Mehdi Ouazza’s Post

Is this an engineering question or a human question? The art of balancing process and discovery in a changing life. At first glance (particularly in the software world), many of life’s challenges seem like they should be solved through a process—a step-by-step approach where, if you follow it correctly, you’ll get a predictable result. This is how engineers think: gather the details, account for the variables, and design a system that produces a reliable outcome. But what happens when the problem itself changes as you try to solve it? Or when you change in the process? These are human problems—less predictable, full of uncertainty, and always evolving. I’ve experienced this shift firsthand while building The Happy Startup School. As a software engineer, my strength was control and clarity. But as a coach, I’ve learned that people’s needs often change along the way, and designing a life of purpose isn’t something you can plan out like software. The key? A balance between the structure of the engineering mindset and the openness to discovery that human challenges demand. Curious to explore more about how to navigate this balance in life and work? Read my full post on Substack where I dive deeper into how we can blend process with the adventure of uncertainty. Check the comments for the link... #founders #midlife #meaning #purpose #carlosophy

I'm thrilled to announce the launch of a brand-new FREE community…👇 The Tech PM community is tailored toward… 1. Aspiring technical product managers 2. Current Product Managers looking to sharpen their technical skills 3. Entrepreneurs who want to effectively collaborate with software engineers Why Join? ✅ Q&A Calls: For a limited time, there will be live Q&A sessions led by me, a former Principal Technical Product Manager turned manager of Technical Product Managers. ✅ Free Course: Access a comprehensive course on tech PM essentials that will accelerate your product career in software technology. ✅ Networking: Connect with others on the same journey, share experiences, and grow together. ✅ 100% FREE Why I Created This Community… In my experience, one of the key challenges in building amazing products is bridging the gap between engineers and the business… Gaining the trust of engineers to encourage open communication and collaboration is crucial… Many product management courses focus on processes and frameworks but overlook the practical, dynamic aspects of real-world team interactions… …this can only be understood through shared experiences and learning from others… In other words, a COMMUNITY! That’s why I’m creating a community that will offer valuable course content and fosters meaningful conversations and learning with others on the same journey. If you're a PM or entrepreneur reading this, comment "COMMUNICATE" to help us build a vibrant community focused on better collaboration with engineers and creating amazing products 🥳 —------------------------------------------------------------------- PS As founding members, you get the opportunity to tailor the course to fit your needs. If you want in, DM me "JOIN" and I will send you the details. Let's grow and learn together! 🚀 #productmanagement #careergrowth #technicalproductmanagement #entrepreneurship #productmanager #technicalproductmanager

When I started out in tech, I gave up a lot of times. It was very sad and frustrating, I won’t lie. I didn’t take any courses or have any mentor. I was just trying to figure out things on my own leaveraging only YouTube and it was hard, trust me. I made mistakes and overall, I wasted time too. But now I see it was all part of the journey, Yeah… and those tough moments helped me grow stronger. And now in my journey, I can proudly say I have super Amazing mentors guiding me, and I also have amazing people I mentor, too. With this I’ve learned you’ll never know how far you can go until you actually start. Taking the first step might feel hard, but once you get going, you gain so much. Here’s a reminder to stop procrastinating and take action: •➤ Try out the tips from that last webinar you attended. •➤ Watch the video you downloaded to sharpen your skills. •➤ Read that post you saved last week. •➤ Start the course you recently bought. •➤ Reach out to a mentor or connect with someone in your field. •➤ Set a small goal today that moves you forward. •➤ Spend 5 minutes thinking about your next step today. Remember, all it takes is one small step to get the momentum going. 📍Don’t wait till tomorrow start today! P.S. I had a great rest this weekend and feel grateful for everything I accomplished. ❓ What’s one thing you wish you had started sooner? Wishing Everyone a Productive Week Ahead.

“…surviving 2025 in tech — whether as a PM or any role — requires adaptability, empathy, and an openness to constant learning. The world is changing fast, and while we can’t predict every twist and turn, we can prepare ourselves by staying curious, being kind to ourselves and others, and leaning into both challenges and opportunities.” - Debbie Widjaja https://lnkd.in/gjESASdx

Thinking about moving from development to operations? If I had a second chance, here's what I would do better. 𝗦𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗱𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗶𝘀𝗻'𝘁 𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘆. I made the leap a few years back, and I did learn some lessons! If I could do it all over again, here's what I'd change: 🐳Learn the business side ASAP You're not just fixing servers anymore. You'll need to understand how your work impacts the bottom line. 🐳Master communication In ops, you'll talk to everyone from CEOs to interns. Practice explaining complex issues in simple terms. Trust me, it'll save you tons of headaches. 🐳Try automation early Don't wait to start automating. The sooner you do, the more time you'll save in the long run. 🐳Get comfortable with uncertainty In dev, you often have clear tasks. In ops, surprises are the norm. Learn to think on your feet and stay cool under pressure. 🐳Build a solid network You can't do it all alone. Make friends across departments. They'll be lifesavers when things go wrong (and they will). Don’t forget that the move to ops isn't just about tech skills. It's a mindset shift. You'll need to think bigger, act faster, and always keep the big picture in mind. 🧠 But don't let that scare you! With the right approach, You've got this! 💪 What about you? Any tips for making the dev to ops switch? Drop them in the comments! #operations #businesstips #startupgrowth #businessowner #entrepreneurhacks

