Over the years, I have used multiple platforms to build FSO and its cult following to what it is today. I have gone through the trials and tribulations of what platforms to use, how to use them effectively, and how to best connect to YOUR community.

I always get questions about the products I use, how I use them, and why I chose to use them.. so I figure.. Why not put together something simple (like an email lol) to help others in growing their communities online like I have done before? Exactly.

Starting out I used Mailchimp. Very simple for people that just want to send simple emails and keep their community together. Why I left: my community got really big and it got expensive trying to communicate with 14k+ people with only 7k+ wanting weekly emails.. It was a lot. And it didn’t have as many features as I wanted at that price.

Then I switched over to ConvertKit. Worth the price in the beginning but as time went on, I realized I had to spend a lot of time there. They have so many features it will make your head spin. In my honest opinion, ConvertKit is an excellent option. I stopped using it because it had too much for what I was looking for in a mass email/blogging platform. It allows segmenting (which allows you to set up multiple email lists basically to send certain groups of people on your email list certain emails). Good for some businesses but not what I needed for mine.

I really just wanted something more direct, that allowed me to send basic emails to my people, for a low price (or free). In comes Substack. Before I found Substack, I used Convertkit + I created a personal blog of my emails so that people could go back and see emails before they had been subscribed. It was great, just time consuming. Then I stumbled on Substack and saw that not only could you send emails to tens of thousands of people for FREE, they archived them all as “posts” on a basic blog. And you could also add your own personal domain name too. It was a match made in heaven. Substack also allows users to post content within their posts like podcasts, video, and gifs. They allow you to host a podcast on your blog/post. AND they allow you to keep your posts free or charge a monthly/yearly fee for your most dedicated community members. It’s all editable and up to you. It’s like Shopify, but for blogging. If you’ve used Shopify you’ll know it has its pros and cons but overall very editable and easy to sell products on. Substack is easy and free to host your blog on. Just add in Youtube if you have content and edit it down for Substack and you have another free avenue for content. I started tweeting less and writing on Substack more. Both are free. Substack brings me more revenue vs simply tweeting the same thing. But don’t think I am dunking on Twitter. Twitter is where I have the most followers, where 99% of my email list came from, and where most people find my Substack.

For payment processing: STRIPE. STRIPE. STRIPE. I’ve had my issues with PayPal and I keep an account for when I can’t avoid it but rarely use it. If you don’t listen to anything else I’ve written just listen to this: Use Stripe. Stay away from Paypal. I’ve used Stripe for the last 10 years and have never had a major issue where my money was locked up for months like with Paypal.

For selling physical/digital products: Shopify. Just like Stripe, I’ve used Shopify for the last 10 years and haven’t had a significant issue that I can remember to even write about. Very easy to use and set up for any new business owner. Everything physical from FSO, I sold through Shopify. I started selling my digital downloadable content through Gumroad at first until Shopify offered a digital download option. Now I can sell hoodies and ebooks on the same platform.

Use these platforms to YOUR advantage and never let them just use you. It should be reciprocal. I get to reach my community and Substack/Twitter/Convertkit/Mailchimp/Shopify get traffic to their servers. Reciprocal.

Why I don’t use TikTok/Instagram/Youtube yet: I’m stretched thin but that’s on the way. I’ve been stacking content for all 3 for the past 2 years. I plan on editing for Youtube first then clipping for Instagram and Tiktok 2nd. Writing is a passion of mine and easy to do. Video will be mastered next especially with the advancements of Generative AI. Stay tuned.

The ‘too long, didn’t read’ is that you should always utilize the free before you pay. And know that there are pros and cons of free vs paid. Know that when you grow you will have to pay to have more options. BUT you can slide with a large community AND still get paid if you’re strategic and don’t mind sacrificing a few features.

And lastly, If you have something to say, WRITE ABOUT IT.

Everything I poured into over the last 10 years was starting to fade and THE ONLY PERSON TO BLAME WAS MYSELF. I wasn’t being consistent. I wasn’t showing up for myself. I was draining myself playing octopus when I really needed to focus on the two hands God gave me if you get what I’m saying.

I reeled it back in. Got back to self. Everything and everyone that wasn’t in alignment either fell off or got cut off. I wasn’t showing up for myself or FSO and for that I apologize. That isn’t in alignment with being a Stacker.

But it’s back to the regimen. STACKING. And delivering you the resources you need to succeed out here. It is getting hunchy and this community is needed more than ever.

“The best gift you can give yourself on your journey… is a complete you.”

I put that quote at the beginning because oftentimes we can give so much to others that we forget to pour into ourselves. Over time that drains us and we can’t show up for ourselves along our journey.

When we get on an airplane, the flight attendants will tell you to put your oxygen mask on BEFORE turning to help those around you in the event of an emergency. You can’t help if you can’t breathe yourself. You should always apply to life. That used to be my main motto back in my 20s. Then somewhere along the way, I got ahead (or so I thought) and thought I could help and teach others AND still elevate. It doesn’t exactly work like that. I got burned out (no oxygen) and stopped pouring into myself like I used to. This caused me to procrastinate in getting stuff out for FSO, setting time aside for myself, and many other things.

The best thing you can do for yourself is take care of yourself first. Be selfish sometimes. It might make a few people angry. Oh well. You have to show up for you and your stuff first or you will never have the time to get back to it. And you will regret the time spent (or wasted depending on how you look at it). The only way you can stack and elevate is by taking care of yourself first. You need rest and fuel or you will burn out. Or develop health issues.

I created this community to help others and along the way I stopped helping myself. So excuse my recent absences. But we back up. Weekly emails. New resources. All of that.

Chuck and I have been working tirelessly on revamping the entire FSO site (not just Substack for my OG Stackers) and bringing into the new age of AI and technology overall. We will one day very soon merge the Substack back into the real FSO site (don’t worry you won’t have to do anything just like when we came over here). Until then I’ll be back dropping the motivation, knowledge, and resources. - FSO Tee

And I’m not just talking about romantic relationships. To me that is just the tip of the iceberg. People settle every single day. They settle in the job they don’t love. They settle with their bad habits. They settle when it comes to people they surround themselves with and the environments they choose to be in.

Settling breeds resentment. Resentment comes from not making the best possible decision that aligns with what you want at your core. Every single day you deprive yourself of what you really want, you plant the seed of resentment. You start to hate yourself for staying in places you don’t belong. This happened to me when I was working in the restaurant industry. I absolutely positively knew that THAT was not where or who I wanted to be for the rest of life. So I fought hard to change my life. And I did. Twice.

Before I pivoted, I started to dislike myself for staying somewhere I didn’t feel challenged or pushed to grow and elevate. I started to hate myself for not being on track to the life I live today. Isn’t that funny? It’s like I knew exactly where I was heading and I was scolding myself for dragging my feet on the way there. Had I known then what I know now, I would have moved a lot more intentionally. But I love that part of life, it’s where the real living and learning happens… in the lessons.

The lessons I learned back then, are the foundation for the lessons I’m learning now. I constantly audit myself to make sure that whatever and whoever I’m giving my time to is in alignment with who I am and where I’m going in life. It’s 2026 now, in 2016, I made a promise to myself to turn it all the way around and elevate to exactly where I am now. I actually exceeded all expectations and goals. I didn’t settle with a job I hated that just barely paid the bills. I knew I could have an exciting career. And now I’m on my SECOND exciting career. IT IS VERY POSSIBLE. I wanted better than my old crappy apartment that was built in the 60’s. I bought a house that was built in a year I can clearly remember. I wasn’t happy with the people that I was surrounded by. And that wasn’t their fault or a flaw of theirs. We just weren’t in alignment. And I felt that I couldn’t be deep or intense and peel back the onion layers with them. The friends I have now are a dream.

You have to create the sanctuary that you seek. Do whatever it takes to get there. Go to therapy, get your money up and then keep going, always be learning, and never take the 1st offer.

A lot of people are foreign to adversity. They never had to struggle on the way to a goal. And there is nothing wrong with that. But that is a life built by someone who actually faced adversity. Trust me. People who want more out of life know the ramifications of settling. They know the sacrifice they make today by saying “that’s good enough” instead of “MORE”.

I could have settled into my restaurant management job. But I know I would be MISERABLE. I knew it back then and I know it now. It’s why I devised the plan I did and worked as hard as I did for as long as I did. I knew working 2 jobs in my 20’s with not a lot of fun would allow me to build the foundation I needed to live the life I currently do. I knew that my skills were going to waste running a restaurant. It was honest work but it wasn’t me. I’m a super brainiac. Somewhat of a savant if you sit and talk to me. I’m like Rainman when it comes to the things I know and dabble in. And I was ABSOLUTELY CORRECT. Instead of settling, I became an electrician and got into the film industry and worked on multiple box office hits. But that wasn’t my endgame. And I was comfortable. I know being comfortable means I’m not growing. So instead of settling and chilling… again I challenged myself. And fucked around and got hired in the FAANG/Mag 7 space. Now they let me loose in the lab managing hundreds of millions to billions of dollars of infrastructure and data because they know what I am. Imagine if I settled. I’d still be running the closing shift of a restaurant watching servers roll silverware and trying to get the cooks to stop taking so many smoke breaks. I manage more money in infrastructure in a day at my current job than that restaurant made in its best year when Atlanta last hosted the Superbowl. Imagine that.

