Kubegrade

Kubegrade helps enterprises tame Kubernetes sprawl.
We automate upgrades, maintenance, and compliance across clusters, so platform teams stay in control while developers move faster.
Unlike dashboards that only observe issues, Kubegrade turns raw cluster data into actionable pull requests—reducing toil, cutting costs, and giving enterprises a safer, more scalable way to run Kubernetes.

Founder and CEO

Next Big Wave

A podcast for founders, by founders in Southeast Asia

Podcast Host

TendoPay

TendoPay is the leading employee benefits provider in the Philippines
I manage the growth teams including a digital marketing team for our B2C user base and a sales team for our B2B users.

Co-Founder / CCO [Acquired - Tonik Bank]

Buko Ventures

Value-add angel funding for Philippines startup founders.

Investor

DotYeti.com

Investor [Acquired]

Iterative

Venture Partner

500 Startups

I advise startups in SEA on their growth strategy with a focus on building and scaling their sales process ass well a hone in on their digital marketing strategy.

Mentor

Candy Banners

Acquired by Native Touch. 
Candy Banners is a digital production studio that builds awesome online ads.

Co-founder / CEO [Acquired - Native Touch]

Stinson Design

Acquired by Vimont Holdings.
Stinson Design is a presentation design agency that services clients around the world from startups to global brands.

Founder / CEO [Acquired]

Centre Financier International Montréal

Financial Analyst

3x Exit Founder • I help B2B founders in Southeast Asia • Book a free growth consultation with me • Grew last company to $5m+ ARR • 15+ years of growth leadership 🚀

Hey there! I’m a serial entrepreneur with 3 exits under my belt. 

I’m currently working on Kubegrade, a Kubernetes cluster upgrade tool.

Through all my ventures the key to success has always been to bring maximum value to my clients and building long lasting relationships. 

My passion for client success is equally matched with my love for travel and extreme sports. 

You can find me playing chess, riding motorcycles, diving or kitesurfing the beautiful beaches of Southeast Asia.

Tim Grassin

KubeCon ATL just wrapped, and my notebook is full.

Not from vendor pitches. From the conversations that restored my faith in this community.

After years of complexity complaints and burnout stories, something shifted at KubeCon 2025.

The energy was different. Electric, even.

What actually stood out:
The Agentic Revolution Nobody Saw Coming

Twelve months ago, we launched Kubegrade with AI agents managing clusters. People called us crazy. "You can't automate that level of decision-making."

This week? Every third conversation was about agentic workflows. Teams are finally realizing that senior engineers shouldn't be babysitting YAML files.

One platform lead from a Fortune 500: "We went from 3-week upgrade cycles to 3 hours with agents handling the grunt work."

Community Over Competition

Met a competitor's engineering team at the afterparty. Instead of awkward silence, we spent 2 hours sharing horror stories and solutions. Their lead engineer: "Rising tide lifts all boats, right?"

That's the Kubernetes community I fell in love with.

The Validation We Didn't Expect

Being first movers in agentic cluster management felt lonely. We questioned ourselves constantly. Were we too early? Too ambitious?

Walking the expo floor, I counted 12 companies now building agent-based solutions. Not copycats - genuine innovation from teams who get it.

One CTO pulled me aside: "You guys showed us this was possible. We're all following your lead."

That made me smile.

Real Engineers, Real Solutions

The best part? Engineers are done with bandaid fixes. They want fundamental change. Agentic workflows aren't just trendy - they're becoming the standard.

Teams are deploying agents for:
• Automated compatibility checking
• Intelligent resource optimization  
• Predictive failure prevention
• Self-healing clusters

This isn't AI hype. It's engineers taking their weekends back.

The Human Element Remains

Despite all the automation talk, the community spirit was stronger than ever. Late-night debugging sessions turned into impromptu meetups. Vendor booths became collaboration hubs.

Technology evolves, but the Kubernetes community's willingness to help each other? That's the real superpower.

My biggest takeaway:

We're not just building better tools. We're building a movement.

The shift to agentic workflows isn't about replacing engineers. It's about unleashing them to do what they do best - innovate.

Seeing the entire community embrace what we pioneered? That's worth more than any booth or keynote.

To everyone who stopped by to share their agentic journey - thank you. You reminded me why we started Kubegrade.

The future of Kubernetes isn't just automated. It's collaborative, innovative, and more human than ever.

I also enjoyed being able to work and hang out with my co-founder Caleb Fornari whom I had not seen in person since we embarked on this Kubegrade journey!

