GCORE, Mormon Churches & PeeringDB - Isabel "Izzy" Odida | Coffee Pump (E122)

Konnichiwa, We recorded this episode at AfPIF 2026 in Kigali, and my guest is Isabel Odida, better known as Izzy, Peering Manager at Gcore and VP of Peering DB. She's Ugandan, based in Dubai, and looks after peering strategy across more than 210 points of presence globally. She also insists her story isn't that interesting, which you'll see is nonsense about four minutes in. We get into: – What a CDN actually does, and me pitching her our Mombasa data centre live on air – Why her entire job is getting things for free, and why that's harder than selling – Doing university and college at the same time, six days a week, no social life – Teaching kids at church for six years, and the day she walked away from it – Building a functioning ISP in one week at AFNOG – Being hired as a CTO with no IoT experience and learning it on the job – Two years running an NGO, and what happens if you underspend the budget – Sitting in rooms with the people who wrote the internet's foundations – Why the industry robbed her of ever being a soft girl – The Peering DB problem I raised on air, and the fixes she started taking notes on – Her advice to women coming into this industry now Huge thanks to AfPIF and the African IXP Association for hosting us and setting up the guests. Hope you enjoy the episode. Best, Team Coffee Pump Order Our Coffee and Wallpapers: https://wa.me/c/254707696969 Our Coffee and Tea Is live! Order from our website: https://coffeepumppodcast.com/shop Join Our Membership and get access to videos early: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkZKGnWZWb-S9wJdz9IGDTw/join Support The Channel: MPESA: 0707 69 69 69 Pay Bill: 542 542 Account Number: 069 420 Recorded at AfPIF 2026, Kigali, in collaboration with: - Africa Peering and Interconnection Forum: https://www.afpif.org - African IXP Association: https://www.af-ix.org Find Isabel (Izzy) Odida: - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/isabel-izzy-odida-87010132/ - Photography: https://www.instagram.com/theworldthroughizzyseyes - Gcore: https://gcore.com Find our host Sajid Vayani: - Linktree: https://linktr.ee/sajvayani Coffee Pump Spotify, Apple and Socials: - Linktree: https://linktr.ee/sajvayani Disclaimer: The content of The Coffee Pump Podcast is intended for entertainment and informational purposes only. The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed by the hosts and guests are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Coffee Pump Podcast, its affiliates, or any associated entities. Nothing discussed in this podcast should be construed as professional advice in any field, including but not limited to legal, financial, medical, or business matters. Any statements made about businesses, products, or individuals are based on personal experiences and opinions and are not meant to be taken as fact or a definitive review. The Coffee Pump Podcast does not assume any liability for the accuracy, completeness, or consequences of using the information discussed. Listeners are encouraged to form their own opinions, conduct their own research, and seek professional guidance where appropriate. By listening to this podcast, you acknowledge that The Coffee Pump Podcast is not responsible for any actions or decisions made based on the content provided. Timestamps: 0:00 – Intro 0:57 – Eyesight Problems 3:43 – Peering & Content Delivery Networks 9:05 – Izzy's Background, Upbringing, Education & Religion 19:23 – Izzy's IT Genesis & Joining AFNOG 28:17 – Internet of Things (IoT), IETF & Izzy's Business Development Journey 37:47 – Izzy Working at Fontes Foundation 42:30 – Izzy Joining Gcore 49:07 – UGNOG, PeeringDB & Licensing 57:03 – Utalii & the African Story 59:48 – Izzy's Parting Shots & Message to Women 1:02:42 – Outro