In the Making

Adam Braus is a man of many hats - engineer, entrepreneur, educator, and that's just the beginning. How did he successfully motivate himself to take on skills and achieve in so many areas? His newest book, Motivate: How to Defeat Distraction, Ignite Interest, and Secure Success (2021), is his answer.  In this season finale of In the Making, Braus returns to the show to discuss high-achieving productivity habits with Zain, and the two also delve into more questions such as follows: What can we do to create environments that motivate all of those in our organizations to accomplish more, rather than just those with inherent privileges? What challenges do leaders often face in motivating others, and what does the future of human organizations look like going forward? If you want to unlock the achievement of yourself and those around you, then this episode is for you!

Topics SJ Discussed: Meet SJ Lee SJ on Growing up in South Korea and Canada  SJ on His College Years and Growing a YouTube Channel SJ on His Journey into XR ⚡️Lightning Round ⚡️ Intro Welcome Maker Nation, my name is Zain Raza. I interview change makers and world shakers in the field of technology. And in this episode, I want to teach you the ways of the Force :) But seriously, my guest today is nonetheless very special SJ Lee. In this episode, I was blown away by the story of how SJ Lee became an SWE, and I hope for students you’ll be able to take a lot of lessons from SJ on how to enter the XR industry and give you a crystal ball of what happens after you get that first job after school. Connect w/ SJ Lee: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sangjunglee/

Introduction: Meet Ivan, Georgia Tech Computer Engineering and Finance Major Back end web development (robotics, web development, IoT) “Fastidious” is an understatement (Merriam-Webster) First, entered my life at 12 - moved from Shrewsbury → Grafton and joined our 7th-grade biology class? This podcast is all about bringing diverse together perspectives on technology, and I’m excited to share with you where Ivan's journey has led, and hope what we can share with the audience in terms of engineering and business is valuable to yours! Questions/Discussion Topics Where did your interest in technology come from? Georgia Tech - how did it change you? Why major in Finance? How do you like to learn (tons of technologies like Kubernetes, NodeJS, ExpressJS, etc.)? How did COVID-19 impact you? How has technology changed the landscape of finance? I’d love to hear more about your personal experiences in Motel Management, and applying your technical skills? Connect with Ivan: GitHub: https://github.com/izou3 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ivan-zou/ Book Recommendation: Rich Dad Poor Dad (1997) - overall guide on finance and wealth by Robert Kiyosaki: https://store.richdad.com/products/rich-dad-poor-dad-what-the-rich-teach-their-kids-about-money-that-the-poor-and-middle-class-do-not Ivan's Question: Where do you think technology is going in the next few years, and how will you make an impact on that progress?

In this interview we hear from Mayank, a Candian developer who specializes in tools such as the following: deep learning,  augmented reality,  brain-computer interfaces (BCIs), and more! "He's currently building an EEG system from scratch in the hopes of creating the first wide-spread BCI wearable. He's spoken about his work at multiple conferences, won countless hackathon awards, and used technology to drive innovation at various tech companies." (Mayank's Linkedin) Not impressed? If it were not enough to be at the very edge of computing as we know it, our friend Mayank also happens to be just like you and me: a college student.  Please enjoy this next installment of In the Making, as Zain and Mayank dive deep into what it takes to accelerate your learning in new technologies, tailor your experiences so you're taken seriously in the job hunt, and much more in terms of making the most out of both your technical skills, and your drive to make a positive change in the world. Resources: Mayank's Medium Blog: https://medium.com/@mayankj2112 Mayank's Linkedin (same as above): https://www.linkedin.com/in/mayankj2112/detail/contact-info/ Meet Mayank (intro video from TKS): https://youtu.be/UQiFeqUXx_4?t=543

Growing up in Salinas Valley, Nicolas never thought he would become a software engineer. In his first roles as a field worker, baker, and eventually a college student, he learned from his family and community the value of hard work, camaraderie, and education, and took on the ambitious CSin3 program to become a developer.  In this episode, Nicolas speaks with Zain about taking an accelerated program for students to gain a CS degree in 3 years, what's it like to develop on the Android platform, his most valuable teaching experiences, and more. I highly recommend this episode to inspire and level up the creator and educator in you! Meet Nicolas: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nlarafonseca/

What's it like to be a TA at Make School? Find out from the seniors in the Class of 2021! We'll go over: How to Become a TA What it's Like Why You Should Do It Why You May Not Want to Do it And more!

From the time she was little, Miriam always felt she was a little out of place. Growing up in an orthodox Jewish community, she wasn't like other girls - she loved to run, to explore, and most of all - to embrace the uncertain. She began self-teaching herself app development at 13, however things just didn't seem to "click". Miriam struggled to find her path in CS, until she came across what was then an all-new college in San Francisco (albeit not yet accredited) - Make School. In this episode, Miriam sits down to talk about the challenges new coders faced early on, the rewards and challenges of becoming the teacher she wished she had at Stanford, and various other projects she has begun since leaving Make School.

In this episode, Genji shares his unusual and underprivileged origin story and how he rose above the lure towards a life of crime, and instead found his way into game development, one of the most vibrant areas of software engineering and arguably the most community-driven. Listen in as Genji shares the art of telling stories "through action", his inspirations, and more! Genji is a senior at Make School, a software engineer with a focus in Back-end web and interests in Machine Learning. He's looking for a 2021 summer internship. If you would like to connect with Genji or learn more about his story, check out his portfolio website: https://www.makeschool.com/portfolio/genji-tapia

In this episode we share another profile from Make School's 2021 cohort - get ready to meet Liya Tilahun, an international student and Make School senior. From leaving her family in Ethiopia to rubbing shoulders with Microsoft engineers for a summer passion project, Liya's story is a harrowing journey that shines a light on the loneliness of college, the culture shock of moving to San Francisco, and eventually punctuates with the rewards of hard work and self-organization.  Growing up in Ethiopia, Liya Tilahun never saw herself becoming involved in Computer Science. Upon coming to Augustana University in South Dakota, she originally planned to go into biology. However, thanks to her open mind Liya eventually learned about Make School through MLH - and the rest is history... Learn More about Liya: https://www.makeschool.com/portfolio/liya-tilahun

A deep dive into the life of Tony, a recent Make School alumni who grew up in Romania, before spending the last part of high school in Oregon, and then in turn arriving in San Francisco to attend Make School. Tony shares many memories of what it was like to overcome thyself and develop new ways of living on your own - please take a listen! It will provide you with another perspective on the realities of life at Make School> Connect with Tony on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tony-cioara/