Coding Chats episode 62 - John Crickett engages in a deep conversation with James about personal branding, building in public, and the challenges of launching a product. James shares his journey of using LinkedIn to build his personal brand, emphasizing the importance of transparency and community feedback in his projects. He recounts how his social network gained 20,000 users in the first 24 hours due to his public approach, which not only helped him secure jobs but also fostered a sense of community around his work.

The discussion also touches on the significance of mental health awareness and the need for open conversations in the workplace, particularly in the tech industry.As they delve into James's latest project, Bearly Fit, they explore the balance between creating a minimum viable product and ensuring quality. James reflects on the expectations that come with building in public and how he has navigated the challenges of app development while maintaining a connection with his audience. The conversation wraps up with insights on the role of AI in coding and the importance of mentoring junior developers, highlighting the need for a supportive environment in tech.

Chapters

00:00 The Power of Personal Branding

06:35 Agility in Development: Lessons Learned

18:29 Building in Public: Success and Challenges

26:08 Streaming and Job Search: A Double-Edged Sword

35:36 The Importance of Mentoring New Developers

40:22 Building in Public: The Journey of Barely Fit

52:58 Challenges and Expectations in App Development

58:54 Leveraging AI in Development

01:05:39 Final Thoughts and Future Plans

01:06:06 Exploring Related Content

James's Links:

https://linktr.ee/mahybe

https://bearly.fit

John's Links:

John's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johncrickett/

John’s YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@johncrickett

John's Twitter: https://x.com/johncrickett

John's Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/johncrickett.bsky.social

Check out John's software engineering related newsletters: Coding Challenges: https://codingchallenges.substack.com/ which shares real-world project ideas that you can use to level up your coding skills.

Developing Skills: https://read.developingskills.fyi/ covering everything from system design to soft skills, helping them progress their career from junior to staff+ or for those that want onto a management track.

Takeaways

Building in public can lead to unexpected success.

Transparency in struggles fosters community support.

Personal branding is crucial for career advancement.

Quality matters in app development, especially when building in public.

Mentoring junior developers is an investment in the future.