Engineer Your Career

Boomie Odumade is a fractional CTO, a career coach, and an instructor. She’s a senior engineering leader with more than 20 years of experience across startups, nonprofits, and large enterprises, including Accenture, NPR, and Capital One. Boomie is also a board member for two nonprofits focused on advancing women and girls in STEM and is an experienced speaker.In this episode, we discuss:Why she decided to pivot from full-time to fractional rolesThe best questions to ask in an interview to assess company cultureThe advice she’d give her younger selfNetworking tips for introvertsResources mentioned in this episode:Boomie’s AdaMarie post on self-advocacy: https://weareadamarie.com/blog/self-advocacy-starter-guide-for-early-career-professionalsWhere to find Boomie Odumade:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/odumade/TechBees: https://techbees.me/Brought to you by WEST:⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://www.joinwest.org⁠⁠⁠Where to find Heidi Williams:LinkedIn:⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/heidiwilliams1⁠⁠⁠⁠Where to find Karen Ko:LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/karenko26

Ei-Nyung Choi is an engineering leader, fractional CTO, technical advisor, and speaker. A full-stack engineer with more than 20 years of experience spanning mobile, web, and gaming, Ei-Nyung is passionate about mentoring founders and women in tech.In this episode, we discuss:The importance of being willing to learn and make mistakesSlowing down to help those behind you vs running at full speedThe advice Ei-Nyung gives every startup founderWhat to consider when raising a seed roundWhere to find Ei-Nyung Choi:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/einyungchoi/Brought to you by WEST:⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://www.joinwest.org⁠⁠⁠Where to find Heidi Williams:LinkedIn:⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/heidiwilliams1⁠⁠⁠⁠Where to find Karen Ko:LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/karenko26

Lauren Stoller, VP of Data and Analytics at Brigit, is an experienced Data Product Manager known for full product lifecycle success, from ideation to iteration. A big-picture thinker, she uses analytics for competitive advantage and empowers teams to solve problems creatively. She has broad industry experience across retail, e-commerce, finance, semiconductors, and early-stage start-ups. Lauren holds an MBA in Strategic Management from The Wharton School. Earlier in her career, she worked in both law and finance before discovering her passion and skill for data and analytics. In this episode, we discuss:How Lauren went from law to finance to techThe best way to leverage networking and career interviewsHer unconventional leadership styleThe advice she’d give her younger self Resources mentioned in this episode:Radical Candor by Kim Scott: https://www.radicalcandor.com/Where to find Lauren Stoller:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurenstoller/Brought to you by WEST:⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://www.joinwest.org⁠⁠⁠Where to find Heidi Williams:LinkedIn:⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/heidiwilliams1⁠⁠⁠⁠Where to find Karen Ko:LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/karenko26

Jumoke Dada is a dynamic, visionary and technology leader whose sweet spot lies at the intersection of innovation, entrepreneurship, security, and education. With over 15 years of experience in corporate IT, and as the owner of Signature Red, she provides technology consulting services and has created platforms for women in tech.Two of her creations include the Tech Women Network, an online community and career development platform for diverse technical women, and the HUE Tech Summit for Women of Color Technologists. Additionally, she's an international speaker and former tech contributor to Forbes. Jumoke holds a Master's in Cybersecurity from Georgia Tech.In this episode, we discuss:Authenticity and overcoming cultural norms The importance and joy of building communityPivotal moments that pushed her out of her comfort zoneHer decision to pursue a Master’s degree in CybersecuritySetting boundaries and self-care Becoming an international public speaker Where to find Jumoke Dada:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jumokedada/Brought to you by WEST:⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://www.joinwest.org⁠⁠⁠Where to find Heidi Williams:LinkedIn:⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/heidiwilliams1⁠⁠⁠⁠Where to find Karen Ko:LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/karenko26

Po Linn (Fo) Chia is a Principal Software Engineer at Mindbody/Classpass, working primarily in the intersection of backend and DevOps. She graduated university with a degree in Japanese history, but pivoted to doing a coding bootcamp and the rest is history.In this episode we discuss:Fo’s journey from Humanities major to Staff EngineerThe importance of mentorship and having a good managerHandling stress and mental health in the workplaceThe best way to build new skillsAdvice she’d give her younger selfWhere to find Po Linn (Fo) Chia:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chiapl/Brought to you by WEST:⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://www.joinwest.org⁠⁠⁠Where to find Heidi Williams:LinkedIn:⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/heidiwilliams1⁠⁠⁠⁠Where to find Karen Ko:LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/karenko26

