Let’s Solve IT! Podcast

Ep. 5 - More Tools. Less Output? The Truth About Developer Productivity

Are your technology investments driving developer productivity—or just adding complexity? 
In this episode of Let’s Solve IT!, Matt Brown sits down with Mekka Williams, Director of Innovation and Solutions and co-host of The STEMINISTS podcast, to unpack one of the biggest disconnects in modern IT: the gap between investment and impact. 
They explore why more tools don’t always lead to better outcomes, what developer productivity really looks like from a business perspective, and how leading organizations are aligning people, processes, and technology to drive measurable results. 
You’ll hear: 
Why time-to-value continues to fall short of expectations
How DevOps complexity is slowing teams down
What meaningful productivity measurementlookslike 
Where AIdelivers real valueand where it introduces risk 
Why progress starts with action, not perfection
Because improving productivity isn’t a one-time fix—it’s an ongoing business priority. 
You are not alone. Let’s Solve IT! 
 
Learn More 
IT case studies | NetApp 
 
Also make sure you check out The STEMINISTS Podcast | Phoebe Goh and Mekka Williams 
 
Connect with us! 
https://www.linkedin.com/in/cmattbrown 
Mekka Williams | LinkedIn 

Ep. 4 - Does your data center need to go nuclear to support AI?

It sounds extreme, but it’s not as far off as you might think. 
In this episode of Let’s Solve IT!, Matt Brown talks with Ralph Renne, Sr. Director, Workplace Experience, to break down what’s really happening behind the scenes: massive increases in power demand, the shift to water-cooled environments, and why most data centers aren’t built for what’s coming next. 
 
In this episode, you’ll learn: 
What’s driving these new AI infrastructure demands 
Why this isn’t just an IT problem, it’s a facilities and business problem 
The real timelines and costs to get ready
And what you should be doing right now to prepare
Because this isn’t a future problem. 
It’s already here. 
And if you’re not planning for it, chances are, you're already behind. 
You’re not alone. Let’s Solve It! 
 
Learn More 
IT case studies | NetApp 
 
Connect with us!
https://www.linkedin.com/in/cmattbrown 
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ralph-renne-36ab0a6/ 

Ep. 3 - Why are ERP implementations CIO career killers?

Why do so many ERP transformations derail careers at the highest level? 
It’s not the technology. It’s everything else.  In this episode of Let’s Solve IT!, Matt Brown sits down with NetApp CIO Hem Nerkar to confront one of the most uncomfortable truths in enterprise IT: ERP transformations don’t start by failing systems—they start by breaking the people leading them. 
Because what looks like a software upgrade is actually a high-risk, multi-year bet on your company’s culture, operations, and future.  In this episode, you’ll learn: • Massive financial investment with no immediate payoff • Organizational resistance at every level • Hundreds of systems and stakeholders in play • And a clock that never stops ticking while the business keeps running  Hem Nerkar pulls back the curtain on what really makes these transformations so dangerous and what separates those projects that succeed from those that quietly unravel careers.  This isn’t about features. This isn’t about vendors.  This is about pressure, risk, and leadership when there is no safe path forward. 
Let’s talk about what that really means. Let’s Solve IT! 
 
Learn More Here: 
IT case studies | NetApp 
 
Connect with us!
https://www.linkedin.com/in/cmattbrown 
https://www.linkedin.com/in/hem-nerkar-445b731 

Ep. 2 - How to afford AI and the people to run IT

AI budgets are blowing up. Hardware prices are all over the place. And executives want ROI yesterday. 
So here’s the real question nobody wants to say out loud: How are you supposed to afford the tech and the people to run it? 
In this week’s episode of Let’s Solve IT!, host Matt Brown and Stephan Stelter, NetApp Manager, Solutions Engineering, confront the tension IT leaders feel every day: innovation pressure vs. finite budgets. They get into FOMO-driven spending, AI productivity myths, and resource scarcity.  
Rather than defaulting to layoffs or across‑the‑board cuts, this conversation explores a smarter path forward: reallocating resources, retasking talent, and placing the right workloads in the right environments to maximize impact without burning out teams or budgets. 
If you’re feeling squeezed between transformation goals and headcount limitations, this episode is for you.  
Let’s talk about what that really means, and Let’s Solve IT! 
 
Learn more about the world of NetApp on NetApp: IT case studies | NetApp
 

Ep. 1 - When AI convenience becomes a business risk

AI is everywhere — recording meetings, transcribing conversations, summarizing discussions, and storing more data than ever before. But as AI-powered productivity tools become the norm, how do organizations protect themselves from growing security and legal risk? 
 In this first episode of Let’s Solve IT!, host Matt Brown sits down with NetApp CISO Gavin Guttersen to explore a sobering reality: AI tools can create powerful productivity gains and unexpected exposure.  From litigation risk to data governance gaps, from “AI companions” in meetings to agents talking to agents, this conversation dives into the uncomfortable truth: Security through obscurity is gone.  In this episode, you’ll learn: 
How AI transcription and meeting recording tools create unexpected security and legal exposure 
Where data governance breaks down as enterprise AI adoption accelerates 
What CISOs, IT leaders, and business teams must consider in an always‑recorded environment 
If you’re responsible for AI security, data governance, or risk management, this episode sets the foundation for the conversations organizations can’t afford to avoid. 
Let’s talk about what that really means. Let’s Solve IT! 
 
Learn more about the world of NetApp on NetApp: IT case studies | NetApp 
 
Connect with us! 
https://www.linkedin.com/in/cmattbrown 
https://www.linkedin.com/in/gaving