Hello Tech Pros

Hello Tech Pros,

As a young software developer 20 years ago, my social life was limited by a crippling shyness caused by Social Anxiety Disorder. Not the normal introvert stuff you often find in the technology field, but a truly terrifying sense of dread anytime I had to talk to someone who was not already a close, trusted friend. I rarely went on dates, I only had a few friends and I was always the loneliest guy in a room full of happy people.

This condition, this disease, not only inhibited my social life but also my career. I was happy to get "lost in the code" or "in the zone" finding answers to difficult technical problems. I worked hard. I worked really hard. And in many areas, I excelled in spite of my shyness.

I resisted moving into a leadership role for many years because of my Imposter Syndrome but when I finally gave it a shot I fell in love with my career all over again! It put me in a position where I could use data, facts and goals to start a conversation and use the conversations as a way to build up my self-confidence and learn how to build relationships with strangers.

Unfortunately, I faced a setback. Three setbacks actually. From Feb 2015 to Feb 2016 I experienced 3 layoffs from 3 different companies in 3 different industries due to financial difficulties. Some would say that's not a setback, thats a disaster.

I had two options: find another job doing what I've been doing for the last decade or make a radical shift.

I came to realize that developing relationships and having meaningful conversations has been the best part of any of my jobs in the last two decades, so I decided to turn the best part of my jobs into my next career.

I started the Hello Tech Pros podcast.

Every day I talk to diverse people in technology, science, education and business about the obstacles they've overcome in their lives and the lessons they've learned along the way. I have seven topics, one for each day of the week and my featured guest and I teach each other and the audience the valuable lessons that we wished we knew earlier in our lives.

I invite you to listen to Hello Tech Pros. If the messages help you build your career, build your product or build your business then I invite you to become a Patron.

Thank you,
Chad Bostick

@chadbostick
@hellotechpros