Working In Tech

How is this former Google and Microsoft leader bringing affordable internet to millions in East Africa? On this episode of #WorkinginTech, we're talking to Somet Kipchilat. Somet is a seasoned technology leader with nearly a decade of experience shaping groundbreaking programs for major software companies. At Poa Internet, he leads efforts to provide affordable internet access to underserved East African communities as Head of Product. Passionate about digital transformation, Somet has worked at industry giants like Google and Microsoft. At Google, he redefined the Next Billion Users User Experience Research program, optimizing processes for engineering teams in emerging markets. Somet will share his journey in tech leadership, insights on cloud solutions and product management, and advice for making an impact in the global technology industry. He'll also discuss his current work in closing the digital divide in East Africa. 𝕏 CONNECT WITH ME ON SOCIALS 𝕏 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/juwonthetechie/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/JuwonTheTechie Threads: https://www.threads.net/@juwonthetechie IG: https://www.instagram.com/juwonthetechie/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juwon-io/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@juwonthetechie CONNECT WITH SOMET LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/skipchilat/ Website: https://sometkip.com/ CHAPTERS 0:00 - Intro 2:10 - The Journey So Far 9:00 - Building Soft Skills 13:20 - Finding a North Star 18:10 - Best Part of the Job 21:30 - FAANG vs Startup Experience 35:00 - Leading Product Teams 39:10 - Building in Africa 46:25 - Most Important Skill in Product 54:00 - Sharing Bad News 59:50 - Doing Too Much 1:02:20 - Certs vs Experience 1:08:20 - Shoutouts 1:09:43 - Conclusion

On this episode of #WorkingInTech, we're talking to Bolatito, an entrepreneur and strategic advisor at Shopify Plus. Bolatito founded Mychopchop, Canada's first and largest online African grocery store, addressing a need she experienced as an international student. Passionate about improving people and places, Bolatito transitioned from a career in financial services to the tech industry. She now leverages her entrepreneurial experience and industry insights to guide multimillion-dollar brands in fashion, food & beverage, and health & wellness sectors. Today, Bolatito will share her journey from finance to tech entrepreneurship, strategies for identifying and addressing market needs, and insights on helping established brands grow across various channels. She'll also discuss her experience in supporting immigrant communities and building impactful businesses. 𝕏 CONNECT WITH ME ON SOCIALS 𝕏 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/juwonthetechie/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/JuwonTheTechie Threads: https://www.threads.net/@juwonthetechie IG: https://www.instagram.com/juwonthetechie/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juwon-io/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@juwonthetechie CONNECT WITH TITO LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/titoalawode/ CHAPTERS 0:00 - Intro 1:30 - Entrepreneurship Background 7:30 - Why Tech? 12:19 - Vision and Roadmaps 20:30 - Cold DMs and Networking 39:45 - Interviewing 46:55 - Building Mychopchop 54:50 - Tools of the Trade 56:00 - Salary Progression 58:00 - Being a Merchant in Merchant Success 1:00:00 - Shoutouts 1:03:50 - Career Progression 1:06:00 - Conclusion

In the debut episode of "Working In Tech," we're diving into the exciting world of product management. Discover the ins and outs, insider tips, and the roadmap to becoming a stellar Product Manager. Ready to embark on this tech journey with us? Tune in now! 🎙️ Don't forget to like, subscribe, and smash the notification bell so you don't miss out on next week's segment.#TechCareer #ProductManagement #workingintech CONNECT WITH ME: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/juwonthetechie/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/JuwonTheTechie Threads: https://www.threads.net/@juwonthetechie IG: https://www.instagram.com/juwonthetechie/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juwon-io/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@juwonthetechie CHAPTERS Intro - 0:00 History Major to Product Management - 2:46 Job Search Strategy and Interviews - 9:39 Early Career Challenges - 19:25 Salary Progression - 27:38 Tech Trends - 31:00 Advice for Newbies - 40:40 Learning Business in Tech - 50:20 Conclusion - 56:20

