The I.T. XP

After 25+ years in IT, Chuck shares his unfiltered 2-year AI journey—from skeptic to AI-first. Why 2026 is the year IT professionals can't afford to wait on AI experimentation. It's December 31st, 2025—the last day of the year and the final episode of 2025 for The IT XP. Chuck gets personal about his two-year journey with AI, from initial skepticism to becoming AI-first in his workflow and content creation. This isn't a polished how-to guide. It's an honest account of experimentation, failures, and lessons learned across ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, RunwayML, ElevenLabs, Sora, and emerging agentic AI tools. 🎯 WHAT YOU'LL LEARN: - Why experienced IT professionals (25+ years) bring irreplaceable value in an AI-augmented world - The real difference between generative AI and agentic AI—and what it means for your career - How to overcome AI hesitation and start experimenting (even if you're skeptical) - Corporate Hardcore case study: Building a content brand using AI-generated characters and video - Coco Live case study: Managing a high-volume TikTok account with AI automation - The "clarity principle"—why AI reflects your thinking, not replaces it - Custom instructions mastery: How to make AI tools actually useful for your specific needs - Why your judgment becomes MORE valuable, not less, as AI adoption increases 🔥 KEY INSIGHTS: "AI didn't replace me. It freed me to do the work only I can do." Chuck breaks down the 70/30 rule: AI handles 70% of repetitive work, but the last 30%—judgment, context, validation—is where experienced IT professionals prove their value. ⚠️ THE HARD TRUTHS: - Organizations are experimenting with "AI" solutions that aren't actually leveraging AI effectively - Instant gratification culture is killing long-term skill development - Junior engineers don't know what they don't know—experience matters more in an AI world - In 2025, not using AI doesn't make you cautious. It makes you slow. 📊 2026 PREDICTIONS: 1. AI agents go mainstream (it's already happening—Microsoft Ignite was wall-to-wall agents) 2. The IT skills gap flips: Demand shifts from cloud engineers to "AI orchestrators" who can direct AI to solve ops problems 3. Regulatory scrutiny intensifies: "The AI did it" won't fly in regulated industries 💪 THE CHALLENGE: Start January 2nd. Pick ONE task you hate. Let AI take the first pass. You'll either save time or learn something. Either way, you're building the skill that matters most in the next decade. This is a passion-driven episode from someone who's been in the trenches for 25+ years and sees the writing on the wall: experienced IT professionals have a choice. Adapt and leverage AI, or become "too expensive" without demonstrating new value. 🎙️ ABOUT THE IT XP: 10 years of unfiltered career advice, technology insights, and experience points for IT professionals. Not looking for top 10 podcast status—just trying to help one person avoid the mistakes Chuck made over 25+ years in corporate IT. --- 🔗 MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: - Corporate Hardcore (@CorpHardcore on TikTok) - Chuck's AI-generated corporate satire series - Coco Live Highlights (@cocolivehighlights on TikTok) - High-volume content automation case study - Tools covered: ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, RunwayML, ElevenLabs, Sora, MCP servers 📅 Next Episode: Coming in 2026 If this resonated, share it with one IT professional still on the fence about AI. Let's make 2026 the year IT stops reacting and starts building.

After 17 years at a large utility company managing decade-long waterfall projects, Don Freeman made a radical pivot into the fast-paced world of Web3 startups—without ever applying for the job. In this episode of The IT XP, Don shares how his contributions to the Ethereum Foundation's web3.py library caught SonarX's attention and led to a complete career transformation. We explore the stark contrast between enterprise and startup life, from 10-year projects to 10-day sprints, and why Don believes your GitHub commits might be worth more than your next certification. This isn't about quitting your job for crypto—it's about the power of learning in public and taking initiative. Key Takeaways: The shift from 10-year waterfall projects to 10-day startup sprints (06:49) How documentation PRs evolved into a job offer from SonarX (04:30) Why "I've never found something I couldn't dig into and learn" is the ultimate career philosophy (07:42) The real difference between enterprise "decision trees" and startup autonomy (24:15) Why crossing team boundaries is the question enterprise people are afraid to ask (41:31) About Don Freeman: Don Freeman is a software engineer who transitioned from designing power lines and managing enterprise systems at a utility company to contributing to open source Web3 projects. His journey from Linux enthusiast in the '90s to startup engineer showcases the power of continuous learning and public contribution. Connect with Don: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/donald-freeman/ GitHub: https://github.com/dbfreem  

A 2025 Deloitte survey of 23,000 workers across 44 countries found only 6% of Gen Z aspire to senior leadership. Chuck—upper-middle management for over a decade—unpacks the real math behind the 94% rejection rate, shares war stories on emotional labor, and previews next week's dive into AI replacing managers entirely. Homework: map your role to IC vs. management paths and share what you find.