It’s hard to explain it but I could almost see my future and was extremely irritated and agitated with myself for dragging my feet on the way. Now that I am where I am in life, I know settling is probably the worst thing you can do for yourself. As humans, we are meant to be challenged. We are supposed to grow. Situations that stifle this go against what we are at our core. Our brains are beautiful muscles that are meant to run like a Kentucky Derby stallion. If you know anything about the Derby, you know that if they aren’t running and producing, they off them (very sad, yes I know). But I use that analogy to show you, you are basically taking yourself out back like Old Yeller or a prized stallion that can’t compete anymore by leaving yourself in a situation you don’t want to be in.

Somewhere along the way, you lost your spark or drive to hustle and grind and PUSH. Go get that back. Whatever you have to do, GO GET THAT BACK. That spark is the ignition you need to unlock all of those dreams you have. TRUST ME. I was miserable before.. Now I feel fulfilled. Thanks for coming to my TaraTALK.

Stop treating the past like it defines what is going to happen to you in the future. Too many people get caught up in past decisions and mistakes and allow that to determine where they will land in the present and the future. Every single day you wake up, you get another chance to turn this world upside down. Stop letting the past be an excuse as to why you can’t execute and be better. Life can constantly get better if you put the work in, stay consistent, and stay dedicated to the long goal.

You make a mistake, oh well. Take notes and move the hell on. Life doesn’t wait for those that dwell on mistakes. Life rewards those that keep it moving, use it as a lesson learned, and implement what they learned in real time like the Terminator.

I am who I say I am because I constantly strive for more. I go for things, I fail, I get back up again and come back BETTER. I take new information and update my plans. I don’t care who says what, or what they have to say about it. I’m a trailblazer and I am NOT ashamed. Whatever I aim at, I master it. Whatever I fail at, I come back and master it even better. Nothing can stand in my way because I have programmed my mind to run at the things I fear, to conquer things others only dream of, and to have the audacity to enter the arena with whoever. THIS IS HOW I WIN.

These past couple of months have been a whirlwind of ups, downs, and improvements. Started at a new company, picked up a multitude of skills, picked up more responsibility at work, advancing in my career, progressing in my personal life. When you lock in, it happens.

I am not basing my actions today on what happened yesterday. And tomorrow is a clean slate. ALWAYS REMEMBER THIS. What happened to me last year is old news. I released it. You can too. I stopped looking at what happened and what I could have done, and started looking at what I could do to change my circumstances for the better. I had already elevated myself once. I knew that I could do it again. So I locked in on my target, and pulled full steam ahead.

Locking is an understatement when it comes to what I’m doing right now. I have reached a level of tunnel vision one obtains when they become a bit delusional. I know what is coming to an extent and I’m preparing myself for it physically and mentally. The world is shifting and evolving faster than it did 6 months ago and even faster than it did 1 year ago. Imagine life January 1st, 2020. Now think about your life this past January 2026. Now think about where you are now and your current trajectory. EVERY MOVE COUNTS. Time is to be used, not wasted. Use your time wisely, set your sights on your goals, and execute.

Subscribe now

We are in the middle of a bunch of things that will be marked in history for our great-grandchildren to read about. Social changes. Policy change. War. The Great Wealth Exchange. Geopolitics changing. Worldwide immigration patterns shifting. Technology evolution. The list goes on. How you act and react to these things as they are happening to everyone on Earth (whether good or bad, no one is excluded), will determine your family’s future. This is not just about generational wealth. This is about survival as well. The decisions made today will change your family for generations to come. Where you decide to work, live, and what/who you decide to surround yourself with (social movements, religion, etc). New countries and cities are emerging as viable economic places to raise families. This will cause migration shifts. Socially, we interact differently than we did 50-100 years ago. All of this matters. ALL OF IT. People not being able to find affordable housing and work in cities that have always thrived in are starting to cause immigration shifts we weren’t prepared for in the cities they are moving to (*cough ATLANTA cough*). This will change the places they are coming from AND the places they are moving to for the next 50 to 100 years. Pre-1996 Olympics Atlanta is long gone. 2030 Atlanta will make 2010 Atlanta unrecognizable. This is the case for most cities causing social shifts. Families are more spread out. Children don’t grow up down the street from their grandparents anymore. People don’t live in the same house and work the same job for 30+ years anymore. TIMES ARE SHIFTING. More people are moving out of the USA than into it for the first time in over 90 years (since The Great Depression). A record number of Northerners in the USA are moving to the Deep South driven by cheaper cost of living and new economic opportunities. South America is a hotspot for people to immigrate to as well, driven by cheaper cost of living and milder weather. The tables and tides are turning.

Think about the vision you have for yourself and your family. Think about how you can best align with that every single day. Plans don’t always go according to plan, but the least you can do is have the structure in place to weather the oncoming, unknown storms we will eventually go through.

This post is all over the place because life has been all over the place. BUT you must look up and notice that yesterday doesn’t always apply to today, and today will not always apply to tomorrow. The world is shifting and changing as I type this and as you read it. The best thing you can do is position yourself to manage the blows. And life will land some of its punches. It’s just best that you train yourself to know how to take a hit and dodge a few here and there.

DECISIONS. DECISIONS. They cripple the best of us on our worst days. Make the wrong one and pay for it for years to come. Make the right ones and set yourself up for years. I’ve been on both ends of that coin. The latter is MUCH better than the former. When you make the wrong decisions and have to live through them, it is much more painful than one could imagine, but it is a necessary lesson to be learned.

For me, the wrong decision was not finishing school earlier. I spent years working in restaurants and grinding my way up through investments and hustling, plus other training programs and opportunities to get to where I am now, back in school (LOL but with a much better career + plan). Had I taken it seriously the first time at the age of 17, I would have been set by 25 with a master’s degree working in medical or engineering. But life is about learning from your mistakes, getting serious about your decision making, and improving over time so you waste less time the next go around. Constantly making the wrong decisions time and time again only wastes your time and gets you nowhere. You want to make new decisions, so you can make new mistakes, and learn new lessons. Life is about pressing forward no matter what and the only way you do that is to GET SERIOUS about the decisions you make and how you respond to your mistakes.

After I finish my bachelor’s degree this year, I plan on continuing my education with another engineering degree. I have a solid plan and am already working in my dream field towards it. The education is to solidify my knowledge as an individual and allow me to make more contributions to my team. It also gives me more credibility because credentials mean things when it comes to decision makers, especially when it comes to ABET degrees. This is me getting serious about my career, my future plans, and where I plan on being in 50 years (which is comfortably retired and old lol). Solidifying my knowledge in my field solidifies my employability over the next 30 years as I age, and I’m only getting older. I plan on being able to use my brain long after my body starts to break down on me. I also plan on being a HVT (high value target for my non-COD players) in my field. I want to be the best at whatever I touch and I plan on it. The only way to do that is to GET SERIOUS.

The way I see it, the world is filtering out the weak, uneducated, and unnecessary (who they deem unnecessary). HVTs will thrive, everyone else will be at the mercy of society. That’s the cold hard truth. Take a good look around you, fill in the gaps. Look at the labor market and see what they need… AIM FOR THE HARDEST THINGS. If it requires more math, GOOD. Doesn’t matter how long it takes you, knowing math is like being on the last flight off the island the day before a tsunami hits. Think of the world 10 years from now as the tsunami. And think of the way people (and you) live now as that tiny island. A lot of people will be washed out. Only the highly educated and skilled will find employment and opportunities. Everyone else will be subjected to the elements (whatever they are). Don’t believe me? Just look at entry level positions that don’t require schooling, what they pay, and what you have to deal with. The more math you know, the further you land from the poverty line.

Get serious about where you want to be in 25-50 years, or where you want your family to be. It’s not about next year. The decisions you make now will have ripple effects for decades to come due to how rapidly the landscape is changing and how hard it is to recover from a bad decision. Remember, just one of those can set you back a whole decade. Or you can make one right decision and look back in 10 years and be proud of yourself. Time will pass anyway. 5 years ago I had ZERO degrees and by this time next year I’ll have my engineering degree. By 2030, I plan on having TWO engineering degrees. It’s not about how you start, it’s about how you finish. And it’s not dwelling on the mistakes, it’s about learning from them and making better decisions. I didn’t make the right decisions about my education early on but when the decision came around the second time, I didn’t play with it. You shouldn’t either. STACK ON.

Now is not the time to look left and right to see what your neighbor has going on. Time is ticking. The world is shifting and changing every single day. Go to sleep and it’s one thing, wake up and it’s another. It’s up to you to stay afloat and not drown in the tsunami.

Tunnel vision is one thing you need in this economy. Whether it’s staying focused on school, leveling up in your career, getting focused on your fitness, or just overall improvement, IT IS UP TO YOU. Currently, I’m working on getting my bachelor’s degree, leveling up in my career, AND focused on my health on the daily. If I’m not studying, I’m plotting. If I’m not plotting, I’m working. Always aiming to get better and know more than I did before I went to sleep the night before.

Aim high. When you do this, you work a lot harder. Soft goals don’t push you to your limits. Hard goals do. When you are pushing towards something that isn’t easy to get, you learn things about yourself in the process. Soft goals don’t require tunnel vision. Hard goals do. Give yourself real challenges to go after. Challenges like that require tunnel vision. Tunnel vision = growth. You want growth.

