Real Talks powered by Dynatrace

In this episode, I talk with Brian Chandler, a Principal Solution Engineer who's been on Dynatrace's team for over 10 years. Brian shares a sneak peek into this role and what keeps him here (spoiler: one of the reasons is our founding team that has never left and kept innovating the product since 2005).He also shares how he started fresh out of college through our Professional Development Program, why he once left the company, what made him come back, and what impact one can have on sales and customers in this role.If you want to know what makes a great tech career at the crossroads of Engineering and Sales (and how to find one you actually enjoy), this episode might be for you. Where to find us:      Connect with Sue Quackenbush on LinkedIn  Connect with Brian Chandler on LinkedInDiscover the opportunities at Dynatrace and take your career to the next level: careers.dynatrace.com

Sometimes, not having a plan leads to the best places. That's how my guest, Viktoria Hubner, found talent development. Studying communication science, she thought it might lead her to be a writer or a journalist one day, but after some professional exploration, she pivoted to talent development.  At Dynatrace, she is designing educational programs targeted at people's soft skills. At first, she introduced peer-to-peer learning programs for 1,200 people in our R&D team but is now working on scaling them company-wide. One of her projects, LEAP, is a community of more than 40 Dynatracers passionate about inspiring people's leadership and enhancing communication and collaboration by being a sparring partner for teams or facilitating learning sessions about presentation practice, feedback, collaboration, body language, and critical conversations. Such programs create spaces where people connect and feel safe to grow, experiment, and challenge ideas at Dynatrace, ultimately fostering a sense of belonging. Tune in to hear more about Talent Development's role in tech companies and Viky's career story. Where to find us:      Connect with Sue Quackenbush on LinkedIn  Connect with Viktoria Hubner on LinkedIn  Discover the opportunities at Dynatrace and take your career to the next level: careers.dynatrace.com

This is a bonus episode of Real Talks, and it's all about Perform. Perform isn't just a conference held by Dynatrace in LA every year—it's where innovation in observability & security, customers' success, and community come to light. I sit down with Michelle Vaughan, VP of Growth Marketing, to unpack her impressions and takeaways from this year's flagship event. You'll hear some stories about the software you use daily powered by Dynatrace (and you likely don't know about it). With 2,000+ in-person attendees, 25,000+ virtual, 50+ customer stories, and groundbreaking insights in AI, security, and observability, there's plenty to dive into. Tune in to hear what made Perform an unforgettable experience, from inspiring customer stories to hands-on learning—and yes, even the legendary Dynatrace socks. Enjoying the episode? Leave us a comment on Spotify or YouTube, or rate it on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.  Where to find us:     Connect with Sue Quackenbush on LinkedIn Connect with Michelle Vaughan on LinkedIn  Discover the opportunities at Dynatrace and take your career to the next level: careers.dynatrace.com

How do you balance leading a team of 12, pursuing studies, and being a parent—all at once? In this episode of Real Talks, Lauren McMichael, Sr. Manager in Customer Success, shares her journey and the tips she's collected along the way.  Before joining a Customer Success team at Dynatrace five years ago, Lauren worked in various marketing and sales roles across different industries. Now, she is leading a team of 12 Customer Success Managers–all while completing a leadership course at Yale and becoming a mom for the third time. In this conversation, she talks about:   How taking risks and switching paths can lead to a fulfilling career  Why creativity plays a big role in a job you wouldn't expect The power of a rhythm in your calendar  Enjoying the episode? Leave us a comment on Spotify, or rate it on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. Where to find us:    Connect with Sue Quackenbush on LinkedInConnect with Lauren McMichael on LinkedInDiscover the opportunities at Dynatrace and take your career to the next level: careers.dynatrace.com

Karolina Linda is the Software Development Director and Organizational Lead in Gdańsk, Poland. She takes us behind the scenes of the incredible transformation of the Dynatrace Community—from a single Q&A forum to an community with 18 topic-focused forums, 5 engagement programs, and over 80,000 users worldwide.   Karolina shares her unique career journey of 15 years, from starting as an Information Developer to leading multiple global teams now. Hear how she took on opportunities that pushed her out of her comfort zone, how collaboration and sparring partners have shaped her career, and her advice for overcoming imposter syndrome to seize new challenges.  Key Takeaways:  The insights into scaling a Q&A forum into a global, customer-centric community.  How to take the leap and grow beyond self-doubt in your career.  Why having supportive “sparring partners” is crucial for success.  Tune in now to learn how you can apply her lessons to your own career. Where to find us:    Connect with Sue Quackenbush on LinkedInConnect with Karolina Linda on LinkedInDiscover the opportunities at Dynatrace and take your career to the next level: careers.dynatrace.com

