Podcast
The Happy Engineer | Career Success for Engineering Leadership
Hosted by Zach White · EN
The Happy Engineer helps engineering leaders reach the next level without suffering burnout - because success without fulfillment is failure. You will discover how to redefine work/life balance and lead with purpose, while accelerating your next promotion. Bring a growth mindset, engineers... It's time for personal development before technical development, emotional intelligence (EQ) before IQ, and coaching to crush your comfort zone!
If you find yourself asking questions like these, then this show is for you:
* How do I decide between a technical career path or management? Can I ever go back?
* How do I reignite passion and purpose in my engineering career (or just stop dreading Monday)?
* Why am I not getting promoted to Manager / Director / VP (and my peers are)?
* How can I increase my salary and total compensation faster?
* What should I do if I want to change discipline, industry, or even leave engineering?
* What does it take to move from engineering to entrepreneurship?
* WHY AM I SO UNHAPPY???
Your host, Zach White, knows how frustrating building your engineering career can be. As an engineer himself, he climbed the corporate ladder. He's seen (and survived) it all. He's felt stuck, been burned out from 80-hour weeks, suffered under a bad boss, and had his career plan thwarted multiple times by corporate reorgs.
You know the worst part? He lived below his full potential.
Ultimately Zach found incredible success in his career, but it was not without trials, failure, and a rock-bottom experience with burnout.
Each week, the former engineering leader, now turned CEO and sought-after Lifestyle Engineering Coach, will help you create an action plan to level up your career while designing a life you love.
Enjoy inspiring conversations with experts from all corners of industry and life. Learn how to overcome any career obstacle you face. Get off the road to burnout.
Build your career.
Balance your life.
BE HAPPY!
18episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
You Outworked Everyone. It's the Reason You're Stuck.
1w ago00:58:47Tap to summarize👉 Watch the Engineering Director Promotion Plan (free): https://youtu.be/ZrRe3O8KHSQ Most engineering leaders assume rising up means compromising your time, your family, and eventually who you are. Erin Hatzikostas proves that's a lie — and the leaders who buck it get better results. Zach sits down with Erin, former CEO who tripled her company's earnings by refusing the "executive club" playbook. She unpacks the compromise calculation most leaders run when they get tapped for a bigger role, why working harder is actually the lazy way to lead, and how strategic authenticity (not just "being yourself") wins the talent war, closes better deals, and builds the kind of team where your job actually gets easier. You'll learn: Why working harder in a bigger role means you're leading worse — not more committed The "compromise calculation" that talks great leaders out of the next role, and how to break it How authenticity is an action verb, not a personality trait — and where to start (hint: your out-of-office) Why doing it your own way actually wins negotiations, keeps top talent, and makes leadership less exhausting 𝗦𝘁𝘂𝗰𝗸 𝗮𝘁 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗻𝗼 𝗰𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗼 𝗗𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿? Get the free Director Promotion Roadmap and discover the 5 critical gaps keeping you from getting promoted— and exactly how to close them. https://lifestyleengineering.oasisofcourage.com/director-promotion-roadmap 👉 Watch the Engineering Director Promotion Plan (free): https://youtu.be/ZrRe3O8KHSQ
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You're the Bottleneck in Your Own Career | $10B VP Casey Tubman
3w ago00:58:45Tap to summarize👉 Watch the Engineering Director Promotion Plan (free): https://youtu.be/ZrRe3O8KHSQ Casey Tubman went from a $37K design engineer to VP of Engineering at Whirlpool, leading an 8–10 billion dollar global platform. His original career goal? Just make manager. In this conversation, Casey breaks down the actual moves that took him from CAD drafting on tractors to running one of Whirlpool's largest engineering organizations — including the mindset shifts most engineers wait too long to make. We dig into how he stepped sideways into marketing and sales without an obvious playbook, why he never felt "ready" for any of the jobs he took, and what he now sees senior leaders doing differently that engineers in the middle miss. You'll learn: • Why 40% ready is enough to say yes to the next role (and how waiting for 100% keeps you stuck) • The 30/60/90 framework Casey uses to ramp into a bigger role without a misstep • How killing meetings and enforcing pre-reads drove engagement up 10+ points on his team • The shift from 90% work / 10% people to the opposite — and when it has to happen 𝗦𝘁𝘂𝗰𝗸 𝗮𝘁 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗻𝗼 𝗰𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗼 𝗗𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿? Get the free Director Promotion Roadmap and discover the 5 critical gaps keeping you from getting promoted— and exactly how to close them. https://lifestyleengineering.oasisofcourage.com/director-promotion-roadmap 👉 Watch the Engineering Director Promotion Plan (free): https://youtu.be/ZrRe3O8KHSQ