Josie Daw is a British full-stack developer and app developer actively contributing to South Korea's tech scene. She leverages technology to build impactful projects and especially loves to work on projects, whether as a developer or organizer, to create social impact.In this episode we discuss:Josie’s unconventional path to becoming a full-stack developer How she gives back to the community through coding workshops and hackathonsHer passion for encouraging more people to feel comfortable with codingHer current open-source project and how you can get involvedAdvice she’d give her younger selfResources mentioned:Josie’s open-source project on GitHub:https://github.com/JosDawWhere to find Josie Daw:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/josiedaw/Brought to you by WEST:⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://www.joinwest.org⁠⁠⁠Where to find Heidi Williams:LinkedIn:⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/heidiwilliams1⁠⁠⁠⁠Where to find Karen Ko:LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/karenko26

Remy Schor is the talent recruiter at Voxel51. With two decades of talent acquisition experience, both in agencies and as an internal recruiter, Remy brings extensive knowledge of what recruiters are looking for and what job seekers should expect from a good recruiter. In this episode we discuss: Practical advice on how to stand out among thousands of other applicants Remy’s journey to her current role How to optimize your resume How to handle salary negotiations Remy’s take on interviewing “for practice” when you’re not looking for a new job Resources mentioned: Remy’s 2022 talk on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oNjHP-6gtCw Where to find Remy Schor: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/remyschor/ Brought to you by WEST:⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://www.joinwest.org⁠⁠⁠ Where to find Heidi Williams: LinkedIn:⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/heidiwilliams1⁠⁠⁠⁠ Where to find Karen Ko: LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/karenko26

Tina Wright is an Area Tech Lead at Grammarly, and has worked as a software engineer at Coursera, TRI, and Google.In this episode we discuss:What is an area tech lead?Technical leadership as a generalist, rather than a specialistHow to get the best from your team through a service leadership styleThe advice she would give her younger selfResources mentioned:Staff Engineer: Leadership Beyond the Management Track by Will Larson https://staffeng.com/bookThe Happiness Advantage: The Seven Principles of Positive Psychology That Fuel Success and Performance at Work by Shawn Achor https://www.shawnachor.com/books/happiness-advantage/In Praise of Idleness by Bertrand Russell https://www.amazon.com/Praise-Idleness-Routledge-Classics-46/dp/0415325064The QCon 2024 "The Path to Staff+ and Beyond" track Tina mentioned has passed, but you can purchase a Video Pass on the conference website to view the recordings. https://qconsf.com/track/nov2024/path-staff-and-beyondWhere to find Tina Wright:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinaewright/Brought to you by WEST:⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://www.joinwest.org⁠⁠⁠Where to find Heidi Williams:LinkedIn:⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/heidiwilliams1⁠⁠⁠⁠Where to find Karen Ko:LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/karenko26

Diana Stepner is a Product and Leadership Coach. With over 15 years of international product leadership experience, Diana has led numerous teams at companies such as the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, Kayak, Pearson, and more. In this episode we discuss: How she went from aspiring fish-store owner with a Marine Biology degree to Product Manager in tech How the industry has evolved over the past two decades How ensuring all stakeholders feel heard can make a project run a bit smoother The advice she gives to clients who are facing burnout  The role of AI in product management Resources mentioned: Continuous Discovery Habits: Discover Products that Create Customer Value and Business Value by Teresa Torres https://www.amazon.com/Continuous-Discovery-Habits-Discover-Products/dp/1736633309 Where to find Diana Stepner: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dianas/ Brought to you by WEST:⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://www.joinwest.org⁠⁠⁠ Where to find Heidi Williams: LinkedIn:⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/heidiwilliams1⁠⁠⁠⁠ Where to find Karen Ko: LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/karenko26

Shama Keskar is a CTO, Founder, and mentor with experience leading engineering teams at Amazon, Google, and LinkedIn. Her background in nuclear physics and education gives her a unique perspective and a keen interest in exploring the power and potential of big data and analytics. In this episode we discuss: Shama's principles of leadership  How to turn a "work/life balance" break into a benefit for your career Lessons learned during her journey as a cofounder Determining which side hustles are worth pursuing Learning from a failed startup experience Strategies for scaling Additional Resources: Rewired: The McKinsey Guide to Outcompeting in the Age of Digital and AI - McKinsey & Company Measure What Matters: How Google, Bono, and the Gates Foundation Rock the World with OKRs - John Doerr The Manager's Path: A Guide for Tech Leaders Navigating Growth and Change - Camille Fournier Zero to One: Notes on Startups, or How to Build the Future - Peter Thiel Oneday - EIR program Where to find Shama Keskar: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shamakeskar Brought to you by WEST:⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://www.joinwest.org⁠⁠⁠ Where to find Heidi Williams: LinkedIn:⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/heidiwilliams1⁠⁠⁠⁠ Where to find Karen Ko: LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/karenko26