Software Engineer Turned Youtuber - Jarvis Johnson

Jarvis Johnson, a software engineer turned YouTuber, discusses his transition from software engineering to YouTube creation. He gained attention for his software videos, particularly one on the technical interview process. Johnson enjoys critiquing the software industry through comedy and parody. He moved to California to pursue a career in big tech companies like Facebook and Microsoft, eventually working at Yelp. He then transitioned to Patreon, where he became a manager. Johnson emphasizes the importance of thinking about process and operating efficiency in management. He decided to pursue YouTube full-time due to the growth of his channel and the opportunity to invest more time and effort into it. He believes in investing in oneself for personal growth and success. Johnson also discusses the balance between making what you want as a content creator and listening to viewers. He explores different genres on his channel and acknowledges the responsibility content creators have towards their audience. Content creation can benefit one's career in the tech industry by exercising problem-solving skills, building a personal brand, and teaching others. Johnson reflects on his early interest in podcasting and software engineering. He also highlights the valuable lessons he learned from improv. Predictions for the YouTube and content creation industry include the desire for a more supportive platform for creators and the hope for less noise and more quality content.

Jarvis' intro

Jarvis Johnson, a software engineer turned YouTuber, discusses his transition from being a software engineer to a YouTube creator.

Initially gained attention for his software videos
Discovered by Matt Hackett, who shared one of his videos on Twitter

Where his videos first got traction

Jarvis Johnson's first video that gained traction was a humorous take on the technical interview process in the software industry.
He shared the video in a Facebook group called "hackathon hackers" and it started going viral.
The video reached around 300,000 views before he was kicked out of the group for self-promotion.

Being part of the software industry while critiquing it

The software industry is highly popular and glorified, but there are many issues that people aren't talking about.
The speaker, a software engineer turned YouTuber, enjoys making fun of and critiquing these issues.
Comedy can connect with people's feelings and thoughts.
The speaker made a video called "Coke Well Deserved" which parodies the trend of companies putting out similar soft music videos.
Despite the criticism, the speaker believes they are doing good by getting people into programming.
They receive messages from grateful viewers.
The speaker feels guilty for not talking as much about tech lately.
They needed a break from the industry that consumed their life.
The video features Jarvis Johnson, a software engineer turned YouTuber.
He discusses his experience being part of the software industry while critiquing it.
He also talks about his creative aspirations and his interest in programming the TI-84 calculator.

How he got into programming

The speaker's friend introduced him to programming through the ti-basic language on the ti-84 calculator.
Initially struggled with learning C++, but found success with ti-basic.
Chose to major in computer science in college and found a supportive community at Georgia Tech.
Realized early on the potential for a career in programming.

Moving to California

Moving to California: The allure of the tech industry and pursuing a career in big companies like Facebook and Microsoft led software engineer turned YouTuber Jarvis Johnson to move to California after interning at Google. He discusses his initial exposure to the industry through career fairs and his decision to work at Yelp.

Initial exposure to the tech industry through career fairs
Allure of working at big companies like Facebook and Microsoft
Feeling like it was a game and something that everyone wanted
Interning at Google increased interest in pursuing a career in the industry
Decision to move to California after graduating
Decision to work at Yelp

Interning at Google then Yelp

Interning at Google and Yelp offers the opportunity to gain diverse experiences and understand personal preferences. Trying different companies helps in identifying likes and dislikes. The scarcity mindset surrounding job opportunities at top companies like Google is debunked, as there are plenty of opportunities available. Success only requires finding the right opportunity.

Interviewing multiple times at the same company

Personal experiences of failing interviews at companies like Facebook and Google
Importance of reframing failures and being persistent
Eventually succeeding in interviews at the same company

Moving from Yelp to Patreon

The most profound aspect of the text is Jarvis Johnson's decision to move from working at Yelp to working at Patreon.

Jarvis Johnson explains that his personal growth was slowing down at Yelp, leading him to consider other opportunities.
He decided to interview for a position at Patreon because he was a fan of YouTubers who used the platform.
Initially, he had fears about working at a smaller startup and desired to work at a larger company like Google for more technical skills and knowledge.
However, he eventually gained enough confidence in his abilities to make the switch to Patreon.
The speaker highlights the importance of considering financial stability and personal circumstances when deciding between a startup and a larger company.
Working at a bigger company allows for taking care of personal finances and investing in a financial safety net.
Financial stability can lead to more optimism and the ability to take risks in pursuing creative endeavors.

