It’s been a while since my last members-only update, and I wanted to take a moment to share what’s been happening in my world. These updates are meant to be informal, like we’re just sitting down and having a conversation. There’s been a lot going on — both personally and professionally — so let’s dive in.

A Journey Around the World

I just got back from an incredible vacation in the Maldives. If you ever get the chance to go, I highly recommend it. We stayed at the Barcelo Whale Lagoon, which is on its own private island, and the overwater bungalows were absolutely breathtaking. Getting there was quite the journey — New York to Dubai, then a seaplane to the island. On the way back, we routed through Singapore and San Francisco before finally arriving home.

Leading up to the trip, work was a whirlwind. When you have a big deadline approaching, you want to make sure your team isn’t left hanging while you’re away. February was nuts trying to get everything lined up so I could fully disconnect. Surprisingly, even in the middle of the Indian Ocean, I was able to get LTE service during our boat excursions. So, while I was technically “off the grid,” I wasn’t completely cut off.

Diving Into a New Project at Microsoft

Back at Microsoft, I’ve been busy working on a new internal product that leverages AI. As a Principal Architect, I’m collaborating with other architects to design the infrastructure, APIs, and automation processes. We’re navigating some challenges due to Microsoft’s Security First Initiative (SFI), which has changed how we do things internally. It’s an exciting, sometimes chaotic transition, but we’re making progress.

Our project is built on a microservices-based architecture using Azure Functions. The team is diverse, with developers working in Java, Python, and C#. While my primary language is C#, I’ve been reviewing a lot of both C# and Python code lately. We’ve already onboarded more than ten internal customers, and leadership is taking notice, which is always a good sign.

Building Content: Udemy, Blog, and Medium

Since HashiConf back in October, things have been a blur. Between the holidays and family time, I took some much-needed downtime. You may have noticed a slower pace on my YouTube channel, but I’ve still been publishing code reviews, reaction videos, and ad-hoc content. One big focus has been rolling out my backlog of 38 hours of LEAP mentorship sessions — stay tuned for more of those!

I’ve also been expanding my content across multiple platforms. My personal blog is live at marktinderholt.com, and I’m cross-publishing on Azure-Terraformer.com and Medium. I’ve begun monetizing my Medium content, but I still make sure to share free links when possible. Some people weren’t thrilled when I posted paywalled Medium content on LinkedIn, so I made sure to also host my articles on my own site for free.

I’ve been debating hosting my blog on Azure Static Websites. My buddy Rod convinced me to try it, since it offers free HTTPS with custom domain, something that Blob Storage doesn’t natively provide without Front Door. I originally dismissed the idea, but the built-in SSL support is a major win. Paying $30 a month just for Front Door to sit in front of my Blob Storage blog feels ridiculous.

Terraform Course and What’s Next

After getting a ton of requests from my channel, I finally launched my Terraform Udemy course for beginners. I designed it like I would if I were sitting next to you, walking through Terraform in real time. It’s about eight and a half hours long — much shorter than the 20-hour courses out there — because Terraform is a simple tool at its core. Complexity comes from the configurations across different cloud services, which is what I tend to focus on in my other content. The course covers core concepts like observability, Key Vault, and virtual networking. I plan to add content on Azure AD and the AzAPI provider soon. If you’ve already purchased it, you’ll get the new sections for free. The course is also available on Udemy for Business, so check if you have access through work.

I’ve also been contemplating an AZ-104 course but with a twist — an Automation Engineer’s Edition. Instead of just walking through the portal, I’d emphasize how to automate everything with Terraform. I don’t know if there’s a market for it, but it’s the kind of course I’d want to take myself and it’s something I’d want people on my team to take.

Events, Podcasts, and What’s Coming Up

Lately, I’ve been making the rounds on podcasts and live events. I had a fun AWS vs. Azure game show with Matt Bonig — spoiler alert, he won. I also made appearances on Code to Cloud with Kevin Evans and Technology and Friends with David Giard, who I met at CodeMash. Speaking of CodeMash, it was a great event, even if I did stay out too late drinking bourbon the night before my 8 AM talk. I submitted proposals for HashiDays London and Singapore and am hoping to get accepted. HashiConf 2025 is in San Francisco, and I’ve submitted talks for that as well. I’m still waiting to hear if I’ll be selected as a HashiCorp Ambassador for 2025, so fingers crossed. No idea when they’ll announce, but I’ll be bummed if I don’t get it.

As for the channel, I’d love to hear from you. What are you struggling with? What problems do you want me to tackle? In the absence of feedback, I’ll just keep shooting the breeze and talking about whatever I find interesting. Expect to see more Azure Functions, private networking deep dives, and maybe even a series unboxing Azure Verified Modules. I don’t use prebuilt Terraform modules much myself — I usually write my own — but I know a lot of people are interested in them, so I might start covering them.

Wrapping Up

That’s where things stand in March 2025. Thank you so much for supporting me, my writing and my content. Your support means the world to me, and I truly appreciate it. Let me know what you’re working on and what you’d like to see next.