Whitney and Coté chat with Jason Hand. They discuss the challenges and rewards of organizing conferences, the impact of the pandemic on in-person events, and the nuances of developer relations.

Jason shares his experiences with AI Tools Lab, vibe coding, and personal projects such as developing his own tools to replace commercial SaaS products. They also talk about devrel differences at large vs. mid-sized companies, and how to maintaining personal energy and sanity in high-demand roles.

Check out just about everything Jason Hand related at his home page on the World Wide Web.

If you prefer video, check out the video of this episode.

Special Guest: Jason Hand.

This week, Whitney Lee joins us to discuss KubeCon news, Coding Assistants, and conference tips. Plus, vegan food and note-taking recommendations.

Watch the YouTube Live Recording of Episode 547

This is a cross-over episode with Software Defined Talk.

Whitney and Coté talk with Andrew Clay Shafer, co-founder of Puppet and principal at an advisory firm, about the nuances of DevOps transformation, open source dynamics, and running his burger restaurant, All American Burger. They talk about the challenges of integrating social and technical systems, managing metrics and KPIs, and the evolving ecosystem of open source software. Also, they go over Andrew's experience in running a fast food restaurant and the parallels between managing a tech company and a food business.

You can also watch the video version of this episode if you're into that kind of thing.

Links

• Andrew in LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewclayshafer/
• Ergonautic: https://www.ergonautic.ly
• All American Burger: https://maps.app.goo.gl/hgNturR3jf76u5EHA

Special Guest: Andrew Clay Shafer.

We talk with Russell Davies this episode. He has done many things, above all else made lots of interesting content and messed around with producing content. Advertising, blogging and the World Wide Web of the 2000's, interesting conferences (call exactly that: interesting), books, and of late, he's been mastering the short video format. I am a big fan of Flora and his ("he's"?) recent podcast, WIP. Here is a fantastic episode.

All of Russell's stuff is to be found on his home page on the World Wide Web, those his photos take some time tracking down.

Also, Coté wears plaid on plaid. This was not done unknowingly.

Here is the video version of this episode, if you prefer that kind of thing.

Special Guest: Russell Davies.

Blogs! Whitney and Coté talk with Manton Reece, founder and owner of micro.blog. They talk about journaling, the urge to write and publish, and a whole lot about blogging, social media, and how AI fits into all of that. Check out micro blog at, well, micro.blog and also Manton's blog.

Special Guest: Manton Reece.

In this episode, Whitney and Coté speak with Saad Ansari, a product manager at Databricks, about his journey from working at Microsoft to co-founding a startup focused on creating sensors for monitoring cow behavior. They go over the challenges and rewards of transitioning from large corporations to startups and back, the differences in company scales, and the various lessons learned along the way. Saad shares some stories about developing technology for dairy farming, tackling supply chain issues, and the importance of passion in one's work. The conversation also touches on the unique cultural aspects of dairy farming around the world, managing imposter syndrome, and the value of hands-on experience.

Special Guest: Saad Ansari.

In this episode, Whitney and Coté talk about the integration of AI into daily life with Hannah Foxwell, organizer of AI for the Rest of Us, among many other doings. They talk about stuff like practical applications of AI in daily tasks like finding recipes and tech support to the complexities of adopting AI in professional settings. Hannah also talks about building AI communities and conferences in general. Also, you hear about the upcoming conference AI for the Rest of Us.

You can also watch the video recording of this interview, if you prefer that kind of thing.

AI for the Rest of Us - https://aifortherestofus.live/london-2025
Discount code: SDI20 for 20% off the conference.
The application form for financial support: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfrOR2OBJUZEJV72lmL_zXFjUyjJPul-NCoqZV4EzQnkhIe6A/viewform
Her LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hannah-foxwell/
Her Keynote at QCon: https://qconlondon.com/speakers/hannahfoxwell
Paper she mentioned: https://gradual-disempowerment.ai/

Special Guest: Hannah Foxwell.

In this episode, Whitney and Coté talk with Rachel Chalmers. Rachel shares her experiences as an analyst, her approach to VC investing, and a little on life as a industry analyst. The conversation also touches on the evolving landscape of venture capital, the importance of psychological safety in teams, and innovative methods for engaging with early-stage startups. Also, lots of horse-talk.

You can also watch the video recording, if you're into that kind of thing.

Rachel's podcast: https://www.heavybit.com/library/podcasts/generationship
The Generationship fund: https://www.generationship.ai
Rachel LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachalmers/

Special Guest: Rachel Chalmers.

In this episode, Whitney and Coté chat with Mary Thengvall, exploring the development and significance of Developer Relations (devrel) over the years. They discuss the transition from tech "evangelism" to the modern devrel roles, the challenges and successes in community building, the importance of internal support for devrel teams, and the impact of AI on content creation. Mary also shares insights from her book, The Business Value of Developer Relations, and her experience with the devrel Collective community.

You can also watch the video version of this episode if you're into that kind of thing.

Links:

• The Business Value of Developer Relations.
• https://www.marythengvall.com/
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/marythengvall/
• https://www.persea-consulting.com/book
• https://www.communitypulse.io/

Special Guest: Mary Thengvall.

In this episode, Whitney and Coté talk with James Eastham about developing social skills through reading, the importance of deep work in productivity, and the mental challenges of ultrarunning. They also discuss strategies for reducing screen time in an age of Internet addiction, how thumbnails in YouTube videos influence viewer engagement, and the evolving landscape of short-form video content.

Watch the video, if you prefer that kind of thing.

Mentioned in the show:

Manager versus Maker.
Deborha Tannan books: Talking 9 to 5 and You Just Don't Understand: Women and Men in Conversation.

More on James:

Website - https://jameseastham.co.uk/
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-eastham/
Bsky - https://bsky.app/profile/jameseastham.co.uk
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCutBMcgLfbSfRL-MB5Bskxg

Special Guest: James Eastham.

Chris, of course, had his System generate a title and summary for this episode, so we're using that AI-driven fun this week.

In this lively and open conversation, Chris Dancy — the self-proclaimed "Most Connected person in the World" — joins hosts Cote and Whitney to discuss digital minimalism, hyper-organization, life augmentation, and cyborg spirituality. The episode is a blend of humor, tech wisdom, and raw human truth. From cord-hoarding and emotional databases to AI for cold case solving and life automation, Chris opens up his digital soul with passion and presence.

The trio wanders delightfully through stories of Google Glass, Apple Vision Pro, Palmolive soap metaphors, and Grandpa Cyborg’s widget garage for municipalities. With sincerity and sparkle, Chris makes the case that life should be intentional, measurable, and ultimately — more loving.

Find all your Chris Dancy delights at his website.

Special Guest: Chris Dancy.