What’s going on outside isn’t as important as what’s going on in your personal life. You cannot add to the collective community pot if you yourself are running on empty. You must fill your cup first before you can pour into others. This isn’t about ignoring everyone in your life and the outside world around you. It’s about putting on your blinders when it is time to get YOUR business handled. Tunnel vision allows you to be honed in on your goals. By being honed in, you get better and faster. By being better, you have more to offer your community. Tunnel vision allows you to contribute more to the pot as an individual.

It’s not that I don’t care for other people, I just don’t really care too much about what they have going on to pay attention to it on a daily basis. It takes away from time I could be spending on achieving my goals and taking care of my family which is most important to me. STACK ON.

2025 IS DONE. Whatever happened, happened. Whatever didn’t happen, didn’t happen. Don’t let 2025’s Ls hold you back from progress in 2026. EXECUTE. Do the things you say you’re going to do.

SET HIGH GOALS. You might surprise yourself and crush it. If you miss, you’ll land somewhere you weren’t before. The goal is progress. The fruit is in the journey. Execution is something you need to practice OVER AND OVER AND OVER. Get in the mindset of finishing. Everything won’t be perfect. Stop waiting for the perfect time to start something. Execute the start and figure it out from there. Finish those projects you’ve started. It builds character. EXECUTION BUILDS CHARACTER.

You want to learn faster? Execute on what you say you’re going to do faster. Make a to-do list and cross things off. When you’re done, make another. You learn by executing tasks. You learn by not having a perfect ending product, learning from your mistakes, doing it again with a better strategy, THEN you hit that lightbulb moment. But the lightbulb doesn’t come on the first time without constant execution, analysis of the results, and updating your game plan based on the past.

Subscribe now

You have to execute. Now is the time. Not tomorrow. Not the new year. Today is actually perfect (in my opinion) because it’s a Monday, and it’s about to be a new year. Think of these last days of 2025 as the pregame or warm up for 2026. How you do one thing is how you do everything, and we all have a few things we can stand to work on to polish up and get better. One of the key ways we do this is executing, even when scared. Fear holds a lot of us back (think imposter syndrome). You are capable of doing the things you want to do in life, you just have to jump off of the porch (the porch in your head because it’s all mental) and just start executing. You can’t worry about fumbling and making mistakes (IT’S GOING TO HAPPEN ANYWAY). Mistakes are a part of the process. It’s how you get better (by learning from them).

And don’t just think I’m talking to my Stackers, I’m talking to myself as well. I haven’t been on my game like I need to be. Especially with FSO and getting these emails out. So I’m going to be on MY grind more too.

So let’s start 2026 with a BANG. Start today. Don’t wait for Thursday when the clock strikes midnight. Change doesn’t happen overnight, it happens over time.. with a series of actions.

Remember, it takes about a month to form a habit and 3 months to make it a permanent lifestyle change. You can make executing on the things you need to do to get ahead a habit before the summer starts trickling in. Happy New Year!

This year flew by FAST. Time waits for no man. Inaction will kill forward momentum and laziness will make even the most well thought out plans crumble.

The world we live in requires consistent action daily. You must chip away at the mountain in front of you on a daily basis to get where you are going. Especially if you are behind in life or below the poverty line. Time will never stop. It is one thing we can count on to keep moving forward no matter what. Sometimes it seems that it is moving faster than WE know it to be moving.

Take a look back at this year. Look at 2024. Look at 2023. Did you accomplish anything that you’re proud of? Did you do anything to get better, be better, more educated, or more skilled? Your actions define this. YOUR ACTIONS DEFINE YOU AS AN INDIVIDUAL. You are the sum of all of your actions.

After a certain age, you have to stop blaming your parents and upbringing, and start blaming (or congratulating) yourself for where you are in life. You have to take your life into your hands and start analyzing your decision making. Why do you make the decisions you do? Being driven by emotions. Being driven by greed and need. Learn yourself so that you can properly navigate life and maximize your potential.

You are what you wake up and do consistently on a daily basis. You are what you consistently put your time into. Pick your poison. The world is constantly changing and it’s getting harder like a video game that you keep unlocking levels on. Make your challenges harder. Condition yourself for the future that is to come. Mold yourself. Become resilient.

Figure out a way to become financially free BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY. Figure out a way to gain a skill. Master it then get another skill. Get financially lean. Then get leaner. THEN make more money. Never stop applying to jobs and looking for opportunities. Keep your expenses low while constantly growing your knowledge base. ALWAYS BE LEARNING. NEVER STOP LEARNING. Your discipline in this economic tsunami will have ripple effects across your family for generations to come. Stay lean and constantly upskill and your kids and their kids will be ahead of the pack. Do the opposite and your grandchildren will more than likely have a harder financial uphill battle than we currently do. Would make graduating college in 2008 look like a dream.

YOUR ACTIONS DEFINE YOU. They will determine what kind of life your grandchildren will live. Make the right choices NOW to live better LATER. Upskilling and education should be your top priorities. And if you think it ever stops, I know people with STEM degrees that are looking at what else they can learn to elevate themselves in the circles they are in. The more you know, the better. Unicorns are rare, BECOME ONE. It’s hard to fire the person that knows everything and keeps the lights on. People like that command their pay and usually have their pick of opportunities. You should be working as hard as you can right now to become a unicorn in whatever industry you’re in right now or wherever you’re aiming at switching into.

Unicorns don’t just get paid, they get fought over. Build a brilliant mind to thrive, not just survive. The actions you take right now will define you as an individual for the next 100 years.

Back in school for my BS in Cloud & Network Engineering.

Started a new job in a new industry and have been training and WORKING.

I turned 33. All of this happened in less than 30 days.

Grabbed some CompTIA certs..

I started studying Python + Linux.

LIFE GOT BUSY.

So I do apologize for leaving yall hanging, I have much to give you… and I know you need it.

FIRST…. I HAVE COMPLETED THE ORACLE JOURNEY. THE CHALLENGE IS OVER.

Here’s what I accomplished between July 1st and October 31st in the Oracle Race:

1. Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) Foundations Associate

2. Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) AI Foundations Associate

3. Oracle Data Platform Foundations Associate

4. Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) Generative AI Professional

5. Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) Multicloud Architect Professional

Initially I aimed to do more and finish more BUT after applying to jobs all summer in a concerted effort to pivot in this economy, I became inundated with interview prep and getting ready to be back in college while working full time. I dropped the Oracle race after my last cert and called it a valiant effort. Although I didn’t finish the race top 500, I am SUPER happy I did the race. Being able to speak on what I learned in the race, especially about using AI and the foundations of cloud computing, I was able to impress more than a few hiring teams. I ended up with job offers across the board from the FAANG community all the way into healthcare and construction. The race opened doors for me by forcing me to learn new things, even if they didn’t precisely apply to the jobs I was applying for. Recruiters and managers alike LOVE adaptable candidates who have a hunger for growth and don’t mind taking the initiative without being asked.

What I learned about myself along the way

Security, networking, and cloud infrastructure is where I want to park myself for the foreseeable future. Leaning into Oracle’s AI based learning paths gave me a deeper understanding of the available technology that large companies are using. They also gave me a better understanding of how it can be used to make my job easier and my output A LOT more efficient. If you’ve been keeping up with my emails, you know about my pivot inside of the tech industry and I am new to cloud, networking, and securing it all. I’m back in school AND I’m actively teaching myself every single day. Operational Technology (OT), cloud security, networking (the foundation of it all), and data is where I live. And I plan on staying here for as long as I can. The industry is essential, forever growing, and has plenty of places for me to park myself, learn more, elevate, and GROW.

What’s next: SCHOOL + UPSKILLING + THE TSUNAMI

Self explanatory. I will be using my degrees, and the classes I’m taking with them and aligning them with what I’m doing at work and where I plan to be in the future. Currently, I’ve structured my elective classes to aim more for cybersecurity and cyber-physical systems. I’m tailoring my outside home lab projects to cater to the growth in the industry I’ve pivoted into. Even though my home lab is small and in its infancy stages, I am able to take what I learn at work and apply it to mock scenarios at home. This is allowing me to build a well documented portfolio of self taught projects. The long term goal is to become a Cloud Security Engineer or Security Controls Engineer working OT and cyber-physical systems. The essential backbone of the internet type stuff.

You don’t see me post much on social media or even Stacker Mail because I have dedicated the next few years of my life to becoming the best at what I do. A unicorn. When the meeting of the minds happens, I want to be on a short list of subject matter experts (SMEs) called to the table to present what I know in my field. The only way I do that is by DEEP WORK. Constant studying. Not just passing my classes but excelling at them. Winning awards. Being employee of the year. Have top leaders in my organization reach out to me to congratulate me on my work. If the best in the building did it in 24 months, I want to get it done in 18 months.

There is an economic tsunami upon us. Some will get over the top of the way before it smacks into the harbor. Some will be able to swim in its rapid currents once it floods the streets. Some lose everything but the boat to take them to higher ground. Most will drown unfortunately. Gone is the economy in easy mode. The new world order is upon us. The plan is to lock up the uneducated/poor/homeless (whichever category they fall into), and use them as prison labor. The new world order will not favor the houseless, the poor, or the uneducated. It’s like a honeypot trap. They tell you college is a scam, and then when you’re uneducated and can’t get a job, they will arrest you for being homeless. Can’t keep up with rising inflation? Jail. Can’t pay your bills? Jail.

