In this episode of The Modern Engineer, Syed Ishaat sits down with John Gravelyn, founder of First Principles Partners and former engineering leader at Ford and Rivian.

John shares his journey from studying physics to leading prototype vehicle programs, becoming an engineering manager, launching his own company, and helping engineers make smarter real estate decisions.

• Lessons from launching vehicles at Rivian
• Why confidence changes careers
• The importance of soft skills for engineers
• How leadership creates opportunities
• Why engineers should understand real estate investing
• Entrepreneurship after engineering
• Long-term wealth strategies for technical professionals

[00:00] Introduction

[01:00] John's engineering journey

[04:15] Launching the Rivian R1S

[08:20] Confidence through leadership

[11:15] Why soft skills matter

[14:20] Entrepreneurship after engineering

[17:00] Real estate and financial freedom

[19:10] Advice for young engineers

[20:20] Closing thoughts

🎙️ Want to be the next guest speaker?

Apply here: CLICK ME!!!

In this episode of The Modern Engineer, Syed Ishaat sits down with Senior AI Architect Trent McFarlane to discuss his journey from building websites at age 11 to leading AI platform governance for enterprise organizations.

They explore how AI is transforming software development, why engineers should rethink traditional career paths, Microsoft's engineering culture, continuous learning, and the opportunities AI creates for future developers.

• Trent's path into software engineering
• Lessons from Microsoft
• AI governance explained
• Why AI education is changing faster than universities
• The future of engineering careers
• Why every engineer should think like a business owner
• Practical advice for students entering tech today

[00:00] Introduction

[01:25] Trent's early engineering journey

[05:18] Career turning points

[10:40] Microsoft experience

[15:10] AI and society

[22:30] AI infrastructure and data centers

[27:45] Advice for new engineers

[33:10] Building a business alongside your career

[35:20] Closing thoughts

Trent McFarlane Senior AI Architect

🎙 Be chance to be the Next Guest Speaker!

Book here: CLICK ME!!!

Julie shares how she transformed an administrative role into a marketing career, why creating your own opportunities matters, and the importance of persistence, teamwork, and asking for what you deserve.

The conversation also explores marketing in the age of AI, startup culture, protecting equity, and why the people you surround yourself with can have the biggest impact on your success.

• How Julie created opportunities instead of waiting for them
• Why "don't be afraid of no" became her career philosophy
• Lessons from building marketing teams
• AI's role in modern marketing
• Why networking still matters
• Protecting equity when building a startup
• Career advice for young professionals

[00:00] Introduction

[01:02] Julie's role at Atlanta Tech Park

[03:28] How her marketing career began

[07:05] Creating opportunities inside Duracell

[11:00] AI, creativity, and modern marketing

[14:30] Career advice: Don't fear "No"

[17:00] Startup lessons and protecting equity

[19:40] Final advice for young professionals

If you're building your career, growing a business, or leading a team, this episode offers practical insights you can apply immediately.

🎙 Get a chance to be the Next Guest Speaker!

👉 CLICK ME!

In this episode of The Modern Engineer, Syed Ishaat sits down with Gary Gillespie to discuss his journey from working at NASA Johnson Space Center to leading software companies and co-founding a startup in the IT space.

Gary shares practical lessons on networking, leadership, communication skills, public speaking, entrepreneurship, and how engineers can intentionally shape their careers over time.

Gary is also the co-founder of Rhodium Systems Inc., a company focused on IT software solutions and DNS configuration management. Learn more here: ResorsIT

• How Gary transitioned from mechanical engineering into software
• Why networking matters more than most engineers realize
• The communication skills engineers need to develop
• What changes when you move into leadership roles
• Why side hustles and complementary skills matter today
• How engineers can become more intentional with career growth

[00:00] Introduction [00:38] Gary’s Current Role in Software Startups [01:32] Starting at NASA Johnson Space Center [02:26] Transitioning Into Software Engineering [03:08] Career Challenges During the Dot-Com Era [04:32] The Career Pivot That Changed Everything [06:03] Growing Into Leadership Roles [08:00] Why Communication Skills Matter for Engineers [10:04] Networking & Helping Others Succeed [12:20] Why Engineers Should Take Initiative [13:53] Side Hustles & Career Optionality [15:10] Career Advice Gary Wishes He Knew Earlier [16:20] Intentional Career Growth for Engineers [17:02] Final Thoughts

Want to share your story? Book a Call here!

In this episode of The Modern Engineer, Syed Ishaat sits down with retired U.S. Air Force veteran and Montjoy Inc. founder Timothy Montjoy to discuss his journey from military service into the tech startup world.

Timothy shares the lessons he learned transitioning into civilian life, building a startup team, navigating uncertainty, and why mentorship became one of the biggest accelerators in his entrepreneurial journey.

From leadership and resilience to startup execution and long-term thinking, this episode is packed with practical insights for engineers, founders, veterans, and aspiring entrepreneurs.

