Coolest Nerds in the Room: Recent Episodes
InfoSteph and Madblkman
Join tech engineers Stephanie and CoolBlkNerd for their weekly podcast highlighting other cool nerds in the industry, what it's like to be underrepresented in tech, and how they keep their sanity while trying to advance their career. From salary negotiations to office politics, these two millennial's are popping the lid off of the industry by having honest conversations on what they have and are still going through today.
This week, the coolest nerds dissect their personal stances on dreaming verses goal getting. Reggie has visions (not dreams) and is a great planner who values time and building strong habits. Steph has been working on SMART goals and overhauling her personal systems. As usual, gems were dropped!
Huge shoutout to Podcorn for sponsoring this episode! Be sure to show them some love! You can start monetizing your podcast and connecting with sponsors here: https://podcorn.com/podcasters/
As always, your feedback is greatly appreciated. Have a guest suggestion? Want to provide feedback? Simply want to say 'Hey'? Send us an email at coolestnerdsintheroom@gmail.com.
Social MediaTwitter - @coolestnerdpod
IG - @coolestnerdsintheroom
Email - coolestnerdsintheroom@gmail.com
Steph on Twitter - @StephandSec
CoolBlkNerd on Twitter - @CoolBlkNerd
Resources
- Join our Patreon community or Buy us a coffee to let show us some love!
- Smart, But Scattered Guide to Success
- AllDayDevOps.com
- Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less
- Goodbye, Things: The New Japanese Minimalism
Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/coolestnerds)
This week's episode, the two coolest nerds sit down to discuss the onboarding process and their experiences with that while navigating careers in tech. CoolBlkNerd shares more about how nicely his new job is treating him. InfoSteph shares how she focuses on what she can control...or tries to. Most importantly, these two cool nerds are dropping some gems on what to expect during the onboarding process and what to do when it goes...unexpectedly.
Huge shoutout to Podcorn for being our first sponsor! Be sure to show them some love! You can start monetizing your podcast and connecting with sponsors here: https://podcorn.com/podcasters/
As always, your feedback is greatly appreciated. Have a guest suggestion? Want to provide feedback? Simply want to say 'Hey'? Send us an email at coolestnerdsintheroom@gmail.com.
Social MediaTwitter - @coolestnerdpod
IG - @coolestnerdsintheroom
Email - coolestnerdsintheroom@gmail.com
Steph on Twitter - @StephandSec
CoolBlkNerd on Twitter - @CoolBlkNerd
Resources
- Join our Patreon community or Buy us a coffee to let show us some love!
- ADHD template from Etsy that Steph discusses in the intro.
Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/coolestnerds)
This week, Reggie and Steph go over company culture, the lessons they've learned and the battle scars they've earned. What makes a good company culture? What makes a bad one? We explore all of that this week on the Coolest Nerds in the Room.
Please make sure you rate, review, and share the podcast with your friends! Your kindness helps us make the podcast better for listeners like YOU when you help get the word out!
Social MediaTwitter - @coolestnerdpod
IG - @coolestnerdsintheroom
Email - coolestnerdsintheroom@gmail.com
Steph on Twitter - @StephandSec
CoolBlkNerd on Twitter - @CoolBlkNerd
Resources
- Patreon and Buy us a coffee.
Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/coolestnerds)
This week we give everyone a update on exactly where Steph and CoolBlkNerd are at in their careers and what they're looking forward to going into the end of the year!
Please make sure you rate, review, and share the podcast with your friends! Your kindness helps us make the podcast better for listeners like YOU when you help get the word out!
Social MediaTwitter - @coolestnerdpod
IG - @coolestnerdsintheroom
Email - coolestnerdsintheroom@gmail.com
Steph on Twitter - @StephandSec
CoolBlkNerd on Twitter - @CoolBlkNerd
Resources
- Patreon and Buy us a coffee.
- Document filled with resources
- https://blacklivesmatter.com/
Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/coolestnerds)
This week, Steph and Coolblknerd talk about cleaning up old habits and bringing in better energy with new habits!
Please make sure you rate, review, and share the podcast with your friends! Your kindness helps us make the podcast better for listeners like YOU when you help get the word out!
Social MediaTwitter - @coolestnerdpod
IG - @coolestnerdsintheroom
Email - coolestnerdsintheroom@gmail.com
Steph on Twitter - @StephandSec
CoolBlkNerd on Twitter - @CoolBlkNerd
Resources
- Patreon and Buy us a coffee.
- Document filled with resources
- https://blacklivesmatter.com/
Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/coolestnerds)
This week, Steph and Coolblknerd talk about finding a therapist. From searching for one online to finding the right therapist to solve your specific problem, we chronicle our journeys to finding our therapist and all the speed bumps along the way.
Please make sure you rate, review, and share the podcast with your friends! Your kindness helps us make the podcast better for listeners like YOU when you help get the word out!
Social MediaTwitter - @coolestnerdpod
IG - @coolestnerdsintheroom
Email - coolestnerdsintheroom@gmail.com
Steph on Twitter - @StephandSec
CoolBlkNerd on Twitter - @CoolBlkNerd
Resources
- Patreon and Buy us a coffee.
- Document filled with resources
- https://blacklivesmatter.com/
Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/coolestnerds)
Every leader isn't a good one.
Please make sure you rate, review, and share the podcast with your friends! Your kindness helps us make the podcast better for listeners like YOU when you help get the word out!
Social MediaTwitter - @coolestnerdpod
IG - @coolestnerdsintheroom
Email - coolestnerdsintheroom@gmail.com
Steph on Twitter - @StephandSec
CoolBlkNerd on Twitter - @CoolBlkNerd
Resources
- Patreon and Buy us a coffee.
- Document filled with resources
- https://blacklivesmatter.com/
Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/coolestnerds)
Sometimes being the prey comes with benefits.
Please make sure you rate, review, and share the podcast with your friends! Your kindness helps us make the podcast better for listeners like YOU when you help get the word out!
Social MediaTwitter - @coolestnerdpod
IG - @coolestnerdsintheroom
Email - coolestnerdsintheroom@gmail.com
Steph on Twitter - @StephandSec
CoolBlkNerd on Twitter - @CoolBlkNerd
Resources
- Patreon and Buy us a coffee.
- Document filled with resources
- https://blacklivesmatter.com/
Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/coolestnerds)
Sometimes you have to hit the reset button and this is our story.
Please make sure you rate, review, and share the podcast with your friends! Your kindness helps us make the podcast better for listeners like YOU when you help get the word out!
Social MediaTwitter - @coolestnerdpod
IG - @coolestnerdsintheroom
Email - coolestnerdsintheroom@gmail.com
Steph on Twitter - @StephandSec
CoolBlkNerd on Twitter - @CoolBlkNerd
Resources
- Patreon and Buy us a coffee.
- Document filled with resources
- https://blacklivesmatter.com/
Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/coolestnerds)
Sometimes it's like looking in some weird-ass mirror...
Please make sure you rate, review, and share the podcast with your friends! Your kindness helps us make the podcast better for listeners like YOU when you help get the word out!
Social MediaTwitter - @coolestnerdpod
IG - @coolestnerdsintheroom
Email - coolestnerdsintheroom@gmail.com
Steph on Twitter - @StephandSec
CoolBlkNerd on Twitter - @CoolBlkNerd
Resources
- Patreon and Buy us a coffee.
- Document filled with resources
- https://blacklivesmatter.com/
Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/coolestnerds)
This week we interview with Doug Bryant to talk about his recently released book, "Computer Love: Love Letters and Log Analysis"! Check out the links below to purchase your copy!
Please make sure you rate, review, and share the podcast with your friends! Your kindness helps us make the podcast better for listeners like YOU when you help get the word out!
Social MediaTwitter - @coolestnerdpod
IG - @coolestnerdsintheroom
Email - coolestnerdsintheroom@gmail.com
Steph on Twitter - @StephandSec
CoolBlkNerd on Twitter - @CoolBlkNerd
Resources
- Computer Love: Love Letters and Log Analysis
- Patreon and Buy us a coffee.
- Document filled with resources
- https://blacklivesmatter.com/
Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/coolestnerds)
Disappointing others is a natural part of life, but what happens when you allow it to run your career or life? This week Steph and CoolBlkNerd talk about how they've dealt with the anxiety of disappointing others in their career and personal life.
Please make sure you rate, review, and share the podcast with your friends! Your kindness helps us make the podcast better for listeners like YOU when you help get the word out!
Social MediaTwitter - @coolestnerdpod
IG - @coolestnerdsintheroom
Email - coolestnerdsintheroom@gmail.com
Steph on Twitter - @StephandSec
CoolBlkNerd on Twitter - @CoolBlkNerd
Resources
- Patreon and Buy us a coffee.
- Document filled with resources
- https://blacklivesmatter.com/
Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/coolestnerds)
Whether you pay with time or money, you're doing to have to pay up in some way. This week Steph and CoolBlkNerd talk about the importance of not taking shortcuts to building a successful career.
Please make sure you rate, review, and share the podcast with your friends! Your kindness helps us make the podcast better for listeners like YOU when you help get the word out!
Social MediaTwitter - @coolestnerdpod
IG - @coolestnerdsintheroom
Email - coolestnerdsintheroom@gmail.com
Steph on Twitter - @StephandSec
CoolBlkNerd on Twitter - @CoolBlkNerd
Resources
- Patreon and Buy us a coffee.
- Document filled with resources
- https://blacklivesmatter.com/
Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/coolestnerds)
Either it's something (or someone) holding you back or you're holding them back, either way, dealing with dead weight is an inevitable part of making progress in life and your career. This week we talk about the importance of recognizing and handling dead weight in life.
Please make sure you rate, review, and share the podcast with your friends! Your kindness helps us make the podcast better for listeners like YOU when you help get the word out!
Social MediaTwitter - @coolestnerdpod
IG - @coolestnerdsintheroom
Email - coolestnerdsintheroom@gmail.com
Steph on Twitter - @StephandSec
CoolBlkNerd on Twitter - @CoolBlkNerd
Resources
- Patreon and Buy us a coffee.
- Document filled with resources
- https://blacklivesmatter.com/
Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/coolestnerds)
How protected do black women feel by black men? This week we have a honest conversation about why many black women don't feel protected by black men and what is it that black men can do to start making strides towards solving this problem.