How do you stay out of jail? Find a means of not only surviving but THRIVING. Educate yourself to supply your wealth. My old industry started to die and I hit the pavement. I will not be swept up in this economic wave. I refuse. I saw the writing on the wall during the pandemic. One phrase always stuck out to me: ESSENTIAL WORKER. The economy is shifting. If your position isn’t essential to the world, think about where it will be in the next 10-15 years. Think about what the pay will look like. Can you thrive on that? UPSKILL. Like yesterday.

As I sit here and think about all that I have accomplished in my life, I can honestly say one thing: I love where I am today. The ups and the downs. The rewards and the hurdles. It all played a part in where I am today and where I’m heading tomorrow. I embrace it because I made it what it was with what I had.

Life is fully what you make of it. All of those cheesy sayings are true. “Seize the day”, “grab life by the horns” etc etc.. you know what I’m talking about. Life is very what you make of it day by day. The attitude you put forth into the universe is what the universe will give back to you. The energy you put out is what you will receive in return. You have to claim the things you want and go seize them.

You can’t go into a job interview scared like you already lost the job. You have to go into interviews like you’re talking to your new manager and team and they’re just getting to know you. Life is about what you claim, the good and the bad. So if you walk into interviews like a scared deer caught in headlights, don’t be surprised when they treat you like one. Act like you’re supposed to be there. In my opinion, being scared means you’re not confident in the skills you put on your resume. Don’t be that. Practice and study beforehand if you need to. One thing that helped me was studying like I was about to take a certification exam I was about to take. I already had the job description in hand. I had my resume in hand. I walked into that interview able to talk for hours on everything in the job post and my experiences on my resume. I didn’t lie. I just prepped myself on things I already knew about with better talking points and by using the STAR method (look this up if you’re not familiar, it’s almost mandatory for interviews).

Confidence is the key to manifesting.

You have to believe in yourself. You have to believe it when you say it out loud and tell others. That is one thing that I love about myself. I actually believe in myself, no matter how crazy the shot I’m shooting, or how far the target. My confidence plays a key role in my success. I truly believe in it, so when it comes time to manifest it, the universe already knows it’s mine and just preps it for delivery. You have to live your life like it already happened. Like “fake it til you make it”. If you want to be an engineer, you have to surround yourself with engineers, learn the basics, live your life like an engineer, and immerse yourself in the life of being an engineer. Until the day you can truly call yourself an engineer, you have to live your life like one.

BELIEVE IT. OWN IT. And it will come to you in time. Don’t believe me? Try it out yourself with your own goals.

I was knee deep in interviews, fielding offers, learning about new jobs I could apply for that I never heard before, and figuring out my way through this career pivot from working in the film industry.

For those that don’t know, up until recently, I was a full time worker in the film industry. But the jobs started to dwindle, checks started to get smaller, and calls for work started to come less and less. So I got to thinking, with my skills, what industry can I find another place in? Something more stable, essential/mission critical, and with a better work life balance.

The bible says “ask and you shall receive!”... I’m proud to say I have accepted an offer in a new position at a new company!! I’m going to keep the details minimal for privacy and NDA reasons but just know I got exactly what I wanted and more. My dream job and some. Thank you GOD. Oh and listen to my homegirl Beez, tech will change your life!

I spent the majority of my summer focusing on Data Center Technician roles and applied to those exclusively. As I continued deeper in my research black hole, I learned of other roles within the space and other companies in alignment with data centers (vendors and contractors) and I applied to every job posting I could find. This led to me talking to a lot of recruiters about my skills, what I had to offer, and what each job entailed. After about 3 weeks of interviewing, and a few weeks of waiting after, I had many rejections and a good number of job offers. I chose the one with the best work-life balance, pay (including signing bonus), and benefits package.. In that order. I don’t want to be at work every single day, with unknown hours like I’m used to in the film industry. Now I have more predictable hours, work less, and make more. This allows me to focus on school for the most part. Win win situation.

Things That Helped Me Along The Way

• Using my current skillset to apply to a new industry: If you’re a teacher with years of experience, why not lean on those skills when job hunting? You don’t have to be a teacher again if you don’t want to, but you can use what you learned on the job to apply it to another industry. I did this. I catered my resume to the jobs I was applying to by highlighting the skills I already had. Examples of this are things like “documentation”, “knows how to use xyz”.

• Reddit: I used Reddit like a bible and Google search engine in one. This allowed me to focus on my industry, find people interviewing for the same jobs (or already interviewed), and get endless tips on what to expect in my interviews and what each job role entailed. Look for subs for specific companies (Example: amazonjobs), specific industries (Example: datacenter), or resume help. I used subs from every company I had an interview with and these helped me prep for the interview that eventually led to offers.

• Use LinkedIn to find recruiters and people working at the companies you are applying to (bonus if in the roles you want to be in as well): I lived on LinkedIn this summer. I spent the majority of my time following recruiters and looking into their posts to see what jobs they were pushing to hire for the most. I kept this industry specific to my industry but this can work for you as well. Recruiters get paid to fill those jobs. So find recruiters working for the companies you’re applying to and get friendly with them. Shoot them your resume. Get on the phone with them and explain your skills and what you’re looking for. Don’t be surprised if they push you towards a position you initially didn’t apply for. They fill the roles all of the time and know what these companies are looking for. Use them to your advantage!

• Youtube: Brush up on your interview skills, learn how to get through the behavioral portion of your interview (they want to know if you’re likeable and easy to work with). Search for information for whatever field you’re in and get familiar with how they run interviews. You can never know enough when it comes to this stuff. You want to practice enough to put your mind at ease so you can interview without all of the nerves.

Good luck to anyone hunting for a job in this market. It isn’t easy at all. But it can be done with a lot of consistency and determination. FSO TEE OUT. I have a lot of studying to do.

Tunnel vision. I try to not let anything distract me from the bigger picture (main goal). I’m not perfect so my vision isn’t always in the tunnel. Admittedly, I have fallen off the path a few times. One of those times was very recent. But it’s not about being perfect, it’s about consistency in showing up daily. It’s about hopping back on the horse after you fall off. Taking note of the mistakes you made, and using it as a lesson learned and another opportunity to learn and grow.

Consistency doesn’t mean giving 1000% every time you show up. It’s about showing up EVERY SINGLE DAY, no matter how you feel, no matter the weather, no matter WHAT, you still show up and give it effort. Every single time you are supposed to show up. Don’t cheat your future self.

How do you achieve that level of tunnel vision? The “no matter what” level.

It’s all about HOW BAD DO YOU WANT IT?

You have to want it more than you want food in your belly when you’re hungry. In your brain, your task has to mean more than getting food. YES. It is THAT serious. When you’re hungry to accomplish goals, everything else will fall to the side. People, hobbies, leisure activities, FUN… sometimes you will forget to eat. You will be so excited about what you’re doing, nothing else will matter. If you’ve never been in this mindset, you might not understand. It takes that level of crazy to accomplish goals the people around you probably have never heard of.

So again.. I ask you “HOW BAD DO YOU WANT IT?”

In order to make yourself better, you have to study. You have to try and fail. It will be frustrating and annoying. You will feel like you’re taking a mental beating. You will have to constantly think of improving at every turn. You will have to think 5 steps ahead of yourself like a chess match. This is where you have to eliminate distractions and really get in tune with yourself. Ask yourself a few questions:

• Where am I spending the majority of my time? Is that beneficial to future me?

• What drains me? What energizes me?

• Are my current actions in line with my future goals?

• Is what I’m doing today beneficial to who I plan on being tomorrow?

These are just a few questions that run through my brain daily at this point. It keeps me in line. If I know my future goal is to finish my bachelor’s degree and pivot into a new career, is spending the day watching Netflix beneficial? No. I know I have things I could be studying, research papers I could be outlining or writing, and jobs I could be applying for. Like right now.

Stop playing yourself. THAT is extreme tunnel vision. If it’s taking away from the future you, that means it needs to be OUTSIDE THE TUNNEL and not inside. Focus on your goals and blur out anything that is not in alignment with them. GET SERIOUS. It can be a winning season for you but you must put in work and put forth effort to push the needle forward.

This is something I’ve been working on my whole life. I do the most so I can gain the most. I put a lot on my plate because I know I work well under pressure and I enjoy pushing myself.

Currently, I’m pushing myself on 2 different fronts: career + education

My Career

As most of you know, I’ve been a member of the film industry for the last 6 years. Film and being creative has been a dream of mine since I was a little kid. And I made that dream come true. But I feel like my time has come to an end because I have bigger dreams and goals to get to. I’m a busy woman lol. And now is a better time than any because film production has fallen off significantly compared to when I first entered the industry. So I have been aggressively working on using my current skillset to pivot into a more reliable industry.

