Brian Holt: Dev at Reddit, Netflix, Microsoft to Product Manager | Frontend Masters Podcast Ep.1
Sep 13, 2023
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Brian Holt, a front-end engineering veteran and educator, shares his career journey from Reddit, Netflix, and Microsoft to becoming a product manager. Topics include burnout culture in tech, the evolution of React and the transition to hooks, qualities of effective teaching, and the significance of happiness in the career journey.
Teaching requires anticipating points of confusion and adjusting the teaching approach for effective communication with students.
Transitioning from traditional frameworks to React had a positive impact on the speaker's team, leading to the adoption of React at Reddit.
Hooks offer composability and reusability, but the speaker still prefers the explicitness of the class-based approach in React.
Deep dives
Transition into Teaching
After working at various tech companies such as Reddit, Netflix, Microsoft, and Stripe, the speaker explains their transition into teaching. They reveal their passion for teaching and the satisfaction they derive from breaking down complex concepts into understandable terms. They also highlight the importance of anticipating points of confusion and adjusting their teaching approach to ensure effective communication with their students.
Early Career and Introduction to React
The speaker shares their experience of working with different frameworks such as AngularJS before being introduced to React. They discuss their initial skepticism towards JSX but were intrigued by React's explicit nature and one-way data flow. They explain how they rewrote their shopping cart experience in React and observed the positive impact it had on their team. They also mention their involvement in Reddit adopting React and their interactions with the React core team.
Evolution of React
The speaker discusses the evolution of React, from the introduction of createClass to the implementation of ES6 classes and ultimately the introduction of hooks. They express their appreciation for the composability and reusability that hooks offer, but also mention their personal preference for the class-based approach due to its explicitness. They acknowledge the trade-offs and complexities that come with hooks while recognizing their value.
Teaching Advice and Experience
The speaker reflects on their experience as a teacher and offers advice to those interested in teaching. They emphasize the importance of recognizing and addressing points of friction that students may encounter. They stress the need for empathy and a willingness to unlearn and relearn concepts to better connect with students. They mention local user groups, workshops, and conferences as valuable platforms to practice and refine teaching skills.
Career journey and transitions
The speaker discusses their career journey, starting as a PHP developer, transitioning to front-end development, and moving through various companies like Reddit, Netflix, LinkedIn, and Stripe. They emphasize being in the right place at the right time and the importance of taking opportunities.
Transition to Product Management
The speaker shares how they accidentally became a product manager and their love for working on products they use themselves, like VS Code. They highlight the role of strategy, user-centric thinking, and the power of effective communication in their career as a product manager. They also mention the challenges of the role, such as meetings and the need for strong writing skills.
(Video Podcast available on Spotify and Youtube) In this first episode of the podcast, we dive deep into the life and career of Brian Holt, a front-end engineering veteran and educator. We discuss everything from classroom antics and tattoos inspired by Baroque art, to early experiences with computing shaped by family influences. The conversation also delves into Brian launching React code at Reddit, shedding light on the complexities of career growth, work-life balance, and the ethical dilemma of "burnout culture" in tech. Whether you're interested in JavaScript frameworks, DevOps, or the human stories behind tech professionals, this episode offers a well-rounded exploration valuable to anyone in the field. Check out Brian’s Frontend Masters courses online here: https://frontendmasters.com/teachers/brian-holt/Find Frontend Masters Online:
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