• How veterans can transition into entrepreneurship
• Why startup pivots are sometimes necessary
• The importance of mentorship and networking
• How to build balanced, high-performing teams
• Leadership lessons from military experience
• Why persistence matters more than perfection

[00:00] Introduction [01:10] Transitioning from the Air Force to entrepreneurship [03:45] Building a nonprofit and startup journey [06:20] Taking risks and overcoming fear [08:30] The challenge of building the right team [12:15] Founder Institute and startup acceleration [15:10] Persistence and navigating setbacks [18:20] Long-term thinking and business growth [20:10] Advice for younger professionals [21:40] Final thoughts

Want to share your story? Book a Call here: Click me!

In this episode of The Modern Engineer, Syed Ishaat sits down with Ajay Katneni to discuss his journey from data engineering and automation to entrepreneurship and real estate investing.

Ajay shares how consistently meeting client expectations shaped his career, why intentional focus matters, and the investing lesson he wishes he learned much earlier.

If you're an engineer, tech professional, or entrepreneur thinking about long-term wealth and career growth, this conversation offers practical perspective grounded in real-world experience.

• How Ajay built a 20+ year tech career
• Why client relationships accelerated his growth
• The mindset shift from employee to entrepreneur
• Why engineers should think about investing early
• How real estate became a second growth engine
• The importance of making your money work for you

[00:00] – Introduction [00:28] – Ajay’s background in tech and data engineering [01:28] – Moving from engineering into entrepreneurship [02:06] – The key to career growth: client expectations [03:02] – Leadership, responsibility, and recognition [04:01] – Advice for engineers seeking success [05:05] – Making your money work for you [06:34] – Why Ajay wishes he started investing earlier [08:08] – The best time to start is now [08:50] – Final thoughts and closing

In this episode of The Modern Engineer, Paul Johnston shares his journey from struggling to land internships to becoming a Senior Software Engineer working on Kubernetes networking at Microsoft Azure.

Paul breaks down the mindset shifts, technical habits, mentorship lessons, and communication skills that helped accelerate his career growth. He also shares why internal tooling, ownership, and helping teammates became the foundation for his promotions.

Whether you’re a computer science student, junior engineer, or experienced developer looking to level up, this episode is packed with practical insights for long-term growth in tech.

• How Paul bounced back after internship rejections
• Why mentorship matters more than prestige early on
• The real responsibilities of a Senior Software Engineer
• How Kubernetes and Azure networking fit into Microsoft
• Why internal tools and automation accelerate career growth
• The importance of people skills in engineering
• How side projects and coaching created new opportunities

[00:00] Introduction [00:33] What Paul Does at Microsoft [01:20] Struggling to Land Internships [03:00] First Engineering Role as a Web Developer [04:18] Landing Opportunities After Persistence [05:30] Joining Microsoft During the Kubernetes Boom [07:05] Building Internal Tools & Automation [09:20] The Mindset Shift Into Senior Engineering [11:15] Why Mentorship Matters More Than Prestige [12:50] Side Projects, Coaching & YouTube [15:05] Passion Before Profit [16:00] Why Engineers Need Better People Skills [17:00] Closing Thoughts & Coolster Codes

Want to share your story? Book a Call here: Click me!

In this episode of The Modern Engineer, Syed Ishaat sits down with Vincent Ceyssens, founder and president of Porter Security Programming, to discuss engineering career pivots, entrepreneurship, leadership, and building a life that prioritizes both growth and family.

Vincent shares lessons from working in research engineering, STEM education, IT leadership, and launching his own business in the security technology industry.

• Why networking matters more than most engineers realize
• How engineers can navigate career pivots successfully
• The mindset shift required to become an entrepreneur
• Why discomfort is necessary for growth
• How to balance career ambition with family priorities
• Lessons from building a technology-focused business

[00:00] Intro [01:18] Vincent’s engineering background [03:45] Early career challenges [08:20] Taking ownership of your career [11:02] The power of mindset and personal growth [14:12] Entrepreneurship and stepping into discomfort [17:45] Building a business and balancing family [21:03] Networking advice for engineers [25:10] Final career advice for young professionals

Want to share your story? Book a Call here: Click me!

In this episode of The Modern Engineer, Syed Ishaat sits down with Senior Software Engineer Khushan Adatiya to break down what it really takes to grow in today’s fast-changing engineering landscape.

From transitioning into cloud engineering to working with real production systems, Khushan shares the mindset shifts that helped him move from junior developer to building AI infrastructure.

• Why real engineering starts when systems fail
• How AI is changing the way developers work daily
• The difference between academic coding and production systems
• Why visibility matters more than you think
• How to adapt faster in the AI era

00:00 Introduction 01:10 Khushan’s background in cloud & AI 02:30 Challenges moving from university to real systems 04:20 Career turning point: impact & responsibility 06:00 AI in engineering workflows 08:30 Why engineers must adapt to AI 10:00 Career growth: visibility & impact 11:30 Getting out of your comfort zone 13:00 Advice for early-career engineers 14:30 Final thoughts: unlearn & relearn

👉 Apply to be the next guest: Click here!