#KubeCon #Kubernetes #CNCF

Kubernetes without the complexity. Developer visibility, platform guardrails. Works with EKS, AKS, GKS, Rancher and more.

Anyone heading to #KubeCon Atlanta this week?

Would love to grab coffee and chat Kubernetes horror stories (or success stories if you have those).

I'll be there Tuesday through Thursday, mostly hanging around in Building B.

Hit me up if you want to connect in person — always fun putting faces to LinkedIn profiles.

Who else is making the trip? 👇

KubeCon ATL update: Our sweaters are apparently too good.

Multiple people have stopped me asking where to get our Kubegrade swag. Problem is, we don't have a booth this year.

But I hate saying no to engineers who appreciate good merch.

So here's the deal:

Find me wandering around the exhibition center

OR

Comment "swag" below and connect with me here.

I'll ship you one of hoodies directly. No booth needed.

Yes, I'm literally taking swag requests on LinkedIn and shipping from our Singapore office. My co-founder thinks I'm insane.

But honestly? Meeting engineers who get excited about developer tools is worth the shipping costs.

Plus, our hoodies are ridiculously comfortable. Ask anyone who's grabbed one.

If you're at KubeCon, come say hi. I'm the guy frantically taking notes on every Kubernetes horror story I hear.

If you're not here, drop "swag" below. First 50 get priority shipping.

Who's ready for some actually comfortable conference merch? 👇

#kubecon

It was October 2022 and I was at cross-roads with life 

I didn't want to return back to 9-5, because something needed attention

I wasn't ready to continue in IT or coding anymore....tech felt costlier than my salary

Thats' when I took a career-break in 2023, learnt Content Writing from YouTube and got my first client on Linkedin (international) after optimizing my Linkedin profile (hadn't even started posting). 

In October 2024...I'd grown and found a marketer inside me.

By now, I was
- Writing B2B blogs and articles that rank on Google
- Generating inbound leads on Linkedin for my clients
- Selling for a podcaster to generate 1.05 lakh revenue in My '25

I have worked across a wide range of industries: Logistics, Sustainability, Textile, Business Coaching (Manufacturing), E-Commerce, Podcasts, Pet Care, SaaS....(B2B & B2C)

The best things about me? I'm
- Professional
- Idea machine
- Pro Communication
- Strategic and systematic

The most important trait that my clients love about me - Honesty, Loyalty, and Genuineness.

“If your business is not on the internet, then your business will be out of business” (Bill Gates)

In today's competition, your business should "more than exist" online.

To outstand, your brand needs to SPEAK like a personality!

Check my portfolio to see my results (inbounds, ranking articles, lead conversions, strategies, and more)

Book a call with me and you will know me in-person. 


Don't settle with anything mediocre that the world is dominating with. I will help you standout with my professional and strategic delivery that engages with your audience!

Book a 1:1 call from my featured section!

I wish you a lovely and wonderful day!!

Shreyas Sharma

Content Writers often say…
“Getting paid 1RPW in Content Writing???
You hear that just in stories “

The truth?
I was offered 1.5 RPW for a webpage project….AGAIN!!

𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗮𝗰𝘁: I didn’t even pitch for it 
And yes, I asked a 50% advance upfront!

“Shreyas,howww?”
They were my existing clients last year
And I already wrote blogs for them at same prize

Some of my blogs still rank them #1 on Google
And they were amazed how I simplified tech topics

“So, how did they agree to pay you that good rate?”

This is what helps me seal this deal:
1️⃣ Engaging and creative writing style
2️⃣ Strong writing basics - formatting, frameworks...
3️⃣ Professional portfolio 
4️⃣ Original writeup
5️⃣ Visible results
6️⃣ Convincing samples
7️⃣ Impressive presentation 

The most important factor…
They had come to me with a proposal in June
To write for their US client at a rate below 1RPW

I rejected it upfront, then and there….
Now they knew my stand and standards

So when they approach me now
I know they are up for a good rate

That’s how writers set their standards 
And I learnt of these basics from Aastha K. in 2023 (not a promotional post btw)

How are you setting your standards in your industry?

