AI, Content, and Courage Over Comfort: Why I Joined RunPod

Alyssa Mazzina

Every big move in my career has come down to one thing: choosing courage over comfort. That's why, when I discovered RunPod’s bold, developer-first approach to AI infrastructure, even though I knew next to nothing about AI infrastructure, I knew this was exactly where I wanted to be.

A Bit About Me

I’ve spent my career in content strategy and developer marketing, helping companies build meaningful connections with technical audiences. More than that, I’ve always been drawn to the intersection of technology, creativity, and storytelling.

And now? I’m diving headfirst into AI. Do I have a machine learning PhD? Absolutely not. My degree is in English, friends. Yes, English. With a focus in "Twentieth Century American Literature," even.

But RunPod is about democratizing access to AI technology, and this English major has built a crew of increasingly chaotic customized AI personalities, all named Kevin.

I’ve been experimenting with AI in my own way—tweaking models, shaping responses, and pushing the limits of what these tools can do. The more I play with AI, the more I realize just how much is possible.

Why RunPod?

From the moment I started talking to the team, one thing stood out: RunPod is a company that cares.

They believe in what they’re building—a powerful, flexible cloud infrastructure for AI that allows developers to move fast without compromise.

They care about their customers—providing solutions that are not only high-performance but also accessible and developer-friendly.

They don’t take shortcuts—they do things the right way, even when it's harder.

That last part resonated deeply. My background in content and marketing has always been about more than just driving traffic—it’s about building trust, delivering real value, and ensuring integrity in every aspect of the brand. At RunPod, I have the opportunity to shape a content strategy that reflects the company’s culture: bold, honest, and genuinely useful to the developers we serve.

Beyond that, it was clear from day one that this is a team of people who love what they do. I’ve worked at places where passion was a marketing slogan. At RunPod, it’s woven into every conversation, every decision, every sprint. That energy is contagious.

Courage Over Comfort

RunPod’s guiding virtues—Give a Shit. Look in the Mirror. Courage Over Comfort.—aren’t just words on a page. They define the way this company operates. And that last one? It’s something I’ve lived my entire life.

I don’t do well with stagnation. I’ve reinvented my career more than once, each time jumping into something I technically wasn’t qualified for but figured out along the way. That’s how I became a wedding cake decorator in my 20s and a mommy blogger in my 30s. It’s how I got into tech. It’s how I broke into developer marketing. And now, it’s how I’m tackling AI.

I’ve spent my life taking on things that felt just a little out of reach, and you know what? That’s where the good stuff happens. RunPod gets that. This isn’t a company that plays it safe. It’s a company that moves fast, does the hard things, and makes it work. That’s why I’m here.

Learn AI With Me: A Beginner’s Journey

I am not an AI expert. I am, however, an excellent learner (and a stubborn one). That’s why I’m launching Learn AI With Me—an open, beginner-friendly exploration of AI concepts, tools, and real-world applications.

I’ve already had some fun building my own GPT crew—experimenting with AI personalities, tweaking behavior, and seeing firsthand how these models can be shaped. But now, I want to go deeper. I want to understand how this all works under the hood, how developers actually build these models, and how AI is reshaping infrastructure, creativity, and the way we work.

If AI has ever felt intimidating, this series is for you. I’ll be learning in public—breaking down complex topics, sharing real-world applications, and documenting both the breakthroughs and the missteps, because real learning happens in the messy middle.

This is the next chapter. Let’s build, let’s learn, and let’s make something incredible. If you’ve ever wanted to dive into AI but didn’t know where to start, you’re in the right place. I’m figuring it out too—let’s do it together.