Chuck breaks down his first-ever Microsoft Ignite experience in San Francisco—from navigating the massive Moscone Center venue to cutting through the "Copilot everything" sales pitch. If you've wondered whether mega-conferences like Ignite are worth the hype (and the $400+/night hotel bill), this episode delivers the unfiltered reality check. What You'll Get: Conference logistics reality: 20,000 attendees, government ID checkpoints, buses to Chase Center for the keynote, and the eternal search for the Marriott Marquis session rooms Talk quality assessment: Why "advanced" sessions felt disappointingly high-level, and when sales-focused content actually serves smaller orgs better than enterprise teams already deep in Microsoft partnerships Azure AI Foundry & security focus: Chuck's key takeaways from the tracks that mattered most—plus what the vendor floor really delivers (spoiler: lots of socks) The Copilot/Agent saturation problem: How Microsoft's 2025 strategy mirrors Dell Tech World '23's AI frenzy, and what it means for your actual infrastructure work Bonus War Story (starts ~47:00): Chuck dissects a multi-day production outage where AI-armed stakeholders derailed troubleshooting—and shares the diplomatic strategies that kept tempers in check while solving the real capacity management issue. Critical lessons on handling aggressive personalities during high-pressure incidents, even when "Big Dick Todd" and "Big Dick Mary" show up with ChatGPT-fueled theories. Who This Is For: Sysadmins, infrastructure engineers, and IT leaders who need to separate conference theater from actionable intelligence—and who've ever dealt with non-technical stakeholders "helping" during outages. Key Timestamps: 00:00 – Ignite overview & Copilot saturation 02:15 – Venue logistics & San Francisco hotel costs 06:27 – Session quality: beginner vs. "advanced" 47:00 – Production outage war story: IOPS, firewalls & managing egos 52:21 – Handling aggressive personalities during incidents Subscribe to The I.T. XP for weekly unfiltered advice on navigating IT careers, industry shifts, and the real stories behind the buzzwords.

When Amazon Web Services' US-East-1 region went dark in October 2025, half the internet felt it. In this episode of The IT XP, Chuck breaks down what really happened — from the DNS and DynamoDB race condition that triggered the AWS outage to the cascading effects across global systems. He explains the technical side of DNS at scale in plain language, then connects it to bigger lessons for IT professionals: why multi-cloud strategies matter, how infrastructure teams can partner better with the business, and what aging technologists must do to stay relevant in the era of AI. Whether you manage cloud platforms, build resilient architectures, or just want to understand why "it's always DNS," this is a must-listen.

The I.T. XP Returns: Navigating IT Careers in 2025—AI, Layoffs, and Staying Relevant After a six-month hiatus, The I.T. XP podcast is back with unfiltered insights for IT professionals navigating today's rapidly changing tech landscape. Chuck returns to the audio format to tackle the biggest challenges facing sysadmins, IT engineers, and technology managers in 2025. What You'll Learn in This Episode: In this no-nonsense discussion, Chuck addresses the realities IT professionals face today: ongoing tech layoffs, AI transformation pressure from leadership, constant organizational restructuring, and the skills gap between operations and engineering roles. Whether you're a systems administrator, network engineer, or IT manager, this episode delivers actionable career advice for staying competitive. Key Topics Covered: AI in IT careers: Why learning AI and automation is as critical now as cloud computing was ten years ago Offshoring myths vs. reality: What's actually happening with remote work and global IT teams Ageism in technology: Navigating career longevity as an experienced IT professional Proving your value: How to demonstrate human judgment and expertise in increasingly automated environments Career transition strategies: Moving from IT operations to engineering roles Chuck also introduces his new project, Corporate Hardcore—a satirical take on workplace culture that uses humor to teach real IT career lessons. Perfect for: IT professionals experiencing burnout from constant change, anyone concerned about job security in the age of AI, and technology workers looking for honest career guidance without the corporate spin. Ready to hear the truth about IT careers in 2025? Listen now and join the conversation—share your own experiences and connect with IT professionals who keep the infrastructure running. Subscribe to The I.T. XP for authentic conversations about real IT careers.