Please make sure you rate, review, and share the podcast with your friends! Your kindness helps us make the podcast better for listeners like YOU when you help get the word out!
Social MediaTwitter - @coolestnerdpod
IG - @coolestnerdsintheroom
Email - coolestnerdsintheroom@gmail.com
Steph on Twitter - @StephandSec
CoolBlkNerd on Twitter - @CoolBlkNerd
Resources
- Patreon and Buy us a coffee.
- Document filled with resources
- https://blacklivesmatter.com/
Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/coolestnerds)
How much of our career is luck vs. us deserving the success we've garnered? We talk about people's perspective on luck and the success of others in this week's episode!
Please make sure you rate, review, and share the podcast with your friends! Your kindness helps us make the podcast better for listeners like YOU when you help get the word out!
Social MediaTwitter - @coolestnerdpod
IG - @coolestnerdsintheroom
Email - coolestnerdsintheroom@gmail.com
Steph on Twitter - @StephandSec
CoolBlkNerd on Twitter - @CoolBlkNerd
Resources
- Patreon and Buy us a coffee.
- Document filled with resources
- https://blacklivesmatter.com/
Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/coolestnerds)
This week Steph and CoolBlkNerd take Enneagram test (personality test in layman's terms) and breakdown how accurate their result are. From herd mentality to dealing with depression, they stretch their understanding of themselves and how it fits within their current state.
Please make sure you rate, review, and share the podcast with your friends! Your kindness helps us make the podcast better for listeners like YOU when you help get the word out!
Social MediaTwitter - @coolestnerdpod
IG - @coolestnerdsintheroom
Email - coolestnerdsintheroom@gmail.com
Steph on Twitter - @StephandSec
CoolBlkNerd on Twitter - @CoolBlkNerd
Resources
- Patreon and Buy us a coffee.
- Document filled with resources
- https://blacklivesmatter.com/
Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/coolestnerds)
Do you feel pressured to be all tech, all the time? Well don't! This week we talk about finding the balance between your tech career and being a human being. From the importance of being multifaceted to embracing your humanity, Steph and Coolblknerd discuss how they find a balance.
Please make sure you rate, review, and share the podcast with your friends! Your kindness helps us make the podcast better for listeners like YOU when you help get the word out!
Social MediaTwitter - @coolestnerdpod
IG - @coolestnerdsintheroom
Email - coolestnerdsintheroom@gmail.com
Steph on Twitter - @StephandSec
CoolBlkNerd on Twitter - @CoolBlkNerd
Resources
- Patreon and Buy us a coffee.
- Document filled with resources
- https://blacklivesmatter.com/
Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/coolestnerds)
We're back after our hiatus to talk about the state of the world during the social unrest do to the killing of George Floyd. We talk about how we've been doing over our hiatus, what has work-life been like, and what are some things we can do in the community to start helping to make sure things move forward.
Please make sure you rate, review, and share the podcast with your friends! Your kindness helps us make the podcast better for listeners like YOU when you help get the word out!
Social MediaTwitter - @coolestnerdpod
IG - @coolestnerdsintheroom
Email - coolestnerdsintheroom@gmail.com
Steph on Twitter - @StephandSec
CoolBlkNerd on Twitter - @CoolBlkNerd
Resources
- Patreon and Buy us a coffee.
- Document filled with resources
- https://blacklivesmatter.com/
Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/coolestnerds)
This week we talk about going through life's problem versus avoiding them and the repercussions of both. Reflecting on our life's experiences, we talk about how it's affected our career, relationships, and our mental state.
Please make sure you rate, review, and share the podcast with your friends! Your kindness helps us make the podcast better for listeners like YOU when you help get the word out!
Social MediaTwitter - @coolestnerdpod
IG - @coolestnerdsintheroom
Email - coolestnerdsintheroom@gmail.com
Steph on Twitter - @StephandSec
CoolBlkNerd on Twitter - @CoolBlkNerd
Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/coolestnerds)
This week we light some sage and make a green smoothie with Katy Turner as we talk about her journey of wholistic health, stepping out on faith, and being a fake vegan! I hope y'all have your third-eye open for this episode!
Please make sure you rate, review, and share the podcast with your friends! Your kindness helps us make the podcast better for listeners like YOU when you help get the word out!
Social MediaTwitter - @coolestnerdpod
IG - @coolestnerdsintheroom
Email - coolestnerdsintheroom@gmail.com
Steph on Twitter - @StephandSec
CoolBlkNerd on Twitter - @CoolBlkNerd
Fake Vegan on Twitter - @_thefakevegan
Fake Vegan on IG - @_thefakevegan
Resources
The Fake Vegan
Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/coolestnerds)
We have the #BlackTechTwitter legend herself, Pariss Athena, on with us this week as we talk about how she went from wanting to work in Hollywood to finding her way into tech, the importance of taking risks, and reality of who she is in real life versus what people see on Twitter.
Please make sure you rate, review, and share the podcast with your friends! Your kindness helps us make the podcast better for listeners like YOU when you help get the word out!
Social MediaTwitter - @coolestnerdpod
IG - @coolestnerdsintheroom
Email - coolestnerdsintheroom@gmail.com
Steph on Twitter - @StephandSec
CoolBlkNerd on Twitter - @CoolBlkNerd
Pariss Athena on Twitter - @ParissAthena
Resources
Black Tech Pipeline
Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/coolestnerds)
This week we have Robert Reeves, CTO at Datical, on the show with us talking about economic effects the quarantine will have on businesses, finessing his way through college, becoming a tour manager, and why nobody can relate to Superman anymore! This is definitely a episode for all the tech and comic book nerds out there!
Please make sure you rate, review, and share the podcast with your friends! Your kindness helps us make the podcast better for listeners like YOU when you help get the word out!
Social MediaTwitter - @coolestnerdpod
IG - @coolestnerdsintheroom
Email - coolestnerdsintheroom@gmail.com
Steph on Twitter - @StephandSec
CoolBlkNerd on Twitter - @CoolBlkNerd
Robert Reeves on Twitter - @robertreeves
Resources
Titan Open Source Project
Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/coolestnerds)
This week we talk COVID-19! We're all victims of the life-changing situation that this disease has introduced and we're talking about how it's been affecting our daily lives this! From work to life, we talk about the mental stress that has been the coronavirus!
Please make sure you rate, review, and share the podcast with your friends! Your kindness helps us make the podcast better for listeners like YOU when you help get the word out!
Social MediaTwitter - @coolestnerdpod
IG - @coolestnerdsintheroom
Email - coolestnerdsintheroom@gmail.com
Steph on Twitter - @StephandSec
CoolBlkNerd on Twitter - @CoolBlkNerd
Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/coolestnerds)
What happens when the reality in your mind becomes realer than the reality that you live in? This week we dive into what it's like to get lost in your own thoughts, the difference between being honest and being hard on yourself, and the importance of understanding feelings aren't facts.
Please make sure you rate, review, and share the podcast with your friends! Your kindness helps us make the podcast better for listeners like YOU when you help get the word out!
Social MediaTwitter - @coolestnerdpod
IG - @coolestnerdsintheroom
Email - coolestnerdsintheroom@gmail.com
Steph on Twitter - @StephandSec
CoolBlkNerd on Twitter - @CoolBlkNerd
Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/coolestnerds)
This week we have "One Take" Stacy Ike on the show to talk about what it was like to have her own show on OWN (see what we did there?), the importance of staying consistent, and the importance of having a team-first mentality when working in any environment.
Please make sure you rate, review, and share the podcast with your friends! Your kindness helps us make the podcast better for listeners like YOU when you help get the word out!
Social MediaTwitter - @coolestnerdpod
IG - @coolestnerdsintheroom
Email - coolestnerdsintheroom@gmail.com
Steph on Twitter - @StephandSec
CoolBlkNerd on Twitter - @CoolBlkNerd
Stacy on Twitter - @onetakestace
Stacy on IG - @onetakestace
Resources
- The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck
- Ego is the Enemy
- Atomic Habits
Intro/Outro produced by @chaisnuclear of the Tin Clock Productions
Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/coolestnerds)
Expressing yourself can be tough in an unforgiving world, however, carrying the burden of never speaking up can be an even heavier load. This week we talk about the importance of having the courage to express yourself. From being at war with yourself to understanding that every idea doesn't need to be expressed, we talk about the up's and down's of expressing yourself.
Please make sure you rate, review, and share the podcast with your friends! Your kindness helps us make the podcast better for listeners like YOU when you help get the word out!
Timestamps:
1:40 - When your New Year’s goals don’t start off on the right foot
2:40 - All moved out!
4:30 - On the job training and ADHD medicine
6:10 - The advantage of learning in a stable environment
10:10 - New city vibes!
16:10 - Finding the courage to express yourself
17:50 - Never feeling like we could express ourselves
20:00 - “What’s the point of being friends if I can’t express myself?”
21:40 - When you don’t realize you’re not expressing yourself
24:30 - What it’s like to have a bad habit of not expressing yourself
27:00 - Are you at war with yourself, but at peace with the world?
32:10 - At some point you have to pick a bed to lie in
38:00 - Finding expression through the arts
41:10 - Why every idea doesn’t need to be expressed
45:30 - How expressing yourself can challenge your friends
49:30 - When people resent you for not expressing yourself
52:40 - The importance in having courage to express yourself
55:30 - Why you have to make the decision to speak up
1:01:40 - When things begin to click in a new environment
1:07:10 - Why you need to watch “Love is Blind”
1:11:30 - What we’re doing to become cooler nerds this week
Social MediaTwitter - @coolestnerdpod
IG - @coolestnerdsintheroom
Email - coolestnerdsintheroom@gmail.com
Steph on Twitter - @StephandSec
CoolBlkNerd on Twitter - @CoolBlkNerd
Resources
- Refactr.Tech
- LinkinLearning social engineering course by Steph
Intro/Outro produced by @chaisnuclear of the Tin Clock Productions
Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/coolestnerds)
This week we Christina Morillo comes to hangout with us as we chop it up about how the necessity of code switching, the importance of building a community, and passion isn't necessary to be productive.
Please make sure you rate, review, and share the podcast with your friends! Your kindness helps us make the podcast better for listeners like YOU when you help get the word out!