On this episode of #WorkinginTech, we're talking to Ayotomide Alo. Ayo is a Business Analyst with over a decade of experience in technology solution projects, specializing in Process Improvement, Automation, and Robotics Process Automation (RPA). As a Data Analyst, Ayo has worked extensively on productivity data analysis and reporting, from data cleaning to visualization, and from data gathering to storytelling. He's also a founding partner at HiTech Blitz Consulting, where he helps businesses make informed decisions through data analysis. Today, Ayo will share his journey from a background in English Language and Communication Management to becoming a tech expert, his experience in data analysis and visualization, and how he's helping newcomers start their tech careers through training programs at HiTech Blitz Consulting. 𝕏 CONNECT WITH ME ON SOCIALS 𝕏 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/juwonthetechie/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/JuwonTheTechie Threads: https://www.threads.net/@juwonthetechie IG: https://www.instagram.com/juwonthetechie/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juwon-io/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@juwonthetechie CONNECT WITH AYO LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ayotomide-alo/ Website: http://www.hitechblitz.com/ CHAPTERS 0:00 - Intro 2:00 - Communication to Tech 7:50 - Fitting In as An Immigrant 12:45 - Building a Network 19:32 - Data Analyst Skills 22:40 - Storytelling in Data 30:50 - Certifications 35:15 - Building a Startup 38:17 - AI In Tech 52:30 - Culture Shock 54:50 - Learning Resources 57:00 - Tips for Newbies 1:03:45 - Shoutouts 1:07:10 - Conclusion

On this episode of #WorkingInTech, we're talking to Miriam, a Partner Success Manager at ApprovalMax. With a hands-on approach, Miriam guides clients through the onboarding process, ensuring they are set up for success. She helps businesses streamline their financial processes and improve their operations using technology. Today, Miriam will share her experience in the tech industry, her role in helping businesses adopt new technologies, and how to kickstart a career in the B2B space 𝕏 CONNECT WITH ME ON SOCIALS 𝕏 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/juwonthetechie/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/JuwonTheTechie Threads: https://www.threads.net/@juwonthetechie IG: https://www.instagram.com/juwonthetechie/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juwon-io/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@juwonthetechie CONNECT WITH MIRIAM LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/miriam-owusu-405aa9231/ CHAPTERS 0:00 - Intro 1:01 - Playing Soccer and Tech 6:40 - Breaking into Tech 11:35 - Networking 19:45 - 3 Skills to Have 29:50 - Certifications 33:45 - Community 44:10 - Switching Industries 50:23 - Building Confidence 53:05 - Job-hopping 56:50 - Salary Progression 1:02:30 - Good Reading 1:03:25 - Shoutouts 1:05:10 - Conclusion

On this episode of #WorkinginTech, we're talking to Shaundai. Shaundai is a Senior Software Engineer at Netflix and a TC39 Delegate based in Atlanta, GA. She's passionate about making programming interesting and approachable for all. Shaundai shares her expertise through her work as a course instructor at [tsforjs.com](http://tsforjs.com/) and as a technical blogger. Her efforts focus on breaking down complex programming concepts and making them accessible to a wider audience. Today, Shaundai will share her journey in software engineering, her experience as a TC39 Delegate, and her approach to creating engaging tech education content. She'll also offer advice for aspiring developers looking to enter the field and make their mark in the tech industry. 𝕏 CONNECT WITH ME ON SOCIALS 𝕏 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/juwonthetechie/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/JuwonTheTechie Threads: https://www.threads.net/@juwonthetechie IG: https://www.instagram.com/juwonthetechie/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juwon-io/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@juwonthetechie CONNECT WITH SHAUNDAI LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shaundai/ Twitter: https://x.com/shaundai Blog: http://www.tsforjs.com/ CHAPTERS 0:00 - Why Tech? 4:00 - Sales to Engineering 19:36 - Community and Self-learning 35:30 - Passion and Success 39:39 - Biggest Surprise 44:05 - Cold DMs 52:33 - Using Sales Skills 54:45 - Salary Progression 57:50 - Shoutouts! 1:01:10 - Referrals 1:05:10 - Conclusion

On this episode of #WorkinginTech, we're talking to Nomi Nazeer. Nomi is a Global Business Strategy Manager at Microsoft with 25 years of experience across various business functions in tech. At Microsoft, he drives business architecture for Data Security and Data Governance in the era of AI. Passionate about collaboration, Nomi has worked in retail, sales, channel development, partner alliance management, global marketing, events, market research, business strategy, and business operations. His strength lies in helping people and organizations work together to build value-rich businesses while nurturing partner alliances for mutual success. Today, Nomi will share his journey through different tech roles, insights on building successful partnerships, and advice for adapting to new technologies like AI in the business world. 𝕏 CONNECT WITH ME ON SOCIALS 𝕏 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/juwonthetechie/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/JuwonTheTechie Threads: https://www.threads.net/@juwonthetechie IG: https://www.instagram.com/juwonthetechie/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juwon-io/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@juwonthetechie CONNECT WITH NAUMAN LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nauman-nomi-nazeer-he-him-52062919/ CHAPTERS 0:00 - Intro 2:49 - Why Tech? 9:30 - Career Trajectory 17:18 - Advice for Newcomers 23:00 - Learning Sales 31:55 - Top 3 Skills 45:45 - Certifications 47:45 - Standing Out 50:55 - Salary Progression 53:10 - Networking 1:01:55 - Final Words 1:03:35 - Conclusion