For those that don’t know, I’m a lighting technician and electrician. I’ve worked in film & television for the most part but I’ve also done commercials, concerts, music videos, standup comedy shows, and reality television. My specialty is power distribution, cabling, electrical wiring, and everything in between. Generators. UPS systems. PDUs. I do it all. If it requires electricity, that’s where I come in. For this career pivot, I’m going deeper into technology. And I’m upping the power. More hardware. More software. More focused on the cloud and the different types of networks that we use daily in production (anything we shoot, we send to the cloud at the end of the day to be stored for editing). More focus on keeping it powered up. Use what you have currently to get where you want to go. I have an extensive amount of skills and knowledge related to electricity that I can transfer into this industry. And after doing a bunch of research, I have found there is actually a shortage of people with this background and knowledge, so it seemed like the PERFECT place to get my start.

Starting out, I knew I wanted to aim at data centers because they require a lot of power, they’re the backbone of everything we know and use now, and they’re not going anywhere anytime soon. So I crafted a game plan:

1. First, I researched different careers and job titles in data centers. I looked at day in life videos on Youtube of the different roles and wrote down what I already knew, what I could learn on my own, and what I could see myself doing on the job. This is where I narrowed it down to 2 different types of jobs I know I could aim for: Data Center Technician (DCT) OR a role in Data Center Operations (electrical/mechanical/critical infrastructure). Different companies call the 2nd role different names but for the most part Data Center Technician is the same everywhere. DCTs deal with the servers and networks more while Data Center Ops/Facilities deal with the mechanical and electrical aspect of keeping the data center online 24/7.

2. Next I started looking into all of the different companies I could get hired at. Reddit came in handy here; I was able to find a ton of information there including full lists of all data centers in the US and how to find more (from the large, big named ones down to smaller, local ones), what companies hire newbies, who had the best employee benefits packages, and INTERVIEW TIPS AND STRATEGIES.

3. Then I got on LinkedIn and started searching for these job titles. I started connecting with people that actually work at these companies in roles that I was looking to get into. A lot of them were pretty helpful. Some even connected me with the recruiter they worked with to get hired. To me, this was like back up ammo to the information I found on Reddit. This was actually where I hit the jackpot. I connected with an individual that works for a large network of data centers. He’s a recruiter and specializes in finding people with skills that transfer over into the data center space. His job is to literally help people transition into this industry using their current skills. He provided me with a 200+ page PDF that he gives to everyone to help them get acquainted with data centers, how they operate, the different roles, and the basics of what you need to know. I read it front to back and anything I didn’t know, I was able to get on Youtube and get everything broken down to me at the most basic level.

4. Then.. I made a spreadsheet and GOT TO WORK. I applied to well over 200 data center roles across maybe 40 companies in about 2 months. I added a column for any contacts I had within the organization like the people I met on LinkedIn or any recruiters I met along the way like the gentleman that sent me that PDF. A lot of companies had multiple job listings for the same city but different locations and multiple job listings within one location. For example, AWS (Amazon Web Services) had like 15 different DCT roles open across 4 cities in one state and the job description said "continuously taking applications and doing interviews for this position as we have multiple openings that needed to be filled”. After talking to the recruiter, they had 3 data centers that needed people and another that was under construction.

5. Conclusion: After all of that research, connections, and applications put in… MY PHONE AND EMAIL AND LINKEDIN started buzzing like CRAZY. (I will not be naming names for privacy reasons) Two GIANTS in the data center space contacted me within 48hrs of applying. Both had internal recruiters reach out to me for pre-screening. Both referred me to interview rounds. Both interview loops went well.

   1. Tech Giant #1: offered me a position out of state with signing bonus + relocation money, no roles available in-state at the moment

   2. Tech Giant #2: in review (just finished this interview loop this week, still in the review part of timeline but it was overall positive)

   3. Lesser known companies/Colocations (when multiple companies lease space in one data centers essentially sharing the data center)

      1. #3: upcoming interview next week

      2. #4: app reviewed but position not offered, holding my resume for review for further positions

      3. #5: offer with signing bonus

   4. All of the rest of them (not as big as the giants or the medium sized centers and colocation spaces but still GREAT places to start)

      1. 3 offers, 2 rejections and the rest I haven’t heard anything from… YET. I was told this process could be as quick as 2 weeks, and as long as 2-3 months so I’m not discouraged.

*NOTE: I applied to all of these places between July 15th & August 31. Interviews were completed between August 27th & September 10. Offers & rejections are still rolling in.

I haven’t made a decision yet. My decision will be based on pay, benefits like healthcare and tuition reimbursement (I refuse to pay for my degree lol, didn’t pay for my last one, my job did), signing bonus, location relative to me (no long commutes), shifts (day or night, A shift vs B shift), workload, work environment (good team fit), and opportunity for upward mobility within the company (do they hire from within or off the street?). All of this matters. One company offers full benefits from day 1 as well as $10k per year towards tuition and certs but only has night shift available on weekends. Another has a $5k signing bonus, day shift available, but only $2k per year to pay for certs and tuition. It’s going to come down to pay, health and tuition benefits, and work life balance for me.

I put this together because I wanted to give everyone a realistic view of what it looks like for someone pivoting into a new lane but with transferable skills. I’m not a newbie to the equipment they use, just a newbie to what they use it for. This helped me a lot in my interviews when they asked me certain questions about the infrastructure. They wanted to know that I had a basic understanding of what they had going on and that it wasn’t going to be hard to train me. For example, they don’t have to teach me Ohm’s Law or the difference between watts, amps, and volts. This will make it easier for them to teach me THEIR setup and what needs to get connected to what. They don’t have to teach me the dangers of high voltage electricity or about proper PPE in these environments, I’m familiar with it. I believe this made it easier for the conversation flow in the interviews.

Self education is one way to build up your confidence in these interviews. I spent hours every day researching these roles, what their day to day tasks looked like, and how I could bridge the gap between what I already knew and what I needed to know. For example, I’m familiar with distribution boxes from the film industry. In data centers they have PDUs which are Power Distribution Units. They essentially operate similarly but PDUs have a bit more features and that is what I focused on for my interviews. I made sure I knew the ins and outs of them. A lot of the equipment that I got familiar with, I had already used before but it had different names and different uses in film. My interviews didn’t feel like interviews, just causal conversations where they got to know me. The information flowed naturally because I was confident in my abilities.

My Education

I’m back in school working on my bachelor’s degree in Cloud and Network Engineering at WGU. I originally started out as a Network Engineering and Security major. Back in January, I let my program mentor know I would be pursuing a 2nd degree in Cloud Computing after I was done with the Network Engineering and Security track. To my surprise, she let me know that WGU was working on joining the majors together. This cut down my timeline by like TWO WHOLE YEARS. Look at how things come together:)... At this rate, I should have my degree in 2-3 terms max.

I plan on leveraging this degree + new job to learn more about the industry I’m aiming at: the cloud and everything that comes with it.

I’m still only 5 Oracle certs in and still working on #6 (had to pause for all of these interviews and data center studies). BUT those Oracle certs gave me A LOT of confidence in my interviews. In 2 of the interviews, they actually applauded me for doing the Oracle Race and told me that it showed initiative and a hunger to learn more about cloud technology. Even though they would be considered Oracle’s competition, they informed me that knowing more than one is a bonus, AND knowing the basics of ANY cloud platform is a bonus as well because it is easier to learn them all once you learn the basics of one of them.

Pro tip: Again, self education will build up your confidence. Like reading a lot of books exercises your brain. I spent most of my time this summer studying data centers, lurking the /datacenter sub on Reddit, lurking the forums/blogs that are provided by most cloud platforms and learning more about how everything worked. I completely immersed myself into a whole new world. This act alone made me feel like less of a rookie and more like a 2nd year player in the industry. By the time I got to my interviews, the abbreviations and other jargon felt natural to me. A lot of the equipment was the same to me, it just had a different name in this industry.

This is where I’m at right now. I will more than likely make a decision in the next 2 weeks and start my onboarding and training process. THE PIVOT IS UNDERWAY. I will keep you guys updated every step of the way, from this career pivot to getting my Cloud and Network Engineering degree to becoming a Cloud/Network Security Engineer. STACK ON.

College. Trade school. Getting a cert or license that boosts your salary/hourly. Free online classes. It doesn’t matter. Go back and get your education. Start now and get your education. Already educated? GREAT. Go learn something else OR point the uneducated towards the education and it’s benefits. If you’re up, help the next person. Community >

There is a divide that can be seen far and wide: the educated vs the uneducated. And it is more visible today than ever before. The job opportunities at the bottom are shrinking every single day. The middle class ain’t in the middle anymore. They’ve been squeezed into the top and bottom as well. Even the educated are getting squeezed. BUT an education keeps your chances of getting squeezed at a low number.

For example, people are saying that people with computer science degrees can’t find jobs right now. That is true to an extent. They’re not landing those six figure positions out of school anymore with a nice resume. But guess what a computer science major has over a person without a degree… more opportunities. That’s just simple math. They may not be walking into $100k jobs out of college but they can find something for $65k and work their way up. They will get more interviews and doors opened than the person without that kind of knowledge. In 5 years, they have a higher chance of seeing $100k+ in a non manual labor position than the person without the degree. And I’m being generous, it will probably be more than that with experience. That’s just the truth. Same goes for certs and licenses. The people with the knowledge and experience are lapping the person without it any day. Would you rather have a CDL license and be able to get work right now or have no license and only be able to get low skill requirement jobs? Exactly.

So go back to school, WHATEVER SCHOOL LOOKS LIKE FOR YOU. Online. In person. Self learning for a tech cert. Teaching yourself a new skill. Do something. Never become complacent in life.