Timestamps:
1:35 - How Steph has become a bridge for meeting cool people
5:25 - How Christina became a listening ear
6:35 - Bringing street savvy to the tech game
7:35 - Why it’s more important to talk about the technical person than the technology
10:20 - The game is the game whether it’s on a block or in the boardroom
12:10 - How Christina had to learn how to live a dream
15:20 - The reality is that all companies are reactive
18:25 - Why code switching still is a necessary skill in tech
20:35 - How Microsoft is putting their money where their mouth is on Diversity & Inclusion
23:50 - Why we’re always examples for our race
32:35 - Why we have to champion each other in our careers
36:25 - Why it feels like we have to always keep up
38:05 - When is it okay to be okay?
43:35 - What’s it’s been like to build a career without a community
48:35 - Do I have to do this for another 30 years?
50:35 - How technology has enabled people to be lazy
55:05 - Why you don’t need passionate people to get work done
59:20 - Why followers doesn’t make mean you’re good in tech
1:04:50 - Why the people before us want to see the new generation win
1:07:05 - How money is the motivator for people coming into tech
1:13:05 - Why people have to find a good fit for them while in tech
1:17:50 - How burnout can turn people’s ambition off
1:22:35 - They making how much?
1:25:05 - Is the check worth the stress?
1:27:35 - What it’s been like to deal with burnout
1:36:05 - Why we can’t be the spokespeople for all black people
1:40:05 - What are we going to do to become cooler nerds this week?
Social MediaTwitter - @coolestnerdpod
IG - @coolestnerdsintheroom
Email - coolestnerdsintheroom@gmail.com
Steph on Twitter - @StephandSec
CoolBlkNerd on Twitter - @CoolBlkNerd
Christina Morillo on Twitter - @DivineTechyGirl
Resources
- Refactr.Tech
- LinkinLearning social engineering course by Steph
Intro/Outro produced by @chaisnuclear of the Tin Clock Productions
Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/coolestnerds)
This week we talk about the issues with having a binary view of what success looks like and how we can begin to make this better. We also on touch on our complicated relationship with being black, how leaving home can add perspective, and why giving solutions doesn't guarantee your demise.
Please make sure you rate, review, and share the podcast with your friends! Your kindness helps us make the podcast better for listeners like YOU when you help get the word out!
Timestamps:
1:30 - When you’re ramping up in a completely new industry
3:00 - What’s the nerdiest thing we did this week?
4:45 - Tech for the Culture’s black history month panelist event!
9:45 - How the panel went
10:50 - Black lightning motivation
12:15 - Getting energy from the people!
14:40 - What does the black community have to do to grow past having a binary view of success?
20:10 - Having a complicated relationship with being black
24:10 - What it means to be called a “Oreo” in the black community
25:10 - How moving out of state added perspective on what success could potentially look like
30:50 - The limiting belief of success in some communities
32:30 - Why giving a solution doesn’t guarantee your demise
33:30 - The importance of finding time to give back
37:30 - A flimsy version of what community is
40:30 - The importance of having a community around
45:30 - There’s never one way to success
48:30 - What’s the incentive of doing better if you’re not truly forgiven?
58:30 - Why communication is a barrier every culture has to push through
1:01:30 - When did we discover when we could be more than what the black stereotype is?
1:06:30 - When did the black computer help us feel more “at home”?
1:07:30 - Black people seeing the importance of technology
1:09:00 - Self-Love with Steph
1:11:00 - What are we going to do to become cooler nerds?
Social MediaTwitter - @coolestnerdpod
IG - @coolestnerdsintheroom
Email - coolestnerdsintheroom@gmail.com
Steph on Twitter - @StephandSec
Madblkman on Twitter - @Madblkman
Resources
- Refactr.Tech
- LinkinLearning social engineering course by Steph
Intro/Outro produced by @chaisnuclear of the Tin Clock Productions
Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/coolestnerds)
If it wasn't for this couple we probably wouldn't have a show! We bring Kiersten and Paul Brager to the show this week to talk about black love in tech this week. It takes a lot to keep a good thing going and these two share with us the up's and down's of keeping a marriage successful with career demands, families, and friends pulling you in all kinds of directions.
Please make sure you rate, review, and share the podcast with your friends! Your kindness helps us make the podcast better for listeners like YOU when you help get the word out!
Timestamps:
00:40 - Why Paul & Kiersten mean so much to the show’s existence
4:10 - What makes the Bragers the coolest nerds in the room?
5:40 - How being a nerd got Kiersten out of poverty
7:25 - 30 years of experience and counting
11:40 - Walking into the room with a pitbull mentality
12:40 - Confidence vs Arrogance from a Black man’s eyes.
14:50 - How Kiersten learned to get respect in the workplace
16:40 - How we weren’t taught to be assertive in a office environment
20:10 - How Paul and Kiersten met at a crawfish boil
27:40 - How Paul’s Safari account sealed the deal
30:10 - What it feels like to find your intellectual equal
35:10 - Finding the middle-ground between different personalities
38:10 - How Paul has help influence Kiersten in the workplace
42:10 - How friendship precluded a successful relationship
44:55 - The challenge of being a working professional couple in tech
50:10 - Ensuring you’re ready for a driven or ambitious partner
59:00 - Doing the work to know what you want
1:02:10 - What do you recommend to people looking for a great partner?
1:04:00 - Can you wake up to this person everyday?
1:06:00 - Can you handle the way they resolve conflict
1:10:20 - Understand where you stand in the equation
1:15:40 - What are your opinions on the current dating scene?
1:18:10 - Why you can’t bailout when it gets tough
1:23:40 - Why a good spouse shouldn’t be a project
1:29:10 - What black men need to do to step it up
1:38:30 - Has dating culture become too transactional?
1:42:30 - Why you have to always make decisions for the best of your family
1:43:40 - How there aren’t enough positive influences of love
1:48:00 - Where do you find a cool nerd?
1:50:00 - Why you should choose values over vanity
1:53:30 - When people don’t have good examples of love
1:55:10 - Why we should give ourselves some grace
1:58:30 - How are we going to be spending our Valentine’s day.
Social MediaTwitter - @coolestnerdpod
IG - @coolestnerdsintheroom
Email - coolestnerdsintheroom@gmail.com
Steph on Twitter - @StephandSec
Madblkman on Twitter - @Madblkman
Resources
- Refactr.Tech
- LinkinLearning social engineering course by Steph
Intro/Outro produced by @chaisnuclear of the Tin Clock Productions
Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/coolestnerds)
We've all been one, no need to hide it! This week Steph and CoolBlkNerd talk about their simpin' experiences, how simpin' can bleed into other parts of your life, and what you can do to stop the simpin'. We also dig into apartment hunting, hip hop dance classes, and plate shopping at Target.
Please make sure you rate, review, and share the podcast with your friends! Your kindness helps us make the podcast better for listeners like YOU when you help get the word out!
Timestamps:
2:15 - What happens when you can’t sit-down and get work done
3:10 - Apartment finding success!
3:50 - Growing up around arts & crafts with our parents
9:30 - Hip Hop-n-Intimidation
13:40 - A very unmotivated dose of life
17:10 - When networking outside of your team goes right
22:45 - What’s a “simp”?
24:45 - Why Steph loves “Love”
27:15 - When you F.O.A.P. (foolish overvaluing of another person)
28:45 - Overthinking the expectations you have to live up to
30:45 - The “Simp” Way
32:15 - The perspective of a reformed simp
33:45 - Why it’s important to advocate for yourself
36:15 - Using simpin to avoid making life decisions
21:45 - Can you simp without losing yourself?
24:15 - Why you shouldn’t have to compromise everything
26:30 - Final words for the simpers
51:00 - Google’s Marketing team made us proud
54:00 - Self-love w/ Steph!
57:00 - How are we going to become cooler nerds this upcoming week?
Social MediaTwitter - @coolestnerdpod
IG - @coolestnerdsintheroom
Email - coolestnerdsintheroom@gmail.com
Steph on Twitter - @StephandSec
Madblkman on Twitter - @Madblkman
Resources
- Refactr.Tech
- LinkinLearning social engineering course by Steph
- Dinnnerware from Target
Intro/Outro produced by @chaisnuclear of the Tin Clock Productions
Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/coolestnerds)
Finally we talk about money this week! Steph and CoolBlkNerd chronicle their salary journey from the time they got into the tech industry until their current roles. From being underpaid, leaving to get a pay bump, and negotiating for more money, they dive into what their experience has been with money in tech the only way cool nerds know how!
Please make sure you rate, review, and share the podcast with your friends! Your kindness helps us make the podcast better for listeners like YOU when you help get the word out!
Timestamps:
02:00 - Did we become cooler nerds this last week?
04:30 - When a book is so good you finish it in 3 days
11:00 - Book Club and Chill
16:30 - The first Tech for the Culture event of the year was a success!
19:00 - Listening to the one voice in your head that matters
29:40 - What was our starting salaries in tech?
35:10 - How much do we make now?
37:10 - When you’re one of the first people in your family to make money
39:00 - How have we done at the negotiation table?
48:00 - Why making good money in tech isn’t guaranteed
51:10 - Why you shouldn’t listen to people who try to shoot down what you believe is possible
55:40 - What’s the best way for you to get a pay raise?
59:10 - Why you shouldn’t believe the salaries you see on sites like Glassdoor
1:04:10 - Why you should be asking people with more experience than you how they have navigated their salary
1:09:10 - Why black people should be more transparent about their salaries
1:16:40 - What are our salary goals?
1:29:10 - Workbook of Desire
Social MediaTwitter - @coolestnerdpod
IG - @coolestnerdsintheroom
Email - coolestnerdsintheroom@gmail.com
Steph on Twitter - @StephandSec
Madblkman on Twitter - @Madblkman
Resources
- Refactr.Tech
- LinkinLearning social engineering course by Steph
- Atomic Habits by James Clear
- Game of Desire
Intro/Outro produced by @chaisnuclear of the Tin Clock Productions
Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/coolestnerds)
We're back and this week we're talking about finding our confidence and remaining humble along the way. Steph and CoolBlkNerd document their journey's of finding their confidence and the lessons that have came with it.
Please make sure you rate, review, and share the podcast with your friends! Your kindness helps us make the podcast better for listeners like YOU when you help get the word out!