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All Thrust, No Vector | Why Working Hard Isn't the Same as Moving Forward | Lt. Col. Waldo Waldman
Jun 3001:00:24Tap to summarizeWatch the Engineering Director Promotion Plan (free): https://youtu.be/ZrRe3O8KHSQ Fear doesn't go away. You just learn to turn the volume up on what matters more. Zach sits down with former F-16 fighter pilot Lt. Col. Waldo Waldman to talk about flying 65 combat missions while battling claustrophobia, why courage isn't the absence of fear, and how engineering leaders build the kind of resilience that actually holds up under pressure. Waldo shares the "why before you fly," the trap of being all thrust and no vector, and why nobody great is doing it solo. You'll learn: Why "envisioning the victory" and knowing who you're flying for pulls you through fear faster than willpower How to tell the difference between real growth and just staying busy in your comfort zone Why courage is love in action — and how that reframes the hard calls you make as a leader The wingman principle: who you need in your cockpit before the missiles start flying 𝗦𝘁𝘂𝗰𝗸 𝗮𝘁 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗻𝗼 𝗰𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗼 𝗗𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿? Get the free Director Promotion Roadmap and discover the 5 critical gaps keeping you from getting promoted— and exactly how to close them. https://lifestyleengineering.oasisofcourage.com/director-promotion-roadmap 👉 Watch the Engineering Director Promotion Plan (free): https://youtu.be/ZrRe3O8KHSQ
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You Didn't Quit. But Part of You Did. | The 8 Stages of Alienation with Anton Gunn
Jun 1601:04:21Tap to summarize👉 Watch the Engineering Director Promotion Plan (free): https://youtu.be/ZrRe3O8KHSQ Your best people are quietly checked out. And you might not even know it's happening. Zach sits down with leadership consultant Anton Gunn to unpack why injustice in the workplace—not discrimination, but the daily slights, the excluded emails, the teams nobody wants to join—is quietly destroying your culture and driving retention. Anton breaks down the Eight Stages of Alienation, why 95% of leaders either miss it or do nothing about it, and exactly what separates the 5% who actually fix it. You'll learn: - The Eight Stages of Alienation: how one act of disrespect escalates into the "8:59 employee" who mentally quit years ago - Why injustice is invisible to half of leaders—and how to actually see what's happening on your team - The three questions every person silently asks their leader (and why your actions matter more than your words) - How vulnerability and imperfection make you a stronger leader than any perfect script ever could 𝗦𝘁𝘂𝗰𝗸 𝗮𝘁 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗻𝗼 𝗰𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗼 𝗗𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿? Get the free Director Promotion Roadmap and discover the 5 critical gaps keeping you from getting promoted— and exactly how to close them. https://lifestyleengineering.oasisofcourage.com/director-promotion-roadmap 👉 Watch the Engineering Director Promotion Plan (free): https://youtu.be/ZrRe3O8KHSQ
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How to Design Your Ideal Engineering Career Path | Director of Engineering Matt Sevey
Jun 200:57:46Tap to summarize👉 Watch the Engineering Director Promotion Plan (free): https://youtu.be/ZrRe3O8KHSQ Burnout isn't always about doing too much. Sometimes it's doing the wrong work too well — and most engineers can't tell the difference until they're years deep. Zach sits down with Matt Sevey — mechanical engineer turned self-taught software developer, engineering manager, and founder of My Code Career — to unpack what it takes to realize you're in the wrong work and find the courage to change it. They get into the link nobody taught him between what he studied and a life he actually cared about, the 30+ "coffee chats" with total strangers that reframed his entire career, why we go to the people closest to us last, and the difference between managing your time and managing your energy. You'll learn: Why being good at your job can be the exact thing keeping you stuck — Matt was turning down promotions while pouring 20 hours a week into something else "just for fun" The one question that cuts through career confusion: "Am I doing the right type of engineering?" (and why it still applies even when you love what you do) How to run a cold "coffee chat" that builds your network without feeling like you're selling yourself Why the people closest to you are the last ones you ask for help — and what that fear is really costing you 𝗦𝘁𝘂𝗰𝗸 𝗮𝘁 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗻𝗼 𝗰𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗼 𝗗𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿? Get the free Director Promotion Roadmap and discover the 5 critical gaps keeping you from getting promoted— and exactly how to close them. https://lifestyleengineering.oasisofcourage.com/director-promotion-roadmap 👉 Watch the Engineering Director Promotion Plan (free): https://youtu.be/ZrRe3O8KHSQ
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The Conversation You're Avoiding | Lasting Happiness with Dr. Elia Gourgouris
