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Alexa's Input (AI)Author: Alexa Griffith
In a world of constant change, the best engineers never stop learning from their peers. This podcast is your guide to the cutting edge of practical tech. Join host Alexa Griffith, a Senior Software Engineer at Bloomberg building open source AI Platforms, for candid conversations deconstructing complex topics with the engineering leaders and architects building the future. Opinions are my own Website: https://alexagriffith.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexa-griffith/ X: @lexal0u Language: en Genres: Technology Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it |
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Building with Purpose: Joe Beda on Systems and Self
Episode 1
Sunday, 11 January, 2026
In this episode of Alexa’s Input (AI), Alexa sits down with Joe Beda, co-creator of Kubernetes and one of the key figures behind modern cloud computing.Joe talks through his journey from big tech to founding a startup and back again, and what it actually takes to build systems that scale technically, organizationally, and emotionally. Joe shares the origin story of Kubernetes, what people often misunderstand about open source, and why infrastructure success sometimes comes with unexpected personal costs.They also discuss tradeoffs between shipping fast and getting it right, how incentives shape engineering culture, and why identity standards like SPIFFE/SPIRE is just now getting more attention. Joe gives a wide-ranging, honest look at infrastructure, innovation, and the people behind it.LinksWatch: https://www.youtube.com/@alexa_griffithRead: https://alexasinput.substack.com/Listen: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/alexagriffith/More: https://linktr.ee/alexagriffithWebsite: https://alexagriffith.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexa-griffith/Find out more about the guest at:LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/jbeda/SPIFFE: https://spiffe.io/Kubernetes: https://kubernetes.io/Joe Beda Interview – Increment Magazinehttps://increment.com/containers/joe-beda-interview/Joe Beda on The Podlets Podcasthttps://thepodlets.io/episodes/006-joe-beda/GitLab Blog: Kubernetes & Community (Joe Beda)https://about.gitlab.com/blog/kubernetes-chat-with-joe-beda/KeywordsKubernetes, Joe Beda, cloud-native, open source, technology, Google, VMware, Heptio, AI, security standardsChapters00:00 Introduction to Joe Beda and Kubernetes02:50 Understanding Kubernetes: The Foundation of Modern Computing04:36 The Birth of Kubernetes: From Idea to Reality07:38 Internal Debates: Navigating Challenges at Google10:14 Key Innovations: What Sets Kubernetes Apart13:30 The Role of Community: Collaborating with Red Hat15:26 Design Challenges: Networking and Configuration Pain Points19:28 Joe's Journey: Transitioning from Microsoft to Google23:02 Navigating Corporate Politics: Influence and Success25:24 Career Growth: Balancing Company Success and Personal Development30:44 Navigating Industry Trends and Career Durability35:46 The Balance of Work and Life40:40 Understanding Burnout and Personal Ownership47:49 The Journey of Founding Heptio54:31 The Acquisition by VMware and Its Implications01:00:15 Authenticity in Sales and Motivation01:01:23 Career Transitions: From Engineer to Founder01:02:11 The Evolution of Perspective in Tech Careers01:04:26 Navigating the Challenges of Startup Life01:06:12 Post-Acquisition Dynamics at VMware01:09:52 Finding Purpose in Corporate Structures01:11:32 Philanthropy and Personal Values01:13:02 Open Source Contributions: Spiffy and Spire01:16:51 The State of Security Standards in AI01:22:12 Advising Principles and Green Flags in Startups