Timestamps:
1:35 - Strategizing for the new year
2:40 - The struggle of a 10 Day green smoothie detox
4:10 - Wordpress and Meetup
6:15 - Joining the Apple Ecosystem w/ Steph
8:40 - Finding the light in the darkness in a new environment
13:00 - Why do companies accept shitty processes?
17:00 - Finding an environment that inspires you to be better
26:40 - Implementing engineering principles and optimizing your life
31:10 - Why every company doesn’t have to leave you feeling drained
33:40 - The importance of writing down what you want in a job
36:10 - What’s BDE?
37:40 - The difference between confidence and cockiness
41:40 - Faking it till you make it
44:10 - Finding the magic in who you are
50:10 - When what other people think affects your confidence
56:25 - When the cool kids make you feel uncool
58:40 - Make sure your confidence is based on things that are unique to you
1:02:00 - How just knowing you’re working on yourself helps build confidence
1:05:40 - When do you need to just accept your position?
1:09:10 - The importance of unplugging from your foundation
1:12:10 - How exposure can change your outlook on yourself
1:13:40 - Using arrogance as a front to survive
1:19:10 - How to baseline your confidence issues and create a plan to improve it
1:23:10 - The blessing that food is
1:26:10 - A very pajama story
1:29:10 - Flushing limiting beliefs down the toilet
Social MediaTwitter - @coolestnerdpod
IG - @coolestnerdsintheroom
Email - coolestnerdsintheroom@gmail.com
Steph on Twitter - @StephandSec
Madblkman on Twitter - @Madblkman
Resources
- Refactr.Tech
- LinkinLearning social engineering course by Steph
Intro/Outro produced by @chaisnuclear of the Tin Clock Productions
Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/coolestnerds)
We took some L's, we got some W's, and through it all we're still here. Bye bye 2019, What's up 2020!!
Please make sure you rate, review, and share the podcast with your friends! Your kindness helps us make the podcast better for listeners like YOU when you help get the word out!
Timestamps:
01:15 - Planning for the new year
02:40 - Re-evaluating commitments for 2020
04:30 - What a nerd-less week looks like
05:30 - Steph’s LinkedIn Learning course is here!!!
10:20 - What’s the best formula to stay motivated in 2020?
12:15 - CoolBlkNerd speaking at Refactr.Tech for 2020 again!
16:00 - How did 2019 go for us?
19:30 - What were the biggest wins and losses for us in 2019?
28:30 - What does 2020 mean for us?
31:30 - Unlocking the next level in 2020
35:45 - Are there any new habits you want to pick up on in 2020?
40:00 - What are the biggest goals for us in 2020?
43:30 - What lessons did we learn in 2019?
47:00 - The importance of self-validation and not apologizing for you are
53:30 - Putting out the energy you want to receive going into 2020
57:00 - Catching up with your day 1’s
59:00 - Steph & Sesh: Handling sadness over the holidays
1:02:00 - What are we doing to become cooler nerds this year?
Social MediaTwitter - @coolestnerdpod
IG - @coolestnerdsintheroom
Email - coolestnerdsintheroom@gmail.com
Steph on Twitter - @StephandSec
Madblkman on Twitter - @Madblkman
Resources
- Refactr.Tech
- LinkinLearning social engineering course by Steph
Intro/Outro produced by @chaisnuclear of the Tin Clock Productions
Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/coolestnerds)
Boundaries come and go, but one thing is for sure, they always get tested! This week we talk about our experience with setting boundaries, why shifting boundaries is so hard, and if we betray ourselves every time we bend our boundaries.
Please make sure you rate, review, and share the podcast with your friends! Your kindness helps us make the podcast better for listeners like YOU when you help get the word out!
Timestamps:
1:30 - Bad documentation + old code = unfinished project
3:15 - Prepping for 2020 with uninspiring planners
6:00 - Getting better with time and money management in the next year
9:45 - Spliting time between gRPC and service mesh
11:20 - Shifting habits for 2020
14:00 - Show Meat
14:30 - Why CoolBlkNerd has a hard time keeping up with too many boundaries
16:45 - Having hit or miss boundaries
18:30 - Re-establishing boundaries with people from your past
20:30 - Getting triggered
23:00 - Introducing the idea of self-betrayal
25:30 - When you want to make progress you have to be honest about your environment
27:00 - Waiting until you’re mentally exhausted to establish a boundary
30:00 - The importance of sharing communication style
33:30 - When people don’t have any personal investment
35:30 - Making sure you have a why behind your boundaries
38:00 - Are boundaries the cornerstone of progress?
39:30 - How creating boundaries can be difficult to establish?
42:30 - Distancing yourself before establishing a new boundary
45:30 - Why shifting boundaries in a relationship can be so difficult
48:00 - Why people associate change with big bangs
51:00 - Just because you haven’t addressed an issue verbally doesn’t mean you haven’t addressed it
52:30 - How men and women look at the “big picture” differently
58:30 - Interacting with more people around the office
1:00:30 - Why Managers should spend time doing a one-on-one during exit interviews
1:02:30 - Using structure to anchor your goals in 2020
1:04:15 - What are we going to do to become a cooler nerd?
Social MediaTwitter - @coolestnerdpod
IG - @coolestnerdsintheroom
Email - coolestnerdsintheroom@gmail.com
Steph on Twitter - @StephandSec
Madblkman on Twitter - @Madblkman
Resources
Intro/Outro produced by @chaisnuclear of the Tin Clock Productions
Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/coolestnerds)
People like negative conversations more than they care to admit and this week we dive into why is it that the tech community (and society) gravitates towards those kinds of conversations. From social media handles biting us in the ass to our employers not having our backs, we discuss moments when we've invited negative energy and incited it in our careers.
Please make sure you rate, review, and share the podcast with your friends! Your kindness helps us make the podcast better for listeners like YOU when you help get the word out!
Timestamps:
2:00 - Taking it slow with Steph to Austin
3:15 - Thanksgiving with CoolBlkNerd
5:45 - The last semester for Step
6:30 - Learning about gRPC
08:30 - Learning how to cook in 2020
10:30 - What happens when the side hustle becomes the main hustle?
11:15 - Who quit their job???
13:30 - Show meat
15:00 - The origins of this topic
17:30 - Why we still have reality shows
19:30 - The definition of insanity
23:30 - Why people who tough it out through the rough times will always be valued
26:00 - Taking accountability of your feelings
28:00 - Accumulating negative feelings during your journey
31:00 - When your social media handle bites you in the ass
34:00 - Who you are in different aspects of your life
36:30 - In order for me to reach my potential I have to be 100% of me
39:00 - When your employer doesn’t have your back
42:30 - Just because you’re nice doesn’t mean we’re cool
45:00 - Why you shouldn’t call someone out at stand-ups
50:00 - “I never asked you too…”
57:00 - Understanding your ambitions don’t have to match
1:00:45 - Do people really care about the journey?
1:09:00 - Reflecting on the future
1:15:30 - Steph & Sesh: Aligning who you are with the work you do
Social MediaTwitter - @coolestnerdpod
IG - @coolestnerdsintheroom
Email - coolestnerdsintheroom@gmail.com
Steph on Twitter - @StephandSec
Madblkman on Twitter - @Madblkman
Resources
- gRPC
Intro/Outro produced by @chaisnuclear of the Tin Clock Productions
Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/coolestnerds)
This week we step outside our comfort zone with entertainment journalist, Courtney Tezeno! From journalism school to the bright lights of LA, Courtney talks about her journey as a journalist, a woman, and most importantly, a nerd from Houston who has carved out a spot for herself as one of the top 5 black female entertainment journalist under 30 in Hollywood according to Buzzfeed.
Please make sure you rate, review, and share the podcast with your friends! Your kindness helps us make the podcast better for listeners like YOU when you help get the word out!
Timestamps:
01:30 - Introduction to Courtney
04:30 - How Steph and Courtney know each other
06:30 - What makes Courtney the coolest nerd in the room?
08:00 - How pageantry brought out the best in Courtney
11:00 - Thuggin’ it out in journalism school
16:00 - Transitioning into entertainment journalism
23:00 - Courtney’s perspective on technology opening new doors for talent
24:00 - How it feels to have someone skip you in line for an opportunity
27:00 - How Courtney stays rooted
33:00 - The most surprising interviews Courtney has experienced
40:00 - How Courtney keeps her perspective fresh?
44:00 - The Watchmen bandwagon & Youtube rabbit holes
49:00 - Challenges as a black woman in entertainment journalism
1:07:00 - Just keep living…
1:10:00 - The dating struggle
1:18:00 - 2 years of celibacy and a engagement ring later
1:25:00 - Breakthrough through break-up
1:28:00 - Would you propose for a second time?
1:32:00 - The bridge between a man’s logic and a man’s emotions
1:37:00 - How are we going to become cooler nerds this week?
Social MediaTwitter - @coolestnerdpod
IG - @coolestnerdsintheroom
Email - coolestnerdsintheroom@gmail.com
Steph on Twitter - @StephandSec
Madblkman on Twitter - @Madblkman
Courtney on Twitter - @courtney_tezeno
Resources
- CourtneyTezeno.com
Intro/Outro produced by @chaisnuclear of the Tin Clock Productions
Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/coolestnerds)
We all come at a crossroads in our lives where we begin to think about what our purpose is and what kind of legacy we're going to leave behind. Steph and CoolBlkNerd are at that crossroad on this episode as they discuss what legacy is, means, and how their actively trying to build towards it now.
We also catch-up on Kubernetes operators, the Sims 4, and traveling around the world in three weeks!
Please make sure you rate, review, and share the podcast with your friends! Your kindness helps us make the podcast better for listeners like YOU when you help get the word out!
Timestamps:
02:30 - Steph’s dope time recording her LinkedIn Learning course!
03:30 - The demolishment of CoolBlkNerd’s IG page
4:00 - CoolBlkNerd’s first Kubernetes operator
7:00 - Going back to college with the Sims
9:00 - Conversations with ambitious people
10:30 - Relaxing after 3 weeks around the world
13:00 - Show Meat - Legacy
14:00 - What does legacy mean?
14:30 - Legacy on my mind
18:00 - Climbing to the top of the hierarchy of needs
21:00 - A fckboy’s legacy
23:00 - When you don’t even know that sht you would say
26:00 - Starting to make intentional decisions on life
31:00 - “What is the reason for my existence?”
33:00 - What’s the point of living to a 100 doing nothing?