May 1801:01:15Tap to summarize👉 Watch the Engineering Director Promotion Plan (free): https://youtu.be/ZrRe3O8KHSQ Happiness isn't a personality trait you were born with. It's a skillset you build — and most engineering leaders have never been taught how. Zach sits down with Dr. Elia Gourgouris, "The Happiness Doctor," to unpack why so many high-achieving engineers stay stuck in their heads, carry around a hundred-pound backpack of resentment and regret, and confuse a full calendar with a meaningful life. They get into the brands we were given as kids, the micro habits that actually move the needle, and the three things the happiest people do differently when life gets hard. You'll learn: • Why "happiness is a choice" is only half the story — and what the other half actually requires • The three things successful, happy people do differently with adversity (and why letting go is the one most leaders skip) • How to stop confusing "busy" with productive, and start leading yourself first • The simple daily practice that rewires gratitude into a real skill, not a slogan 𝗦𝘁𝘂𝗰𝗸 𝗮𝘁 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗻𝗼 𝗰𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗼 𝗗𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿? Get the free Director Promotion Roadmap and discover the 5 critical gaps keeping you from getting promoted— and exactly how to close them. https://lifestyleengineering.oasisofcourage.com/director-promotion-roadmap 👉 Watch the Engineering Director Promotion Plan (free): https://youtu.be/ZrRe3O8KHSQ
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You've Been Debugging Your Career with the Wrong Questions | Marc Champagne
May 500:53:35Tap to summarize👉 Watch the Engineering Director Promotion Plan (free): https://youtu.be/ZrRe3O8KHSQ You're one question away from a completely different life. But most engineers stay stuck… because they're asking the wrong ones. Zach sits down with Mark to unpack what happens when a big vision collapses—after building an app that reached millions, he had to delete it and start over. They break down how fear, burnout, and mental fog take over in those moments—and how asking better questions, building simple mental fitness practices, and creating space to think clearly can pull you back into momentum and direction as a leader. You'll learn: Why the questions you ask determine your career direction How to clear mental fog so you can think and lead effectively Simple daily practices to build clarity without adding more work How to trust intuition when making high-stakes career decisions 𝗦𝘁𝘂𝗰𝗸 𝗮𝘁 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗻𝗼 𝗰𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗼 𝗗𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿? Get the free Director Promotion Roadmap and discover the 5 critical gaps keeping you from getting promoted— and exactly how to close them. https://lifestyleengineering.oasisofcourage.com/director-promotion-roadmap 👉 Watch the Engineering Director Promotion Plan (free): https://youtu.be/ZrRe3O8KHSQ Rate, Review, and Follow "I love Zach and The Happy Engineer Podcast." If that sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing my show! This helps me support more engineers -- just like you -- take the next step toward the career and life that they desire. On Apple Podcasts, click our show, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select "Write a Review." Then be sure to let me know what you loved most about the episode! Remember, we only spread our message when you share this knowledge with others that need it. So if you enjoy this episode, please SHARE it on your social media and tag @OASISOFCOURAGE so I can say hi and thank you. Also, if you haven't done so already, subscribe to the podcast. I'll be releasing a lot of new content including bonus episodes to the feed and, if you're not subscribed, there's a good chance you'll miss out. Subscribe now! For more information on Zach White and The Happy Engineer go to: https://www.oasisofcourage.com
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Your Technical Skills Got You Here. Your Inner Work Gets You Further. | Engineering Career Coach Nader Mowlaee
Apr 2100:57:59Tap to summarize👉 Watch the Engineering Director Promotion Plan (free): https://youtu.be/ZrRe3O8KHSQ Ever felt like a complete failure? What mask are you hiding behind so people don't see the real you? Do you need a new approach to job hunting and interviewing that actually ends with an OFFER? In this episode, experience the raw courage of Nader Mowlaee. His story of losing the engineering dream, pretending to be something not himself, and ultimately taking off the masks so many of you are still hiding behind, is an inspiration. If you are still finding your own way, you don't want to miss this conversation. Overcome depression and anxiety, and be in the moment. On top of that, Nader is an expert recruiter and engineering job search acceleration coach. He brings actionable advice on how to avoid the traffic jams and move through the interview process to land offers at your dream job. I've got great news… you can do it. So press play and let's chat -- accelerate finding the career and life of your dreams! Rate, Review, and Follow "I love Zach and The Happy Engineer Podcast." If that sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing my show! This helps me support more engineers -- just like you -- take the next step toward the career and life that they desire. On Apple Podcasts, click our show, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select "Write a Review." Then be sure to let me know what you loved most about the episode! Remember, we only spread our message when you share this knowledge with others that need it. So if you enjoy this episode, please SHARE it on your social media and tag @OASISOFCOURAGE so I can say hi and thank you. Also, if you haven't done so already, subscribe to the podcast. I'll be releasing a lot of new content including bonus episodes to the feed and, if you're not subscribed, there's a good chance you'll miss out. Subscribe now! For more information on Zach White and The Happy Engineer go to: https://www.oasisofcourage.com
