Audio Episodes

Send us Fan Mail Here are the 5 certifications and skills I’d focus on in 2026 if you’re getting into IT, plus what’s changing with each one. In this episode: CCNA: v2.0 goes live February 3, 2027, and it’s built around troubleshooting. Should you take the current version or wait? Firewall / Network Security: Palo Alto, Fortinet, and Cisco, and which one to pick Linux: RHCSA vs. CompTIA Linux+, and why it should have been on my original list Automation & Infrastructure as Code: Terra...

Send us Fan Mail Is the A+ still worth it? Should you go into biomed or IT? In this episode, I answer a listener question from someone with an AWS cert, working on the Google IT Support cert, and feeling lost on what to do next. I break it down into two parts: ✅ What certification to go for next (biomed path vs. IT path) ✅ The study tools I actually use and recommend Whether you're a career changer or just getting started, this one's for you. Some links below are affiliate links. If you bu...

Send us Fan Mail I've failed more IT certifications than I've passed, including the CCNA on my first try, the CCNP, and DevNet. And I'm still in this industry, teaching the CCNA today. If you've been studying for a certification but keep putting off scheduling the exam because you're scared you'll fail, this episode is for you. Failing isn't the end of your IT journey. It's part of the process. In this episode: ✅ Why so many people are scared to take their certification exam ✅ What taking t...

Send us Fan Mail Hospitals are full of people who aren't in the IT department but are one move away from it. In this episode, I break down three IT roles in healthcare that people move into from non-IT jobs. They go from working in a department to supporting that same department from the IT side. We cover: → Clinical Informatics: how nurses and clinicians move into supporting the EHR → Application Analyst: why every hospital department has an analyst, and why it's often someone who used to ...

Send us Fan Mail Everyone breaking into IT wants the remote job but is that actually the right move when you're just starting out? In this episode I break down the real case for on-site vs remote support roles when you're brand new to the field: what you gain, what you give up, and why Year 1 might be the one year where being in the building actually matters more than flexibility. In this episode: 🖥️ Why hands-on, in-person learning speeds up Year 1 👀 The visibility factor most ...

Send us Fan Mail Everyone says a call center job is how you break into IT. I spent a couple of months in one and I still don't count it as my first IT job here's why, plus how to tell whether a "help desk" posting is really a help desk or a call center wearing a badge. Help desk vs call center is one of the most confusing comparisons for anyone trying to break into IT, because sometimes they're the same job and sometimes they're nowhere close. Same headset, same queue, sometimes the same bui...

Send us Fan Mail Before I got into IT, I worked in a call center doing tech support. Every call was timed. The time between calls was timed. Bathroom breaks were timed. That was my only reference point for what a job looked like so that's what I assumed IT would be. I was wrong. About that, and about three other things. In this episode I go through four beliefs I carried into this industry and where each one broke: what I thought a manager would do, how much I thought I needed to know befor...

Send us Fan Mail Is networking still worth learning in 2026? Short answer: yes but it's not the same job it was five years ago. AI isn't replacing network engineers. What it did was split the career into two paths: traditional shops where you're on the CLI every day, and modern shops where automation and AI handle a big chunk of the work. Most of the country is still traditional. Both paths need the same thing from you first. In this episode I break down wh...

Send us Fan Mail You passed the certification. So why isn't anybody calling you back? If you've got the cert, updated the resume, and you've been applying for weeks with nothing but silence — you're not doing anything wrong as a person. But something in your process is probably broken. A certification was never a guarantee. But it should be getting you interviews. In this episode I break down 4 reasons people pass their cert and still can't get hired in IT — and what to change about each on...

Send us Fan Mail Same title. Totally different job. A network tech at a 50-person company and a network tech at a Fortune 500 can do completely different work for completely different money. The variable most people ignore: company size. Why it matters: Where you start shapes how fast you learn, what you get exposed to, and how high your ceiling goes. Pick wrong for your stage and you either stall out or get thrown in over your head. In this episode: 🔹 Small — You touch everything: networ...

Send us Fan Mail The CompTIA A+ has been the default first certification in IT for decades. But in 2026 it'll run you over $600 to get certified and I've got some thoughts on whether that still makes sense. In this episode I break down what the A+ actually is, who it's built for, what the exams really cost, and what else that same money could buy you. Then I give you my honest recommendation. ✅ What the A+ is and the jobs it can get you ✅ Who this certification is really built for ✅ The tru...

Send us Fan Mail You said you'd start applying once you finished the class. Then it was the cert. Then the second cert. That list never gets shorter and somebody with less on paper than you is getting hired right now. I got my first IT job by applying to anything with the word "computer" in the title. I didn't know what a computer operations role even was. That job started my whole career. In this one: Why waiting for everything to line up means you never start How to read a job des...