Growth Strategist for Founders, Creators & Coaches | Generated ₹1Lakh Revenue in 1 Month for a Podcaster | Brand Strategist + Lead Generation + Sales + Content Strategy

Most LinkedIn experts would agree to this fact

Their best performing posts were also the worst in terms of calls and sales

At least Matt Barker confessed that in his last newsletter

And why I choose to write on this is because

It’s been nearly 2 years since I have been handling LinkedIn accounts for my clients

I was just 6 months down on this platform
When I came across a client with hardly 100 followers

When I started posting for him
I was dead serious and sincere 
The types you experience while learning 

- Every comment, overthought
- Every comment from the last day, tracked
- Every line of the post, over-reflected 

For 1 month, there was literally nothing 

The client couldn’t drop either, because he paid a simple amount

But then, I regretted to agree on that low prize

Because what followed the post with 12 likes and 150 impressions 

Were 3 inbounds…

Well, 1 was a compliment from an Australian
But the rest 2 were proper trade
Phone numbers exchanged…(and there was moreee....)

The point Matt was making in his last newsletter was:
Viral content feels great
Because it appeals to the masses

The post that sells and earns leads?
Often appeals to few and may not look glamorous

But then why people go so mad about viral?
As Matt said, since our ancestors, human brain is wired to

Social approval = Safety

So what would you choose on LinkedIn?

I hope you follow Matt Barker on LinkedIn….you will enjoy reading his posts

Is AI replacing humans?
I would say…Yes, it is!
But…

Only some of them

Last week, I was approached by a developing startup 

That’s building an AI tool for Social Media
The first question I asked them - what’s your USP?

Because the market is saturated with similar tools all over

I made it clear to them…if your tool can replace:
ChatGPT + Gemini + Canva + Claude + (few more)

It’s worth considering!

Because “let me be honest”…(I’m too honest sometimes 😂)

(𝗪𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗵 𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝗺𝗲 𝗮 𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗼𝗻𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼-𝗳𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿)

So my answer to AI tools replacing humans….?
It’s all about the basics….Market Research

This is what every business should know before they start:

1️⃣ 𝗧𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝗔𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲
➝ Who’s my target audience
➝ Why are they my target audience
➝ What’s their goal?

2️⃣ 𝗣𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗣𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁𝘀
➝ You may know every detail about your TA
➝ But without knowing what they struggle with
➝ Your services will fade in the market like the rest

3️⃣ 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺-𝘀𝗼𝗹𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗶𝘁𝘆
➝ Not just with features
➝ With SPECIFIC BENEFITS
➝ That’s promising, not just professional
➝ Make your prospects see their dreams

If I were to design a LinkedIn AI tool
The features I would feed would be

1. 𝗡𝗶𝗰𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝘂𝗱𝘆 (trends, challenges, keywords)
2. 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 (top competitors, ideas, format)
3. 𝗖𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗶𝘇𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 (like I’m testing my own)
4. 𝗜𝗻𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝘁 𝗖𝗹𝗮𝘂𝗱𝗲-𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝘄𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗿 (never used it though but heard a lot)

AI without humans? Just something boring
AI with human? As interesting as human
The point? Without a human innovation AI won’t work for you!

✨ Feel free to book me for a strategy call from my Featured Section

What will you choose of the two…
A North Star or a Shooting Star?

I know everyone will choose a shooting star
Because you get to ask your wish

But let me set the context and then you can choose again

A shooting star is visible for sometime in the sky
Bright, flashy, skips a heartbeat and then you just wish

A North Star, constantly shines bright in the sky
Yet people hardly notice until they are lost somewhere

When it comes to being visible on Social Media
I started posting on LinkedIn in 2024
But most of the times I would post and ghost every 3 months

Until now…
Since last 2 months, I’ve been posting every week 🧿 
That’s what reminds me of being a North Star

And here’s what it took me to realize consistency here:

1️⃣ 𝗖𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗣𝘂𝗿𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗲
↳ I brought clarity about the services I want to offer
↳ After handling multiple client profiles

2️⃣ 𝗩𝗼𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗖𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆
↳ I can write naturally in my voice
↳ Now ideas come naturally to me - No Copy Paste

3️⃣ 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗖𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆
↳ I know why am I posting, for whom I am posting
↳ I don’t comment much here unlike most creators
↳ My work load may sometimes limit me
↳ And yet, I manage to attract 1 inbound lead every week

4️⃣ 𝗣𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻
↳ I believe, I and LinkedIn were made for each other ❤️ 
↳ No matter if people validate me here or not
↳ I continue to post, especially since last 2 months 🧿

5️⃣ 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁
↳ I don’t post randomly
↳ I’m always secretly experimenting with format, photos...
↳ Something as a Personal Brandist I do for founders and coaches

So my request to everyone posting on LinkedIn
Focus on lasting the marathon

Not for numbers that will eventually leave you empty
But for visibility that will make your brand memorable

And for that you need a clear strategy

PS.
Still exploring your purpose and strategy on LinkedIn?
I’m here to help 😁 !