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212: Two Major Announcements and One Big Thank You
Mar 17, 202500:12:47Tap to summarizeNEW! Explore the Podcast Hub & Wisdom Engine: Visit www.thehappyengineerpodcast.com to search all past episodes, ask questions, and get personalized insights powered by AI. When you're ready, here are three ways I can help you build your engineering career: 1. Engineering Career Accelerator™️ Scorecard … foundational development actions and key points you can check, score, and apply immediately to stand out and excel at work. 2. Join us at Happy Hour … a limited-attendance LIVE monthly workshop where we dig deep into career growth strategies and provide 1:1 open coaching for you at the end of the session. 3. Work with me directly … start with a free chat and ensure it's a great fit, then work with me and my team privately in our intensive coaching program, exclusively for engineers. ============================ In this episode, I have two major announcements to share with you. First, The Happy Engineer Podcast is pressing pause as we wrap up Season 1. Don't worry—it's not the end forever, but it's time to focus my energy on scaling the impact of our Lifestyle Engineering Blueprint coaching program. My mission is to help engineering leaders accelerate their careers without burning out, and the demand for coaching has grown beyond what I can balance alongside the podcast. The second big announcement? Well, you'll have to listen to find out.. I want to say a huge thank you for your support—this community has been incredible, and we're just getting started. So press play and let's chat… about what's next for The Happy Engineer Podcast and how you can still grow with us. > Full Show Notes, Resources, & More ============================ WANT MORE AMAZING GUESTS? "I love Zach and these amazing guests on The Happy Engineer Podcast." If that sounds like you, please consider following, rating and reviewing the show! I know it's a huge favor to ask, but when you follow, leave a 5-star rating, and add an honest review of how these episodes are helping you… it's a massive benefit for getting the attention of powerhouse guests on this show. On Apple Podcasts, click our show, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with 5-stars, and select "Write a Review." Thank you so much. ============================ Connect with your host, Zach White: LinkedIn (primary) Instagram YouTube
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211: Critical Growth Lessons from Software Engineer to CEO with Daniel Loreto | Founder & CEO at Jetify
Mar 10, 202500:56:51Tap to summarizeWhen you're ready, here are three ways I can help you build your engineering career: 1. Engineering Career Accelerator™️ Scorecard … foundational development actions and key points you can check, score, and apply immediately to stand out and excel at work. 2. Join us at Happy Hour … a limited-attendance LIVE monthly workshop where we dig deep into career growth strategies and provide 1:1 open coaching for you at the end of the session. 3. Work with me directly … start with a free chat and ensure it's a great fit, then work with me and my team privately in our intensive coaching program, exclusively for engineers. ============================ Tune in for the critical growth lessons from starting software engineer all the way to Founder & CEO. How do you manage up? What matters most in big tech vs startups? Why do some leaders burn out and others make it? Daniel Loreto is the founder and CEO of Jetify, a startup offering a suite of tools to accelerate and simplify cloud application development and deployment. Before founding Jetify, Daniel held senior engineering roles at Google, Twitter, and Airbnb, where he led the development of Airbnb Luxe. He also served as VP of Engineering at $2B startup Vitra. Daniel completed his undergraduate and graduate degrees in Computer Science at MIT. So press play and let's chat… these lessons are worth their weight in career gold! > Full Show Notes, Resources, & More ============================ WANT MORE AMAZING GUESTS? "I love Zach and these amazing guests on The Happy Engineer Podcast." If that sounds like you, please consider following, rating and reviewing the show! I know it's a huge favor to ask, but when you follow, leave a 5-star rating, and add an honest review of how these episodes are helping you… it's a massive benefit for getting the attention of powerhouse guests on this show. On Apple Podcasts, click our show, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with 5-stars, and select "Write a Review." Thank you so much. ============================ Connect with your host, Zach White: LinkedIn (primary) Instagram YouTube
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