twomoonsbysurf

I know a former Amazon Engineer. After working at Amazon as a mid level engineer, co-founded his own startup in Mexico, as CTO.

It's a startup... titles in a 50 people organization don't compare to 50,000 people organization titles.

I'm sure you can go and be a VP at a startup too, if that's what you want to do. Just go and network at Incubator, Investor, & Entrepreneur events/meetups/organizations, and come up with an idea & customers, then execute and try to get customers on board... rinse and repeat.

Have intentional gratitude.

In the morning, say 5 things you are grateful for.

Imagine how you can be grateful and happy with what you currently have. Rather than wanting something else. Try to do away with your wants: stop wanting more. Take notice of what you have.

FIRST:

Best resource:

https://www.bls.gov/careeroutlook/2019/article/wages-and-ope...

Now... The answer to your question is a simple equation which has been written numerous times around the internet, in various forums. But I'll chart it out here, yet again.

First define your goal. Looks like you've already done that.

Programming is just a tool. And so, as a tool, it can help you build various things and a career along the lines of the ones you've mentioned.

Such as skills in: full stack web app dev. Full stack Phone App dev. data science. Web or Network Security.

Either way-- Whether you become a web app developer or some other technical role-- The following still applies:

- Build projects (A. Study how to make small projects via tutorials on Udemy.com / Youtube / www.Libgen.is books B. Extrapolate what you learn (such as writing functions and REST API + UI) Let's say you want to be a BUsiness Analyst (btw, what the heck does Business Analyst even mean, lol? I was a Business Systems Analyst for a bit-- guess what: I mostly did programming work >.< it was my first programming job and led to web dev) That said, lets say you want to do economic analysis of something... make that project into a case study. And now your case study is a 'project' you built. Now you can publish it on your website to get traction (i.e. market yourself).

- Publish your projects: to Github to show your code off, and link to those projects from your website (i.e. web portfolio -- look for web portfolio templates. For example, you can mostly copy and paste html/css from some of these (mix and match) https://bulmatemplates.github.io/bulma-templates/ <-- example of a css framework, this one is called Bulma).

- Create a LinkedIn Presence

- Start working: Don't worry about getting paid much especially if you don't yet have a strong, productive skillset. I started at a e-commerce website for $13/hr (In USA). I also did contract consulting work (in this case, accounting at $25/hr (In USA)). This allowed me to: A. Learn how to conduct business B. Grow my network Later I did digtial marketing at an IT security company. The CRM I used (Marketo) led me into other jobs because the skillset of using Marketo is in demand for marketers. That led me into a role as the business systems analyst I mentioned above. Which led into web dev -- which was my goal.

- Be willing to move: If you live somewhere without a burgeoning tech industry, you'll obviously have a higher probability of landing for your first jobs much more easily, if you move to a place which does have a burgeoning tech industry. Personally, I camped in a tent in the San Francisco bay area for 2 weeks, then couch surfed for 4 weeks because I was adamant about becoming a software developer. So, you might have to make some strategic sacrifices.

Other than that... Just go, sit down, and study and build and market yourself. That's all it takes: a strategy of studying, building, and marketing.

It is sad to see that folks put a company and its equity-holders first, before attending to their own lives outside of work. They put off their personal relationships and personal care activities (such as exercise, getting outside, various healthy activities away from a computer), and instead put that time into going above and beyond a 40 hour work week... and yet are barely (if at all) recognized for their efforts.

I am so glad to see people speak out about their experience, especially at companies which claim to uphold a certain set of values. Such as Amazon or Airbnb.

I recall at Twilio, I was emailed by an HR person ... from the email account of a Director of Engineering. An HR person impersonated a Director of Engineering in order to recruit and have a better chance of getting the attention of software engineers, to attempt to persuade those engineers to join their team.

Yet, one of Twilio's principles is/was "Transparency". Yet, there they were-- their HR people engaging in practices which are deceptive.

We must hold companies to their supposed principles, and to a reasonable expectation of professional ethics in general. \

Bravo, I say, to the author of this article.

No mention of Blackrock or private equity firms in general[1].

[1] "Investment Firms Aren’t Buying All the Houses. But They Are Buying the Most Important Ones"

https://slate.com/business/2021/06/blackrock-invitation-hous...

RV Parks?

I see RV rental spaces on Craigslist in the $400-700 range.

