Best Allen Branch Podcasts (2025)

1
Clare Foster 40:54

Play Pause

6M ago40:54

40:54

I know. It's been a minute. But we are back! This was a truly uplifting episode with the radiant, talented and beautiful Clare Foster from 'The Curious Case of Benjamin Button'. I always get nervous just before a recording with artists I don't know or haven't spoken with before. But I just felt like I had known Clare all my life. She was funny and …

1
Danny Robins 53:03

10M ago53:03

53:03

In this episode, we sit down with Danny Robins, the mastermind behind the hit play "2:22" and the creator of gripping paranormal podcasts such as "The Battersea Poltergeist". Together we dive into a range of topics, from Danny’s personal take on punctuality to how he’s ensuring that "2:22" remains accessible to a wide audience. We also tackle the c…

1
Tori Allen Martin 49:06

10M ago49:06

49:06

I know I say every episode is special, but this one is really truly something else... Probably because my guest is the very special, and hugely candid, Tori Allen Martin. 😍 During her career Tori has dealt with professional heartache, sometimes in a very highly publicised way, and has also navigated her way through personal heartache too. HOWEVER, …

1
The Play That Goes Wrong 26:47

10M ago26:47

26:47

🎭 Jonathan and Henry on 10 Years of ‘The Play That Goes Wrong 🎙️ In this episode, I sat down with Jonathan Sayer and Henry Lewis, two of the brilliant minds behind Mischief Theatre and the smash-hit The Play That Goes Wrong, which just celebrated a decade of laughter and chaos in the West End. As we know I just LOVE mistakes and relished the opport…

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Zoe Birkett 31:38

11M ago31:38

31:38

In this episode, I sit down with the incredibly talented Zoe Birkett; West End star and former Pop Idol sensation, currently lighting up the stage in the incredibly demanding production of 'Tina; the Tina Turner Musical'. During the short time we had whilst Zoe prepped for a performance, we managed to cover peri-menopause, parenting, the influence …

1
Jack Knowles 44:29

11M ago44:29

44:29

In this episode, we sit down with Jack Knowles, the brilliant lighting designer behind some of the most stunning stage productions in recent years. Jack takes us behind the scenes of his award-winning work on *Sunset Boulevard*, which earned him a coveted Olivier Award. But it's not all about the accolades—Jack also shares some of the more unexpect…

1
Chris Bush and Roni Neale 1:00:27

11M ago1:00:27

1:00:27

In this episode, I sit down with a dynamic, beautiful and hilarious couple of the theatre world—Chris Bush and Roni Neale, both accomplished playwrights with a passion for storytelling. Chris, known for the critically acclaimed 'Standing at the Sky’s Edge', shares insights into their creative process (all nighters and avoiding Zip Zap Boing), while…

1
Rebecca Trehearn 45:50

12M ago45:50

45:50

For this episode I had a chat with the radiant, warm and incredibly candid Rebecca Trehearn. Rebecca is an Olivier Award winning musical theatre actress, and also a regular in the long running Welsh soap 'Pobol y Cwm'. During our conversation we covered a huge variety of topics including The Power of No, her own experience of 'Bad Cinderella', the …

1
Gareth Fry 1:06:41

1y ago1:06:41

1:06:41

This week I chatted to Olivier and Tony award winning sound designer, Gareth Fry. I met Gareth on a production in 2012, shortly after he had done the sound design for the opening ceremony of the Olympics, and he was the obvious choice when thinking of a soundie to chat with! Gareth has productions such as 'Harry Potter' on in the West End, but also…

1
Tabby Lamb and Amber Chapell 52:53

1y ago52:53

52:53

For this episode I once again brought on a creative AND a backstage practitioner to chat together about all things theatre, stage management and being prompt. Tabby is a playwright, most well known for her autobiographical piece 'Since U Been Gone' and more recently 'Happy Meal', and Amber is a phenomenal stage manager who I was lucky enough to wor…

