ConTejas Code

Links

- CodeCrafters (Sponsor)
- Partner with ConTejas Code
- Diazno on Spotify
- Diazno on Instagram
- Tejas’s Keynote in Malaysia (Sick Day)

Description

In this episode of the ConTejas Code Podcast, Tejas sits down with the artist, producer, and multi-instrumentalist Diazno. Often described as the "Black Rick Rubin" for his ability to curate sound and vibe, Diazno shares his profound insights on the intersection of creativity and execution.

They dive deep into how to move from "idea" to "finished product" by overcoming the fear of commitment, the role of taste versus talent, and how true leadership is actually about influence and service. Diazno also opens up about his experiences directing major productions at venues like the Deutsche Oper, navigating cross-cultural communication, and how he views the rise of AI tools like Suno in the music industry. Whether you are a developer, a musician, or a team leader, this episode offers a masterclass in human connection and the discipline of high performance.

Chapters

00:00:00 Intro & Sponsors
00:04:05 From Ideas to Execution: Overcoming "Fear of Commitment"
00:12:12 Creativity is Life: The Cycle of Creation and Rest
00:19:15 Consumption vs. Creation: Finding the Spark
00:25:22 Taste vs. Talent: The Role of the Producer
00:30:20 How to Get Buy-In
00:37:25 Communicating a Vision
00:42:15 Communication: Not What You Say, What They Hear
00:49:18 Honoring People & Building Relational Equity
01:00:20 The Power of Informal Relationships
01:15:20 Reps & Consistency: Performing on Your Worst Days
01:22:10 AI in Music: Will It Replace the Soul?
01:38:05 Outro
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Links

- Codecrafters (partner): https://tej.as/codecrafters
- Isaac on Instagram: https://instagram.com/isaac11890
- Contact: https://tej.as

Summary

Sitting 8+ hours a day is destroying your biomechanics. Here is how to engineer your way back to health.

In this episode of ConTejas Code, I sit down with professional footballer and CrossFit coach Isaac Akinsete to reverse the physical damage of the developer lifestyle. We dive deep into the anatomy of "tech neck," why stretching isn't enough, and how to trigger the EPOC "afterburn" effect to burn fat while sitting. Whether you have a full gym or zero equipment, Isaac outlines the exact protocols to maximize longevity, fix tight hip flexors, and optimize mental and spiritual health.

In this episode, we cover:

- The Desk Worker Protocol: A complete zero-equipment circuit routine for hypertrophy and cardio.
- Mobility vs. Stretching: Why static stretching won't fix your posture.
- RPE Explained: How to train for fat loss vs. strength without burnout.
- CrossFit vs. Gym: Which is better for the average coder?
- Mind & Spirit: The role of positive self-talk and faith in elite performance.

Chapters

00:00:00 Intro
00:04:22 Isaac Akinsete
00:09:10 Mythbusting: Does lifting weights stunt growth in kids?
00:11:52 Am I too old to start working out?
00:14:15 How to find the right workout intensity (RPE Scale)
00:20:55 What sitting for 8+ hours actually does to your body
00:26:08 Mobility vs. Stretching: Why stretching isn't enough
00:30:12 How to fix "Tech Neck" and Hunchback posture
00:42:50 Can you out-exercise a sedentary job?
00:47:11 Do under-desk treadmills and walking pads work?
00:53:36 Designing a workout routine for desk workers
00:55:36 The "Zero Equipment" Home & Hotel Workout
01:04:15 High Intensity Circuit Training & The EPOC Effect
01:11:17 Traditional Gym vs. CrossFit
01:16:05 Rapid Fire Questions
01:22:25 Faith & Fitness: Treating your body like a temple
01:29:53 The psychology of self-talk
01:34:50 Outro

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Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Links
- Codecrafters (sponsor): https://tej.as/codecrafters
- Become a guest on the podcast: https://forms.gle/wMqBmVhuzL46Ha3P7

- ZurichJS Discount: https://conf.zurichjs.com?utm_source=contejas&utm_medium=partner&utm_campaign=zurichjs-conf-2026
- Faris on X: https://x.com/farisaziz12
- Faris on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/farisaziz12/
- ZurichJS: https://zurichjs.com
- SmallPDF: https://smallpdf.com

What does it take to become an Engineering Manager at 21? How do you rebuild your identity when a chronic illness takes away your physical strength? In this episode of ConTejas Code, I sit down with Faris Aziz, a Staff Engineer at Smallpdf and the lead organizer of ZurichJS. At just 25 years old, Faris has lived a career’s worth of highs and lows. From failing his first coding bootcamp module to building a career ladder for a fintech startup, and from ranking as the 2nd fittest CrossFit athlete in Switzerland to being bedridden by an autoimmune condition, Faris shares the mindset required to navigate extreme volatility.

This conversation moves beyond technical skills into the "internal garden"—how emotional regulation, sleep, and nutrition directly impact your ability to lead others. Faris breaks down his philosophy on "Peace of Mind" as the primary metric for promotion, why invisible work builds character, and how to steward authority without intimidation. Whether you are an aspiring manager, a developer looking to level up, or someone navigating a personal setback, this episode offers a blueprint for resilience and professional excellence.