34:00 - Finding purpose in the work we do
38:00 - At what point do you satisfy your appetite for legacy?
41:00 - Getting IG Love
43:00 - Steph & Sesh: Boundaries!
50:00 - What are we going to do to become cooler nerds this week?
Social MediaTwitter - @coolestnerdpod
IG - @coolestnerdsintheroom
Email - coolestnerdsintheroom@gmail.com
Steph on Twitter - @StephandSec
Madblkman on Twitter - @Madblkman
Resources
- Kubernetes Operator
- Sims 4 Discover University
Intro/Outro produced by @chaisnuclear of the Tin Clock Productions
Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/coolestnerds)
This week we talk about what it's like to be an introvert in a largely extroverted society. From the annoyance of extroverts to invisible standards, we dive into our experience in tech with introverts and extroverts, as well as, our advice for dealing with both communication styles.
Please make sure you rate, review, and share the podcast with your friends! Your kindness helps us make the podcast better for listeners like YOU when you help get the word out!
Timestamps:
01:00 - Bad, Dope, and Organized Nerds
06:00 - Flexing that Microservice Muscle
09:00 - Getting tested for ADHD
13:30 - The importance of giving back to the tech community
22:00 - Comparing yourself to your timeline
28:00 - Introvert or Extrovert?
32:30 - The hardest part about working with a introvert
35:30 - The annoyance of extroverts
43:00 - The problem with fake extroverting in tech
48:00 - Extroverting while black in tech
51:00 - Why we don’t like tip-toeing around issues
53:30 - Living up to invisible standards
1:00:00 - Why we think women are more direct than men in the workplace
1:05:00 - Dealing with people who communicate completely different from you
1:12:00 - The importance of inspiring social interactions
1:14:00 - Steph & Sesh: How to handle losing a friend
Social MediaTwitter - @coolestnerdpod
IG - @coolestnerdsintheroom
Email - coolestnerdsintheroom@gmail.com
Steph on Twitter - @StephandSec
Madblkman on Twitter - @Madblkman
Resources
Intro/Outro produced by @chaisnuclear of the Tin Clock Productions
Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/coolestnerds)
We're getting outside of our comfort zone this week as Steph and CoolBlkNerd talk about their experiences in life and tech dealing with their comfort zones. From working in environments where complacency is status quo to finding glory outside of their own comfort zone, we share our experience and give you some advice on the importance of always pushing yourself past your limits!
Please make sure you rate, review, and share the podcast with your friends! Your kindness helps us make the podcast better for listeners like YOU when you help get the word out!
Timestamps:
05:15 - How we become lame nerds this week
07:30 - From learning everything to learning a few things in your career
09:30 - The issue with learning about being an SRE
11:00 - Documenting processes for the people coming behind you
16:30 - Motivated by a deadline
19:00 - When the little sister promotes the big brother
22:00 - Show Meat: What is our comfort zone?
23:45 - The issue with hitting cruise control on your daily responsibilities
28:30 - Why we don’t want to be stuck in a comfort zone loop
32:30 - Getting pushed outside your comfort zone
37:00 - What’s understood doesn’t have to be said
40:00 - The immediate discomfort of walking outside your comfort zone
43:00 - Sometimes just showing up can open up opportunities
46:00 - Getting comfortable with getting uncomfortable
49:30 - The importance of learning your boundaries
55:00 - Finding comfort in the person you may become
01:02:00 - The biggest hurdle for people trying to enter tech
01:05:00 - How we don’t notice we’ve been in our comfort zone too long
01:07:30 - Cleaning out CoolBlkNerd’s closet
01:13:30 - Goal-oriented Therapy
Social MediaTwitter - @coolestnerdpod
IG - @coolestnerdsintheroom
Email - coolestnerdsintheroom@gmail.com
Steph on Twitter - @StephandSec
Madblkman on Twitter - @Madblkman
Resources:
- Programming Kubernetes
Intro/Outro produced by @chaisnuclear of the Tin Clock Productions
Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/coolestnerds)
There's nothing like living a life where you're not understood and Steph and CoolBlkNerd both know a little something about that. This week they chat about what it's like to feel unique and the struggles with conforming to what society deems normal. From recognizing their shortcomings to off-putting people through their perspective, we talk about how we've made life work for us even when it feels like we're in it by ourselves.
Please make sure you rate, review, and share the podcast with your friends! Your kindness helps us make the podcast better for listeners like YOU when you help get the word out!
Timestamps:
01:00 - Did we become cooler nerds this week?
02:30 - One-line-a-day with Golang
04:00 - Hanging your hat on one skill
07:00 - If you can’t beat em, join ‘em
08:30 - A week of introspection with CoolBlkNerd
10:00 - Hater-motivated
14:00 - Show mean: Lonely & unique
15:00 - The struggle with being authentic in a inauthentic world
18:00 - Struggling to be normal
22:00 - Being brutally honest about your shortcomings
24:00 - Having to self-validate when you know you’re different
26:00 - When you try to conform to your environment despite your differences
28:00 - A drug dealer’s philosophy on life
30:00 - Growing up trying to conform spiritually
38:30 - Trying to conform to what success looks like
44:00 - Intensely dating in a unique way
52:00 - Off-putting people with your unique energy
01:01:00 - Don’t be afraid to trip over your own feet
01:12:30 - Steph & Sesh: Everyone is the star of their own show
Social MediaTwitter - @coolestnerdpod
IG - @coolestnerdsintheroom
Email - coolestnerdsintheroom@gmail.com
Steph on Twitter - @StephandSec
Madblkman on Twitter - @Madblkman
Resources:
- Programming Kubernetes
Intro/Outro produced by @chaisnuclear of the Tin Clock Productions
Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/coolestnerds)
This week Steph and CoolBlkNerd dial it back and talk about their time working in call centers before entering into more formal technical roles. From what we learned about ourselves to what we learned about the people we worked with, we tackle our past with open eyes and a sense of humor.
Please make sure you rate, review, and share the podcast with your friends! Your kindness helps us make the podcast better for listeners like YOU when you help get the word out!
Timestamps:
03:30 - Hopping back on the passion planner with Steph
05:00 - Anxiety 1, CoolBlkNerd 0
08:00 - All technical, all the time
10:30 - Feeling motivated to experiment
11:00 - Changing your mental script
18:00 - Show Meat - Our history with call centers
23:00 - How the call center taught us what kind of people we DON’T want to work with
27:00 - Cussin’, fussin’, and apologies
31:00 - Sneaking onto other teams to make a little progress
36:00 - Unassigned seating and dirty habits
39:00 - Why everyone needs to work in a customer service role or sales position
45:00 - Getting off the script
47:00 - Having to dumb it down
50:00 - Experiencing socioeconomic discrimination in the call center
52:00 - Understanding everyone doesn’t have ambition
57:00 - Struggling to study while at work
1:07:00 - The low-expectations that gets placed on employees
1:11:00 - “Am I crazy for thinking this is a bad job?”
1:17:00 - The beauty of screen time on the iPhone
1:20:00 - How will we become cooler nerds this week?
Social MediaTwitter - @coolestnerdpod
IG - @coolestnerdsintheroom
Email - coolestnerdsintheroom@gmail.com
Steph on Twitter - @StephandSec
Madblkman on Twitter - @Madblkman
Resources:
- N/A
Intro/Outro produced by @chaisnuclear of the Tin Clock Productions
Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/coolestnerds)
This week we're throwing our challenge flag and we're calling a flag on a play in homage to all the red flags we see at work, with family, and with friends!
Please make sure you rate, review, and share the podcast with your friends! Your kindness helps us make the podcast better for listeners like YOU when you help get the word out!
Timestamps:
01:00 - What did we do to become cooler nerds this week?
01:50 - Steph has ADHD!
03:00 - Early morning hustle
05:00 - The importance of writing down your personal values
09:00 - Steph’s Local News Report
14:00 - How to create your one year story
18:00 - Dealing with the whirlwind of emotions that follow ADHD
21:00 - Why CoolBlkNerd tries to build habits around his ADHD
26:00 - How have we noticed red flags in our lives?
31:00 - Why do we create excuses for issues we observe
34:30 - How bad communication is a red flag in the office
37:00 - Bad management red flags
43:00 - Signs of a dead-end Job
45:00 - What are red flags in a partner?
50:00 - Carrying bags from previous relationships
53:00 - Not having a plan for your life
57:00 - Aligning your visions in a relationship
1:03:00 - The importance of not compromising
1:09:00 - What are some red flags we noticed but ignored
1:13:30 - Why you need to always look internally first
1:18:30 - Happy Birthday CoolBlkMom!!!
1:20:00 - Steph & Sesh: The Value of getting Assessed
1:24:30 - What are we going to do to become cooler nerds?
Social MediaTwitter - @coolestnerdpod
IG - @coolestnerdsintheroom
Email - coolestnerdsintheroom@gmail.com
Steph on Twitter - @StephandSec
Madblkman on Twitter & IG - @CoolBlkNerd
Resources:
- N/A
Intro/Outro produced by @chaisnuclear of the Chicken Social
Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/coolestnerds)
This week we tap in with Doug Bryant as we talk about how he balance his obsession with getting better, the best habits Doug has picked over the course of his 13-year cybersecurity career, and how he flexes his creative muscle through beat making!
Please make sure you rate, review, and share the podcast with your friends! Your kindness helps us make the podcast better for listeners like YOU when you help get the word out!
Timestamps:
01:30 - Intro of Doug Bryant
02:00 - How does Doug find the time to get all these certs?
04:00 - What makes Doug the coolest nerd in the room
06:00 - Balancing the family life with the tech life
08:00 - What does the positive talk do for Doug mentally
09:30 - How does Doug find the balance between being obsessed?
13:00 - What is the best habit Doug has picked up over the course of his career?
15:00 - Was there ever a moment when Doug had to isolate himself to align his focus?
18:00 - Has Doug always been the teacher in his circle?
21:00 - The importance of discovering your gift early
26:00 - When did money start becoming a priority for Doug?
30:00 - Learning how to delay gratification
33:00 - Tapping into Doug’s writing muscle
38:00 - The struggle of small-talk
41:00 - The struggle of dating shallow people
45:00 - Finding the method in Doug’s productivity
48:00 - How we can learn to be more methodical in the way we approach problems
50:00 - Tapping into your creative side
58:00 - Does someone in security need to be detailed oriented?