1
Sophie Isaacs 48:29

1y ago48:29

48:29

After my episode with Gemma Knight Jones, the overwhelming feedback I got was how much people LOVED hearing theatre parents chat about their experiences. So I started to cast around for other West End mamas to chat to, and Sophie Isaacs was an obvious choice. She was in the original West End cast of 'Heathers' and also 'Six', 'Made In Dagenham' and…

1
Dan Buckley 1:02:23

1y ago1:02:23

1:02:23

Dan Buckley is an actor with a huge number of musical theatre productions under his belt including 'The Book of Mormon', 'Loserville' and 'Fisherman's Friends'. However it was his brilliant social media content which made me aware of him. Dan makes funny, well observed and painfully true videos which completely encapsulate the highs, lows and all-c…

1
Mark Ravenhill 1:03:17

1y ago1:03:17

1:03:17

I couldn't quite believe that one of our most prolific living playwright's agreed to be on my podcast. But one of the most incredible things about Mark Ravenhill is how generous he is with his knowledge and expertise. This was a lengthy chat which covered the French word for prompter, his sometimes- good-sometimes-bad relationships with stage manag…

1
Gemma Knight Jones 48:22

1y ago48:22

48:22

Gemma Knight Jones is the ultimate West End queen; A talented mama who is always grafting and endlessly optimistic. Gemma and I were pregnant together on a fast-paced West End show, an experience that truly bonded us, and then we came together again shortly before I left stage management permanently. I really wanted to chat to her about motherhood …

1
Rob Madge and Rosie Morgan 52:03

1y ago52:03

52:03

I saw Rob Madge's production of 'My Son's A Queer But What Can You Do' when it was in the West End and just thought it was a fabulous, moving and beautiful piece. On social media I saw that they and their stage manager had a really gorgeous friendship and shared the unique bond that can click into place when working as stage manager and performer o…

1
Les Dennis 51:06

1y ago51:06

51:06

Les Dennis is one of the country's most experienced and popular entertainers. With a career spanning several decades and a CV which boasts gameshow host, stand up comic, straight actor, reality tv star and musical theatre legend, it was not hard for Jess to find topics to chat about. In fact editing their lengthy conversation down to 45 minutes was…

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Network Design: Branch Office Connectivity 58:25

2y ago58:25

58:25

In this episode, we dive into the first episode of a three-part mini-series on network design. First design episode is centered around the branch office. We take a look at what a branch is, how they've typically have been designed and where the future of the branch is headed. We talk some design aspects, some models of switches and routers and also…

1
TechNews Unleashed: July Tech News Roundup 51:10

2y ago51:10

51:10

In this episode, Alex and Pat discuss Twitter's rebrand to X, Meta's Threads as competition to X, Google Cloud Platform turning a profit for the first time, Pat's time at Networking Field Day, and Cisco U features and capabilities! If you're interested in Cisco's Rev Up to Recert initiative they have going on right now, check out this link Support …

1
Leadership Unleashed: What's in a Leader? 1:42:24

2y ago1:42:24

1:42:24

We're back this week talking about what leadership looks like at all levels of the IT spectrum. What does it take to get to the next level when leadership is involved? What are some good leadership qualities, some bad ones, and everything in between! Join us as we break it all down! Support the show Like us? Give us a review on Podchaser or Apple P…

1
Cisco Live Review 1:14:06

2y ago1:14:06

1:14:06

We're back! This week we talk about Alex and Pat's experience at Cisco Live. Join us as we break down the good, the bad and everything else! Support the show Like us? Give us a review on Podchaser or Apple Podcasts to let us know! Follow Breaking Down the Bytes! Linkedin | Twitter | Facebook | Discord Want to give feedback? Fill out our survey Emai…