Ways to get educated

• Khan Academy (great for math from beginner to college level!)

• Coursera

• Udemy

• YouTube (the best resource out)

• Online colleges (do your own research, check out WGU)

• Trade school - get paid while you learn, look into unions for electricians, plumbers, and construction workers.

• Check with your current company. Most companies these days have free subscriptions to LinkedInLearning and other resources to give you free training. They may also offer tuition reimbursement or free tuition to certain schools (how I got my associates degree).

Whatever path you choose, just make sure you choose one. Education is one thing that will outlast your ability to do physical labor. Your knowledge can get you paid long past retirement. Think consulting. Teaching. Training. Master those skills now and you will always have a way to eat in the future. It is never too early to think of your life beyond your working age and income is usually the #1 thing people focus on next to health. How do you take a bit of that anxiety? Educate yourself to supply your wealth. Stack on.

When is it a good time to pivot in my career?” That is entirely up to you, your life, your finances, and your goals. Many of you may be wondering.. “Are you currently pivoting Tara?” – The answer is “YES”.

For the last 6 years, I have worked in the film industry in Atlanta. It has been very challenging and rewarding at the same time. When I first joined the industry, I mapped out a plan to get back in school, finish my degree, and pivot deeper into the tech field. Even with all of life’s hiccups (COVID19, actor’s strike, writer’s strike, AND a potential strike with my own union at the forefront), I made it through and have had a pretty successful career in a short amount of time. BUT I truly believe you should always be upskilling and making yourself someone that can’t be replaced. With the onset of AI, jobs being outsourced overseas, and jobs just outright disappearing due to advancements in technology, I knew I wanted to position myself correctly when the tides started to change. So I hit the lab, SEVERELY.

As of today:

• I got my associate’s degree in business with a cybersecurity focus. Paid for by my film union just for being an active member.

• I researched DAILY.. Different careers, skills needed, day in the life, education and experience required, and a complete roadmap to get from point A to point B. My goal was to take myself from a field technician (basically what I do in the film industry) and make myself a data center technician to begin my new tech journey. After speaking with a few data center technicians + critical environment technicians, I knew this is where I could start to get where I wanted to ultimately be. Most of the DCT job postings are looking for people with a few certs and electrical/HVAC/plumbing experience with on the job training being given once hired.

• Had to add: my goal was cyber at first but the more I researched, the more I needed to KNOW networking BEFORE touching cyber. And I also needed networking before cloud. That networking foundational knowledge is EVERYTHING.

• In the midst of all of that research, I transferred my credits to WGU to complete my 4 year degree. I should be done in about 3-4 semesters with a degree BS in Cloud & Network Engineering (started as Network Engineering and Security but swapped when the new major opened up because it aligned with my career path more). WGU is self paced, DYOR.

My ultimate goal is to become a Network Security Engineer OR a Cloud Security Engineer (probably start with the former and end up working my way into the latter)… so back to the books I go. Does this career path require a degree? Nope. Just a few certs and A LOT of hard work. Do I want the degree anyway? YES. Will I be sending out resumes and making that pivot long before I graduate? Yes. Every step counts and the data centers are where I will be starting. This may not be the path for everyone and it may not be as easy as it sounds. I have a background in electrical wiring (6+ years) and have experience working with the very equipment they use in those data centers. I’m just getting up to date on the software being used and the objective of the tasks at hand.

I know a few of you follow me on Twitter and have seen how aggressive I’ve been about these free Oracle certs (link here). I currently have 5 new Oracle certs & I’m working on #6 right now.

1. OCI Foundations Associate

2. OCI AI Foundations Associate

3. Oracle Data Platforms Associate

4. OCI Generative AI Professional

5. OCI Multicloud Architect Professional

6. OCI Observability Professional (currently studying for this exam)

I did not come to play this year. When I set my eyes on something, that is exactly what I am going to get. Why Oracle? Because it is FREE. I have a complete plan and roadmap that I put on pause to maximize this Oracle opportunity. The cloud is VERY important to our future. Data needs to be stored. And I see the writing on the wall. So I am planning my route accordingly.

So you ask… “pivoting… in this economy?” – yes, this is like the last chopper out of Vietnam. Do not be fooled. Take a good long look at your job/career. Do you believe it will survive the next 10 years? I asked myself that in 2020 and never looked back. I showed up in the present while still planning meticulously for my future. A life behind the laptop won out over a life in the field.

Education is the most important thing right now. If you have a good education and some street smarts, you will make it and thrive. If not, get familiar with UBI. Pivot while you can. While you still have savings and a means of getting money. Even if you don’t have either of the two, use some of those free searches on ChatGPT and other LLMs to help you reverse engineer a path for yourself. Plug your current work into it and ask it what recession/pandemic/AI proof industries you can pivot to with your skills. Then ask it what licenses, certs, or education you need to get into higher paying jobs than the one you currently work. Work overtime if you have to. Get a 2nd job. Do whatever you can to better your education and make yourself damn near irreplaceable. Play around with a few questions and get a feel of the direction you need to head in.

THEN JUST MAKE MOVES. DO NOT HESITATE, YOU WILL GET LEFT BEHIND.

Pivot while others still ponder the thought of pivoting. While everyone is still saying “there are no jobs out there”. The jobs are there, the waves have just changed directions. Follow the money. Stack on.

• LAST POST: FREE TECH CERTS

• Buying Bitcoin ($BTC) or other crypto? Use my link = get some free money!

• CRYPTO SAFETY FIRST! Buy a Ledger hardware wallet & get FREE MONEY!

  ---

So a few weeks ago I sent an email FULL of freebies, mostly tech related training and certs that are available on the internet. Missed it? Click here to catch up.

I want to fill you in on my personal journey with the Oracle Race To Certification 2025 challenge. To make a long story short, Oracle is offering a bunch of free certs that will allow you to level up in the cloud industry by gaining critical skills and knowledge that is needed as the industry expands. Oracle just signed a $30B (PER YEAR) contract with OpenAI (ChatGPT) and they will need more people to keep up with the demand.

I myself am pivoting in my own career and going back to school, so I saw this as the perfect chance to get my foot in the door. I have a background in tech, just not the tech everyone thinks of when they hear that word these days. I have spent my last 6 years working in the film industry as a lighting technician and set electrician. I program lights, troubleshoot them, update the firmware, run power, operate generators, and the list goes on. With this background, transitioning into a career that’s more computer based hasn’t been that hard for me so far (think in-office or remote versus outside in the field in the film industry because we film anywhere and everywhere).

The Oracle Race presented me with the perfect opportunity to stack some knowledge and gain some credible certs in the exact niche I want to work in. They’re offering free exam vouchers to get certified and gain knowledge in Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI), Multicloud, Data, and AI. 

The rules are simple, start with 2 free exam vouchers in your Oracle wallet once you sign up. Earn 1 cert by passing an exam, earn 1 free exam voucher. Earn a 2nd cert, earn 1 free exam voucher. Earn 2 more certs, and earn 1 more free exam voucher. So they give you 2 freebies, and then you have a chance to earn 3 more. (more detailed explanation here)

TIP: The foundations associate exams are all free to take. There are 3 foundations associate certs you can earn. All 3 exams are free. If you earn these 3 + use 1 of your free exam vouchers given to you at the beginning to earn cert #4, this will allow you to have 4 more free exam vouchers to use on exams that are not free. Think about it. Use the free exams that don’t need vouchers to earn vouchers to use on exams that do need vouchers + learn foundational knowledge while you do it. It’s not rocket science.

Here’s where I am so far and what I did to get there:

I started with the Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) Foundations Associate learning path (about 4+ hours of videos + information). This took me about 2 days to finish. It was the easiest to understand of all of the Oracle material I started. I found that this was a great starting point to be introduced to Oracle and their cloud infrastructure. By completing this I received 1 free exam voucher.

I then moved onto the Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) AI Foundations Associate learning path (about 5+ hours of videos + information). This took me 1 day to finish (2nd easiest course for me). I binged the course in one day and knocked out the exam. I figured learning the basics on OCI then learning the basics of AI within OCI would be the best pathway to take given where technology is heading. I then earned another exam voucher. This brought my free exam voucher total to 4 (2 free + 2 earned). 

Data is the most valuable resource right now. Data is stored in the cloud. AI is used to help automate workflow within the cloud. Don’t think too hard. These are 2 learning paths to get your feet wet, learn the basics, AND earn yourself 2 free exam vouchers.

Here’s the next level: you need to earn 2 more certs to win 1 free exam voucher… so away we go. I moved onto the Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) Generative AI Professional learning path (about 7+ hours of videos + information). I was coming fresh off of the AI Foundations Associate learning path so I figured why not continue my AI journey. This was actually a great idea because this was the hardest exam for me so far. It took me about a week to complete the course and study for the exam. Generative AI is the future whether we like it or not, so why not learn about the logistics behind it to know what to look for? Exactly.

After the 1st three certs, I was on a roll and I knew that if I completed at least one more, I would earn one last free exam voucher, bringing my total to (5) FIVE free exam vouchers (2 free + 3 earned)… so I was eager to knock it out. For my next cert, I went for the Oracle Data Platform Foundations Associate learning path (about 6+ hours of videos + information). This took me about 3 days to complete. It was pretty easy to be honest. 