Chapters

00:00:00 Intro
00:04:33 Getting into Tech at 19
00:08:12 Failing (and Surviving) Bootcamp
00:11:00 Building a CrossFit App During Lockdown
00:13:38 Getting Hired Without Writing Code
00:18:49 Accidental Managers: Leading at 21
00:22:19 Choosing a Pre-seed Startup Over High Salary
00:28:53 Red Flags in Leadership
00:33:41 Tending the Garden: Balancing Work & ZurichJS
00:42:51 Health Crisis: From Top Athlete to Bedridden
00:48:51 Emotional Regulation & Bio-Hacking
00:59:36 Mindset: Gratitude vs. Bitterness
01:07:44 Invisible Work & Building Character
01:11:18 How to Get Promoted: Giving Peace of Mind
01:17:28 Confidence vs. Arrogance
01:21:42 Owning Mistakes Confidently
01:25:38 Stewarding Authority (The Kent C. Dodds Example)
01:28:06 Don't Just Be an Engineer: Solve Business Problems
01:35:02 Managing "Diva" 10x Engineers
01:40:12 Organizing the First ZurichJS
01:46:30 Outro
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Links

- Codecrafters (sponsor): https://tej.as/codecrafters
- Clerk: https://clerk.com
- Auth0: https://auth0.com
- Arctic (OAuth Library): https://arctic.js.org
- Lucia (Session Library): https://lucia-auth.com

Why do we still use passwords in 2026? In this episode of ConTejas Code, we tear down the complex world of digital identity. From the horror story of getting hacked at a hookah bar to the mathematical elegance of public-key cryptography, we cover how the internet knows who you actually are.

Let's break down the history of web authentication, explain why "logging in" is so much harder than it looks, and demystify the new standard taking over the web: Passkeys (WebAuthn). Whether you are a developer looking for an implementation playbook or just curious why your banking app requires a fingerprint, this deep dive explains the difference between Identity, Identifiers, and Credentials—and why you should stop rolling your own auth immediately.

Chapters

00:00:00 Welcome to ConTejas Code
00:01:06 Sponsor: CodeCrafters
00:01:42 Why Authentication Matters (High Stakes vs. Low Stakes)
00:07:30 Storytime: Getting Hacked at a Shisha Bar
00:19:48 The Vocabulary: Identity, Identifiers, and Credentials
00:27:45 The Three Factors (Something You Know, Have, Are)
00:34:28 Real World Analogies: House Keys, Speak-easies, and Hotel Cards
00:41:10 A History of Web Auth: From Basic Auth to the "Social Login" Mess
00:49:15 Authentication vs. Authorization vs. Accounting
00:57:00 The Problem with Passwords & MFA Fatigue
01:00:40 How Passkeys Work: Public Key Cryptography Explained
01:07:00 Under the Hood: WebAuthn, FIDO2, and The "Ceremonies"
01:13:40 Synced vs. Device-Bound Passkeys
01:16:30 The Playbook: How to Design Auth for SaaS, Mobile, and B2B
01:21:00 The Golden Rule: Don't Roll Your Own Crypto
01:23:00 Libraries & Tools You Should Use (Clerk, Auth0, Arctic)
01:28:40 The Minimum Viable Security Checklist
01:32:30 The Future of Passwordless Identity
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Links

- Codecrafters: https://tej.as/codecrafters
- Why We Sleep: https://www.amazon.de/-/en/Why-We-Sleep-Unlocking-Dreams/dp/1501144316
- Matthew Walker's Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/1aIVAabjRjnmiouX0zCzF3
- Sleep latency paper: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33865376/#:~:text=Oral%20magnesium%20supplementation%20for%20insomnia,insomnia%20symptoms%20in%20older%20adults
- Glycine for sleep: https://glowable.com.au/blogs/news/glycine-the-calming-nutrient-for-soothing-anxiety?srsltid=AfmBOor_YWMUUsqdS9AJjfSJLQb1F0CSEKrbw-0AhjCVkXCcHdjPGtWq#:~:text=of%20Pharmacological%20Sciences%20found%20that,often%20closely%20linked%20to%20anxiety
- Dr. Andy Galpin's podcast: https://performpodcast.com/
- Detachment paper: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19592515/#:~:text=Results%3A%20%20Higher%20PEAT%20scores,of%20depression%20and%20negative%20affect
- Quantified Scientist: https://www.youtube.com/c/TheQuantifiedScientist

In this episode, we learn how to engineer better health outcomes for ourselves to live fitter and healthier than ever before drawing on the latest research.

Chapters

00:00:00 Intro
00:05:24 Episode Outline
00:12:08 Sleep Architecture: Deep and REM
00:24:17 How to Sleep Well
00:34:31 My Routine with Sleep
00:39:25 Using Temperature to Sleep Well
00:41:55 Eating before Bed
00:45:14 Getting more Deep Sleep and REM Sleep
00:52:49 How to Eat Well
00:56:05 How to Lose Fat
01:02:35 How to Gain Muscle
01:07:47 Vices: Alcohol, Nicotine, etc.
01:10:28 Loneliness and Social Connection
01:18:34 How to Develop Quality Social Connections
01:25:54 Maximizing Productivity and Work/Life Balance
01:33:36 Psychological Detachment
01:36:33 Dealing with Getting Sick
01:42:08 How to Avoid Jetlag and Travel Well
01:46:14 Heart Rate Variability: Managing Stress and Recovery
01:50:53 Conclusion

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