1
Full Career Change 41:57

2y ago41:57

41:57

This week, Pat and Kyle sit down and chat about full tilt career changes. What does a full career change into IT look like? We talk about taking a pay cut in the short term, to benefit the long term, and settings some salary expectations as you balance you're new career Support the show Like us? Give us a review on Podchaser or Apple Podcasts to le…

1
Cisco Live Newbie 54:00

2y ago54:00

54:00

Cisco Live US is June 4-8th this year in Las Vegas, NV. Are you a first-timer? Not sure what to do or where to start? We have you covered! Pat is a first-timer this year and so we discuss the dos and don'ts of Cisco Live. Are you going to Cisco Live US this year? Come hang with us! Support the show Like us? Give us a review on Podchaser or Apple Po…

1
Why You Shouldn't Get into Tech 50:55

2y ago50:55

50:55

In this episode, Kyle and Pat sit down and discuss the things you won't hear about the tech industry. We talk about all the "reality" of the T industry rather than the buzzwords and all the positives you hear. Join us! Support the show Like us? Give us a review on Podchaser or Apple Podcasts to let us know! Follow Breaking Down the Bytes! Linkedin …

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Artificial Intelligence with Dave Walters 1:19:08

2y ago1:19:08

1:19:08

This week we sit down and talk to the Director of Product Design at Slice Up, Dave Walters. We talk about what is AI, ChatGPTs massive explosion, some ethics around AI, the future of what AI is capable of, and much more! Support the show Like us? Give us a review on Podchaser or Apple Podcasts to let us know! Follow Breaking Down the Bytes! Linkedi…

1
SDWAN Deep Dive 1:00:54

2y ago1:00:54

1:00:54

In this episode, we take a deep dive into SD-WAN technology, specifically what it is, where it came from, and where it's going. Support the show Like us? Give us a review on Podchaser or Apple Podcasts to let us know! Follow Breaking Down the Bytes! Linkedin | Twitter | Facebook | Discord Want to give feedback? Fill out our survey Email us! - break…

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IT Recruiting with Harry Chen 1:05:10

2+ y ago1:05:10

1:05:10

In this episode, we sit down with Harry Chen, Director of Staffing at Arraya Solutions. We chat about what you can do to stand out, some resume tips, some trends in the industry, and a bunch more! Connect with Harry on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/harrycchen/ Support the show Like us? Give us a review on Podchaser or Apple Podcasts to let…

1
Are We Burnt Out? 52:51

2+ y ago52:51

52:51

In this episode, Pat does a solo show and talks about burnout in tech. Also touches on how to spot burnout and some things you can do to avoid it and recharge from it. Support the show Like us? Give us a review on Podchaser or Apple Podcasts to let us know! Follow Breaking Down the Bytes! Linkedin | Twitter | Facebook | Discord Want to give feedbac…

1
SOC Engineering with Chris Wojtowicz 1:08:53

2+ y ago1:08:53

1:08:53

This week we sit and talk with Pat's co-worker Chris, who is a SOC Engineer at Customers Bank. We chat about how he got into cybersecurity, some SOC everyday tools, phishing attacks, and even some future SOC visions with ChatGPT. Join us! Connect with Chris on Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/christopherwojtowicz/ Support the show Like us? Gi…

1
Delivering Content - CDN Deep Dive 51:01

2+ y ago51:01

51:01

Content is everywhere in today's world! It doesn't magically just show up on your favorite streaming device, it's pumped through something called Content Delivery Networks or CDNs. This week Alex gives us a glimpse of what a CDN is, its purpose, and how our favorite shows get in the palm of our hands! Support the show Like us? Give us a review on P…

1
Monthly Tech News - Cisco Champions, Cisco CE Credits, Chat GPT and Google Bard 55:13

2+ y ago55:13

55:13

We're back for our 50th episode! The big 5-0. This week is our monthly tech news show and we give a shoutout to the Cisco Champions community, Alex using Cisco Continuing Education Credits and renew his CCIE and also some ChatGPT/Google Bard news. Tune in! Support the show Like us? Give us a review on Podchaser or Apple Podcasts to let us know! Fol…

