{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"The Vernon Richard Show","title":"This Was Supposed to Be About Testing","html":"<iframe width=\"100%\" height=\"180\" frameborder=\"no\" scrolling=\"no\" seamless src=\"https://share.transistor.fm/e/df806c26\"></iframe>","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":3235,"description":"This was supposed to be about testing.Instead, it turned into a conversation about burnout, money, leadership, community, AI, and what it actually takes to build a sustainable life in tech.Richard and Vernon kick off 2026 reflecting on what they’re changing, what they’re rebuilding, and how testing and quality fit into a future shaped by intention rather than hustle.\nLinks to stuff we mentioned during the pod:\n05:19 - The Malazan Book of the Fallen by Steven Erikson\n14:59 - The $1k Challenge by Ali Abdaal Vernon took part in last year\n17:23 - The video from Daniel Pink on how to have a successful yearHere's where Daniel talks about having a Challenger Network (but the whole video is 😙🤌🏾)\n18:46 - Toby SinclairToby's website\nToby's LinkedIn\n19:24 - Keith KlainKeith's blog\nKeith's podcast\nKeith's LinkedIn\n19:25 - Agile Testing Days conference\n35:45 - What is Model Drift?\n41:06 - Glue workTanya's Glue Work presentation which you can read or watch\nVernon's talk about how glue work impacts Quality Engineers, Testers, etc.\n48:06 - Gary \"GaryVee\" VaynerchukGary's website\nGary's YouTube\n\n\n00:00 - Intro\n00:54 - Greetings & where have we been?\n01:32 - The holidays\n02:34 - Rest & mood\n04:00 - Routines for success\n05:59 - Push-up challenge!\n08:35 - Dopamine detox\n10:28 - THE EPISODE BEGINS!\n10:29 - What are our personal 2026 themes (rather than resolutions)?\n10:59 - Rich's 2026 themes\n13:10 - Vern's themes\n17:58 - Friendship, loneliness, and being the initiator\n21:28 - Rich has a two itches. One about writing...\n21:56 - ...and another about hats\n25:23 - Vern's leadership focus and testing foundations\n31:06 - AI work: data mindset, agents, and the vibe coding divide\n40:11 - Rant about AI testing being stuck in the past\n46:37 - Do \"cool\" shit and \"talk\" about it. How to stand out from AI Slop\n50:10 - Our podcast themes for 2026","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/UFGkkh_jsZubLbpE6txGLPU3-7iIlh6gJ0JsseFDEm0/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS9iM2Zk/NGQ3NDk4NmVkNjA5/OGJmMzA0ODQxMWIy/N2ExOS5wbmc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}