Episodes

  • How Shadow-Soft is Helping its Customers Solve Technology Challenges

    How Shadow-Soft is Helping its Customers Solve Technology Challenges
    Mar 29 2023
    What's your biggest and hairiest technology challenge?

    Listen to this Fireside Chat, where Nick Marcarelli and Ross Beard discuss some of the top challenges faced by enterprise organizations.

    Learn how Shadow-Soft solves these challenges for customers, including specific examples and key insights. Discover more about what Shadow-Soft invests in to support its customers on their Kubernetes Maturity Journey.

    Learn more about Shadow-Soft and download the free framework at shadow-soft.com
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    27 mins
  • Solving the Kubernetes Talent Shortage

    Solving the Kubernetes Talent Shortage
    Feb 28 2023
    Attracting Kubernetes talent is hard but not impossible. In this episode, Ross Beard returns to the podcast to turn the tables on host Nick Marcarelli. We discuss ideas on why there’s a Kubernetes skills shortage and learn about some creative things that companies are doing to solve this problem.

    Nick shares insights on what Shadow-Soft is doing to attract and retain top talent, and we dig into a recent prediction from Linkedin’s COO, Daniel Shapero, who thinks now is the time for non-tech companies to compete for technical talent they previously struggled to attract.

    Learn more about Shadow-Soft’s Kubernetes Academy: https://academy.shadow-soft.com/
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    30 mins
  • Inheriting Kubernetes Day 1

    Inheriting Kubernetes Day 1
    Dec 13 2022
    A lifelong developer that discovers the power of Kubernetes, that’s how Robert Kozak, DevOps Architect at Emburse, story begins. Today, Robert is the Kubernetes expert at Emburse, an expense and invoice management SaaS company.

    What happens when a career developer discovers the power of Kubernetes? Robert Kozak, a DevOps Architect for Emburse, has been living that story for the last 3 years. This journey, which is an overwhelming success, has significant forks in the road and requires significant time and care. The transformation at Emburse is highlighted by training investments, road map decisions, and the curiosity to make Kubernetes a part of the solution.

    Join us as we discuss:
    -What it was like for Robert to wrangle in Kubernetes at Emburse
    -Which steps to take for a Kubernetes transition
    -Applying software development frameworks like 12factor.net
    -Being intentional about exploring the bleeding edge Kubernetes ecosystem
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    30 mins
  • Feature Flags and Toggle Management Reduce Developer Stress and Increase Productivity

    Feature Flags and Toggle Management Reduce Developer Stress and Increase Productivity
    Nov 29 2022
    Code changes are inevitable, but what if deployments could be performed without significant stress to the development team? Feature flags and toggle management make this dream a reality. 

    In this episode, we speak to Sara Mazer, the Federal CTO of LaunchDarkly. LaunchDarkly is the leader in feature flag and toggle management helping federal government customers make changes to code deployments as dictated by public services.

    Join us as we discuss:
    Feature flag and toggle management benefits
    The impact on the developer experience
    How feature flag and toggle management have impacted federal agencies’ ability to provide citizen services
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    32 mins
  • Monolithic to Microservices

    Monolithic to Microservices
    Oct 11 2022
    Technology modernization requires patience and time. Without appropriate planning, thoughtful deployments, and a measured approach, customer experience can suffer when the inevitable occurs. The goal is to avoid that experience altogether.
    Peter Mourfield, Chief Technology Officer at TaxSlayer, LLC, has the answer. Peter’s team has worked to create a system for testing to consistently ensure their applications are seamless both at a security level and a functional level. Because it has to - even when there are millions of users accessing it.
    Join us as we discuss:
    How to be disciplined in the tech hype cycle 
    Leveraging modern approaches at the right speed
    Testing practices for the enterprise
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    29 mins
  • Innovation Series Part 3 - Viability

    Innovation Series Part 3 - Viability
    Sep 27 2022
    You’ve done the hard work, analyzed the statistics, garnered the support necessary to implement a big vision, and then… 
    “I really appreciate you pushing the envelope, but… do we even know that this is a problem?” 
    No worries! You’re prepared, because you have implemented a viable strategy that incorporates a tried and true approach to company wide buy-in.
    Kurt Baumberger, EVP, Strategy & Innovation at Shadow-Soft, and Nick chat about bringing that good idea to fruition and out the door in the last part of this special 3-parter. 
    Join us as we discuss:
    Handling resistance in the organization 
    The importance of company adoption
    Utilizing power users - collaborators ready to implement on day 1
    Figuring out what is desirable, what’s feasible, and making that idea viable.  


    For more of Kurt Baumberger, check out his book Innovation Navigation: How To Get From Idea To Reality In 90 Days.
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    33 mins
  • Innovation Series Part 2 - Feasibility

    Innovation Series Part 2 - Feasibility
    Sep 20 2022
    In order to determine feasibility you need to have the right people at the table. In this episode we discuss selecting the right people for your innovation session and potential pitfalls to avoid.

    Most importantly, what should you do about the hippo in the room? Kurt Baumberger, EVP, Strategy & Innovation at Shadow-Soft, is back with the answers in part 2 of this 3-part series in Innovation. 

    Join us as we discuss:
    How to get hundreds of ideas at your next brainstorming session
    Consistently generating holistic solutions
    Tackling your product backlog the right way
    Improving company buy-in!
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    31 mins
  • Innovation Series Part 1 - Desirability

    Innovation Series Part 1 - Desirability
    Sep 13 2022
    The most accurate way to find what you want is to define what you don’t want.

    The first step of driving innovation is desirability, according to Kurt Baumberger, EVP, Strategy & Innovation at Shadow Soft. The blueprint to innovation can be achieved leveraging a logical framework for moving fast and delivering a minimum viable product to test in the market.

    This is Part 1 of 3 with Kurt discussing how innovation can be developed in your company strategy.

    Join us as we discuss:
    Using an ethnography to identify pain points
    Steal like an artist
    Selecting a group of innovators



    Reference material: Innovation Navigation: How To Get From Idea To Reality In 90 Days 
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    36 mins