The PowerShell Podcast

How to Build an IT Career from the Ground Up with Kevin Apolinario (KevTech)

In this episode of the PowerShell Podcast, we welcome Kevin of KevTech IT Support, a well-known mentor and educator in the IT community. With a background in fast food and law enforcement, Kevin shares his inspiring journey into IT and how he leveraged mentorship, home labs, and community engagement to build a thriving career. We dive into help desk fundamentals, breaking into IT, career development, and Kevin helps give you a map to career success.Key topics in this episode include:

• Kevin’s journey from fast food and law enforcement to IT – How he transitioned careers and found success.
• The power of mentorship and community support – Why helping others accelerates your own growth.
• How to break into IT without a traditional background – The role of home labs, self-study, and networking.
• Building an IT career with practical skills – Why Active Directory, Office 365, and PowerShell are crucial.
• The importance of communication and customer service in IT – Why soft skills can be just as valuable as technical knowledge.
• How to stand out in job interviews and secure promotions – The value of documenting progress and advocating for yourself.

Kevin also shares insights into KevTech Academy, his mentorship program, and why building a personal brand through blogging and LinkedIn can help IT professionals land jobs faster.

 

Bio and Links:

Kevin Apolinario is an IT career coach and trainer dedicated to helping others break into tech. With experience in MSPs, Apple, education, hedge funds, and 12 years in the restaurant industry, he provides hands-on IT training through Jobskillshare and has trained students globally with Techskills Institute. He speaks at conferences and also runs a YouTube channel with nearly 100,000 subscribers, offering practical guidance on IT careers and technical skills.

• Follow Kevin on YouTube, Twitter, and Instagram (@KevTechITSupport)
• Check out KevTech Academy at https://kevtechitsupport.com
• Join PowerShell Wednesdays every Wednesday at 2 PM EST in the PDQ Discord http://discord.gg/pdq
• The PowerShell Podcast: https://pdq.com/the-powershell-podcast
• The PowerShell Podcast on YouTube: https://youtu.be/RrNyh6EuD_Q

Exploring PowerShell for Physical Security and Automation with Cody Paternostro

In this episode of the PowerShell Podcast, we welcome Cody Paternostro, a rising star in PowerShell automation, to discuss his unique journey into IT, the power of persistence in learning, and his work on RemotePro, a sophisticated PowerShell-based security camera management tool. Cody shares how he transitioned from food delivery to IT, leveraged PowerShell to streamline operations in physical security, and how asking the right questions helped accelerate his growth.
Key topics in this episode include:

• Cody’s unconventional entry into IT – How he discovered PowerShell in a networking and cybersecurity program.
• The impact of mentorship and community engagement – Learning from the PowerShell community and working with Joshua Hendricks.
• Building PowerShell tools for security – Using PowerShell to manage security cameras and automate surveillance tasks.
• From mega scripts to modules – Cody’s journey in transitioning from large scripts to structured, reusable PowerShell modules.
• The importance of troubleshooting and continuous learning – How to push through roadblocks, improve problem-solving skills, and refine PowerShell development practices.
• Leveraging PowerShell GUI development – The role of runspaces, PSWriteHTML, and WPF in building efficient and user-friendly interfaces.

Cody also shares insights on overcoming imposter syndrome, the power of community, and why documenting and sharing knowledge can accelerate career growth.
Join the conversation:

 

Bio and Links:

Cody Paternostro enjoys learning about Cybersecurity and PowerShell automation. · Experience: Digital Surveillance Solutions, Inc. · Education: Finger Lakes Community College · Location: Buffalo · 323 connections on LinkedIn. View Cody Paternostro’s profile on LinkedIn, a professional community of 1 billion members.

• Connect with Cody on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/codypaternostro
• Explore RemotePro on GitHub https://remotepro.dev
• Join PowerShell Wednesdays every Wednesday at 2 PM EST in the PDQ Discord (discord.gg/pdq)
• The PowerShell Podcast Hub: https://pdq.com/the-powershell-podcast
• The Powershell Podcast on YouTube: https://youtu.be/bDjG6hSUIms

How PowerShell and the Right Mindset Can Transform Your IT Career with Steven Wight

In this episode of the PowerShell Podcast, we sit down with Steven Wight, known online as PowerShell Young Team, to discuss his journey in PowerShell, automation, and the impact of the PowerShell community. Steven shares how PowerShell transformed his workflow, his approach to solving IT problems, and how he went from lurking in the background to actively contributing and engaging with the community.
Key topics in this episode include:

• How PowerShell changed Steven’s IT career – From his early days avoiding manual tasks to building automation solutions.
• The importance of documentation, blogging, and sharing scripts – How keeping track of work helped in job interviews and personal growth.
• Creating PowerShell tools with flexibility – Designing functions, using pipelines, and building user-friendly GUIs.
• Community engagement and learning from others – How PowerShell Discord, blogs, and social media have helped shape his expertise.
• PowerShell profiles, productivity, and efficiency – Leveraging PSReadLine, profiles, and workflow enhancements to get more done.

