GopherCon!), writing PR descriptions that tell a story, or trying to hook your audience from the very first sentence, you'll learn practical techniques for making complex concepts engaging and accessible. Plus, hear why AI-generated content might be "an act of war" on people's time, discover the power of self-deprecation and visual storytelling, and enjoy a hilarious developer-themed mad libs featuring thrown staplers and flappy outcomes. Perfect for anyone who wants to level up their technical communication game!
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In this episode of the Overcommitted Podcast, the hosts discuss the role of gamification in software development, exploring how it can influence learning, creativity, and project management. They delve into the psychological aspects of fear of failure, the importance of trial and error, and the balance between external and internal motivation. The conversation also touches on the potential trade-offs of gamification and the significance of celebrating efforts within a team culture. The episode concludes with a fun segment where the hosts share their favorite video game characters.
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In this episode of the Overcommitted Podcast, hosts Jonathan, Brittany, and Erika delve into the exciting world of AI agents. They explore the potential of AI agents in software engineering, their functionality, and the challenges of building and categorizing them. The conversation also touches on the future of job searching and personal development through AI, emphasizing the need for a more personalized and effective approach to technology and learning.
Takeaways
- AI agents represent a new paradigm in problem-solving.
- AI agents can offload cognitive tasks.
- User experience with AI agents needs to be redefined.
- AI agents can be tailored to specific domains for better results.
- Defining success metrics is crucial when building AI agents.
- Job searching processes are outdated and need innovation.
- AI can assist in personal development and career growth.
- Customizable search engines could enhance information retrieval.
- The role of human bias in hiring processes is significant.
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In this episode of the Overcommitted Podcast, the hosts discuss the concept of personal branding for software developers. They explore what a personal brand means, the importance of authenticity, and how to build visibility within the tech community. The conversation highlights the balance between promoting oneself and staying true to one's values, as well as the challenges faced by individuals in a male-dominated industry. The hosts also share their thoughts on admired personal brands in tech, emphasizing the significance of community and mentorship.
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In this episode of the Overcommitted podcast, hosts Bethany, Brittany, and Erika engage with guest Nick Gerakines to explore the intricacies of the AT Protocol, its implications for user data ownership, and the evolution of social media platforms. They discuss the importance of user control, the concept of a credible exit from platforms, and the development journey of applications built on the AT Protocol. The conversation also touches on the complexities of OAuth in modern applications and the significance of community involvement in open source projects.
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In this episode of the Overcommitted Podcast, hosts Erika, Bethany, and Brittany Ellich interview Alec Breton, Cole Hartman, and Doris Wang, a mentor and two summer interns from GitHub, to discuss the importance of mentorship in tech internships. They explore what defines a successful internship, the structure of the internship program, and the dynamics of mentorship relationships. The conversation also delves into the significance of psychological safety in fostering a productive learning environment, the balance between using AI tools and personal learning, and offers advice for aspiring interns and mentors. The episode concludes with a fun segment where guests share their ideal mentors.
Takeaways
A successful internship is about learning and contributing.
Interns should feel comfortable asking questions.
Psychological safety is crucial for growth.
Being a good mentee is also important.
Use AI as a tool, not a crutch.
Be your authentic self in interviews.
Building trust is essential in mentorship.
Understanding the product is key before coding.
Mentorship is about leading and learning together.
Links
Connect with Cole Hartman
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Summary
In this episode of the Overcommitted Podcast, host Jonathan Tamsut and co-hosts Brittany Ellich and Bethany engage in a deep conversation with Jennifer Harris, founder and CEO of Technology Management Concepts. They explore Jennifer's journey into entrepreneurship, the evolution of her role as a CEO, and the unique challenges faced by women in tech. The discussion touches on imposter syndrome, the importance of networking, and the dynamics of gender in the workplace, particularly in relation to AI and technology. Jennifer shares valuable insights and advice for women in tech, emphasizing the need for self-advocacy and the importance of building relationships. The episode concludes with reflections on the future of AI and the opportunities it presents for women in business.
Takeaways
Jennifer's journey began with a passion for solutions and technology.
Entrepreneurship requires resilience and adaptability.
Imposter syndrome is a common challenge for folks in leadership.
Women often face unique challenges in the tech workplace.
Self-advocacy is essential for folks in tech.
Building relationships is key to professional growth.
