Week 2 Recap of Headstarter SWE Fellowship ✅💻
Monday, July 29th: CEO Yasin Ehsan & Sajjaad Khader🚀
We kicked off week 2 of the Headstarter AI fellowship with an inspiring talk by Sajjad Khader. He shared invaluable insights on personal branding for software engineers, emphasizing the importance of defining your brand, consistency, leveraging multiple platforms, and engaging with your audience. Sajjaad shared game-changing insights on personal branding for software engineers. He emphasized the critical steps to creating a strong personal brand in the tech industry:
1️⃣ Define Your Brand: Make your expertise stand out and consistently share valuable content.
2️⃣ Consistency & Passion: Keep your posts regular and fueled by genuine enthusiasm.
3️⃣ Multiple Platforms: Begin with short-form content platforms like Instagram reels, TikTok , and YouTube Shorts, then broaden your reach.
Tuesday, July 30th: Insights from Jack O’Brien 💡
On Tuesday, we had the opportunity to learn from Jack O’Brien, a former Google software engineer and CTO of an A16z-backed startup. Jack shared his journey of building a successful product, highlighting the importance of creating something cool, leveraging your network, promoting widely, and choosing the right tech stack. Faizan Ahmed also showed us how to approach company founders through Y Combinator, adding valuable insights into networking and startup growth.
Wednesday, July 31st: Rachid and Panora.dev — Open Source & YC Talk
Unlocking Success: Exclusive Insights from Rachid on Panora, YC, and AI Tools 🚀
In a recent, electrifying meeting with Rachid, attendees were treated to a wealth of knowledge that went beyond the ordinary. For those who stayed until the end, they got an unexpected bonus — confidential insights into Panora and the exact emails that helped Rachid secure a spot in Y Combinator (yes, the legendary YC!). Unfortunately, those golden nuggets had to be edited out of the recording, but the rest of the session was packed with value. 💡
AI Tools: Game-Changing or Overhyped? 🤔
Rachid kicked off the discussion by diving into the practical applications of AI tools in software development. He highlighted how AI can be a lifesaver when it comes to understanding large codebases, especially after significant updates or when you’ve been away for a while. Imagine being able to instantly grasp what’s changed without spending hours in meetings or poring over documentation. Sounds like a dream, right? Well, Rachid assured us that AI is making this a reality. ✨
However, he didn’t hold back from sharing the limitations. When it comes to more complex coding tasks, these tools can be a bit shaky. “If you’re just tweaking colors or backgrounds, AI tools are great. But once you dive deeper, especially into more nuanced coding tasks, they start to fall short,” he warned. It’s clear that while AI can reduce grunt work, it’s not ready to replace skilled engineers just yet. ⚠️
Cloud AI vs. GPT-4: The Ultimate Showdown 🥊
Rachid also touched on the ongoing battle between cloud-based AI tools and GPT-4. Spoiler alert: he’s leaning towards cloud AI — especially the premium versions. According to him, they’re far superior when it comes to coding capabilities. If you haven’t tried them yet, you might want to consider upgrading. Your code could thank you! 💻
The Power of Persistence: From Algeria to Y Combinator 🌍✉️
What really stole the show was Rachid’s backstory — how he went from growing up in Algeria to landing a coveted spot at Y Combinator. He shared how relentless networking and strategically crafted emails opened doors that once seemed unreachable. The takeaway? Never underestimate the power of a well-timed, thoughtful email. 📧
Rachid’s Final Thoughts: Community, Connection, and Continued Learning 🌱
Before signing off, Rachid expressed his gratitude for the vibrant community and encouraged everyone to keep pushing forward. His willingness to share his LinkedIn and email for further questions showed just how committed he is to fostering growth and collaboration. “If you need to reach out, you have my contacts,” he said, wrapping up the session with warmth and generosity. 🤝
This meeting wasn’t just another industry talk — it was a masterclass in leveraging AI, the importance of persistence, and the value of community. If you missed it live, don’t worry; the recording (minus those top-secret details) is available. But remember, the real magic happens when you engage live. Don’t miss the next one! 🌟
Thursday, August 1st: Week 2 Pathways2Tech Event🌟💼
Highlights from the Pathways to Tech event:
Dennis Crowley — Co-Founder of Foursquare ($150M Revenue) ✨
-A good software engineer should be a self-starter, willing to fill in the gaps and get creative without needing detailed specs.
- Building a startup’s success hinges on having a team that collaborates well and creating an emotional connection with users. Hire enthusiastic team members gradually to maintain momentum.
Tariq Ahmed — First Engineer at AppLovin ($30Bn IPO) 🤖
- AI is a powerful tool but cannot replace creative and proactive engineers.
Effective software engineers must collaborate with various teams, understand customer needs, and stay updated with new technologies.
- Embrace uncertainty and adapt; perseverance is key even when the path isn’t clear.
- Imposter syndrome affects everyone but can drive continuous self-improvement.
Julian Alvarez 🚀 — CEO of Wisdolia (ex-Meta SWE, $20K+ MRR) 💡
- The only real failure is the failure to learn. Acknowledge mistakes and grow from them.
- Be scrappy and resilient but prioritize your health: eat nutritious foods, sleep well, stay hydrated, and exercise.