So now this is where it got fun. I earned all of the available free exam vouchers that the race offers (outside of the final grand prize of 2 more free exam vouchers for the top 500 participants who complete the most certs by end of race). So my next plan: plot out a route to compliment the career I want later in life. So I reverse engineered my path and plotted out my next certs. Since I started with 2 free vouchers, earned 3 free exam vouchers in the challenge, and used 1 to take my Generative AI Pro exam, … I had 4 free exam vouchers to play with, with 3 expiring on 10/31/25, and the last one expiring on 10/31/26. So you best believe I’m trying to maximize all 3 of those before this thing is over. You know me!

Next up, I dug into the Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) MultiCloud Architect Professional learning path. To be honest, I wish I got into this right after my OCI foundations exam. This goes pretty deeper into everything that has to do with Oracle and other clouds. By the time I got here, a lot of the protocols, terms, and concepts felt a bit repetitive. I drilled the OCI ecosystem into my mind and it got to the point where I kind of knew what was going on. Kind of like the point in a video game where you know how to play, but you’re just not good enough to beat it yet. I believe using the resources in the lab and the rest of Oracle University will help along the way. It’s only been about 5 weeks of immersing myself in the information daily. 

As of today, I have 4 total Oracle certs; 3 foundations associate level certs + 2 professional certs. I actually was a few days away from taking the Autonomous Database exam and I did a bit more research for my career goals and realized my time would be better spent on the Multicloud Pro cert. 

I purchased the ability to work on labs and projects through Oracle ($29 for one month) and I’ve been playing around with it to understand more of what I learned in each learning path. I’ve also been going back through the videos to plot out certain things they did to see if I can replicate it myself and build my own things. The journey has BEGUN. 

What’s next on my hit list:

• Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) Observability Professional

• Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) Networking Professional (will grab in 2026 with my last free exam voucher)

I have roughly 2 and half months to finish my Observability Pro exam + 1 more before the end of the Oracle Race and my vouchers expire. I haven’t decided on what the last one will be and I’m thinking I might not even use it. I’m taking my time with Observability. I probably won’t test until late September.

I put OCI Networking Pro off until my last voucher because it is the longest of my courses (17 hours) and it’s also what I want to specialize in, so I’m going to use my 2026 voucher on that one and take my time with it sometime next year. I will technically still have one free open voucher that expires 10/31/25 but I’m not pressed to use it.

Some will call me crazy. Some will call dumb for cert stacking. But I don’t care. These exams are $200+ each, if I have the time, I will make learning the material a priority. The knowledge is worth a lot of money. Oracle offers self-paced labs for $29/month (which I am currently doing). What’s that to someone who can take these skills and get into jobs paying $85k-$130k, and even $150k+ per year? Don’t believe me? Plug some of these certs into Google or ChatGPT (or even a job search site) and see what jobs these can qualify you for (if you actually retain the knowledge, do the labs, and show you know what you’re doing). Then see what are the salary ranges for some of these positions. I’ve done my research and I highly suggest you do yours. Senior roles with years of experience and projects under their belt pull in $200k+. So work on your skills. Lab. Get a job. Learn some more. Gain experience. Get more money for the experience and skills. LEARN THE MATERIAL. PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE. LAB. THEN LAB SOME MORE. OUTPERFORM THE COMPETITION. FEED YOUR FAMILY. Rinse and repeat. The race is a good way for an individual (like you and me) to get their feet wet in cloud. Grab a couple of certs, learn some new things, and practice what you learned. Use this knowledge as a stepping stone into your next gig.

My end of race stack should be (by 10/31/25):

1. Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) Foundations Associate

2. Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) AI Foundations Associate

3. Oracle Data Platform Foundations Associate

4. Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) Generative AI Professional

5. Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) Multicloud Architect Professional 

6. Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) Observability Professional

Before I go into the next section, I want to explain something. I am not running through this information just to put certifications on my resume. I actually want to learn this information and am actively pushing myself to do so. I actually love learning this information and actually want to work in this industry. Networking. Cloud. Security. It all interests me the more I learn. If you’re looking for exam dumps and ‘how to pass fast’ type of information, you will not find it here. This is for people who actually want to learn and understand this information in an efficient manner. I want to earn a high paying career in this industry and I know I actually have to retain the information and understand it first. So if you’re looking to cram this information to pass a test and forget the information a week later, I’m probably not the person to listen to.

How I Learned The Material

I had a few people on Twitter ask me how I was able to knock out the material and pass these exams so quickly and efficiently.

Read more

• Buying Bitcoin ($BTC) or other crypto? Use my link = get some free money!

• CRYPTO SAFETY FIRST! Buy a Ledger hardware wallet & get FREE MONEY!

• Need Stacker Gear? Visit The Stack Store TODAY!

“Consistency is key. Showing up every single day is how you get what you want.”

In a world that glorifies big wins and instant success, it’s easy to overlook the quiet power of small things. Yet, it’s the smallest actions, done consistently, that build the strongest foundations. Just like compound interest, small efforts may seem insignificant in the beginning, but over time, they generate powerful results. Whether it’s saving a few dollars a day, walking an extra ten minutes, or learning one new concept, these choices compound. And just like money grows in a high-yield account, your life expands when you invest in it, bit by bit.

Take saving money as an example. Putting aside just $5 a day may seem like pocket change, but over a year that’s $1,825, without even accounting for growth or investment returns. Over a decade, with consistent effort and a modest interest rate, that small habit can balloon into tens of thousands of dollars. It’s not just about wealth, it’s about the discipline and future options that grow from it.

The same applies to your health and fitness. You don’t need to train like an Olympic athlete. Daily walks, short workouts, and mindful eating choices add up over time. One missed workout won’t ruin you, and one salad won’t save you, but the trend of daily CONSISTENT effort adds up. Over time, you’ll feel stronger, look better, sleep deeper, and reduce your risk for chronic disease. That’s real value, compounded over time. It IS the little things.

Even your stress levels are subject to this principle. Reducing stress isn’t always about huge lifestyle changes. It’s about small boundaries, like saying “no” when necessary, taking 5 minutes to breathe deeply, or choosing sleep over scrolling. These daily stress-management choices preserve your mental clarity and energy, just like regular deposits protect your financial well-being.

Don’t sleep, much like everything else, education follows the same curve. Learning one concept a day, reading a few pages, or watching a tutorial might not feel transformational at the moment, but fast-forward six months, and you’ve mastered a skill. A degree isn’t earned in a day, it’s earned in dozens of micro-decisions to keep going, keep learning, and keep showing up over and over and over until graduation. Over time, knowledge and credentials compound into opportunities you never thought possible.

5 “Small” Things You Can Do Everyday Starting TODAY 

1. AUTOMATED SAVINGS - even if it’s just $5, something is better than nothing. Build this habit by starting small and working your way up from there. $10 a week can turn into $100 before you know it. Start small, grow big.

2. MOVE YOUR BODY FOR 15MINS DAILY - even if it's just jumping jacks or running in place. Get your heart pumping. It costs you nothing to do jumping jacks, pushups, squats, ANYTHING to get your body moving and your blood pumping. Just your time.

3. READ OR LEARN ONE NEW THING - this doesn’t have to take more than 20 mins of your day. Remember; something is better than nothing. If you didn’t read any books last year, reading for 20 mins a day will have you finishing books by the end of year. Not up for reading? Watch a youtube video teaching you about something you don’t know about. Perfect example: “how do engines work?”... TRAIN YOUR BRAIN TO ALWAYS BE LOOKING TO LEARN SOMETHING

4. BE MINDFUL OF WHAT YOU INTAKE - “Where your attention goes, your energy flows” this simply means “you are what you eat”. If you pay attention to drama everyday (toxic reality tv), you are inviting drama into your life (a repeat of the scenarios you intake daily).

5. RELEASE WHAT IS STRESSING YOU - A lot of us hold onto things that are not good for us in the long term and we all low key know it. RELEASE IT. Stop worrying about things you cannot control and place your energy and attention on the things that you can control. You should never stress about things out of your control (and even some things you can control). Stress kills. Kill it yourself first. 

• Buying Bitcoin ($BTC) or other crypto? Use my link = get some free money!

• CRYPTO SAFETY FIRST! Buy a Ledger hardware wallet & get FREE MONEY!

• Need Stacker Gear? Visit The Stack Store TODAY!

  ---

The Negative Aspects of Carrying Debt

1. High Interest Payments = Debt often comes with interest that compounds over time, meaning you pay far more than you originally borrowed. This is the trap that most people don’t see until AFTER they have been trapped and are working on a way out.

2. Lower Credit Score = High balances and missed payments can reduce your credit score, affecting your ability to get future loans or favorable rates. The worse your credit score, the higher you pay in interest… which means you pay more for the same things as someone with good credit.

3. Increased Stress and Anxiety = Constant financial pressure can lead to mental health issues, including chronic stress, insomnia, or depression. This can lead to hospitalization which = MEDICAL DEBT.. which equals more debt.

4. Limited Financial Freedom = Debt payments eat into your income, restricting your ability to invest, save, or spend on things you enjoy. This will become depressing. Ask anyone who’s been in this position before. Not being able to eat out or take a day off because you are in an uncomfortable amount of debt is not an appealing position to be in. Don’t put yourself there.