1:05:00 - What are we going to do to become cooler nerds this week?
Social MediaTwitter - @coolestnerdpod
IG - @coolestnerdsintheroom
Email - coolestnerdsintheroom@gmail.com
Steph on Twitter - @StephandSec
Madblkman on Twitter - @Madblkman
IDS (Intrustion Diverstiy System) Podcast on Twitter - @IDS_Podcast
Doug Bryant on Twitter - @CyberGent_101
Resources:
- N/A
Intro/Outro produced by @chaisnuclear of the Chicken Social
Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/coolestnerds)
Anxiety paralysis is a b*tch and this week we dive into our own issues with it! From staring at screens to overthinking tasks, we chat about what it feels like to have your productivity take a hit because your brain won't let you be great!
Also, we talk about furniture shopping, video games, and mental imbalances!
Please make sure you rate, review, and share the podcast with your friends! Your kindness helps us make the podcast better for listeners like YOU when you help get the word out!
Timestamps:
01:30 - What did we do to become cooler nerds?
05:00 - Coolblknerd orders the new iPhone
07:00 - How your environment can reflect your state of mind
11:00 - Finally finishing Kingdom Hearts
15:00 - How Coolblknerd held down the team by himself
19:00 - Show meat!
23:00 - How anxiety paralysis affects your productivity
29:00 - Has technology negatively affected our ability to have delayed gratification?
37:00 - The lack of gratification when entering into security
42:00 - How do you stay calm as the stakes increase?
44:00 - Why Steph doesn’t have work anxiety after a few weeks
49:00 - How employer’s are more okay with your skill gaps than you think
54:00 - How you see yourself isn’t how others see you
58:00 - The downside of being a dreamer when you just want to make progress
1:03:00 - The power of taking a break
1:06:00 - Why you don’t need to work 8 hours straight to be considered productive
1:09:00 - Why clarifying your work with others will help reduce your anxiety
1:13:00 - Coolblknerd, what made you happy?
1:15:00 - Steph & Sesh: The effect of mental imbalance on loved ones
Social MediaTwitter - @coolestnerdpod
IG - @coolestnerdsintheroom
Email - coolestnerdsintheroom@gmail.com
Steph on Twitter - @StephandSec
Madblkman on Twitter - @Madblkman
Resources:
- N/A
Intro/Outro produced by @chaisnuclear of the Chicken Social
Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/coolestnerds)
This week we dive into how we found the "great" in ourselves. Through self-discovery and isolation we can discover a lot about ourselves and our motivations. Steph and CoolBlkNerd talk about their own paths to self discovery and how those experiences define who they are today.
Also, we chat about Madblkman's name change, morning routines, and meditation.
Please make sure you rate, review, and share the podcast with your friends! Your kindness helps us make the podcast better for listeners like YOU when you help get the word out!
Timestamps:
01:20 - Did we become cooler nerds this week?
03:30 - What’s the nerdiest thing you did this week?
10:00 - Who is CoolBlkNerd?
15:00 - What motivated you this week?
18:45 - Finding motivation in new beginnings
20:30 - Show Meat
21:30 - Defining “Isolation” and “Self Discovery”
22:00 - Have we found the great in ourselves?
23:30 - How greatness comes in phases
26:00 - Greatness isn’t a monolithic idea
29:30 - When did the journey of self discovering begin for us?
38:15 - How getting lost in a relationship can interfere with your self discovery
42:30 - How people identify themselves by what they do vs. who they are
46:30 - The struggle of decommissioning your old mindset
51:00 - Micro-isolating yourself from those around you:
56:30 - How moments of isolation drives you toward greatness
1:00:30 - Call-to-action: Let us know how you are finding the great in yourself
1:02:30 - Seeing the seeds from the past manifest into something in the future
1:04:30 - Steph & Sesh: Nailing down a morning routine
1:15:30 - What are we going to do to become cooler nerds this week?
Social MediaTwitter - @coolestnerdpod
IG - @coolestnerdsintheroom
Email - coolestnerdsintheroom@gmail.com
Steph on Twitter - @StephandSec
Madblkman on Twitter - @Madblkman
Resources:
- Google Cloud Developer Professional
- Balance app
- Elevate app
- Linux Academy
Intro/Outro produced by @chaisnuclear of the Chicken Social
Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/coolestnerds)
This week we want all the smoke as we talk about confrontations at work and in life! Conflict is an inevitable part of life and definitely an unavoidable aspect of our careers and it's important we understand how to navigate it. From stepping on toes to learning how to de-escalate, we discuss our experience with confrontations and what we've learned from our lessons.
We also talk about goal setting with your friends, the headache of HOA, and how live is filled with full circle moments!
Please make sure you rate, review, and share the podcast with your friends! Your kindness helps us make the podcast better for listeners like YOU when you help get the word out!
Timestamps:
00:27 - Intro
03:40 - Did we become cooler nerds this week?
07:30 - What’s the nerdiest thing you did this week?
16:15 - What motivated us this week?
24:00 - How we both have gotten use to confrontation in our careers
25:00 - Do you typically initiate conflict?
34:00 - How culture teaches us how to read between the lines
37:00 - Confrontation becomes just another part of life
39:00 - Dealing with the brutal honesty of a Nigerian family
45:30 - Understanding the inevitability of confrontation
50:30 - How we like to approach sticky subjects in the workplace
54:30 - How Steph has zero tolerance for disrespectful behavior
59:20 - Sometimes it's easy to escalate
1:05:00 - What’s the worst confrontation we’ve been in that actually got resolved?
1:12:00 - The importance of having healthy confrontations with people you trust
1:16:30 - Why you can’t tip toe around confrontation even in an uncomfortable environment
1:24:45 - If somebody comes to you with an issue how do you deal with it?
1:31:40 - The importance of asking questions for understanding
1:38:00 - The mistake of misunderstanding passion for anger
1:46:00 - Confrontation is an essential human interaction
1:48:30 - What does quality time mean to the people you’re closest to?
1:51:00 - Steph & Sesh: Full circle moments, growth, and new experiences
1:55:45 - What are we going to do to become cooler nerds?
Social MediaTwitter - @coolestnerdpod
IG - @coolestnerdsintheroom
Email - coolestnerdsintheroom@gmail.com
Steph on Twitter - @StephandSec
Madblkman on Twitter - @Madblkman
Resources:
Intro/Outro produced by @chaisnuclear of the Chicken Social
Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/coolestnerds)
O'Shea Bowens pulls up to the show this week to talk shop about where he sees security going, his passion for space and fashion design, as well as, about his podcast, "Intrusion Diversity System".
We also talk about meditation and how we use it to visualize success, why all POC's shouldn't feel obligated to push diversity forward, and the uphill battle of starting a business.
Please make sure you rate, review, and share the podcast with your friends! Your kindness helps us make the podcast better for listeners like YOU when you help get the word out!
Timestamps:
02:15 - How do we know Mr. Bowens
04:30 - What makes O’Shea a cool nerd?
05:00 - How asteroids are going around pollinating the universe
09:00 - Why did you choose cybersecurity over astrophysics?
10:00 - How O’Shea brings in elements from other facets of creativity into his daily work
13:00 - How O’Shea believes security will change in the near future
18:00 - Are security people scared about the change coming to the space?
23:00 - What “Intrusion Diversity System” is all about?
28:00 - What O’Shea thinks about the current state of diversity
33:00 - How every contribution counts when pushing for more diversity
42:00 - Why POC’s shouldn’t feel obligated to pushing diversity forward
44:00 - What was the moment that made O’Shea start pushing for diversity
50:00 - How meditation opens our minds to create the world we want to see
58:15 - What we can learn from Kanye & Kim
1:04:15 - The uphill battle of learning how to be a business owner
1:11:15 - How older generations thought process differs from younger generations
1:16:45 - The scarcity of security engineers in the cloud & container space
1:23:30 - The importance of taking care of your personal space
Social MediaTwitter - @coolestnerdpod
IG - @coolestnerdsintheroom
Email - coolestnerdsintheroom@gmail.com
Steph on Twitter - @StephandSec
Madblkman on Twitter - @Madblkman
O'Shea Bowens on Twitter - @SirMuDbl00d
Intrusion Diversity System Podcast on Twitter - @IDS_PODCAST
Resources:
Intro/Outro produced by @chaisnuclear of the Chicken Social
Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/coolestnerds)
We take a moment to have a therapy session about our parents this week! From hiding secrets to overprotection, we dig into how the decisions of our parents affects the way we live our lives and maneuver through our careers.
Also, we talk about Def Con anxiety, Madblkman finally writes his blog, and Steph talks about making friends with her sadness in Steph and Sesh! We about to have a good ol' time!
Please make sure you rate, review, and share the podcast with your friends! Your kindness helps us make the podcast better for listeners like YOU when you help get the word out!
Timestamps:
02:10 - Intro
03:30 - Who has the better algorithms? Spotify or Apple?
06:10 - Just because you see a therapist doesn’t mean something is wrong.
08:30 - How budgeting makes you look at your money funny!
11:30 - When bad deliveries and good customer service meet.
17:30 - Madblkman finally wrote his blog post!
20:00 - No news is good news!
24:00 - Sometimes you just need to write shit down.
25:40 - DCA (Def Con Anxiety!!!)
28:15 - SHOW MEAT!!! -- PARENTAL ADVISORY
32:00 - Why we felt this was an important topic to discuss.
36:00 - From an only child to the oldest of 6.
40:45 - The cultural expectations of being a Nigerian-American.
54:30 - How Madblkman's girlfriend made his relationship with his mother better.
56:15 - When you know your parents aren’t going to change!
1:01:00 - 0 tolerance policy for mistakes!
1:05:30 - Accepting your parents raised you with limited tools.
1:11:30 - Understanding how your parents were raised or what it was like to raise you.
1:16:30 - The importance of following through with your commitments.
1:21:00 - How B’s will get you disrespected!
1:24:00 - Rebelling against your parents ideals.
1:28:00 - Learning to take calculated risk!
1:33:00 - Why can parents be so protective sometimes?
1:37:00 - How technology will change the dynamics of parenthood in the future.
1:39:40 - What we hope for ourselves in the future as parents.
1:49:30 - What made Madblkman happy this week
1:52:20 - Steph & Sesh
2:00:25 - What are we going to do to become cooler nerds this week?