In this episode of The Modern Engineer, Syed Ishaat sits down with Microsoft engineer and founder Vijay Valaboju to unpack the real factors behind long-term growth in tech.

From starting in a small town in India to building a career at Microsoft, Vijay shares how mentorship, failure, and stepping outside your comfort zone shaped his journey and what engineers often overlook when trying to level up.

He also shares insights from building his own platform, Stunsy, and the realities of taking a product from development to market.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why staying comfortable slows your career growth
• How mentorship can accelerate your trajectory
• The role of failure in becoming a better engineer
• Why building a product isn’t enough, distribution matters
• How to develop a self-starter mindset in tech Chapters: 00:00 Intro 01:05 Vijay’s early career journey 04:30 Transition to Accenture, HCL, and Microsoft 07:00 Challenges and learning from mistakes 09:30 Mentorship and career acceleration 13:00 Advice for engineers starting out 15:30 Building Stunsy and startup lessons 18:30 Final thoughts on failure and growth

  🎮 Check out Vijay’s platform: Stunsy

  👉 Apply to be a guest: The Modern Engineer - Booking Link

In this episode of The Modern Engineer, Syed Ishaat sits down with Eamon Quinn to break down what actually shapes a successful engineering career, especially in the early stages.

From stepping into unfamiliar roles to gaining hands-on field experience, Eamon shares how real growth happens outside the classroom and often outside your comfort zone.

• Why field experience is critical for engineers
• How to transition from school to real-world engineering
• The role of mindset in career growth
• How collaboration drives better engineering solutions
• What early-career engineers often get wrong

• Eamon’s journey from college to working in precast concrete
• The impact of rotating through different roles
• His pivotal field assignment that changed everything
• Why engineers should embrace challenges, not avoid them

00:00 Introduction & Guest Background 01:05 Transitioning Into a QC Technician Role 02:20 Starting an Engineering Career After College 04:10 Rotating Through Roles & Learning the Business 05:40 The Challenge of Stepping Outside Comfort Zones 07:00 The Power of Field Experience in Engineering 09:00 Career Turning Point: First Field Assignment 11:00 Engineering as Problem Solving & Collaboration 12:45 Mindset vs Grinding in Career Growth 14:10 Advice for Early-Career Engineers 15:30 Final Thoughts & Career Perspective

👉 Apply here to be the next guest: https://modernengineerpodcast.com/podcast-booking

In this episode of The Modern Engineer, Joseph Francis shares his journey from serving in the military to becoming a Technical Implementation Manager working with major utility clients.

He breaks down the real challenges he faced, including early career setbacks, being laid off, and learning leadership the hard way and what ultimately helped him grow into a leadership role.

If you're navigating your engineering career or transitioning out of the military, this episode gives you a practical, honest roadmap.

• How to transition from military to engineering roles
• The role of networking in career breakthroughs
• Why servant leadership beats micromanagement
• How to recover from early career setbacks
• When to pursue leadership (even if you don’t feel ready)

00:00 – Introduction 01:00 – Joseph’s current role as Technical Implementation Manager 02:30 – Military background and RF communications experience 05:00 – Transition into engineering role 07:30 – Moving into leadership and management 10:00 – Servant leadership vs micromanagement 13:00 – Career pivot and relocation decision 16:00 – Advice for military transitioning into engineering 19:00 – Lessons learned and career advice 22:00 – Final thoughts

Want to be featured at my show? Schedule a Call here: Click here

In this episode of The Modern Engineer, Syed Ishaat sits down with Lead EMC Engineer Afzal Fazal to break down the real-world journey from RF testing to leading compliance engineering teams.

Afzal shares how he started his career after engineering school, working in RF network testing before transitioning into electromagnetic compliance (EMC) engineering. He explains how engineers test products to ensure they meet strict regulatory standards and how design modifications help companies bring compliant products to market.

The conversation also dives into the realities of engineering careers, long hours early on, learning through audits, navigating challenges during COVID, and the importance of continuous learning.

Afzal also shares practical advice for engineers early in their careers on how to grow professionally while staying focused on personal development.

• What EMC engineers do in real-world engineering environments
• How compliance testing works
• Career lessons from a lead EMC engineer
• The importance of engineering audits and regulatory requirements
• How engineers can grow through strategic work and continuous learning
• Why personal growth matters just as much as career success Timestamps

  0:00 Introduction 1:02 What a Lead EMC Engineer Does 3:10 Starting an Engineering Career After College 6:05 RF Testing and Early Career Work 9:20 Career Changes During COVID 12:40 The Audit That Changed His Career 16:05 Engineering Teamwork and Professional Growth 19:30 Hard Work vs Strategic Career Growth 22:10 Advice for Early-Career Engineers 26:00 Personal Growth vs Corporate Success 28:10 Closing Thoughts

  Become my Next Guest: click here