This One Shift Can Change the Way Your Clients See You

Connecting instead of Correcting.

We all work with clients with a generation gap
In how we differ to speak, think, or interpret.

When that happens…
Some of us instinctively try to educate them.

Which is important…
But it can also be a mistake…if….

Your intent is to change their mind…
Before you’ve understood it.

I realized this during a call with one of my clients.
We were using the same words
But with different context.

When I said “posting,” he thought it as a serious task.
So I asked, “What does posting mean to you?”

He said, “Making photos and text live.”
So I started using his terms, "live"
Until he naturally started using, "posting".

Then came “marketing.”
He would say, I don’t want marketing.

So I asked, “What does marketing mean to you?”
To him, it meant ads and all.
So I found his terminology - “Presentation”
That became our bridge.

Then I realized…
Trust is the fundamental of any business.
It comes from patient listening.

When you stop correcting your clients
And start connecting with them
They not only listen, they trust.

Because real communication is about stepping into other’s world

Until they feel safe enough to step into yours.

This is one way to present your business as professional!

Everyone talks about parenting.

But rarely about self-parenting

Lately, I’ve been coming across so many parenting posts by coaches.

But very few talk about 𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳-𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴, the foundation of it all.

Because truth is...
𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘁𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳-𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴.

“Wait…are you a certified parenting coach or something Shreyas?”

I know that’s the first question coming 😂 
And the answer? 
Noooooooo…..BUT....

I once met a dead-end in life
A point in life where I realized I’d been neglecting myself for years.

So I faced it courageously to build myself 

Not just through “tools”, “concepts” or a coach.
But through raw self-honesty.

The harsh truth of life?
Sometimes you have to face your own parent….like a parent.

That’s when I realized…
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝘆 𝘆𝗼𝘂’𝘃𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳 𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗱
𝗜𝘀 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗲𝗹𝘀𝗲

If your inner child is unheard
You’ll keep repeating those wounds externally.

Without self-parenting…
it’s like a child pretending to parent another child.

The good news?
It’s never too late to begin the healing journey!

Do you recognize your inner child?
~~~~~~~~
✍ I love writing on self-development
😊 If you’re a coach from thisniche...I'll be happy to help

Posting on LinkedIn shouldn’t be like talking to the walls

(Unless you just use LinkedIn for journalling)

It's okay to regularly post on LinkedIn
Despite people not talking to you

But mind you….LinkedIn is a marketplace!
It’s actually meant for $$$

I have personally witnessed these victories here:

- 𝗙𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝘆 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗮𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝗯𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 (𝗪𝗲𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘃𝗲𝗿.𝗰𝗼𝗺)

- 𝗘𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗻 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝗮𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗺𝘆 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 (𝗡𝗼 𝗗𝗠𝘀)
 
- 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗕𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗜𝗻𝗯𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗕𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗖𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀
 
- 𝗦𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝘄𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗶𝘂𝗺 𝘄𝗲𝗯𝗽𝗮𝗴𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮 𝗝𝗮𝗶𝗽𝘂𝗿 𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆 𝘄𝗵𝗼𝗺 𝗜 𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗱 
 
- 𝗚𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 50 𝗼𝗿 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝗯𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗺𝘆 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲 (𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗺𝘆 𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗼 𝘁𝗼𝗼)
 
- 𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝗳𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘁 10+ 𝗼𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘀 


Can you see the scope?
What works for me, might work for you too, which is:

1️⃣ 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗽 𝗖𝗼𝗽𝘆 𝗣𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗢𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿'𝘀 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁

2️⃣ 𝗜𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗨𝗻𝗶𝗾𝘂𝗲 𝗩𝗼𝗶𝗰𝗲 & 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆

3️⃣ 𝗪𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗱𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗕𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗨𝗦𝗣𝘀

4️⃣ 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝗶𝗱𝗲

5️⃣ 𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗬𝗢𝗨𝗥 𝗢𝗻-𝗙𝗶𝗲𝗹𝗱 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗶𝘀𝗲

Your posts should talk to people
Make them feel you are talking to them

Just those cool selfies and photos??
Nahhh! Don’t fall for that trap!!

Just be as realistic
Showcase your expertise
Aim for an approachable leadership

Then people will come and talk to you on DMs…you’ll see

Because Likes won’t pay your bills
The right strategy would!

And if you need help, check my featured section :)

taplio

The Battle

Tim Grassin

Shreyas Sharma

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance ScoreTim Grassin's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreShreyas Sharma's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

taplio

The Battle

Tim Grassin

Shreyas Sharma

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Tim Grassin's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreShreyas Sharma's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

Performance ScoreTim Grassin's LinkedIn Performance