We're kicking off Season 11 with an homage to legacy media where we read reddit questions and answer them live!

The Crowdstrike Falcon issue was an eye opener for a lot of IT organizations on the readiness of their BCP or DR plans. This isn't the first time we've seen this, but it's been a while where such a large outage has been seen across a number of different industries. I discuss how you can leverage this as an opportunity for you to be more visible within your organization and finding opportunities to get ahead in your career. Crowdstrike PIR: https://www.crowdstrike.com/blog/falcon-content-update-preliminary-post-incident-report/ What is a post incident review: https://www.cybereason.com/resources/post-incident-review  

Strap in as I take you back to my adventure at Western Governors University, where I crushed my Master of Science in Management and Leadership in one term (six months). Riding on the wisdom from a pivotal Reddit thread and armed with the solid gold insights from the Purdue OWL, I'm here to lay it all out bare: the good, the bad, and the brutally honest truths about speeding through WGU's competency based learning program. In this episode, I'm not just reminiscing about my academic grind during those intense months; I'm breaking down the strategies that could help you blaze through your own program even faster. But let's cut through the noise for a second, will this degree be your golden ticket to the executive suite? Probably not on its own. Coming at you with nothing but the truth, I want to talk about what a degree really means for us folks who've seen a bit more of life. As we dive into the realities of adult education, career pivots in a mid-life context, and the looming shadow of AI in our professional lives, I'm here to show you not just how to earn that diploma, but how to make it truly count in the hustle of real life. So, for anyone out there contemplating hitting the books again, eyeing a career change, or simply curious about the evolving role of academic credentials in an age dominated by technology, you're in the right place. Remember, success isn't just about the accolades; it's about the drive and determination you bring to the table. Let's unpack how to get that degree to open doors and create opportunities, no matter where you are in life's journey. Join me, and let's get into it. My MBA Journey: https://youtu.be/I3ibA8S1DyI The Reddit Article that started me on this journey: https://www.reddit.com/r/WGU_MBA/comments/gmxkxo/mba_master_of_business_administration_course_mega/ My Favorite Online Writing Lab that shows you how to format your paper in different styles: https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/graduate_writing/introduction_graduate_writing/index.html  

In this episode I discuss two paid platforms for your multi-cloud learning. These platforms I have leveraged in my own journey and I stand behind them. I know times are tough, but for those looking for a paid option to learn the various cloud platforms, these two may interest you. A Cloud Guru: https://www.pluralsight.com/cloud-guru Adrian Cantrill's Learning Platform (AWS and Azure only): https://learn.cantrill.io/    

The cloud started off with well intentions of bringing more products to market faster, but it has turned into a competing race on how to optimize costs while deploying products at break neck speeds. I talked about how you can begin your multi-cloud journey because it is no longer a one provider show. Most organizations have gone multi-cloud and others are following suit. This show aims to help guide you on how you should approach learning all the clouds; well at least AWS, Azure, and GCP. Pardon the rant earlier in the episode. I started using a new service called Riverside.fm (Not sponsored) and it was challenging to say the least.

In this episode I discuss the concept of overemployment. What it is, why it may be something you want to dig into and what I'm going to do to uncover pros and cons in this overemployment mindset. Remember, overemployed does not equal overworked!

Being laid off is a gut punch. I know, I've been there twice. But guess what? I turned those lemons into lemonade (metaphorically, of course - who has the energy for a real lemonade stand after that?). My 9/11 Story: https://traffic.libsyn.com/forcedn/theitxp/498529485-theitxp-my-9112001-story.mp3 FreeCodeCamp: https://www.youtube.com/c/Freecodecamp Cybrary.it: https://www.cybrary.it/ HomeLab Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/homelab/comments/10v6aip/guide_how_to_deploy_the_servarr_stack_on/ In this video, I'm spilling the tea on: My personal layoff rollercoaster: How I went from "OMG, I'm jobless" to "Okay, new beginnings!" (Spoiler alert: there were tears, but also tacos. ) Actionable tips to navigate the layoff storm: From spotting the early signs to bouncing back like a boss. Free resources to future-proof your career: Say goodbye to layoff anxiety with intel on potential mass layoffs and upskilling tools you NEED. Whether you're facing layoff fears or just want to be prepared, this video is your Layoff Survival Kit. Hit play and let's turn lemons into opportunities! P.S. Don't forget to smash that like button and subscribe for more career hacks!

