In business settings, the path to Kubernetes often feels straightforward: choose a cloud provider, spin up a managed environment, and rely on a team to keep everything running. But what if you could build and run your own platform at home - one that’s self-managed, integrated into your local network, and still practical without round-the-clock attention?

In this talk, I’ll share my journey of experimenting with self-managed on-demand Kubernetes platforms at home, a mix of fun experiments, hard lessons, and a few happy rediscoveries (hello again, Proxmox!). You’ll see how I used GitHub for management, integrated Kubernetes with virtualization and my home network, and kept everything manageable without burning out.

You’ll leave with practical tips on:

• Bootstrapping platforms outside of big cloud providers
• Avoiding common homelab pitfalls
• Integrating Kubernetes with tools like Proxmox

Whether you’re curious about Kubernetes internals, exploring platform engineering beyond the cloud, or just tinkering with homelabs, this talk will give you practical takeaways and maybe spark ideas for your own experiments.