Send us Fan Mail The daily tasks from three IT roles I actually worked — help desk, desktop support, and networking — and where AI would've made me faster in each one. Not a video about AI taking your job. A video about AI taking the worst parts of it. The 7 use cases: 1️⃣ Knowledge base search — describe the issue, get the fix 2️⃣ Ticket documentation — write-ups in seconds 3️⃣ Outage emails — drafted and out the door 4️⃣ Script creation — AI writes it, you review it 5️⃣ Error code lookup —...

Send us Fan Mail The financial and career moves that build a real foundation early in an IT career — hard-earned hindsight on what to prioritize once you land that first job. The 7 moves: 1️⃣ Negotiate — even early on, always ask 2️⃣ Get your retirement match — free money from day one 3️⃣ Build an emergency fund — your safety net 4️⃣ Open a Roth IRA — start compounding early 5️⃣ Watch lifestyle creep — protect your raises 6️⃣ Track your wins — build leverage for next time 7️⃣ Consider job ho...

Send us Fan Mail If you're making $15/hr right now and want to know how to get to $40/hr or more in IT — this episode breaks down exactly how I would do it. We cover: ✅ The IT skills and certifications that actually get you to $40/hr ✅ How to study for a cert even if you're starting from zero ✅ How to build a resume with no experience ✅ How to apply strategically so you get in the door faster ✅ How to prepare for the interview and not get tripped up Whether you're coming from minimum wage, a ...

Send us Fan Mail The networking community has been debating this hard — especially with the new CCNA update dropping in February 2027. After covering the CCNA v2.0 update last episode, I kept seeing the same questions pop up: ❓ Is the CCNA still worth it? ❓ Will it actually get me a job? ❓ Should I even bother in 2026? In this episode, I break down my full argument no hype, just the honest take. What I cover: ✅ What the CCNA actually proves (and what it doesn't) ✅ Why getting the cert...

Send us Fan Mail Cisco is updating the 200-301 to version 2.0 — and if you're studying right now, this video is for you. Why it matters: The CCNA is the most recognized entry-level networking cert in the industry. When it changes, you pay attention. What I cover: What actually changed in the exam topics Why the shift to troubleshooting makes you a better engineer Agentic AI — the brand new addition to the blueprint OSPFv3 and what it means for your study plan Exam price, duration, and wha...

Send us Fan Mail Are you stuck at a crossroads in your career — knowing you want to level up but not sure if going back to school is the move? Maybe a job you've been eyeing requires a four-year degree and you're wondering if WGU is the answer. In this episode, we break down everything you need to know about Western Governors University — what it is, how it works, what degrees they offer, and most importantly — whether it's the right fit for YOU. WGU isn't your traditional university. There...

Send us Fan Mail What’s the difference between a Network Administrator and a Network Engineer? If you’re trying to get into networking, you’ve probably seen both job titles and wondered which one is right for you. In this episode, I break down the key differences between the two roles, the responsibilities you’ll typically see, the certifications employers look for, and the career path that can take you from help desk to network engineering. We’ll cover: ✅ Why job titles vary from company ...

Send us Fan Mail In today’s episode, I’m ranking some of the most common certifications people use to transition into tech. I’m putting each certification into a tier based on its return on investment, industry recognition, marketability, and how useful I think it is for someone trying to break into IT. We’ll discuss: • Cisco CCNA • CompTIA Security+ • CompTIA Network+ • Google IT Support Professional Certificate • CompTIA A+ We’ll also talk about why some certifications open more doors tha...

Send us Fan Mail In today’s episode of Debt Free in IT, I’m giving you my 7 Laws of the IT Industry — lessons I’ve learned throughout my years working in tech. Some of these lessons I learned the hard way, some from mentors and coworkers, and some just from watching other people make mistakes and putting it in my mental rolodex. We talk about: * Why nobody’s perfect and you WILL make mistakes * Why you’ll probably hate your first IT job * Why certifications don’t guarantee jobs * Why you n...

Send us Fan Mail Everyone talks about GRC, CISA, and Security+ — but nobody mentions the Network Security Engineer role that quietly pays $120K–$150K. If you want a path into cybersecurity with real demand and serious salary upside, this is the lane most people overlook. What You'll Learn: What a Network Security Engineer actually does (firewalls, VPNs, ASAs) Why your CCNA is the cheat code into this role The certs that matter: Palo Alto, CCNP Security, Fortinet NSE The real salary climb: $...

Send us Fan Mail Stuck on the help desk and wondering how to stand out and move up? These 6 help desk tips come from watching the best techs I know climb the ladder — different paths, same habits. Use them to get noticed and earn your shot at the team you actually want. What you'll learn: How to write tickets that managers and senior teams notice A 2-week exercise to master who supports what How to turn one ticket into an audition for your dream team Why attitude quietly separates who gets p...

Send us Fan Mail Think IT is out of reach because you don't have a tech background? You're closer than you think. In this episode, I break down how the everyday jobs you've already worked — retail, customer service, healthcare, trades — are quietly preparing you for a career in IT. Before IT, I was working retail and customer service (Food King, Advance Auto). Turns out those skills were already building the foundation for my first IT role — I just didn't know it yet. In this episode: My s...