Super cool, looks great. Interesting to see you built it with Typescript.

I was wondering-- and I know this is a long story, but I am curious:

How does one go about building a PostgreSQL driver for NodeJS in Typescript?

How do you design and begin that sort of thing? What sort of knowledge resources did you rely on (i.e. documentation, other references)?

I googled 'database driver' to get a definition: "A database driver is a computer program that implements a protocol (ODBC or JDBC) for a database connection. The driver works like an adaptor which connects a generic interface to a specific database vendor implementation."

>almost always follow up with "“don’t do drugs, instead do what I tell you to do. Read my self help book or convert to my religion. My values are the best values.”"

Eh, it's a fine line that once crossed, you don't get to come back from.

I'm glad I stopped drugs when I did. If I could go back in time, I would have never had started doing drugs in my teenage years but unfortunately it was part of my family culture.

The problem with your advice is that it comes with the risk of grievous bodily harm. Not just to one's self, in the case of: if you're predisposed to mental health problems (such as schizophrenia, etc.) or physical health problems (such as heart palpitations or other heart problems), but potentially to other people: if you're using drugs and accidentally affect someone else negatively (physically or emotionally).

I think it's naive to encourage people to do drugs, as it speaks from a place of "Drugs have always been fun and good for me. Therefore they'll always be fun and good for you!" Much like the dogmatic philosophy you mentioned-- no offense, but you seem to be representing a similar dogmatic philosophy but at the other-side of the spectrum (of drug encouragement).

Also, investigating a drug does not in any way guarantee it will not traumatize you or negatively effect you (or others) forever.

Drugs have a high risk of being dangerous, hazardous, addicting, etc.-- that's why they're controlled substances.

I don't recommend it.

It is incredibly intense-- even traumatic. And there is no precise "dosing".

Stay away from all drugs. Drugs do not lead to enlightenment. They do not lead to some hidden knowledge. They throw your neuro-chemicals out of balance-- potentially forever if you're misfortunate.

Hallucinogens can affect you forever, negatievely, and never stop-- and there is no cure if they do, for example: "Hallucinogen-persisting perception disorder (HPPD) is a long-lasting and potentially permanent syndrome characterized by a spontaneous recurrence of perceptual/visual disturbances".

It is not worth the risk. You have only one brain-- don't tamper with its health and safety. Again-- there's no hidden knowledge there, no enlightenment. It's not worth it: put your focus on something valuable, productive, and safe.

Hahaha. As a Mexican, I find the American focus on racism so simultaneously hilarious and unnecessary.

In Mexico, we don't have clean water in our faucets. Electricity and the internet shuts off, randomly due to infrastructure problems or maintenance. And yet, we are humorous. We make fun of each other. And yes, this includes racial and cultural differences which we laugh at, in poking fun at each other, together. In England they might call it "taking the piss out of you". In Mexico, it's normal.

And yet in the US, there's not these "third world problems",

So the aspect of "simultaneously hilarious and unnecessary" I mention is regarding how people in the US, since they don't have "third world problems", they make their own problems to create drama about... I suppose so that they can feel some sort of relevance of a struggle.

In doing so, they reduce the capacity of dialogue, and they ruin and potential existence of Humor in a conversation -- because people are expected to walk on egg shells on certain topics.

It really destroys the fun in conversations when you have to worry about "oh my goodness, I am risking talking about something that's not politically correct! Someone who isn't actually related to the conversation content might pretend to be offended for the sake of some other non-existing-in-the-conversation person to show off their virtuous nature".

>It is conceivable to get paid $70+/h at Series A startups as an intern and $140-150k + 20-40k in options as a new grad.

conceivable? Sure. But what use is "conceivable"? I'd rather know what is "normal" i.e. common.

I think it's more pertinent to represent the median, than say the 80th-90th+ percentile.

For example, I almost interviewed with Vercel recently (accepted an offer from different company, instead of continuing to interview)-- Series D currently [1].

And sure-- this is only one datapoint-- but I think it still illumniates that $70+/h as an intern may be "conceivable" but I doubt it's "common"...

0-1 years of experience there at Vercel pays about $70k-$100k -- And that's in Boston / San Francisco. I would have expected more, given those locations.

Meanwhile, my first programming job was also about $100k, in San Jose, CA (4 months exp. before getting laid off). And then later, $80k on contract, fully remote (2 months on contract. Then got hired on salary by a different company at $105k, still 100% remote.).

