Episode Details
Back to Episodes
BBT #25 | From A&T to Georgia Tech: Why Great Engineers Put People Over Work — Wesley Grammer
Description
Another guest in the building — and this one hits close to home.
We sit down with Wesley Grammer, an engineer whose path runs through North Carolina A&T and Georgia Tech, to get into the parts of the career they don't put in the orientation packet. Wesley walks us through his journey — how his education shaped him, why he pivoted from mechanical engineering to electrical and computer engineering, and what he's learned bouncing between corporate and startup cultures.
But the heart of this one is people. Wesley gets into self-sufficiency, community care, and why the best engineers — and the healthiest careers — put people over the work. He and the guys get into what A&T and HBCUs really teach about looking out for each other, why the community and the opportunities there are worth more than any ranking, and how that foundation shows up years later in how you build and how you lead.
We close on the hard part: navigating a landscape that keeps shifting under your feet. Wesley makes the case for leaning on your faith, chasing your actual passions, and refusing to measure your life against somebody else's timeline.
If you came up through an HBCU — or you're just trying to build a career that doesn't cost you your humanity — this one's for you.
00:00 Introduction to Black Box Theory Podcast
02:17 Introducing Wesley Grammer
04:01 Wesley's Career Journey and Educational Background
09:30 Pivoting from Mechanical Engineering to Electrical and Computer Engineering
18:22 Differences in Corporate and Startup Cultures
30:25 Impact of A&T on Engineering and Work Approach
35:23 The Value of Community and Opportunities at A&T
42:34 Personal and Professional Impact of A&T
50:12 Navigating the Evolving Landscape
We are not financial advisors, tax professionals, or legal experts. We're sharing our personal perspectives and deconstructing these industries in real-time, but none of this is professional advice. Always do your own due diligence and consult with qualified professionals before making major moves. We're learning out loud — join us, but the plays you make are your own.
Subscribe: @BlackBoxTheoryPod
Instagram & TikTok: @blackboxtheorypod
Email: blackboxtheorypod@gmail.com
All platforms: linktr.ee/blackboxtheorypod
New episodes every week.