Steven also shares advice for those just starting with PowerShell, emphasizing the value of small wins, continuous learning, and participating in the community to accelerate skill growth.

 

Bio and Links:

 

Steven Wight is an active PowerShell community member, blogger, and the mind behind PowerShell Young Team. With a diverse IT background spanning desktop & application support, system administration, development, OS migrations, and equipment refreshes, Steven thrives on problem-solving and automation. His passion for PowerShell, monitoring, and scripting fuels his mission to "automate himself to a quiet life."

• Follow Stephen on BlueSky at @poshyoungteam.bsky.social
• Read his blog at https://powershellyoungteam.github.io/
• Connect with Steven on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steven-wight-79aa0525/
• Join PowerShell Wednesdays every Wednesday at 2 PM EST in the PDQ Discord (discord.gg/pdq) for live discussions and demos.
• The PowerShell Podcast on YouTube: https://youtu.be/klsOxHtG3KE
• The PowerShell Podcast: https://pdq.com/the-powershell-podcast

PowerShell as a Defender’s Secret Weapon with Michael Haag

In this episode of the PowerShell Podcast, we sit down with Michael Haag, Principal Threat Researcher at Splunk, to dive into PowerShell security, threat detection, and automation. Michael shares his journey from IT support to becoming a security expert, the role of PowerShell in modern cybersecurity, and his work on PowerShell Hunter and Atomic Red Team.
Key topics in this episode include:

• Michael’s journey into security – From IT support to system administration and eventually security research.
• Incident response and PowerShell – How PowerShell is used to detect and mitigate threats.
• PowerShell Hunter – A powerful tool for hunting threats and automating security tasks.
• Atomic Red Team and Atomic Test Harnesses – How these tools help defenders simulate and detect attacks.
• The importance of automation in security – How PowerShell can help security teams manage large-scale environments efficiently.
• Advice for getting into security and automation – Why contributing to open-source and getting involved in the community is key.

Michael also shares his thoughts on the evolving security landscape, how defenders can stay ahead of attackers, and practical steps for IT professionals looking to pivot into cybersecurity.

Bio and Links:
Michael Haag is Principal Threat Research Enginer at Splunk. Michael led the development of Atomic Red Team, an open-source testing platform that security teams can use to assess detection coverage. An avid researcher, he is passionate about understanding and evaluating the limits of defensive systems. His background includes security analysis, threat research, and incident handling.

• Follow Michael on Twitter (@M_Haggis) and GitHub (@MHaggis)
• Check out PowerShell Hunter on GitHub https://github.com/MHaggis/PowerShell-Hunter/
• Learn more about Atomic Red Team https://www.atomicredteam.io/
• Watch Atomics on a Friday, Michael’s security research show on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@atomicsonafriday
• Join PowerShell Wednesdays every Wednesday at 2 PM EST in the PDQ Discord (discord.gg/pdq)
• The PowerShell Podcast: https://pdq.com/the-powershell-podcast
• The PowerShell Podcast on YouTube: https://youtu.be/F2TbwUS-eRI

MS Graph and Stepping into Public Speaking with Morten Kristensen

In this episode of the PowerShell Podcast, we sit down with Morten Kristensen, an automation specialist and PowerShell enthusiast, to discuss his journey with PowerShell, his experience working with the Microsoft Graph API, and his recent leap into public speaking. Morten shares insights from his first-ever technical talk, the challenges of working with Graph API, and how he's navigating his professional growth.

Key topics in this episode include:

• Getting started with MS Graph API – Overcoming common challenges, including authentication, filtering, and throttling.
• Batching API requests – How to optimize Graph API calls for efficiency and performance.
• Taking the leap into public speaking – Morten shares his experience preparing for and delivering his first-ever talk at PowerShell Wednesdays.
• The power of community engagement – How being part of the PowerShell community has accelerated learning and career growth.
• Starting a PowerShell blog – Why Morten launched his blog and how he plans to share more insights and technical knowledge.

Morten also shares his career perspective, how he got into automation, and why he believes that solving problems and sharing knowledge is key to professional growth.

 

Bio: An automation specialist with a passion for scripting and homelabbing, Morten Mynster specializes in PowerShell, Python, and Terraform to streamline processes, manage systems, and optimize cloud infrastructure. With a strong focus on automation tools and best practices, Morten shares insights and experiences through blogging, helping others navigate the world of scripting and infrastructure as code.

 

Links: 

• Read Morten’s blog at mynster9361.github.io
• Connect with Morten on https://www.linkedin.com/in/mortenmynster/ 
• Check out my GitHub repositories:
  https://github.com/Mynster9361?tab=repositories
• Check out PowerShell Wednesdays every Wednesday at 2 PM EST in the PDQ Discord (discord.gg/pdq) for live discussions and demos.
• The PowerShell Podcast: https://pdq.com/the-powershell-podcast
• The PowerShell Podcast on YouTube: https://youtu.be/74fjqGtYW0Q

 

Building a Game in PowerShell from the Ground Up with Greg Martin

In this episode of the PowerShell Podcast, we welcome Greg Martin, a longtime developer and PowerShell enthusiast, who has taken PowerShell beyond system administration and into the realm of game development. Greg shares his journey of building Eldoria, a terminal adventure game written entirely in PowerShell, and how his experience across multiple programming languages influenced his approach.
Key topics in this episode include:

• Building a game in PowerShell – How Greg used PowerShell to create a rich text-based adventure.
• The power of terminal-based gaming – A brief look into ANSI escape sequences, JSON asset management, and the REPL loop.
• Greg’s programming journey – From C and C++ to PowerShell, game development, and enterprise automation.
• Lessons in curiosity and career growth – How following your interests can lead to unexpected and rewarding opportunities.