The power of belonging, Employer Value Proposition, defining career moments, and lessons on leading with trust and support—these themes made my final podcast season of 2024 truly special. In this episode, I look back and reflect on the best bits from my conversations with inspiring guests. As the year comes to a close, many of us pause to reflect. I hope this episode brings you something meaningful to carry into 2025—whether it's a spark of inspiration or a learning. Be sure to listen until the end for a heartwarming surprise from Kristof, Ema, Thorsten, and Karolina. Coming from different cultures and speaking different languages, they share what tradition makes their holiday season special. Find full episodes on any streaming platform. Search for Real Talks powered by Dynatrace.  Happy holidays!Discover the opportunities at Dynatrace and take your career to the next level: careers.dynatrace.com

Thorsten Roth, now a Product Lead at Dynatrace, began his journey as a Technical Product Manager in 2013. Over the past decade, collaboration has been the keystone of his growth—whether through clear communication, building strong relationships, or leveraging his sharp technical expertise at the core of Dynatrace Platform.  In this episode, Thorsten unpacks what makes the Product Manager role at Dynatrace unique, the critical role PMs play in driving innovation, and why collaboration skills are so essential. He also provides insights for aspiring PMs, including what you should know before applying and how the focus areas within Dynatrace's PM team are structured. We also explore Thorsten's decision to leave Dynatrace after eight years for a CTO role at an Austrian scale-up—and his eventual return a little over a year later. What led him to come back, and what did he learn from this experience? Tune in to find out. Where to find us:    Connect with Sue Quackenbush on LinkedInConnect with Thorsten Roth on LinkedInDiscover the opportunities at Dynatrace and take your career to the next level: careers.dynatrace.com

Ema Franklin is a Senior Field Marketing Manager at Dynatrace and a driving force behind our Dynatrace partnership with the Her Tech Circle community across Australia and New Zealand.   Ema's journey with this community began more than six years ago when she wanted to change her career path. Through many events and programs, the community has helped her to establish her career in tech and inspired her to "pay it forward" by supporting initiatives that empower others.   Tune in to the episode to hear how communities like Her Tech Circle inspire confidence and create a ripple effect of support and opportunity. —From Idea to Game-Changing Impact at Dynatrace–with this topic in mind for Season 3, I'm bringing you conversations with passionate experts and leaders at Dynatrace who dream big, tackle challenges, and drive impactful change.    Where to find us:    Connect with Sue Quackenbush on LinkedInConnect with Ema Franklin on LinkedInDiscover the opportunities at Dynatrace and take your career to the next level: careers.dynatrace.com

From Idea to Game-Changing Impact at Dynatrace–with this topic in mind for Season 3, I'll be bringing you conversations with passionate experts and leaders at Dynatrace who dream big, tackle challenges, and drive impactful change.  In this episode, I talk with Kristof Randers, who has always sought out new challenges. This led him to transition into his current role as Innovation Services Director after over 12 years of building deep technical expertise across multiple specialist roles. This shift brought its own set of challenges—learning to build trust, delegate effectively, and empower others to innovate.  Tune in to the conversation as we discuss how Kristof navigated these challenges and how embracing change enabled him to multiply his impact at Dynatrace.   Where to find us:    Connect with Sue Quackenbush on LinkedIn    Connect with Kristof Renders on LinkedIn Discover the opportunities at Dynatrace and take your career to the next level: careers.dynatrace.com

That's our second conversation with Rafi, VP of Solution Engineering at Dynatrace. In the previous one, we explored the essentials of leadership. However, during the recording of that episode, our talk gravitated toward our second shared passion for mentorship.  This bonus episode captures the part of our conversation where we dive into mentorship and its transformative impact on both mentee and mentor. We discuss the qualities defining a good mentor and share personal experiences initiating mentorship relationships.   Where to find us:  Connect with Rafi Katanasho on Linkedin  Connect with Sue Quackenbush on LinkedIn  Discover the opportunities at Dynatrace and take your career to the next level: career.dynatrace.com Your feedback and thoughts matter to us! Connect directly via: employerbrand@dynatrace.com

