Ever thought about stepping into product management—just to try something totally different from engineering?

Want expert guidance to grow? Apply for 1-on-1 tech career coaching with me.

That's exactly where Monte found himself. After years in dev and even engineering leadership, he made a move he thought would lead to more ownership and product vision. But once he was in the role… something felt off.

In this coaching session, we unpack what actually happens when you chase product titles inside companies—and why the version you're offered often isn't what you imagined. Monte thought he was stepping forward. Instead, he realized he was just managing user stories and process artifacts.

If you've ever wondered, "Is this really what the role is supposed to be?"—you're not alone.

You can also watch this episode on YouTube.

Visit me at healthydeveloper.com

You ever notice how sometimes the people around you see what's really going on before you do? That's what happened with this channel. I tried to go broad, help everyone in tech, chase what the "experts" and the algorithm said people wanted—but you knew better.

You told me what made this channel special wasn't the hype or some generic success formula. It was the real talk. The raw stories. The focus on staying healthy, sane, and actually living your life while you write code in an industry that rarely cares about either.

In this episode, I'm owning up to where I lost the plot—and why I'm bringing it all back to what *actually* matters. We're going deep on why "Healthy Developer" is the right home for this community (and for me), what's staying, what's changing, and what you can expect from here on out.

If you're here to argue or troll, you won't like this one. But if you're tired of the tech grind, and you want real strategies for staying grounded and growing as a developer *without* burning out, you're in the right place.

Thanks for holding me to a higher standard—and for helping me find my way back. Let's build something better, together.

You can also watch this episode on YouTube.

Visit me at thrivingtechnologist.com

In this real coaching session, I talk with John, a developer-turned-manager, who's navigating the messy middle of leadership. He's caught between two teams, two continents, and shifting expectations.

Sound familiar?

We dig into:

• The difference between managing people and leading culture
• Why growth-stage teams break without intentional leadership
• How to lead without authority (especially when others outrank you)
• The startup → scale-up trap most companies fall into
• Ways to influence product direction by fixing culture first

This is one of the most honest, practical coaching conversations I've had on team culture, dev leadership, and transitioning into management. If you're a senior dev or manager trying to scale impact without losing your soul, you'll get a ton out of this.

You can also watch this episode on YouTube.

Visit me at thrivingtechnologist.com