Introducing SELECT* Podcast, Innovative Tech & Dev Topics
Tags: podcast, webdev, productivity, watercooler
Published: 2021-04-23 14:50:09

One of my favorite things about being immersed in the tech community is the _people_! I have connected with so many interesting and smart folks, some of which I’ve had conversations and built relationships with, while many others I’ve simply followed and learned from via blogging or social media. __This is what inspired HarperDB’s new tech podcast called [SELECT*](https://harperdb.io/company/podcast/?utm_source=devto), hosted by yours truly! The goal is to be another great resource for innovative technology and developer topics__. Official description: 

_The team at HarperDB is excited to bring you our new podcast, Select*. We will be featuring guests across a wide range of backgrounds and topics, with the goal of being your resource for coding tips, best practices, diversity and inclusion, product reviews, tech trends, jobs, and much, much more! We ain't your grandma's podcast, we can guarantee some fun and entertainment while we're at it! [Listen now](https://harperdb.io/company/podcast/?utm_source=devto), available wherever you listen to your podcasts (including Apple, Google, Spotify, YouTube, Stitcher, etc.)._ 
![Alt Text](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/ucflrfn7ipt5v1l6njw3.png)
It’s super fun and I’m able to have insightful conversations with some awesome people, learning about their journeys and gaining insights and tips that are helpful for our listeners. I’m excited to share a bit about our podcast and the conversations I’ve had so far, as you might find something useful or interesting for you! 🗣️ 🎧

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##Episodes currently available on SELECT*: 
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__[Episode 1](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VGlioD6g7E0&list=PLlgTMTKsypS4RAYUtEsvXOOnQiyRXRhCw&index=5): HarperDB Founder Story, Looking Back and Looking Ahead__

For our 1st episode, I interviewed two HarperDB Co-founders, [Kyle Bernhardy](https://dev.to/kylebernhardy) (CTO) and [Zach Fowler](https://dev.to/zaxharperdb) (CPO) on their founder story and journey to becoming startup innovators, along with looking at how far HarperDB has come and where we are headed. They also discuss other technologies they are excited about in the new year, as well as Kyle's rockin' plaid suite with matching shoes!

Questions in this Episode:
* Tell us a bit about your background, how you met / how the Harper team came together.
* What's it like going from a technical / dev background to management / founder?
* Talk a little bit about how far HarperDB has come…. What’s your favorite thing about HarperDB, what problems are you solving?
* Focus on future - where is HarperDB headed, main goals for 2021?
* Favorite programming languages? Other tools / technologies you're excited about?

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__[Episode 2](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QDkbZlKHTao&list=PLlgTMTKsypS4RAYUtEsvXOOnQiyRXRhCw&index=4): Building Apps in Node.js and Electron.js and the Power of Doodling__

In episode 2, I chatted with David Neal, known as the "ambassador of awesome and doodle-driven developer", about building apps in Node.js and Electron.js, as well as the power of illustrations! We covered the following topics:
* David's background and journey in the tech world (hint: he's been a full time dev and database nerd since the beginning of the Internet!)
* Building web apps or command-line apps with Node.js
* Building desktop apps with Electron.js
* Fun fact- drawing illustrations used for presentations and content

Listen now to gain some serious inspiration, and learn about how David helps other developers be more awesome.

_David Neal is a family man, musician, illustrator, software developer, and Microsoft MVP living in North Georgia. He currently leads Developer Relations at ActiveCampaign, runs on a high-octane mixture of caffeine and JavaScript, and is made entirely of bacon._

Twitter & Dev: @reverentgeek

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__[Episode 3](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kad-S-sUaNg&list=PLlgTMTKsypS4RAYUtEsvXOOnQiyRXRhCw&index=3): Tips for Code Newbies Across the Globe__

A panel-style discussion with two different perspectives: a self-proclaimed code newbie and a coding instructor! Mina is an aspiring Web Developer, self-learning CSS and Javascript. Shruti, Senior Engineer at Paypal, is on a mission to make JavaScript and GraphQL development easier. From Javascript, front end, and 100 days of code, to community, skills for the job hunt, and staying motivated - you won't want to miss this discussion. In this episode we covered:
* Share a bit about your journey, how did you get into tech/development?
* When getting started, how did you determine what type of developer you wanted to be, which languages or tech stack to start with?
* What are your main tips, dos, and don'ts, for code newbies? What's important to remember throughout the journey?
* What about jobs - is it important to know right away when you start coding what you want to do with your career? How can you differentiate yourself in such a competitive market?

