Blue Blazes

Trailhead Technology Partners

5.0 (1)
TECHNOLOGY
UPDATED MONTHLY

Just like obstacles blocking a hiking trail, barriers in the path to a successful software project can be frustrating. When you encounter one, it helps to take a trail marked with blue blazes to go around the problem, get back on course, and keep moving forward.

JAN 13

Blue Blazes S04E01: Uno Platform – featuring Sam Basu

In this episode, host Jonathan “J.” Tower sits down with Sam Basu, technologist, author, Microsoft MVP, and Lead Developer Advocate at Uno Platform, to unpack the realities of modern cross-platform app development with .NET. Sam shares how Uno Platform enables developers to build native applications for iOS, Android, WebAssembly, Windows, macOS, and Linux, all from a single codebase, and how it compares with other cross-platform frameworks like .NET MAUI, React Native, and Flutter. He also explains the value of Uno’s multiple rendering paths, including native UI and Skia-based rendering, and what those mean for performance and design consistency across devices. If you’re a .NET developer, this episode offers you a grounded, forward-looking take on how we build cross-platform apps in 2026 and beyond. Guest Bio: Sam Basu is a technologist, author, speaker, Microsoft MVP, and Lead Developer Advocate for Uno Platform. With a deep background in .NET development, Sam now focuses on helping teams ship modern, performant, and beautiful apps across platforms using open-source and AI-powered tools. When he’s not speaking at conferences or writing about technology, you’ll find him traveling, cooking, or enjoying fast cars and cricket. You can connect with Sam online through his work with Uno Platform and across developer communities worldwide.

33 min
11/11/2025

Blue Blazes S03E10: Trailhead at 10 – featuring Trailhead Founders

In this special 10th-anniversary episode, guest host Mark Adams turns the microphone toward the founders of Trailhead Technology Partners — Jonathan “J.” Tower, John Waters, and Josh Eastburn — for a candid conversation about a decade of building great software and a great company. The four partners look back at how Trailhead began — with a shared vision for a consultancy built on purpose, craftsmanship, and long-term client partnerships — and how that vision has evolved through global growth and technological change. They discuss what’s changed and what hasn’t over that time, and how the Trailhead Process and Trailhead Framework help deliver consistent client results regardless. They also cover how trust, collaboration, and curiosity have been the company’s real differentiators. The episode closes with a look ahead at AI, quantum computing, and the ever-human side of technology, as the founders toast to the next 10 years of innovation, partnership, and growth. Guest Bio: Jonathan “J.” Tower, John Waters, and Josh Eastburn are the founding partners of Trailhead Technology Partners, a global software consultancy specializing in .NET and modern cloud solutions. Together, they’ve spent decades designing, building, and leading software projects across industries from healthcare to public transit, and have grown Trailhead into a distributed team spanning multiple continents. Mark Adams, Partner at Trailhead and host for this episode, leads many of the firm’s strategic client engagements and product initiatives.

35 min
10/20/2025

Blue Blazes S03E09: .NET Conf – featuring Javier Lozano

In this episode, host J. Tower sits down with Javier Lozano, co-founder of .NET Conf and CEO of Lozanotek, a .NET-focused software consultancy based in Des Moines, Iowa. Javier is a longtime Microsoft MVP, recognized for nearly 20 years for his contributions to ASP.NET, Azure, and the global developer community. In this episode, Javier shares the origin story of .NET Conf, which began as a small virtual event called MVC Conf 15 years ago, well before online conferences were common. He walks through how it evolved into today’s massive, three-day global launch event for the newest version of .NET, with contributions from Microsoft’s product teams and experts from around the world. If you’ve ever tuned in to .NET Conf, or wondered what it takes to bring the .NET community together on a global scale, this episode is a must-listen. Guest Bio: Javier Lozano is the CEO and Founder of Lozanotek, a .NET-focused software development boutique based in Des Moines, Iowa. He’s a Microsoft MVP, community leader, and co-founder of .NET Conf, the world’s largest virtual event celebrating the .NET ecosystem. With nearly two decades of experience building enterprise systems, mentoring teams, and contributing to the developer community, Javier is passionate about helping others grow, learn, and connect through technology.

