Hi, I'm Brandon Bieber
Breaking tech (and fixing it better). Smart homes, Home labs, and Hacker Brainwaves.
How It Started: My First Real IT Project
I’ve always been a “techy” person — the kind of guy who tweaks router settings for better speed or obsessively customizes the look and feel of my Mac. But for most of my life, tech was a GUI playground. My first real foray into IT — the deep end — started with one simple frustration: Alexa sucked.I wanted more control over my smart home, so I did some digging and discovered Home Assistant. At the time, I didn’t know anything about Docker or Linux distros, so I figured I’d run it on either a Raspberry Pi or a mini PC. I’d never touched a Pi before, so I ordered a cheap mini PC off Amazon and dove in.It was daunting. I had never even booted a Linux OS, let alone installed Ubuntu on bare metal. But I was determined. I flashed a live Ubuntu image onto a USB drive, booted into BIOS, and loaded it up. From there, I downloaded the image for Home Assistant OS and tried to install it directly onto the mini PC’s SSD.That’s when disaster struck.While flashing the drive, something went wrong — really wrong. I managed to completely nuke the SSD. Ubuntu couldn't even recognize it afterward. With zero clue how to recover a corrupted SSD (this was day one of my tech life, remember), I did what any reasonable person would do…
I returned it to Amazon.New mini PC in hand, I tried again — and this time it worked. I was hooked. I pulled up localhost:8123 and started configuring my dream smart home. That’s when things really took off.I learned:How to use HACS and add custom integrationsHow to automate Zigbee devices and build a responsive mesh networkHow to get ADB working with Alexa and Fire TVsHow to automate everything from dishwasher alerts to bedtime routines for my sonI mounted a touchscreen tablet at the front door, used YAML and Node-RED to trigger complex automations, and built routines for lighting, motion detection, weather changes, even rain-activated porch lights.This was my first real “taste” of IT — and it lit the fuse.Since then, I’ve:Earned my CompTIA ITF+ certificationMigrated my setup from a mini PC to a bare-metal Raspberry PiSet up an Ubuntu Server hosting Docker containers for things like AdGuard and PortainerUpgraded my entire network to support Wi-Fi 7Built a fully containerized home lab I now call The Bieber Hub
Career Transition & Job Search
After five years in the food industry — turning my passion for cooking into a full-time career — I found myself managing understaffed, high-pressure kitchens that left little room for creativity or growth. The spark that brought me into food began to fade.Then I discovered Home Assistant. What started as a side project quickly became a full-blown passion for automation, systems, and IT. I dove headfirst into Linux, built out my own home lab, and recently earned my CompTIA ITF+ certification. I’m currently studying for the A+ and expanding my skills every day.Now, at 32, I’m transitioning into a new career in tech — a field I genuinely love. My wife and I are relocating from Portland, OR to Peoria, IL this summer, and I’m looking for a remote or hybrid entry-level IT role I can grow into. Help desk, IT support, automation — I’m eager, resourceful, and ready to get started.I have a dedicated dual-monitor Mac setup, gigabit internet, and a rock-solid work ethic.
If you're looking for someone who’s self-taught, hungry to learn, and serious about tech — let’s talk.