On this episode of #WorkingInTech, we're talking to Ady. Ady is a JavaScript Tech Lead and UI Architect with 24 years of experience in the tech industry. He specializes in building simple, engaging, and intuitive consumer-facing products. Passionate about user experience, Ady has spent his career producing intuitive systems that are easy to scale and maintain. His journey in tech began with a curiosity about how computers work, sparked by playing PacMan. Today, Ady will share his journey in front-end development, keys to creating user-friendly and scalable systems, and advice for aspiring UI architects looking to build a long-lasting career in tech. 𝕏 CONNECT WITH ME ON SOCIALS 𝕏 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/juwonthetechie/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/JuwonTheTechie Threads: https://www.threads.net/@juwonthetechie IG: https://www.instagram.com/juwonthetechie/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juwon-io/ Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@juwonthetechie CONNECT WITH ADY LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adyngom/ CHAPTERS 0:00 - Intro 0:50 - Discussing UI 11:00 - Why Tech 14:30 - First Project 19:25 - Securing The First Role 28:05 - Dealing with Setbacks 32:50 - Salary Progression 39:25 - Mistakes to Avoid 47:30 - Web Dev vs App Dev 50:30 - Starting Out New 53:15 - Finding Community 56:20 - Building a Network 1:05:30 - Final Words 1:08:00 - Conclusion

On this episode of #WorkingInTech, we're chatting with Bobby McNeil Jr., an experienced Talent Acquisition Manager with a decade of delivering successful recruitment strategies across Fortune 500 companies. Bobby's expertise lies in identifying top talent for roles like Software Engineering, R&D, Corporate IT, and non-technical positions. His abilities have earned him recognition as an industry leader and trusted voice. As the President of the award-winning Blacks in Technology Raleigh-Durham Chapter, Bobby champions diversity and inclusion within the tech industry. With hundreds of successful hires under his belt, Bobby takes pride in guiding job seekers towards rewarding opportunities and witnessing their professional growth. Before recruiting, Bobby had a successful college basketball career, even winning an NCAA National Championship. In this episode, Bobby shares insights on talent acquisition, career coaching, and his upcoming book providing candid advice for job seekers in today's corporate landscape. If you enjoy the discussion, leave a like and share! 𝕏 CONNECT WITH ME ON SOCIALS 𝕏 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/juwonthetechie/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/JuwonTheTechie Threads: https://www.threads.net/@juwonthetechie IG: https://www.instagram.com/juwonthetechie/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juwon-io/ Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@juwonthetechie CONNECT WITH BOBBY LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bmcneil/ Website: https://direct.me/bobbythebuilder CHAPTERS 0:00 - Intro 1:55 - Why Tech? 6:20 - Recruiting in and out of Tech 10:40 - Transferable Skills 16:50 - Sports and Tech 29:45 - DEI and ‘Breaking into Tech’ 37:15 - Resume and Interviewing 50:45 - Challenges 52:29 - Salary 53:35 - Dealing with Rejection 55:25 - Recruiting and HR 59:45 - Moving within Recruitment 1:02:30 - Bobby's Book and His Work With BIT 1:05:55 - Conclusion

On this episode of #WorkinginTech, we're talking to Sean Oliver. Sean is a Senior Business Analytics Lead at Microsoft with experience working for Fortune 500 companies like Microsoft, Accenture, and Starbucks. Passionate about writing and mentoring, Sean has published over 30,000 words online on topics including productivity, decision-making, and networking. Sean has guided numerous early career students and professionals, helping them navigate the complexities of their industries. Today, Sean will share his journey in business analytics, insights on productivity and decision-making in tech, and advice for aspiring professionals looking to make their mark in the industry. 𝕏 CONNECT WITH ME ON SOCIALS 𝕏 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/juwonthetechie/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/JuwonTheTechie Threads: https://www.threads.net/@juwonthetechie IG: https://www.instagram.com/juwonthetechie/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juwon-io/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@juwonthetechie CONNECT WITH SEAN LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sean-e-oliver/ Sean's Essays: typeshare.co/seanoliver CHAPTERS 0:00 - Intro 2:20 - Why Tech? 4:40 - Should I Wait or Not? 19:30 - First Interview 21:55 - Weakness to Strength 27:40 - First Step 42:50 - Contract vs Full-time 46:15 - Career Progression 51:10 - Switching Industries 56:10 - Direction 1:03:45 - Final Words 1:04:15 - Conclusion