1
Network Security with NetSecWheezy 56:19

2+ y ago56:19

56:19

This week we chat with our good friend Luis Garcia Jr (AKA NetSecWheezy) on his rise from ice cream vendor to implementation engineer at CDW. We discuss next-gen firewalls and some of their capabilities, also we discuss how important it is to network on social media sites such as LinkedIn and Twitter Support the show Like us? Give us a review on Po…

1
Docker, Kubernetes and All Things Containers with Ryan Young 50:33

2+ y ago50:33

50:33

We sit down with Pat and Alex's former co-worker Ryan Young, a Kubernetes and Docker expert who is now currently the Chief Architect and SliceUP. We break down what containers are, how they're useful, when to use them, and where the future of containers is heading. Support the show Like us? Give us a review on Podchaser or Apple Podcasts to let us …

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Azure Deep Dive 1:07:34

2+ y ago1:07:34

1:07:34

This week we take a deep dive look into the world of Azure. Mainly focused around the AZ900 exam and a broad overview of Azure concepts and services. Join us for this deep look into one of the major cloud platforms! Support the show Like us? Give us a review on Podchaser or Apple Podcasts to let us know! Follow Breaking Down the Bytes! Linkedin | T…

1
Monthly Tech News - More Layoffs 1:03:28

2+ y ago1:03:28

1:03:28

Back this month with our monthly Tech News episode! We're talking more Big Tech layoffs, Netflix co-CEO leaving and other great tidbits around the tech world Like us? Give us a review on Podchaser or Apple Podcasts to let us know! Follow Breaking Down the Bytes! Linkedin | Twitter | Facebook | Discord Want to give feedback? Fill out our survey Emai…

1
Cloud Engineering with Havi Rodriguez 1:02:17

2+ y ago1:02:17

1:02:17

This week we're joined by Pat's co-worker Havi Rodriguez and we talk all things Azure! We talk about what cloud engineering is, some good Azure certs to start with and where the cloud industry is heading. If you're looking for the Azure certification tree, wizlabs.com has a good blog about it! https://www.whizlabs.com/blog/azure-certifications-path…

1
Nailing the Interview 1:07:40

2+ y ago1:07:40

1:07:40

We're BACK! After a bit of a break for the holiday(s), we're back in the saddle with a new episode. Join us this week as we talk about interviews and how to ace them. We also talk about some of the best and worst interviews we've had throughout our careers. If you have any interview stories, please hit us up on our socials! Like us? Give us a revie…

1
Twitter and Tech Layoffs 51:09

2+ y ago51:09

51:09

Join us this week as Alex and Pat talk about what's going on with Twitter, our thoughts on the Big Tech layoffs and how to standout if your company is laying off workers. Like us? Give us a review on Podchaser or Apple Podcasts to let us know! Follow Breaking Down the Bytes! Linkedin | Twitter | Facebook | Discord Want to give feedback? Fill out ou…

1
IT Horror Stories 1:08:44

2+ y ago1:08:44

1:08:44

It's inevitable, you're going to break something. No one bats .1000 in this business. This week Pat and Alex talk about their most memorable IT horror stories and reminisce about what they broke over the years! Do you have a horror story to tell? Hit us up! Like us? Give us a review on Podchaser or Apple Podcasts to let us know! Follow Breaking Dow…

1
Top Certs for 2023 47:02

2+ y ago47:02

47:02

Building off of last week's Top Skills for 2023 episode, this week we talk about the Top Certifications for 2023. Curious about a cert to take? Not sure where to start? Tune in and let us break it all down! Like us? Give us a review on Podchaser or Apple Podcasts to let us know! Follow Breaking Down the Bytes! Linkedin | Twitter | Facebook | Discor…