2:05:00 - Outro
Social MediaTwitter - @coolestnerdpod
IG - @coolestnerdsintheroom
Email - coolestnerdsintheroom@gmail.com
Steph on Twitter - @StephandSec
Madblkman on Twitter - @Madblkman
Resources:
- My Very, Dope GopherCon Experience
Intro/Outro produced by @chaisnuclear of the Chicken Social
Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/coolestnerds)
This week Steph and Madblkman talk about the real mvps...our inner circles! We breakdown the importance of have a strong circle of friends and family, when we decide on if somebody should be in our inner circle, and how we add people to squad!
Also, Madblkman hits a drag show in San Diego, Steph talks about how Iyanla fixed her life, and honoring all parts of your personality!
Timestamps:
02:15 - How did we become cooler nerds this last week?
04:00 - Why we killed “what’s the nerdiest thing that happened in the world?”
04:45 - Madblkman’s trip to a drag show in San Diego
08:50 - Steph gets her life at Iyanla’s show in Houston
12:50 - How children are the manifestation of their parents subconscious
14:10 - How building relationships and feeling validated motivates you to be better
15:25 - Have you left a review or rating for the show yet??
16:10 - When you’re okay with your life but your friend’s aren’t
18:55 - So how do we define a “inner circle”
20:30 - So where do we stand with our inner circle of friends?
25:55 - The importance of keeping people who move in the right direction in your circle
28:25 - The pusher vs. the pushed
31:50 - The difference between passively motivating and aggressively pushing someone
35:30 - Why it’s hard to be pushed by people who don’t have proven track records
38:10 - Why we typically don’t work with friends
41:10 - Separating what someone says about you from how you view yourself as a person
44:55 - How people will always show their true colors in the end
50:10 - How actions speak louder than words for Steph
53:40 - Zero-tolerance for dealing with negative and complacent energy
56:40 - How do we re-evaluate our inner circle
1:01:40 - The importance of creating memories with your inner circle
1:05:40 - What made Madblkman happy this week?
1:07:20 - Steph & Sesh: Honoring all parts of your personality
1:13:25 - What are we going to do this week to become cooler nerds?
1:17:40 - Outro
Social MediaTwitter - @coolestnerdpod
IG - @coolestnerdsintheroom
Email - coolestnerdsintheroom@gmail.com
Steph on Twitter - @StephandSec
Madblkman on Twitter - @Madblkman
Resources:
- Lips San Diego
- GopherCon 2019
- Act on Faith by Iyanla Vanzant
- Pop My Butt/Iyanla Vanzant Clip
Intro/Outro produced by @chaisnuclear of the Chicken Social
Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/coolestnerds)
This week we're shaking tables as we breakdown our issues with diversity & inclusion. From still having to deal with labels, education discrimination, and the importance of allowing people to tell their own story.
We even touch on financial planning, float therapy, and self love languages! This a whole lot of episode to unpack!
Timestamps:
03:20 - How did we become cooler nerds this last week?
04:55 - The struggle of finding a balance between work and life
05:45 - How you end up wasting time while burned out
11:00 - How FaceApp has added themselves to the “head-ass” apps list
12:27 - - Steph losses train of thought
18:20 - Madblkman’s trip to see a financial advisor and how creating a plan makes him more focused
30:18 - When Steph’s procrastination becomes productivity
38:00 - So what’s this float therapy stuff all about?
44:00 - Steph’s unmotivated week
47:00 - The motivation behind today’s episode
49:00 - What does diversity and inclusion mean to us?
50:30 - Why is now the right time to have this conversation?
55:00 - How diversity and inclusion has become a catalyst for disingenuous action
59:20 - The reality of white privilege
1:01:20 - Why we need to let people tell their own story
1:05:30 - Diversity isn’t about just black people
1:07:30 - Why discriminating against education is forever stupid
1:10:00 - Do we feel like we’ve missed out on anything?
1:10:45 - How you end up feeling like you’re “bothering” people
1:12:35 - Why you won’t find a specific answer to “how to get into security?”
1:15:45 - How communication styles can hold you back in technology
1:19:20 - Why we feel like we need to get louder to get our point across
1:24:45 - Dealing with labels in the office
1:28:00 - What can be done to make diversity and inclusion better?
1:30:00 - Why we all need to spend times with different people at work
1:34:00 - How have we benefitted from D&I?
1:40:50 - Good job Reggie!
1:43:45 - Steph and Sesh: Self-Love Languages
1:51:30 - Outro
1: 52:40 - What are going to do to become cooler nerds?
Social MediaTwitter - @coolestnerdpod
IG - @coolestnerdsintheroom
Email - coolestnerdsintheroom@gmail.com
Steph on Twitter - @StephandSec
Madblkman on Twitter - @Madblkman
Resources:
- Self Love Love Language
- Love Language Test
- FaceApp Article
- Float Tank Therapy
Intro/Outro produced by @chaisnuclear of the Chicken Social
Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/coolestnerds)
This week we have a special guest by the name of Chloé Messdaghi who is a Security Researcher Advocate, one of the Women of Security (WoSEC) founders, founder of WomenHackerz online community, and a list of things too long to type, kicking it with us today!
We talk about how Chloe has gotten very involved with the women in security movement, self promotion in tech, and how her dog likes run circles around her at home!
At the 17:53 mark, Chloe mentioned a statistic. It should be 2.4x, not 2.4%.
Timestamps:
00:45 - Chloe’s Intro
02:50 - How Steph and Chloe got cool
04:20 - Chloe explains what makes her a cool nerd and why she pushes for women in security
11:15 - Why Chloe Can’t wait on the sidelines
15:30 - Chloe’s experience with being called “non-technical”
17:00 - When Chloe hears she doesn’t have the “leadership experience”
19:15 - Why Chloe preaches the importance of holding your ground at work
24:00 - How Chloe handles the criticism of “self-promotion”
25:15 - Do people hate on “tech personalities”?
31:15 - Chloe’s thoughts on if diversity is truly “diverse”
34:20 - How do we get more diverse people in the room?
38:45 - Chloe talks about her dog and how disrespectful pets can be
46:07 - Chloe’s thoughts on love in tech
52:30 - Steph’s wild run with dating apps
59:40 - Outro
Social MediaTwitter - @coolestnerdpod
IG - @coolestnerdsintheroom
Email - coolestnerdsintheroom@gmail.com
Steph on Twitter - @StephandSec
Madblkman on Twitter - @Madblkman
Chloe on Twitter - @ChloeMessdaghi
Resources:
- ChloeMessdaghi.com
Intro/Outro produced by @chaisnuclear of the Chicken Social
Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/coolestnerds)
This week we have another dope guest on the show by the name of Tricia Howard! Tricia's a native Texas living in the big apple and she joins us to chat with us about how she ended up getting into cybersecurity, how she doesn't let her Twitter consume her, and how she loves to pay the tab on first dates!
Timestamps:
- 00:30 - Beginning
- 01:30 - Tricia enters the building
- 06:00 - How Tricia goes from artist to Cybersecurity Thought Leader
- 12:00 - How Tricia tripped into sales
- 15:00 - How Tricia switched from Survival Mode to Career Mode
- 16:45 - The importance of learning the culture of technology
- 23:30 - What are the younger generations going to say about millennial's when we get older?
- 26:00 - Tricia talks about her transition from cold calling to her current situation
- 29:05 - Did you assess any risk before trying a startup?
- 32:00 - How Tricia maintain her work/life balance
- 39:40 - What Tricia’s Twitter presence provides her
- 46:35 - Where do we draw the line when it comes to maintaining your ideas or beliefs?
- 51:53 - Love-n-Tech w/ Tricia
- 54:35 - Why Show-mances don’t work
- 01:01:30 - The Reality of dating as a successful woman
- 01:08:15 - Does Tricia shoot her shot?
- 01:22:40 - What’s Tricia’s favorite musical?
Social MediaTwitter - @coolestnerdpod
IG - @coolestnerdsintheroom
Email - coolestnerdsintheroom@gmail.com
Steph on Twitter - @StephandSec
Madblkman on Twitter - @Madblkman
Tricia on Twitter - @TriciaKicksSaaS
Resources:
- HolistiCyber
- @SANSNetWars - Video Game Tricia will be in
- Les Mis
- Daniel Sloss
- Legally Blonde: The Musical Soundtrack
Intro/Outro produced by @chaisnuclear of the Chicken Social
Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/coolestnerds)
Computer Lovvvvvvvveeeeee (Cues music)!!! This week InfoSteph and Madblkman talk about finding and maintaining love while in the tech industry! We talk about the up's, down's, and all the way arounds of dating while working in tech.
Also, we touch on Security Field Day, bullet journaling, and the importance of not changing yourself because of the way people react. This shit lit!
00:00:00 - Intro
00:02:24 - Review of the Week
00:05:19 - Did We Become Cooler Nerds?
00:16:28 - Airless Tires?!?!
00:21:41 - Bullet Journals & Databases
00:31:12 - Reggie's New Job
00:36:38 - Steph's Tired of School
00:37:07 - Being Sick Sucks
00:40:27 - Show Meat!!!!: Loooooooovvvveeeee
00:42:21 - What's Your Relationship Status?
00:43:14 - Dusty DMs
00:45:08 - Be Interesting...
00:49:22 - Lazy in Love
00:54:36 - Shooting Shots...Or Not?
00:58:06 - Independent Women in Love
01:02:16 - Wallflower Men
01:05:32 - Leave Space for Jesus
01:06:56 - Dating at Work? Yikes.
01:08:53 - Two Techies Meet At A Bar…
01:10:36 - Techie and Non-Techie Love
01:20:20 - Is InfoSteph Too Intimidating?
01:26:26 - Followers IRL?
01:35:16 - Wrapping It Up
01:38:13 - MadBlkMan, What Made You Happy?
01:39:59 - Steph&Sesh
01:48:33 - Cooler Nerds? Maybe
01:49:57 - Outro
Social MediaTwitter - @coolestnerdpod
IG - @coolestnerdsintheroom
Email - coolestnerdsintheroom@gmail.com
Steph on Twitter - @StephandSec
Madblkman on Twitter - @Madblkman
Monet on Twitter - @emdott_e
Resources:
- Michelin Uptis
- Bullet Journaling
- Building a memory palace
- Caleb Curry Data Management videos
Intro/Outro produced by @chaisnuclear of the Chicken Social
Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/coolestnerds)
We got Monet Fulgham in the building with us this week representing ATL! She blesses us with her time as we run through a gauntlet of topics! Everything from here involvement with the RenderAtl conference, how she was inspired to create remotework.tech, and her hate for Storm's representation in every X-Men movie!