_Shruti is a Senior Software Engineer on the Checkout team at PayPal and is passionate about teaching and sharing knowledge in JavaScript, React, GraphQL, and front-end technologies. She shares byte-sized javascript tidbits through her newsletter - JSByte: http://tinyletter.com/shrutikapoor. She is also an ardent #DevJoke fan._ 
Twitter & Dev: @shrutikapoor08

_Mina, from Sydney, Australia, is an aspiring Web Designer & Developer. She is self-learning CSS and Javascript and has a Youtube channel focused on web design and development, social media, and self-study tips for beginners._
Twitter: @Codeanddream

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__[Episode 4](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mj-DQwUAjII&list=PLlgTMTKsypS4RAYUtEsvXOOnQiyRXRhCw&index=2): Vets Who Code: Founder Story__

In this podcast interview, I was fortunate enough to get some airtime with Jerome Hardaway, an Air Force veteran who launched [Vets Who Code](vetswhocode.io). Vets Who Code is a veteran-led and operated charitable non-profit that focuses on training veterans in web development and software engineering principles free of charge, with the focus of starting careers as JavaScript developers and other roles in tech.

Jerome shares his intriguing and inspiring story of returning from the military without a clear path of what to do next, learning how to code, and eventually creating this much-needed organization that helps other vets in his similar position. Jerome is passionate about community, highly focused on his goals, and incredibly fun to talk to! Listen now to learn about Jerome, Vets Who Code, and ways to get involved.

Twitter & Dev: @JeromeHardaway
@VetsWhoCode

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__[SELECT* Episode 5](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bX4rxnB2uKI&list=PLlgTMTKsypS4RAYUtEsvXOOnQiyRXRhCw&index=1): Leadership Advice from a Senior Netflix Engineer__

This was a fun chat with Jem Young, Senior Software Engineer at Netflix. Jem started out at Netflix in UI and is now in backend/infrastructure. He shares a bit about what it's like working at a tech giant, imposter syndrome, the importance of communication in engineering, and tips for being a leader including what it's like managing an engineering team. Jem is inspiring, knowledgeable, and super easy to talk to!

@JemYoung

_Jem Young is a tall engineer at Netflix who loves dogs, reading, and clean code. He really enjoys working across the stack but his true passion lies in JavaScript and building a clean user experience. He believes that empathy is the key to building an effective UI and when he’s not at the gym or chasing his cat, you can find him hassling other engineers to write more tests._

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__Coming Up:__

I recently recorded a conversation with Debbie O'Brien (@debs_obrien), a Head Developer Advocate for Bit.dev and Nuxt.js ambassador with 10+ years experience in Frontend development. Debbie talks about her interesting journey into tech and across numerous roles, from leading a dev team into dev advocacy, and more! She shares a bit about her initial career shift and learning to code in just nine months, learning JavaScript, and then getting into Nuxt and React. Debbie shares insightful tips for people trying to get into similar Dev Advocacy roles, and talks about technology she's excited about this year.

Next on the calendar we also have time scheduled with @jamesqquick and a few other very special guests. [Stay tuned](https://harperdb.io/company/podcast/) for more great content, or follow our show [right here on Dev](https://dev.to/harperdbpodcast)! 


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_We would love to hear from you. If you have topic suggestions, would like to be a guest, or nominate a guest, don’t hold back! Comment below or reach out to podcast@harperdb.io anytime. Hope you enjoy listening and don’t forget to like, subscribe, comment, or whatever else you can do on those podcast channels.😁_