1
Top Skills of 2023 1:00:53

2+ y ago1:00:53

1:00:53

A new debut! This week we welcome Alex as a 3rd host to the show! This week we’re talking about the top skills to have for 2023. What skills will make you stand out? Got other skills we didn’t cover? Let us know! Network Chuck’s Docker Container Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eGz9DS-aIeY Cisco’s blog on Github https://blogs.cisco.com/learnin…

1
Company Fit: Startup vs Corporate 55:54

2+ y ago55:54

55:54

Back this week after the live episode debacle! This week we're chatting about what type of environment might be a better fit for you, corporate or startup? We break down the pros and cons of both types of environments and which one we like best. Join us! Like us? Give us a review on Podchaser or Apple Podcasts to let us know! Check out our website …

1
First Day Success 43:23

3y ago43:23

43:23

First day on the job? Not sure what to expect or do? We have you covered! We break down some tips and strategies to get through the first day of the new job. Also, we talk about gauging company culture and how to make things a little easier to navigate those waters. Join us! TechaWare is having its Women, Wine, and Tech event in Burlington, MA on O…

1
Salary Deep Dive 44:01

3y ago44:01

44:01

This week we tackle the tough subject of salaries and how to approach salary negotiations. Some tips on what sort of mindset you need, some tools to help you know where to start, and just some general tips on how to approach your boss when it's that time. Couple of websites that'll help you figure out where to start www.glassdoor.com www.fishbowlap…

1
Imposter Syndrome 43:19

3y ago43:19

43:19

Imposter Syndrome is real! We've all been through it and it can be damaging to a career. This week we talk about what it is, some characteristics of it, how to deal with it, and much more! Like us? Give us a review on Podchaser or Apple Podcasts to let us know! Check out our website https://www.breakingbytespod.io Want to give feedback? Fill out ou…

1
Getting That Big Promotion 57:52

3y ago57:52

57:52

In this episode, we talk about ways to get that big promotion. We break down a few much-needed skills to get to that next rung of the ladder, also discussing the differences between team leader and manager positions. If you're looking to take your career to the next level, this is the episode for you! Like us? Give us a review on Podchaser or Apple…

1
Landing That Big Tech Job (FAANG) 54:22

3y ago54:22

54:22

This week we sat down with Pat's friend and mentor, Alex Battaglia. Alex is currently the network engineering manager at Disney Streaming. We chat about landing that job with a big tech company, how to tweak your resume for the job you're applying for, and also leveraging recruiters and LinkedIn to land the job. Tune in! Like us? Give us a review o…

1
To Stay or To Go 54:22

3y ago54:22

54:22

Leaving a position can be a heavy decision. This week we talk about some strategies you can take to decide if leaving a job is the right move or to stick it out a little longer. Also, we break down some signs of when it's time to look for a new job, whether that's changes around you or maybe it's just time to leave to find a new challenge. Tune in …

1
Office Politics, Don't Fall For It 42:36

3y ago42:36

42:36

Office politics are a hazard of the job. It's dirty, exhausting, and can lead to some really toxic environments. This week we take a look at how to recognize them, and some strategies on how to avoid them! Like us? Give us a review on Podchaser or Apple Podcasts to let us know! Check out our website https://www.breakingbytespod.io Want to give feed…

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All Things CyberSecurity with Keith Hartranft 59:26

3y ago59:26

59:26

Keith Hartranft, Senior Enterprise Security Architect at The College Board joins us this week to talk all things Cyber Security! Keith was a former professor of both Pat and Kyle and has held multiple positions in the cyber security space. We talked about securing the public cloud, attackers targeting certain groups, a few certifications to break i…

1
Documentation - Boom or Bust 47:01

3y ago47:01

47:01

Documentation! Everyone's favorite topic! OK, maybe not. This week we break down why documentation is so important, albeit, not the most exciting topic. Documentation can really make your job easier if done right, tune in to see how Pat and Kyle have handled documentation and why you should be doing it from day 1! Like us? Give us a review on Podch…