Greg also discusses the challenges of structuring a large-scale PowerShell project, how PowerShell’s object-oriented features made development easier, and how anyone can start exploring creative projects with PowerShell.Join the conversation:

 

Bio and links:
Gregory Martin is a Senior Linux Engineer, formerly an industrial network designer, IT manager, sysadmin, and may have given a lecture or two at tech conferences. He's an avid programmer with over 20 years of experience, ranging from Windows/Linux Desktop, Web, Android/iOS, Industrial IoT, Linux CLI, and Automation Orchestration. In his spare time, he writes computer games and dabbles with AI technologies. He writes at his blog (themartinmethod.com).

• Check out Eldoria on Greg's GitHub and explore the game in your own terminal.
• Read Greg’s blog at TheMartinMethod.com for updates on Eldoria and other projects.
• Join PowerShell Wednesdays every Wednesday at 2 PM EST in the PDQ Discord community (discord.gg/pdq) for live discussions.

https://github.com/gregoryfmartin/Eldoria
https://github.com/gregoryfmartin/Burnt-Latte
https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewplatech/
The PowerShell Podcast: https://pdq.com/the-powershell-podcast
The PowerShell Podcast on YouTube: https://youtu.be/0kBrtPsD2EE

 

Building Secure PowerShell Solutions with Jake Hildreth

In this episode of the PowerShell Podcast, we welcome back security-focused PowerShell expert Jake Hildreth for an insightful conversation about PowerShell, security tools, and his continued journey in the PowerShell community. Jake shares updates on Locksmith v2, his work with PowerPUG, and his experience learning new PowerShell techniques to refine and improve his tools.

Bio: I'm a husband, a dad, and a recovering sysadmin. I've worked in technology since the year 2000, when I got my first tech job as Tier 1 support for cable modem companies. After that, I transitioned into systems & network administration, always with a security focus. In the last three years, I pivoted into security, focusing on Active Directory. When I'm not working, I enjoy cooking, drinking whiskey, lifting weights, traveling, reading... and writing code. Coding is like creating and solving little puzzles for yourself! So soothing.

Key topics in this episode include:

• The evolution of Locksmith and the road to v2, including improvements in automation, PowerShell best practices, and making security more accessible.
• PowerPug and the protected users group, a tool that helps sysadmins secure their environments by eliminating outdated authentication vulnerabilities.
• Learning Crescendo, explore how Jake wrapped certutil.exe.
• Improving PowerShell workflows, including scripting automation, optimizing profiles, and using community resources for best practices.
• The importance of documentation, automation, and making security easier for sysadmins.

Jake also shares insights from his time working with the PowerShell community, including PowerShell Wednesdays, learning from peers, and the power of building in public.

Join the conversation:

• Follow Jake at JakeHildreth.com for links to all his projects and socials.
• Catch PowerShell Wednesdays every Wednesday at 2 PM EST in the PDQ Discord community (discord.gg/pdq) for live discussions and demos.

Links:

The PowerShell Podcast: https://pdq.com/the-powershell-podcast

The PowerShell Podcast on YouTube: https://youtu.be/A6ycrxQRIns

 

Exploring the Power of IoT and PowerShell with Mark Go

In this episode of the PowerShell Podcast, we sit down with Mark Go, a PowerShell enthusiast and innovator, to discuss his exciting journey from the Navy to becoming a tech-savvy system administrator. Mark shares his experiences using PowerShell to make his work life better.

Key topics in this episode include:

1. Mark’s journey from a Navy corpsman to a PowerShell expert, including his first breakthrough script for managing IoT medical devices.

2. Using PowerShell to explore and tinker with IoT devices, Raspberry Pi projects, and microcontrollers.

3. The power of community connections, networking, and starting a PowerShell user group.

4. Lessons learned from Lean Six Sigma and how continuous process improvement ties into PowerShell.

5. Favorite PowerShell modules, including PSReadLine, PSDiscoveryProtocol, and KBUpdate, and how they make daily tasks more efficient.

Bio and Links:

Mark Go is a PowerShell enthusiast, IT professional, and former Navy corpsman with a passion for automation and innovation. 

Discover more tools and resources at PowerShell Wednesdays, hosted weekly at 2 PM EST in the PDQ Discord community: discord.gg/pdq

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-go-0439791b7/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewplatech/

https://github.com/lahell/PSDiscoveryProtocol 

The PowerShell Podcast: https://pdq.com/the-powershell-podcast

The PowerShell Podcast on YouTube: https://youtu.be/85L3OApF3a8