Join us for the upcoming Growth Engineering Meetup in San Francisco!🙌 In this panel discussion, we will talk about how to set up a successful partnership with Design and Product as a Growth Software Engineer. You can look forward to great speakers and growth leaders such as Nirmal Selvaraj from Grammarly, Vishnu Kumaar Mahendran from SurveyMonkey, Jordan Nolff, and 🎧 Claudiu Andrei from Productboard. We will cover the following important questions: 🔹 What qualities make a Software Engineer an excellent partner in driving product growth? 🔹 What key factors contribute to a successful partnership between Growth Software Engineers, Product Managers, and Product Designers? 🔹 What are the common challenges in collaboration, and how to overcome them? 🔹 What specific actions do PMs and Designers expect Growth Engineers to take proactively? 🔹 How to handle conflicts or disagreements to maintain a productive working relationship? Beyond the panel, you’ll have the chance to connect with fellow engineers, swap growth experiment stories, and get inspired by how other teams are tackling growth challenges. I look forward to meeting you in person soon! :) Register via this link 👇

What are the most important traits and skills to have as a software engineer? ⚙️7Factor Founder and CEO Jeremy D. talks with Jason Brett Founder and CPO of Product Coffee about what he looks for in a developer. Jeremy says that the three things he cares the most about in a developer are character, competence, and appreciation, but what exactly does that mean and how do these things make you a better engineer? Let's dive into it: 👥 Character. By showing your interest in helping those around you succeed you display your desire for the success of the team as a whole. This shows the team leader that you are a valuable member of the team. Even more so than somebody who might be more skilled than you, but doesn't have the same drive for success. 🎯 Competence. Having the skills necessary to solve problems and implement solutions is straightforward. If you aren't able to effectively do your job, then you aren't going to be a very good fit for that position. Make sure that you always keep your skills sharp and your knowledge fresh. Just because you've solved a problem one way doesn't mean there aren't newer and better ones. 🙌 Appreciation. Show compassion to your fellow team members. Nobody likes the person who's thanks feel forced and dry. Share your appreciation with your partners, and give them honest and polite feedback. Showing empathy for the people you work with will not only keep team morale high and be a more pleasant experience, but it will also make them more likely to lend you a helping hand when you need it. So much more goes into being a good developer than just engineering. Your attitude, morals, and mindset can be just as important, if not more, than your software skills. To learn more about what it takes to succeed as a software engineer and hear what tech leaders are looking for in staff you can watch the latest episode of Dev Better here: https://loom.ly/-_85vKc #SoftwareEngineering #7Factor #ProductCoffee #JobAdvice

5 common technology mistakes and how to avoid them.

We've been trying out different approaches with our software engineering team to better manage demand across client projects from a product development perspective. I'm interested in learning from startups and medium-sized businesses that are navigating multiple business models and seeing growing market interest. How do you balance priorities, deliver value, and validate your product for PMF (Product-Market Fit), all while keeping your engineering teams from burning out? If anyone is keen to jump on a quick call or be in the comment section, please share.

The struggles of software developers: 📈 This year, I talked to 100+ software engineers about their biggest struggles. The results were eye-opening. 🤯 The top challenges: 📊 73% feel stagnant at senior level. 📊 65% struggled with technical leadership. 📊 50% felt overwhelmed by system design. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗶𝗴𝗴𝗲𝘀𝘁 !!!! 📊 89% don't have a career development plan and going with the flow 🤯 Here's the framework I developed to break through: 1️⃣ Tech Leadership Strategy 🏗️ Instead of focusing on one area, combine complementary skills: - 💻 System Design + Performance - ✍️ Technical Writing + Documentation - 🎤 Team Leadership + Stakeholder Management 2️⃣ The Focus Formula 🎯 Your environment shapes your growth: - 🏠 Dedicated deep work time - ⏰ Sprint planning - 📱 Minimal meeting blocks - 👥 Mentorship sessions 3️⃣ Progress Triggers 📈 Create growth milestones: - 🌅 Morning code reviews - 📊 Sprint velocity trackers - 🎉 Team win celebrations - 🤝 Peer feedback sessions I've tested these methods myself and with my mentees. They work. And above all, Have a development plan. Don't be dependent just on LUCK!! Using the plan I created, one of my mentee recently moved from Senior to Staff developer. But I kept thinking: "What if we could make this even better?" "What if we could personalize this for every engineer?" That's when it hit me. The missing piece. Soon, I'll show you what I've been building. Something that makes engineering career growth truly personal. Something that changes everything. ✨ 5 days to go!!! Want a sneak peak? Comment "GROW" below! 👇 If you're facing similar struggles, please like this and DM me 📩 . I would love to chat and help you out!! #SoftwareEngineering #TechLeadership #CareerGrowth