36 min
08/18/2025

Blue Blazes S03E08: AI in .NET – featuring John Waters

In this episode, host J. Tower sits down with John Waters, his fellow Partner at Trailhead Technology Partners, to explore how AI is reshaping life as a .NET developer. They talk about the fast-evolving development ecosystem, including GitHub Copilot’s new agent mode, Microsoft.Extensions.AI and its sister packages for vector data, and the growing role of Semantic Kernel. John also breaks down the promise of the Model Context Protocol (MCP), explains the tradeoffs of local vs. cloud-based models, and shares practical stories of “pragmatic AI” in action—like fuzzy semantic search and warranty claim automation. The conversation wraps with a look at how AI is surfacing in .NET Aspire, where Copilot helps diagnose complex distributed systems in real time. Guest Bio: John Waters is a seasoned technology leader, accomplished architect, and founding partner at Trailhead Technology Partners. With decades of experience in software architecture and a career spanning the U.S. and Sweden, John has delivered innovative solutions for many different industries, including public transit, finance, and healthcare. John was previously recognized as a Microsoft MVP three times, speaks at conferences worldwide, and is fluent in English and Swedish, and proficient in French. He is also a licensed pilot, bringing the same precision and focus to the skies as he does to software development.

31 min
07/14/2025

Blue Blazes S03E07: .NET Aspire – featuring Maddy Montaquila

In this episode, host Jonathan “J.” Tower talks with Maddy Montaquila from Microsoft’s .NET team about .NET Aspire—a tool aimed at simplifying modern cloud app development. They discuss how Aspire helps orchestrate services across languages and platforms, improves the local development experience, and introduces powerful diagnostics through OpenTelemetry and AI-powered log analysis. Maddy also shares the story behind Aspire’s creation, clears up common misconceptions, and gives a sneak peek at what’s coming in version 9.4. Guest Bio: Maddy Montaquila is a Senior Product Manager at Microsoft on the .NET team. Maddy has been shaping the .NET developer experience since 2018, with work spanning Xamarin, .NET MAUI, and now .NET Aspire. Her journey began as a Microsoft intern with the Xamarin team, where she discovered her passion for creating tools that help developers build modern, scalable applications. Outside of work, you’ll find Maddy singing with her band, big rav.

35 min
06/16/2025

Blue Blazes S03E06: Storybook - featuring Varun Vachhar

In this episode, host Jonathan “J.” Tower chats with Varun Vachhar from Chromatic about using Storybook to build, test, and document UI components in isolation. The conversation explores best practices for component-driven development, how visual and accessibility testing integrate into the workflow, and what’s new in Storybook 9. Guest Bio: Varun Vachhar is a DX engineer and generative artist focused on design systems, front-end tooling, and creative coding. He’s a core maintainer of Storybook and part of the DX team at Chromatic, where he builds tools to improve developer workflows. Outside of work, Varun uses tools like Canvas, SVG, and WebG to create generative art blending geometry, color, and motion. Originally from New Delhi, he now lives in Toronto.

28 min
05/12/2025

Blue Blazes S03E05: Modular Monoliths - featuring Steve Smith

In this episode, host Jonathan “J.” Tower chats with Steve Smith about the modular monolith, an architecture that delivers microservices‑style modularity within a single in‑process deployment. The conversation covers designing modules, leveraging in‑memory messaging for event‑driven workflows, and choosing between vertical‑slice and clean architecture patterns. Guest Bio: Steve Smith, or "ardalis" as he is known online, is an entrepreneur and software developer with a passion for building quality software as effectively as possible. He's a Microsoft MVP, a frequent speaker at developer conferences, an author, and a trainer who has published courses on Pluralsight and Dometrain covering DDD, SOLID, design patterns, and software architecture. Steve works with clients through his company, NimblePros. They help teams that want to avoid the trap of technical debt to deliver better software faster.

35 min
04/11/2025

Blue Blazes S03E04: Event Streaming - featuring Mary Grygleski

In this episode, host Jonathan "J." Tower and his guest, Mary Grygleski, delve into the intricacies of event streaming within distributed systems. They explore the definition of event streaming, its comparison with traditional messaging techniques, and the unique features of platforms like Apache Pulsar and Kafka. The discussion highlights the synergy between AI and event streaming, the challenges of debugging distributed systems, and practical advice for newcomers looking to get started in this field. Guest Bio: Mary Grygleski is the Director of Emerging Technologies at Callibrity. With over 20 years of engineering experience, Mary has become a leader in developer and customer advocacy. She has worked for major companies like IBM, US Cellular, Bank of America, and Chicago Mercantile Exchange. She is Java Champion, serves as President of the Chicago Java Users Group, and is Co-Lead for AICamp’s Chicago Chapter.

29 min

Just like obstacles blocking a hiking trail, barriers in the path to a successful software project can be frustrating. When you encounter one, it helps to take a trail marked with blue blazes to go around the problem, get back on course, and keep moving forward.

Creator

Trailhead Technology Partners
Years Active

2022 - 2026
Episodes

35
Rating

Clean
Copyright

© Trailhead Technology Partners
Show Website

Blue Blazes