Ditch the tech-coma and slay your 2024 goals! ⚔️ Procrastination got you in a chokehold? Career stuck in the buffering zone? Time to unleash the SMART goal secret weapon and rocket-boost your IT game. This ain't no burnout bonanza. We're talking consistent progress, confidence levels on fire, and finally unlocking your inner tech titan. 2024 is your year for IT domination, and SMART goals are your key to the kingdom. Ready to: Crush deadlines like bugs Code like a caffeine-fueled keyboard ninja Level up your skills faster than a viral tweet Leave burnout in the dust and watch your confidence soar ✨ Then hit that subscribe button and join the SMART goal revolution. We'll be cracking the code on career success, sharing epic wins, and proving to your mom you don't just "fix computers." This is your year to dominate, tech fam. Let's make 2024 legendary!

Unlock the world of game development and unleash your child's creativity with this must-watch video on Unreal Editor for Fortnite! Join us as we dive into the exciting process of creating custom Fortnite experiences. Encourage your children's passion for gaming while learning together, fostering a unique bonding experience. It's more than just playing; it's about nurturing their creative minds and building valuable skills. Don't miss this opportunity to embark on a thrilling adventure in game development and make unforgettable memories with your children. Click now and start learning together!   Check out our YouTube Channel: https://youtube.com/@theitxp?si=fhC9iQN43ykLhT6k

Unlock the world of game development and unleash your child's creativity with this must-watch video on Unreal Editor for Fortnite! Join us as we dive into the exciting process of creating custom Fortnite experiences. Encourage your children's passion for gaming while learning together, fostering a unique bonding experience. It's more than just playing; it's about nurturing their creative minds and building valuable skills. Don't miss this opportunity to embark on a thrilling adventure in game development and make unforgettable memories with your children. Click now and start learning together! Check out our YouTube Channel: https://youtube.com/@theitxp?si=fhC9iQN43ykLhT6k

Epic games recently released the Unreal Editor for fortnite with Epic Games Store exclusivity. In this video, I discuss why I think that others should use the editor, as well as its full potential, and why it is actually a big opportunity for everyone involved, not just content creators. Links referenced in the show: https://dev.epicgames.com/community/learning/courses/Yl6/fortnite-your-first-hour-in-uefn/yXkB/fortnite-your-first-hour-in-uefn-overview https://dev.epicgames.com/documentation/en-us/uefn/learn-programming-with-verse-in-unreal-editor-for-fortnite

I'm the kind of guy that looks ahead to understand what's coming at us. I want to know what those changes will be so I can adapt accordingly. In this episode, I discuss some of the developing trends in IT that I expect to see occurring in the coming years. These changes are already underway, and if you're going to be a part of this industry, you should start paying attention - as they'll all have a significant impact on your business or job (if you have one). Some of the links I talked about: Hyperledger: https://www.hyperledger.org/learn/blo... Augmented AI: https://www.okta.com/identity-101/aug... IoB: https://www.bmc.com/blogs/iob-interne... Digital Stability: https://www.jstor.org/stable/resrep24... Cyber-Physical Systems: https://ptolemy.berkeley.edu/projects... Edge Computing: https://www.cloudflare.com/learning/s... #predicting #futurepredictions #ITpredictions #future #technology

The IT industry is at an inflection point and continues to come to terms with disruptive technologies reshaping the world of work. Chuck discusses the role of A.I. as it pertains to our industry, and asks if it's possible for us to rethink how we interact with these technologies. In this episode, we argue why Information Technology is not the correct term for what we do as a profession. We argue that it's actually Artificial Intelligence and how this impacts our work and careers. We also visit artificial intelligence tools that you can use to generate programs, code, art, or web apps.

I have a confession to make: I'm becoming a gamer. Over the past year or so I've been spending more time playing video games. Not only that, but I've been enjoying it- and I have to admit, it's been pretty fun. So I wanted to share with you all some of the reasons why I've decided to immerse myself in this new hobby- and why maybe you should too...