I read “How Google Works” by Eric Schmidt and Jonathan Rosenberg a few years back, and one concept has stuck with me like gum on a conference room chair: “Knaves.” These are smart people who are utterly self-serving, putting their own interests above everything else—including basic human decency, the company mission, and probably their own mothers if it meant getting a corner office. I’ve met far too many in my career, and honestly, they could form their own networking group called “Narcissists Anonymous” (though they’d never admit they had a problem).

LinkedIn started as a brilliant concept: a digital space for actual networking, job hunting, and sharing genuinely useful industry insights. Fast-forward to today, and it’s become a dystopian hellscape where everyone is a “thought leader” who “thrives in fast-paced environments” and has apparently never made a mistake in their entire career. The platform is now drowning in corporate speak so thick you need subtitles. We’ve created a business language that’s basically English wearing a suit and pretending to be important.

Celebrating a Decade of Kubernetes in Raleigh This past June, the tech world marked a major milestone: Kubernetes turned 10! I was lucky enough to join the festivities at a local event here in Raleigh, hosted by the incredible Carlos Santana. Tech enthusiasts from across North Carolina gathered at the stunning new Bandwidth Campus to celebrate this open-source powerhouse. The event was a fantastic opportunity to connect with fellow techies who share a passion for Kubernetes.