Also, we touch on colorism, healthcare, and mental health! So much to unpack but so many gems!
Social MediaTwitter - @coolestnerdpod
IG - @coolestnerdsintheroom
Email - coolestnerdsintheroom@gmail.com
Steph on Twitter - @StephandSec
Madblkman on Twitter - @Madblkman
Monet on Twitter - @emdott_e
Resources:
- remotework.tech
- Render ATL Conference
Intro/Outro produced by @chaisnuclear of the Chicken Social
Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/coolestnerds)
This week we talk about how to create a learning path for picking up new skills! How do we attack a new subject? What are ways we try to learn efficiently? What doesn't work for us?
Also, we talk about Facebook stealing a bunch of data illegally, theory vs. experience, and Steph breaks down communication styles.
Social MediaTwitter - @coolestnerdpod
IG - @coolestnerdsintheroom
Email - coolestnerdsintheroom@gmail.com
Steph on Twitter - @StephandSec
Madblkman on Twitter - @Madblkman
Resources:
- Facebook collected device data on 187,000 users using banned snooping app
- Exercism.io
- A Simplified Explanation of the Big O Notation
- Top Tutorials Learn Data Structure and Algorithm for an Interview Preparation
- The Four Basic Styles of Communication
- Girl Gang Playlist by Nyeka
Intro/Outro produced by @chaisnuclear of the Chicken Social
Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/coolestnerds)
This week we have Tracy Maleef, aka InfoSecSherpa, joining us! We talk about engineers having more empathy with end users, what Tracy thinks about degrees, and if black men are being overlooked in tech!
There's going to be a lot of table shaking this week so get ready!
Social MediaTwitter - @coolestnerdpod
IG - @coolestnerdsintheroom
Email - coolestnerdsintheroom@gmail.com
Steph on Twitter - @StephandSec
Madblkman on Twitter - @Madblkman
Tracy on Twitter - @InfoSecSherpa
Resources:
- Here’s how much people of color make compared to the white male Philadelphian’s dollar
- GBestCyber's Tweet
Intro/Outro produced by @chaisnuclear of the Chicken Social
Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/coolestnerds)
What happens when you put in your 2 week notice? InfoSteph and Madblkman discuss their experiences when they've put their notice to chunk the deuce to their former companies!
Also, we talk about the Google reviving cold-fusion, threads and processes, and attachment styles!
Social MediaTwitter - @coolestnerdpod
IG - @coolestnerdsintheroom
Email - coolestnerdsintheroom@gmail.com
Steph on Twitter - @StephandSec
Madblkman on Twitter - @Madblkman
Resources:
- Comptia Cloud Essentials
- Google revives controversial cold-fusion experiments
- POSIX Threads Programming
- TabGeeks Podcast
- Refactr.Tech Speaker Link
Intro/Outro produced by @chaisnuclear of the Chicken Social
Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/coolestnerds)
Is that degree as valuable as people like to make it seem? This week, InfoSteph and MadBlkMan, discuss how important they think having a degree (or lack thereof) is in a career in tech!
Also, we talk about the final Game of Thrones episode, Ian Coldwater's latest talk from KubeCon, and Steph gives some advice on what being a patient and understanding friend looks like!
Social MediaTwitter - @coolestnerdpod
IG - @coolestnerdsintheroom
Email - coolestnerdsintheroom@gmail.com
Steph on Twitter - @StephandSec
Madblkman on Twitter - @Madblkman
Resources:
- Crafty Requests: Deep Dive Into Kubernetes CVE-2018-1002105 - Ian Coldwater, Heroku
Intro/Outro produced by @chaisnuclear of the Chicken Social
Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/coolestnerds)
This week, InfoSteph and MadBlkMan talk about the keys to overacheiving! What does overachieving look like? Have we ever felt like we overachieved? Is it even worth the extra effort? (Yes, you don't have to press play to figure that part out!
Also, we dive into accountability partners, finding ways to bridge the gap between the workforce and students, and how a team of engineers have figured out a way for AI to come one step closer to getting rid of us!
Social MediaTwitter - @coolestnerdpod
IG - @coolestnerdsintheroom
Email - coolestnerdsintheroom@gmail.com
Steph on Twitter - @StephandSec
Madblkman on Twitter - @Madblkman
Resources:
- FakeJoeRogan.com
- RealTalk: This Speech Synthesis Model Our Engineers Built Recreates a Human Voice Perfectly
- Van Gogh: His Life in Art
Intro/Outro produced by @chaisnuclear of the Chicken Social
Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/coolestnerds)
This week, InfoSteph and MadBlkMan talk about mental health and their personal stories surrounding mental illness. They take a different approach to tackling their own issues and share what they're currently going through and what they have gone through. In addition to that, they cover Game of Thrones episodes 4 &5, quantum computing, a near death experience in the name of hacker trivia and Seattle things!
Game of ThronesIf you're not a GoT fan, you can skip minutes 5:30 to 29:00.
Social MediaTwitter - @coolestnerdpod
IG - @coolestnerdsintheroom
Email - coolestnerdsintheroom@gmail.com
Steph on Twitter - @StephandSec
Madblkman on Twitter - @Madblkman
Resources:
-
- Quantum goes open source as Microsoft expands Q# programming language
- Game of Thrones Season 8, Episode 4
- List of Core Values
- Manning Publication books about Quantum Computing
Intro/Outro produced by @chaisnuclear of the Chicken Social
Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/coolestnerds)
Steph and MadBlkMan link up to talk about the importance of being involved in community while working in tech. From how community has built confidence in them to how to get started in finding your "tribe", we highlight why being a active participant in the tech community is vital to career growth!
Also, we highlight the Tribe of Hackers Summit in Austin, Game of Thrones episode 3, and the importance of therapy!
Social MediaTwitter - @coolestnerdpod
IG - @coolestnerdsintheroom
Email - coolestnerdsintheroom@gmail.com
Steph on Twitter - @StephandSec
Madblkman on Twitter - @Madblkman
Notes
- Tribe of Hackers Summit
- Kubernetes Authentication
- SysAdminCasts.com
- LinuxAcademy.com
- Game of Thrones S8, E3 Review
Intro/Outro produced by @chaisnuclear of the Chicken Social
Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/coolestnerds)
This week we discuss creating a vision for yourself in your career! We breakdown what a vision is, creating discipline around your vision and what happens when you don't have one.
Also, we talk about the nerdiest week of all time (Game of Thrones, Avengers, etc.), being unmotivated, and how we became cooler nerds!
Social MediaTwitter - @coolestnerdpod
IG - @coolestnerdsintheroom
Email - coolestnerdsintheroom@gmail.com
Steph on Twitter - @StephandSec
Madblkman on Twitter - @Madblkman
Notes
- Papercall.io
- 16 Personalities
Intro/Outro produced by @chaisnuclear of the Chicken Social
Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/coolestnerds)
This week, The Coolest Nerds bring on Mike Thomas and Chuck Cook for an extra special episode of Coolest Nerds in the Room. We discuss Game of Thrones (natch), balancing your passion and your 9-5, music, anime and so much more. InfoSteph tells a story about a crazy adulting lesson she learned and MadBlkMan details how he figured out his non-negotiable salary requirements.
About Our Guests
Mike is a project manager by day and photographer every other time based out of Dallas. Chuck is currently a freelancer who manages social media for a small business, hoping to get into marketing in the near future. They are a couple of the coolest nerds in Westeros.
If you're not into Game of Thrones, I got you! You can skip minutes 50:04 through 1:00:22.
Listen to the nerdage happening in this episode and tell us what you think!
Social MediaTwitter - @coolestnerdpod
IG - @coolestnerdsintheroom
Email - coolestnerdsintheroom@gmail.com
Steph on Twitter - @StephandSec
Madblkman on Twitter - @Madblkman
Guests
Mike's Twitter & Instagram: geaux_teezy
Chuck's Twitter: @sup_chuck
- Resources
- Introduction to Linux Control Groups
- Nuvoo.com
- DevOpsDay Houston
- Beyonce's Homecoming
- Sysadmincasts.com
As always, let us know what you think and please rate & subscribe!
Intro/Outro produced by @chaisnuclear of the Chicken Social
Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/coolestnerds)
Have your co-workers gotten on your last nerves? Do you drag yourself into office everyday? Are you drinking one more drink than you would typically would? Well this episode might be for you! This week Steph and Madblkman talk about burnout!
Also, we discuss Game of Thrones, HouSecCon, Simon Wardley, and learn about the importance of building a strong support system.
If you're not a GoT fan, you can skip from 5:44-12:31.
Social MediaTwitter - @coolestnerdpod
IG - @coolestnerdsintheroom
Email - coolestnerdsintheroom@gmail.com
Steph on Twitter - @StephandSec
Madblkman on Twitter - @Madblkman
NotesWhy the fuss about serverless
“Discipline” by Larry June
Job Burnout: How to spot it and take action
Stress vs. Burnout
Tribe of Hackers
Careerist Cyber Talk
Intro/Outro produced by @chaisnuclear of the Chicken Social
Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/coolestnerds)
InfoSteph and MadBlkMan are back again, and this week, they are tackling office politics!
Social MediaTwitter - @coolestnerdpod
IG - @coolestnerdsintheroom
Email - coolestnerdsintheroom@gmail.com
Steph on Twitter - @StephandSec
Madblkman on Twitter - @Madblkman
Resources:
https://exercism.io/
https://www.gophercon.com/
https://www.upguard.com/breaches/facebook-user-data-leak
Intro/Outro produced by @chaisnuclear of the Chicken Social
Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/coolestnerds)
Welcome to the Coolest Nerds in the Room! This week InfoSteph and Madblkman introduce themselves to the world and explain what a cool nerd is to them and how in the world they even came up with the idea of this show!
Follow up with @InfoSteph and @MadBlkMan on Twitter!
If you have any questions or comments hit us up at coolestnerdsintheroom@gmail.com
Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/coolestnerds)