Now I have about 3 years of SWE experience and making about $170k TC fully remote ($140k base plus some equity).

https://www.levels.fyi/company/Vercel/salaries/Software-Engi...

[1] https://vercel.com/blog/vercel-funding-series-d-and-valuatio...

[2]https://www.levels.fyi/company/Vercel/salaries/Software-Engi...

Indeed. People in literal prison stay fit this way.

Super cool. I want to see more legal tools for developers to improve workflow efficiency. As a developer I'm especially interested in finding free contracts I can use to create agreements with other developers to work on mutually-owned products/businesses together.

Also, I like the pricing page-- especially this approach: "Keep this low, early adopter price as new features are added." -- I'll keep this in mind for my own products, I think customers will appreciate being grandfathered in to low prices-- it's a win-win.

To the developer-- Do you have any advice for the following scenario: You invite another developer to work on your product, such as Magistrate. How do you go about ensuring legal compliance with that developer--

A. That they make the appropriate work contributions to obtain the agreed upon equity level. I.e. you worked 1600 hours on the product this year, they worked 400 hours. You've both logged these hours. In terms of the work, you offer 25% equity, but that's if they also put in the same amount of money you've put in (such as for various IT, marketing, administrative costs), as an example of: You retaining 75% equity and giving 25% equity to a partner.

B. That they respect IP protections of the product (i.e. they don't immediately go off and try to build a competitor)

Absolutely fascinating! This article really gives one a sense of 16th and 17th century relations between different European nations (Portuguese vs Dutch) & Japan, and mentions a couple exceptionally interesting folks (links below)

"The military ruler of Japan, Tokugawa Ieyasu, showed great interest in the Dutch ship, especially in the firearms it was carrying. Everything was confiscated and Joosten and Adams were ordered to Osaka and then to Edo, the center of power (present-day Tokyo), to be interrogated through a Portuguese interpreter."

"Their replies luckily proved to the liking of Ieyasu and the survivors were compensated for the losses they suffered in Usuki. Some of them started careers as traders and married local women. Their valuable know-how and understanding of maps, navigation, shipbuilding and warfare made William Adams and Jan Joosten popular with the ruler. It brought them land, money and titles."

..."The ruler had just started his campaign against Christianity due to the over-enthusiastic proselytising of Portuguese Jesuits threatening his authority, and the knowledge of the "red haired barbarians", as the Dutch came to be called, would prove useful. The protestant Dutch, whose first objective was trade and not the propagation of the Christian faith, had arrived and established their credibility just in time."

..."during the `sakoku-jidai`, the so-called seclusion period, Holland and China were the only countries permitted to trade and have limited contacts with Japan. It was a status which actually lasted over two centuries, from 1641 to 1853, and as the only western country with such privileges, Holland held a very special position."

..."A short time before, in 1602, the Dutch had founded the East Indian Company (VOC), the idea behind this being to unite many smaller trading companies into the one powerful organisation which would make it easier to acquire vessels and dominate the trading world. The VOC can be seen as the world's first shareholder company. "

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Adams_(pilot)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jan_Joosten_van_Lodensteijn

Interesting timeline of VOC Dutch East Indies Trading Company https://robertjprince.net/2015/04/14/dutch-east-indies-compa...

I do 3 packs currently:

- a 44 L osprey

- a 25 L dakine w/ 15” laptop sleeve

- a 2-3 L small pack... satchel. $10 here in Mexico.

Bought the last one recently for day hikes to hold water/keys/wallet/phone/small battery for charging phone.

Great for traveling & living abroad, 1 month+, while working remotely.

I carry the big one on back, midsize on front, and store smallest in the big one until I arrive at accommodations and am ready to go out for the day

Super inspiring OP! On VisaList, for example, it's great to see you've had your product picked up into the news by various publications.

Thanks for sharing your revenue/expense numbers.

- Do you have a blog/personal site?

- Do you have github/gitlab / other open source projects?

Just want to learn more about what ya do, and how ya do what ya do.

Yep. And Tinder seemed so useful just a few years ago. More recently, perhaps some management there has got together and changed to exactly the sort of strategy you speak of. I barely use it anymore.

But back in the golden days of Tinder... (say 7-8 years ago or so-- 2014ish) Tinder worked really well to deliver many matches. These days... very few matches compared to Bumble or Hinge for example.