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In this episode of the Overcommitted Podcast, Brittany Ellich and her co-hosts engage with Ross Brodbeck, a software engineer at GitHub, to explore the critical topic of software availability. They discuss the definitions of availability, reliability, and uptime, and delve into frameworks for improving availability in software systems. The conversation covers proactive versus reactive approaches to availability, the business impact of availability, and the hidden costs associated with downtime. Ross shares insights on creating effective availability programs, the role of incident commanders, and emerging technologies that may shape the future of availability in software engineering. The episode concludes with book recommendations for software engineers looking to deepen their understanding of the field.
Takeaways
Availability is subjective and varies by organization.
Observability is crucial for understanding production behavior.
Proactive measures can help prevent availability issues.
On-call burnout is a significant cost to organizations.
Understanding business needs is key to defining availability.
SLOs help in measuring and reporting availability effectively.
Incident commanders play a vital role in managing incidents.
Game days and playbooks are essential for preparedness.
Hidden costs of downtime include loss of customer trust.
Emerging technologies like AI may change availability management.
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In this episode of the Overcommitted Podcast, hosts Bethany, Jonathan, Brittany, and Erika reflect on their goals for the second quarter, sharing successes and challenges. They discuss lessons learned, personal growth, and strategies for improvement. The conversation also touches on their personal interests and hobbies, culminating in an exciting announcement about the launch of the new tech book club.
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In this episode of the Overcommitted Podcast, the hosts discuss the intricacies of pull requests, focusing on the reviewer mindset, crafting effective pull requests, and managing the review workflow. They share insights from Brittany's recent conference experience and delve into best practices for both reviewing and creating pull requests. The conversation highlights the importance of communication within teams, the impact of reviews, and the balance between thoroughness and efficiency in the review process. The episode concludes with a light-hearted discussion on pet peeves and positive aspects of PR reviews.
Takeaways
The impact of a review is more important than personal preferences.
As a reviewer, focus on unblocking colleagues and improving code quality.
Automate style checks with CI to streamline the review process.
PRs should be as small as possible to reduce cognitive load.
Include context in PRs to aid understanding for reviewers.
Set clear expectations with your team regarding review timelines.
Use PRs as a learning opportunity for both reviewers and contributors.
Document decisions and discussions within PRs for future reference.
Encourage a blameless culture around PR approvals.
Positive feedback in reviews fosters a supportive team environment.
Links
The Balanced Engineer Newsletter: Code reviews - A how to guide: https://archives.balancedengineer.com/archive/code-reviews-a-how-to-guide/
The Balanced Engineer Newsletter: Code reviews - Writing good PRs: https://archives.balancedengineer.com/archive/code-reviews-writing-good-prs/
The Balanced Engineer Newsletter: Code reviews - Managing review workload: https://archives.balancedengineer.com/archive/code-reviews-managing-review-workload/
Erika’s PR Template: https://github.com/eggyhead/obsidian-public/blob/main/templates/pr-review-note.md
Ben Balter: How I manage GitHub notifications: https://ben.balter.com/2020/08/25/how-i-manage-github-notifications/
Hosts
Bethany Janos: https://github.com/bethanyj28
Brittany Ellich: https://brittanyellich.com
Summary
In this episode of the Overcommitted Podcast, hosts Jonathan Tamsut, Brittany Ellich, Bethany, and Erika delve into the predictions made by the AI Futures Project regarding the future of artificial intelligence by 2027. They discuss the potential for AI to self-improve, the implications of an AI arms race, and the importance of regulation in ensuring safe AI development. The conversation also touches on the risks of AI misalignment with human values, the future of work in an AI-driven world, and the influence of corporate interests on AI regulation. The hosts conclude by assessing the probability of existential risks posed by AI, known as P-Doom, and the need for a code of ethics in the tech industry.
Takeaways
The AI Futures Project predicts significant advancements in AI by 2027.
AI models may train themselves, leading to recursive self-improvement.
Regulation is crucial to prevent potential risks associated with AI.
Misalignment of AI with human values poses serious risks.
The future of work may shift towards managing AI agents rather than coding.
Corporate interests may hinder the safe development of AI technologies.
The concept of P-Doom assesses the existential risks of AI.
A code of ethics for software developers could be more effective than government regulation.
The conversation highlights skepticism towards aggressive AI predictions.
The hosts express concerns about the implications of AI on society.
Links
Hosts
Bethany Janos: https://github.com/bethanyj28
Brittany Ellich: https://brittanyellich.com