5. Reduced Emergency Readiness = Carrying debt usually means less money in savings, leaving you vulnerable in emergencies like job loss or medical bills. The rule of thumb is 6 months of your monthly expenses in your savings account for a rainy day. It’s hard to keep that up when you’re constantly making debt payments.

6. Relationship Strain = Money problems are a common cause of arguments and breakups in relationships and marriages. One of the leading causes of divorce is FINANCIAL STRAIN/ISSUES.

7. Delayed Life Goals = Debt can postpone buying a home, starting a business, or saving for retirement. It can even delay life milestones like having children.

Some Ways To Get Out Of Debt & Stay Out Of It

1. Create a Realistic Budget = Track your income and expenses, then assign every dollar a job—including debt payoff. Stick to it.

2. Use the Debt Snowball or Avalanche Method

   1. Snowball: Pay off smallest debts first to build momentum. Watch this video with Dave Ramsey. He explains this well. If you owe $500 to one bank and then $2300 on a credit card, focus on paying off the $500 loan first to gain momentum then work on paying on the $2300.

   2. Avalanche: Pay off highest-interest debts first to save the most money. For example, if you have two credit cards; one with a 25% interest rate and one with 15% interest rate, focus on paying down the card with the 25% interest rate FIRST because it is costing you the most money every month.

3. Cut Unnecessary Spending = Temporarily reduce discretionary expenses (like dining out, subscriptions, or impulse buys) and redirect that money to debt. If you don’t need it to survive, get rid of it. Getting out of debt is your main concern at this point. All fun can wait.

4. Increase Your Income = Take on a side hustle, sell unused items, or ask for a raise to accelerate debt payments. Do anything you possibly can. Upskilling to make more money should be your main priority if you can’t keep up with your basic monthly expenses.

5. Build an Emergency Fund = Even a small cushion ($500–$1,000) prevents you from going back into debt when unexpected expenses hit. Once you get there, don’t stop. Set incremental goals; $1500 then $2000, then $3000 and keep going until you hit 6 months. Then one full year of your monthly expenses in your high yield savings account for safe keeping.

Now we’re about to get into my FAVORITE part of today’s message. DEBT FREE AND LIVING ON CASH. I feel like everyone needs to get to this point in their life at some point (hopefully early 20s before you take on any loans). This lifestyle will teach you how to only live on what you make, NOT what you’re allowed to swipe for. As you gain a nice reserve to fall back on, taking on credit will be something you do after careful consideration and you probably won’t take it lightly.

Pros of Living a Cash-Based Lifestyle

1. Better Control Over Spending = When you pay with cash, you physically see the money leaving your hand, making you more conscious of every purchase. You can’t spend what you don’t have.

2. Avoids Interest and Debt = No credit cards = no interest charges, late fees, or accumulating debt. You only spend what you actually have.

3. Reduces Impulse Buying = Cash limits how much you can spend. If you don’t have enough on hand, you’re forced to think twice before buying.

4. Simplifies Budgeting = Using cash makes it easier to set spending limits for each category (like groceries, gas, entertainment). Many use the envelope system for this.

5. Encourages Saving = When you're not constantly paying off debt or interest, more of your income can go toward savings or investments.

6. Improves Financial Discipline = A cash lifestyle fosters long-term habits like patience, delayed gratification, and intentional spending.

7. Avoids Credit Card Fees and Risks = You sidestep late fees, annual fees, fraud risk, and the temptation to “buy now, pay later.”

8. No Credit Dependency = You learn to rely on your own resources, not borrowed money. This can be empowering and reduce financial stress.

9. Clearer View of Financial Health = If you can’t afford something without credit, it’s a clear signal to reevaluate your budget or savings plan.

Use these methods to save you from what is to come.

• Buying Bitcoin ($BTC) or other crypto? Use my link = get some free money!

• CRYPTO SAFETY FIRST! Buy a Ledger hardware wallet & get FREE MONEY!

• Need Stacker Gear? Visit The Stack Store TODAY!

“Is tech still booming?” YES

Is getting into tech still a thing? YES

If you need more confirmation on this, follow my good friend, Symone Beez. She has helped THOUSANDS of people get into tech (especially GovTech) and increase their income by boosting their skills.

But this post isn’t just about the industry, it’s about all of the FREE TRAINING and certs that are being offered currently. Recently I completed 3 foundational certs + 1 professional certification with Oracle (a leading tech giant in the data space, think cloud services and data centers) and the exams were all FREE. If you’re in the tech industry (or any industry where you have to take exams for licenses and certifications to keep your job) you know these exams (and training) can be a bit pricey for the average person looking to better their careers. Oracle, like many other tech companies, are pouring billions into technology for research & development, hiring (and training), and just expansion alone. This is where you can win. With companies like Oracle, Google, Amazon, and Microsoft offering FREE TRAINING (AND FREE EXAM VOUCHERS for some), the possibilities are endless when it comes to what you can learn and expose yourself to.

I have broken it down into two categories: 

1. Free training + Free exams: (everything is free, take advantage but always do your research so you’re not wasting your time learning stuff that doesn’t pertain to the path you are on)

2. Free training: (will have to pay for exams; not as good as #1 BUT learning the info is a plus, and you never know when you’ll catch a free/discounted exam voucher. Better to know than not to. Also, training can be expensive, so free courses might be what you need to afford the exam)

The Free Stuff

• Free Developer + IT Certs: 1000+ FREE Developer and IT certifications (updated January 2025) (Free training + Free exams)

• Massive list of free classes/courses, and certifications offered by schools and companies: Click here (Free training + Free exams)

• Oracle Race To Certification 2025 – (Link here) Oracle is the world’s largest database management company. It is the 4th largest software company by market cap as of 2025. They specialize in data management and cloud technology. Earning their certs is a plus on your resume showing companies (that work on their infrastructure) that you are competent in working with their software. The race includes free training as well as free vouchers to take their exams and get certified. The value of this is $245-$1000+ because their exams are about $245 each. The foundation's associate exams are all free but you have a chance at 5 FREE Professional level exams in this challenge. All for free. The race will be over October 31, 2025 so get to work! (Free training + Free exams)

• Amazon AWS Skill Builder – (Link here) Free training from Amazon on their AWS (Amazon Web Services) platform. AWS is Amazon’s cloud computing division. They have the largest slice of the cloud computing industry with more than 30% of the cloud computing infrastructure in the world belonging to them. Learn more about cloud technology as well as AI and get the skills you need to work at Amazon (or companies that use AWS). There is a paid tier ($29/month or $299/year) where you can access all the training they have to offer but the free tier is a great place to start. The exams are not free at Amazon, however keep your eyes open and always check back because a few exams were free to take earlier this year. Amazon Certificate exams cost about $100-$300 each. (Free training)

• Microsoft Learn – (Link here) Microsoft is another giant in the cloud computing industry. They hold the 2nd largest slice of the industry with more than 20% of the world’s cloud computing infrastructure. Microsoft Azure is their cloud computing platform and Microsoft offers all kinds of free training through their learning platform. Exams are not free, however they aren’t too pricey with most exams being about $99-$165. Keep in mind, some certifications require multiple exams and can end up costing you $400+. Do your research! (Free training)

Other places you can learn for FREE

• Cisco Networking Academy: applies to Cisco products but still a great place to learn. Cisco is an industry leader and you will always run into their products in the wild.

• Hugging Face: a plethora of information on AI and Machine Learning. They even offer a few certs.

Get educated. Get ahead.

• Buying Bitcoin ($BTC) or other crypto? Use my link so we both can get some free money!

• Need Stacker Gear? Visit The Stack Store TODAY!

• CRYPTO SAFETY FIRST! Buy a Ledger hardware wallet & get FREE MONEY!

Every day I look into different news around the world… tech, finance, health, weather… it is all so very interesting and a lot of it has an effect on the entire world. For example, a storm affecting multiple countries (or a conflict in the middle east causing gas prices to rise in the US). Stacker News is about bringing some of the biggest headlines to your inbox monthly just to catch you up. So now that we are on the last day of June, here’s some things that caught my eye this month.

THE NEWS

• Meta tries to poach OpenAI talent by offering $100M signing bonuses! EDUCATION >

• Oil up 3% as Israel-Iran conflict rages on

• Silver up 25%  year-to-date… highest level in 13 years, worth investing in?

• Top 10% of earners don’t feel rich as inflation gets worse in a lot of places

• Debt is a growing factor in jobseeker’s choices

• Savings among everyday people on the rise as people brace for economic uncertainty

What I’m Doing

1. Paying myself first! (whatever you can do, pay yourself FIRST! Make it a habit)

2. Not spending unnecessary money

3. Watching my money stack knowing rainy days are covered. High yield savings >

4. UPSKILLING (going back to school, getting certs, pivoting in my career to broaden my opportunities for earning = recession/pandemic/whatever proof)

5. Keeping an eye on emerging industries. As AI gets better, it will continue to eliminate jobs. Technology has ALWAYS gotten better. Don’t let it eliminate your earning potential. Use it to maximize your earning potential

• Buying Bitcoin ($BTC) or other crypto? Use my link so we both can get some free money!

• Need Stacker Gear? Visit The Stack Store TODAY!

• CRYPTO SAFETY FIRST! Buy a Ledger hardware wallet & get FREE MONEY!