Every Journey Is Different: Matt Beran on Curiosity, Community, and the Power of Fixing Things
Every journey into tech is different. Some start out tinkering with hardware before they can even walk, while others stumble into a service desk role by accident. In this episode of Bytes and Banter, we’re reminded just how unique these paths can be—and how, no matter where we start, common threads often emerge.
Matt Beran is a familiar name and face to many ITSM leaders. He’s the host of the Ticket Volume podcast, a frequent speaker at industry events around the world, and one of the founding forces behind the Open Service Community (OSC). As Matt puts it, he’s “a curious guy with a passion for good systems, informed design, and building things that matter.”
In our conversation, Matt dives into the value of experimentation, trying new things, and designing meaningful service experiences. His background spans technical support, service desk leadership, ITSM consulting, podcasting, and community building.
But perhaps the most interesting part of Matt’s journey has nothing to do with technology.
Matt grew up in a small town in Minnesota, working side by side with his dad on the family farm—tools in hand, fixing tractors. That hands-on problem-solving laid the foundation for a career centered on empathy, experimentation, and service design.
Matt’s story is a powerful reminder that your background doesn’t define your limits—it gives you tools to build something better. Whether you started on a help desk, a farm, or somewhere in between, there’s value in looking back to see what shaped you—and how it continues to guide your work today.
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