- Potential is defined by who you want to become, what you want to create, achieve, and give.
Hamza Ali — CoFounder & CEO of Olostep 🌟
- Always keep learning and improving yourself.
- Interpersonal skills are crucial for maintaining a positive team atmosphere and can be a key factor in getting hired.
Adaptation and continuous learning are essential in the ever-evolving tech landscape. The event was a profound reminder that passion, perseverance, and continuous learning are the essential ingredients for success in the tech industry. I appreciate the invaluable advice and life lessons shared.
Saturday, August 3rd: Become a 1% Software Engineer — Headstarter SWE fellows meetup in NYC
Headstarter hosted an IRL meetup with the SWE fellows and speakers including Sajjaad Khader, Farzaan Aleem, Helal Chowdhury, Nabihah Ahmad, and Nabeel Alamgir🦄.
Nabeel Alamgir — CEO of LunchBox, Raised $100M VC, CUNY Alum
Sajjaad Khader — SWE ||| at Splunk, IG 230K Followers, BA+MS in CS, Georgia Tech
Nabihah Ahmad — SWE Intern Microsoft, CEO of SSQRD, CS Senior at Columbia
Helal Chowdhury — Senior SWE at Bloomberg, 8x Hackathon Winner, CSE @ NYU
Farzan Aleem aka Farzy — “lifewFarzy,” 5M TT/IG, Founder of Viralvinny.ai, DaPaul University
Faizan Ahmed — Co-Founder of Headstarter, Ex-Amazon, Bloomberg, BS + MS in CS St. John’s University
Recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cxq4_Oqts0U
Track B Lead: Angelica, AI Researcher at Stanford
Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mnDvwWhImjQ
From Italy to Silicon Valley: Angelica’s Journey as an AI Researcher at Stanford
Angelica’s journey from Italy to becoming an AI researcher at Stanford is nothing short of remarkable. During a recent session, she shared insights that every aspiring entrepreneur and tech enthusiast should hear.
Background and Journey: Angelica’s path to Silicon Valley wasn’t straightforward. She hustled her way into the tech world, starting from Italy, moving through Spain and India, and finally landing in San Francisco, backed by a sponsorship from the CEO of Intercom. Her persistence and strategic networking, including cold outreach on LinkedIn, played a critical role in her success.
The Power of Startups: Angelica highlighted why startups are an ideal environment for learning and growth. With fewer people, you’re exposed to the full spectrum of business operations, allowing you to learn quickly and have a significant impact. She contrasted this with her experience in large companies, where roles can be more siloed.
Key Takeaways:
- Networking: Angelica emphasized the importance of warm introductions over cold emails and suggested offering genuine value when reaching out.
- Passion and Alignment: She stressed that in the intense startup environment, it’s crucial to be obsessed with the problem you’re solving. Aligning personal goals with the startup’s mission is key to success.
- Data-Driven Decisions: Avoid relying on gut feelings or narratives — use data to drive your decisions, especially in startups, where the stakes are high and the paths are often counterintuitive.
- Entrepreneurial Spirit: Being proactive and developing clear communication skills are essential for anyone looking to thrive in a startup environment.
Building a Biological Computer: Currently, Angelica is working on a groundbreaking project at Founders Inc. to build a biological computer, using real neurons instead of artificial neural networks. This innovative approach has the potential to revolutionize AI, and her startup is already making strides in this space. Angelica’s story is a powerful reminder that persistence, passion, and strategic networking can open doors to incredible opportunities. Her insights offer a roadmap for those looking to make their mark in the tech world.
Sunday, August 4th: Inventory Management Project — Stock Sentinel 🌐
Built my inventory management tracker: Stock Sentinel! 🚀 It’s packed with easy-to-use add & remove features to help you effortlessly keep tabs on your inventory. Built with Next.js, React, MaterialUI, and Firebase, and deployed on Vercel — this tool is as powerful as it is simple! 💼🔍
Honestly, I really struggled with this project but managed to get a basic version of it done and I intend on coming back to this sometime soon to improve the quality of it. Read my linkedin post about my journey of working on this project below:
Vercel: https://stock-sentinel-final.vercel.app
Github: https://github.com/M1RZAB4IG/stock-sentinel
Reddit post: https://www.reddit.com/r/myHeadstarter/comments/1em8y05/project_2_mirza_mohammed_baig_difficult_6/
We also had weekly assignments: 💻
- Networking Assignment: Reach out to an SWE on Linkedin✅
- AI Mock Interview: DSA Problem on Arrays & Hashing with an AI version of Aidan Ouckama✅
- Giving Project Feedback to Fellows on their Week 2 Portfolio Projects✅
- Team Project Gameplan: I met with my team (Abdurrahman Habeeb, Kamrul Tarafder, Vien Tran) and we discussed plans for our final project✅
- Attend Pathways2Tech event and share insights on linkedin ✅
- Meetup with fellows in your locality: I met with headstarter fellows throughout the week at my local community center✅
Huge shoutout to Yasin Ehsan 🚀, Faizan Ahmed, Sajjaad Khader and the entire Headstarter AI team for empowering us to forge a thriving community of tomorrow’s tech leaders! 💡🤝
#Headstarter #SoftwareEngineering #SWE #Fellowship #Tech #ComputerScience #CS
