What does it really mean to grow—beyond titles, certifications, and promotions? In this episode of Bytes and Banter, Rocky sits down with Varun Sharma, Delivery Operations Manager at WBM, to unpack what he calls “the lost art of growth.”

Varun shares how a last‑minute interview opportunity changed his career, why attitude, effort, and accountability are the foundation of self-leadership, and how empowering service desk analysts to own their development led to 90%+ internal satisfaction and stronger customer partnerships. If you lead a team—or want to lead yourself better—this conversation will challenge how you think about growth, trust, and what’s really possible at the service desk.

Keep in touch with Varun on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/varunsharma2906/

Varun Sharma is a proven leader at WBM Technologies and a certified HDI Operations Manager with a background in mechanical engineering. His leadership has been central to WBM’s award‑winning HDI journey, including recognition for Best Customer Experience and Best Use of Technology.

As a Maxwell Leadership coach, trainer, and speaker, Varun specializes in personality and communication dynamics, helping teams work cohesively and navigate conflict with clarity and respect. His philosophy of “Learn, Live, and Lead” reflects his commitment to continuous growth and inspiring others to do the same.

In the past year, Varun has expanded his impact globally, speaking to organizations across North America, South America, and Asia. Through international workshops and training sessions, he equips professionals to elevate their teams and their leadership, mirroring the culture of excellence he’s helped build at WBM Technologies.

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HDI Local Chapters is an all volunteer not-for-profit that brings Technical Support professionals together to connect, share and discuss common challenges, and learn from industry innovators and each other --- https://www.hdilocalchapters.org

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Bytes and Banter Podcast Team

Creative Producer/Host: Rocky McGuire - https://www.linkedin.com/in/rockymcguire/

Executive Producer: Terri Oropeza - https://www.linkedin.com/in/toropeza/

Associate Producer: Colleen Rush - https://www.linkedin.com/in/colleen-rush-3603241/

Associate Producer/Alternate Host:

Technical Producer: Dustin Canter - https://www.linkedin.com/in/dustincanter/

Podcast Operating System: https://www.PodTechs.com

Post-Production: https://www.PodTechs.com

In this Bonus Episode of Bytes and Banter, Sarah Caminiti joins us for a real talk about confidence, culture, and what it means to take up space—especially in support roles where people are often measured by metrics, credentials, and impossible expectations.

We dig into why so many talented professionals hesitate to speak up, how fear-based workplaces train people to shrink, and what leaders can do differently to build teams that actually have room to breathe. Sarah shares her unconventional career path (no degree, a résumé that “doesn’t make sense,” and a leadership journey built on grit), along with practical ways to advocate for yourself—especially in interviews.

You’ll also hear a nuanced conversation about remote culture: what we lose when we never meet in person, why assumptions spiral in Slack-heavy environments, and how intentional connection can rebuild trust across teams.

Sarah Caminiti is a retention strategist and support leader known for bringing clarity, honesty, and operational depth to the customer experience world. As the creator of the CX Roundtable, she helps teams rethink how they build, lead, and scale support—grounding every conversation in real data, human behavior, and sustainable growth. Sarah’s work sits at the intersection of leadership, power dynamics, and customer loyalty, making her a sought-after voice for organizations ready to move beyond buzzwords and build systems that actually work.

Follow Sarah Caminiti on LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-caminiti-5827b784/

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HDI Local Chapters is an all volunteer not-for-profit that brings Technical Support professionals together to connect, share and discuss common challenges, and learn from industry innovators and each other --- https://www.hdilocalchapters.org

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Bytes and Banter Podcast Team

Creative Producer/Host: Rocky McGuire - https://www.linkedin.com/in/rockymcguire/

Executive Producer: Terri Oropeza - https://www.linkedin.com/in/toropeza/

Associate Producer: Colleen Rush - https://www.linkedin.com/in/colleen-rush-3603241/

Associate Producer/Alternate Host:

Technical Producer: Dustin Canter - https://www.linkedin.com/in/dustincanter/

Podcast Operating System: https://www.PodTechs.com

Post-Production: https://www.PodTechs.com

Discover how to reclaim your professional narrative and lead with genuine intention in a rapidly shifting tech landscape. In this episode, Rocky McGuire connects with Sarah Caminiti, Career Strategist and host of The Roundtable, to discuss her unexpected transition from "behind-the-scenes" helper to an influential public voice for ethical leadership and employee empowerment.

They dive into:

• The "Unplanned" Career Snowball: How a single, detailed community response transformed Sarah's career into a journey of panels and podcasting.

• Occupying Your Space: Understanding the psychological importance of "taking up space" and why shrinking yourself is a sad, limiting mindset.

• Ditching Fear-Based Tactics: A look at why leaders resort to ego and power dynamics, and how "invisible work" like advocacy can change team culture.

• Strategic Vulnerability: Why admitting you're "not at 100%" or don't have a degree can actually build deeper trust and safety within a team.

• The Interview as a Filter: How to use the hiring process to "interview them back" and why being 10% more bold helps avoid toxic workplace misalignments.

• Remote Work & The Human Connection: Why remote teams must be intentional about meeting in person to prevent colleagues from becoming just "icons in Slack."

• AI as a Tool, Not a Replacement: How the rise of AI makes human skills like strategic problem-solving and ethical implementation more valuable than ever.

Sarah Caminiti is a retention strategist and support leader known for bringing clarity, honesty, and operational depth to the customer experience world. As the creator of the CX Roundtable, she helps teams rethink how they build, lead, and scale support—grounding every conversation in real data, human behavior, and sustainable growth. Sarah’s work sits at the intersection of leadership, power dynamics, and customer loyalty, making her a sought-after voice for organizations ready to move beyond buzzwords and build systems that actually work.

Follow Sarah Caminiti on LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-caminiti-5827b784/

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HDI Local Chapters is an all volunteer not-for-profit that brings Technical Support professionals together to connect, share and discuss common challenges, and learn from industry innovators and each other --- https://www.hdilocalchapters.org

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Bytes and Banter Podcast Team

Creative Producer/Host: Rocky McGuire - https://www.linkedin.com/in/rockymcguire/

Executive Producer: Terri Oropeza - https://www.linkedin.com/in/toropeza/

Associate Producer: Colleen Rush - https://www.linkedin.com/in/colleen-rush-3603241/

Associate Producer/Alternate Host:

Technical Producer: Dustin Canter - https://www.linkedin.com/in/dustincanter/

Podcast Operating System: https://www.PodTechs.com

Post-Production: https://www.PodTechs.com