As a Director of Solution Engineers with a decade-long career at Dynatrace, Nish is a big believer in the power of diversity of opinions, ideas, and thoughts in successful teams. In this episode, you'll hear:    How diversity of minds helps build a strong team   What you as a team leader can do to forge it  Why and how everyone should seek out feedback   How to build a culture of respect and empowerment for idea-sharing  Where to find us:  Connect with Nishant Rama on LinkedIn Connect with Sue Quackenbush on LinkedIn  Discover the opportunities at Dynatrace and take your career to the next level: career.dynatrace.com Your feedback and thoughts matter to us! Connect directly via: employerbrand@dynatrace.com

As a Vice President of Solution Engineering, Rafi has firsthand experience leading teams in an ever-evolving industry. For him, leadership is about passion for people, helping them to walk towards the vision of the company, and acting with integrity towards customers and the team. Get ready to explore Rafi's insights on leadership and what it means to be a people leader. In this episode, you'll hear: What it means to lead from the front  How to know you're ready for people leadership Key attributes of a good leader  The significant impact of active listening  Where to find us: Connect with Rafi Katanasho on Linkedin Connect with Sue Quackenbush on LinkedIn Discover the opportunities at Dynatrace and take your career to the next level: career.dynatrace.com Your feedback and thoughts matter to us! Connect directly via: employerbrand@dynatrace.com

Prepare to be inspired by Stephen Hull's professional growth journey, which began as a Junior and led him to the prestigious role of Vice President. Discover tips for career advancement at every stage, insights into overcoming challenges from Stephen's personal experiences, and how to balance a high-powered career with a family of six kids. Don't miss out on Stephen's valuable lessons and experiences.Episode links:Sue Quackenbush's LinkedInConnect with Stephen Hull on LinkedInDiscover the possibilities with us and consider exciting career paths at careers.dynatrace.com.Your feedback and thoughts matter to us! Connect directly via employerbrand@dynatrace.com.

Unlock the secrets of building a fan base that not just listens, but also advocates for your product and/or company. Get ready to be inspired and learn life-changing advocacy strategies from Andreas (Andi) Grabner. Andi is making waves on the world's biggest stages as an advocate for Dynatrace and successfully built a community. Tune in to hear about his inspiring journey his values, and discover why his time on Boston's dance floors led to more than just business success.Episode links:Sue Quackenbush's LinkedInAndi Grabner's Twitter ChannelConnect with Andi Grabner on LinkedInPure Performance PodcastDiscover the possibilities with us and consider exciting career paths at careers.dynatrace.com.Your feedback and thoughts matter to us! Connect directly via employerbrand@dynatrace.com.

In this episode, Sue Quackenbush sits down with John Rocker who is Director of Social Media at Dynatrace.John talks about how finding purpose for his work has helped him go from his first days at Dynatrace to big moments like launching an Employee Advocacy Program and even being part of the company going public in New York. He also gives tips on how anyone can find purpose in their jobs.Episode links:Sue Quackenbush's LinkedInJohn Rocker's LinkedInDiscover the possibilities with us and consider exciting career paths at careers.dynatrace.com.Your feedback and thoughts matter to us! Connect directly via employerbrand@dynatrace.com.

In this episode, Sue Quackenbush talks with Suraj Pandey, Principal Solutions Engineer based in Melbourne.Suraj shares how hobbies such as sports enrich different facets of his life, and how everyone can unleash their inner passions. He also talks about the big impact of continuously trying new things, even if they seem a bit unfamiliar at first.Episode links: Sue Quackenbush's LinkedInSuraj Pandey's LinkedInDiscover the possibilities with us and consider exciting career paths at careers.dynatrace.com.Your feedback and thoughts matter to us! Connect directly via employerbrand@dynatrace.com.

In this episode, Tatiana shares her experience of how role models impacted her career, challenges she encountered on the way, and tips to find your own role models at Dynatrace. Learn how the open-minded culture at Dynatrace supports and enables easy access to role models. Episode links:Sue Quackenbush's LinkedInTatiana Gottlib's LinkedInDiscover the possibilities with us and consider exciting career paths at careers.dynatrace.com.Your feedback and thoughts matter to us! Connect directly via employerbrand@dynatrace.com.

Welcome to the Real Talks podcast powered by Dynatrace and hosted by Sue Quackenbush, Chief People Officer at Dynatrace. Discover the possibilities with us and consider exciting career paths at careers.dynatrace.com.Your feedback and thoughts matter to us! Connect directly via employerbrand@dynatrace.com.