Ever since I launched my last personal project, ‘Microlearning Initiatives‘, I have been eager to launch a newsletter to connect with like-minded individuals interested in the ever-evolving trends of cloud-native and serverless technologies. Through this newsletter, I will also share my personal algorithm for navigating the technology industry over the past nine years, spanning two continents and three countries (France, the UK, and the USA), from a French consultant to a tech product manager at a top company, from continuously learning new technologies, staying productive, and resilient at work, and my perspectives on what’s needed in the cloud-native world. Whether you’re a developer, solution architect, or product manager, there will be something here for you – after all, we’ve all been on this journey together.

Booster vs Triumph

As human beings, we are all unique. Our uniqueness sets us apart from others in the way we think and in our backgrounds and personal experiences. No two individuals are exactly alike, giving everyone the unique opportunity to make a difference through their knowledge and deliver value to their community and organization. I’ve always been inspired by this idea and how to leverage our uniqueness to make a positive impact. That’s also why I like the positive leadership & you by Jean-Philippe Courtois so much. ‘YOU’ plays a vital role in making a difference in the world. 

This bi-weekly newsletter is delivered mid-month and end-of-month. The mid-month edition is called “Booster,” which represents a source of help and encouragement that we all need to stay motivated and fulfilled at work and in life. The end-month edition is called “Triumph,” which signifies the accomplishment of one challenge and the beginning of a new one.

All our future newsletters will be divided into two parts: Part 1 focuses on learning cloud-native tech-specific topics and trends, while Part 2 is designed to help you discover and leverage your unique superpower.

Cloud-Native in 2023 

The notion of cloud-native contains the design and architecture of applications that are specifically created to run in the cloud and hybrid environments. Cloud-native technologies such as Kubernetes and serverless computing are enabling developers to build and deploy applications faster and more effectively. At the same time, business requirements demand that cloud-native applications be highly scalable, resilient, and adaptable to changing needs. This is where microservices have a natural advantage. 

Based on the predictions from Cloud-Native Computing Foundation (CNCF) in 2023, Kubernetes is still expected to maintain its dominance in container orchestration, although there may be increased competition from alternative solutions such as serverless functions, WASM work in combination with Kubernetes rather than Kubernetes native capabilities. Developers can look forward to more advanced tools, including cloud-based integrated development environments (IDEs) like Github Codespaces that make it faster and easier to create cloud-native applications. In addition, open-source projects like OpenTelemetry are expected to continue gaining popularity. As cloud-native applications become more prevalent, security will become an even greater focus, leading to the implementation of new measures and technologies to enhance protection.

What’s Needed in the Cloud-Native Space Now

Each of us is unique and can make a significant difference. If you have a passion for using cloud-native technologies to develop and deploy modern applications with containers, microservices, and serverless architectures, you can become a cloud-native innovator.

I have a three-step playbook in mind for those who aspire to become cloud-native innovators: 

Learn

Learning can be challenging, especially when we have a busy and stressful career. The first step is to set a realistic goal that you believe you can achieve by sticking to it. In large tech companies, the OKRs (Object Key Results) approach is widely used. OKRs were introduced in “Measure What Matters” by John Doerr, a goal-setting approach that helped Google grow from a startup to a tech giant with a market capital share of $1.4 trillion today. This approach is not only applicable to product growth or work performance but also to personal learning, making your goal measurable. Check out this video to get a quick understanding of OKRs.

To make progress, the next crucial step is to make time for learning. Some tech giants, such as Microsoft, offer their employees a “learning day” where they can dedicate an entire day to learning. But if this isn’t possible for you, focus on small increments: Learning one little thing per day will have a cumulative effect over time. This is known as “the compound effect“, and it helps drive long-term growth with tangible results.

Leverage

While learning and teaching theory may be easy, applying it in practice can be incredibly challenging. The real world is complex, with many unpredictable changes and interconnected factors. It requires intuition and flexibility, as well as drawing upon your knowledge and experience. These factors are the source of the energy you need to react and find effective solutions in real-life situations.

Innovate

When we’re figuring out a way to tackle challenges, we can also contribute to the evolution of technology in a way that benefits us all. This requires finding new and innovative ways to address these challenges. Such approaches should be based on feedback from real-world use cases and learnings gained from our real-life projects. By doing so, we can develop effective solutions that are both practical and forward-thinking, ultimately paving the way for continued progress and growth.

Related Resources

What’s Next

I am dedicated to providing this newsletter to the community on a bi-weekly basis as we navigate through the ever-changing landscape and new developments in the cloud-native space. I wish to cover a range of topics from serverless functions in Kubernetes to the latest advancements in WASM, into all aspects of Kubernetes, OpenShift, and DevOps processes.

My hope is that we can work together to create a community that is informed and engaged, where we can share ideas and perspectives that inspire growth and progress.

So, if you’re interested in gaining access to exclusive rewards such as early access to content, the ability to request topics for future articles, and discount codes and coupons for my latest books or other products. You may consider joining my private distribution list, simply click on this link: https://bit.ly/cloudnativeinnovators and then confirm your subscription. You’ll become a part of our community of cloud-native innovators and receive the latest updates and insights directly in your inbox.  Also I have planned tons of new content on my Youtube channel regarding the topic, subscribe to CloudMelon Vis youtube channel so you won’t miss anything !

Thanks, community, for your continued support! And I look forward to our journey ahead together! And I will see you in April Triumph!