3dub.net is a blog for anybody who shares an interest in the IT industry.  This blog, unlike many other IT related blogs, currently lacks focus.  This isn’t a blog specializing in network security, Windows administration, Linux administration, VoIP or any other possibility you could come up with.  Instead, this blog is more of a representation of the authors experiences in IT.  My career thus far has taken me down a path where I consider myself to be a “jack of all trades, master of some“, much like this blog – I lack focus.  I have a couple of niches that really pique my interest, namely VoIP and Security, but my career is still evolving.  As I sharpen my focus while I move forward, this blog will follow suit as well – but for now lets consider it my views on anything IT related.

Who is this guy?

My name is Mike Steinhilber.  I’ve been working with technology for 10 years.  What I really enjoy the most about working in IT is the rapid change that our industry experiences.  I enjoy learning new things, and I find that working with new technologies and products as they wander into the industry helps keep the job interesting and fresh.  I live in the Madison, WI area and have a wonderful son who never ceases to amaze me as I watch him grow up.

My Background

I have spent the previous 11 years working with technology in some way, the first 8 of those years were spent working the retail side of things with a local Wisconsin based corporation.  During this time I honed my troubleshooting skills and soft skills, later moving on to branch management roles as my time here progressed.  I enjoyed working in the retail market as I was able to work with a variety of organizations as I grew business to business relationship, everybody had a unique need and that provided a good variety to keep things interesting.

I ultimately decided to leave the retail world behind as my role continuously required 60-70 hour weeks, and as my wife and I were expecting our first child it made sense to venture in another direction so I could be there for my family.  In addition to my soon to be more demanding family obligations, my status as a full-time student was also difficult to maintain with the long hours in retail.  Fortunately, maintaining positive relationships with my clients at my retail gig paid off, and I was offered a position within the IT department of a real estate firm in Wisconsin.  I can’t say much has changed as far as the amount of time I devote to my career.  Rather than 60-70 hour work weeks strictly at work, I now put in a 40 hour week working and make up for the rest of that 60-70 hours I put in prior with my studies as I complete various industry certifications and pursue a Master’s degree at Western Governor’s University.

Connect with Mike

Feel free to use my contact form, or you may connect on LinkedIn.