Switching from individual contributor to manager

The most profound aspect of the topic is the transition from being an individual contributor as a software engineer to becoming a manager.

Key points:

The speaker enjoyed the technical aspects of engineering but also had a background in teaching and enjoyed the people aspects of technical roles.
Inspired by a good manager, the speaker wanted to explore the combination of technical skills and people skills in a management role.
Transitioning from a purely technical role to a managerial role can be scary, but the speaker was curious and interested in exploring it.
The speaker, Jarvis Johnson, transitioned from being a software engineer to a manager at Patreon.
He had the desire to try out a leadership role and felt that Patreon was the right environment to do so.
Leaving the tech industry was not due to dissatisfaction with the position, and if he were to rejoin the industry, he would consider both leadership and individual contributor roles.
Overall, his experience in management has made him a better individual contributor.

Learnings from managing that he applies to himself

The most profound aspect of the text is the importance of thinking about process and operating efficiency in managing.

Thinking about process and operating efficiency is crucial in managing.
Valuing time and being willing to spend money to solve problems are important in management.
Delegating and trusting others is a valuable skill in management.
The book "The E-Myth" highlights the need to spend more time working on the business rather than in the business.
Managing a YouTube channel involves non-content creation tasks similar to management tasks in software engineering.
Making videos and software engineering both involve creating something and bringing it into existence.
The decision to become a full-time YouTuber was based on a combination of factors, not just monetization.

What made Jarvis want to do YouTube full time?

Jarvis Johnson, a software engineer turned YouTuber, decided to pursue YouTube full-time due to a combination of factors. Initially, he had contingency plans in mind but realized he needed to make a clean break to fully invest in his creative endeavor. After a year of juggling his regular job and YouTube, he felt the need to focus solely on YouTube. He acknowledged that his previous lifestyle was unsustainable and unhealthy. As his YouTube channel gained traction, he saw an opportunity to invest more time and effort into YouTube. He didn't want to miss out on potential growth and sought guidance from Jack Conte, the CEO of Patreon. Ultimately, he made the decision to prioritize his YouTube career and leave behind his software engineering job.

Investing in yourself

Investing in yourself is crucial for personal growth and success. Here are the key points discussed in the video:

Saving money to create a period of financial stability allows for focus on personal development.
Personal capital is essential for investing in oneself and pursuing passions.
Creators and entrepreneurs should seize market opportunities and create content they are passionate about.

Making what you want vs talking to viewers

The balance between making what you want as a content creator and listening to viewers is crucial. Here are the key points discussed in the video:

Users often don't know what they want, but their feedback can still identify underlying problems.
Reaching out to viewers through polls and social media can provide valuable insights, but there are limitations to this data.
It is important to consider both viewer feedback and your own goals when deciding on content.
Having a product vision is essential and not solely relying on viewer feedback.
Listening to people's opinions is important, but it is not the sole determinant of success.
Being aware of how your content is being received and avoiding being out of touch is crucial.
Striking a balance between caring about viewers' opinions and not becoming overly egotistical is necessary.
The speaker acknowledges the relatively small number of videos they have released, which may not be significant for those unfamiliar with the YouTube community.

When did things really start to click for his channel?

The most profound aspect of the text is that Jarvis Johnson's channel started to grow when he adopted the mentality of going all-in and focused on creating tech videos.

Key points:

Effort put into a video does not necessarily correlate with its quality or reception.
Jarvis had a skewed perception of his own work and output.
Tech videos initially performed well, but he later incorporated a variety of content on his channel.
He recognized that not all videos needed to be tech-related.
He believed that there was a common thread connecting all of his content.

Choosing to make multiple genres of video

Choosing to make multiple genres of video on YouTube can be challenging, as the success of different genres is determined by click-through rates and audience expectations. Jarvis Johnson, a software engineer turned YouTuber, shares his experience of pivoting from tech videos to comedy sketches and emphasizes the importance of understanding audience expectations. He discusses the difficulty of reaching different audiences and the pressure to conform to certain expectations in the tech community. While he has created a second channel for tech videos, he admits that he is still figuring out his voice in that genre. Overall, Johnson's decision to explore different genres reflects his desire to bring joy to his content and avoid repeating the same ideas.

Nathan Allebach asks - Are content creators responsible in any capacity for their audiences?

Content creators have a responsibility to their audiences, although not 100% responsible. They have a power dynamic and should call out any inappropriate actions done in their name. Creators like PewDiePie and Joe Rogan have a responsibility for misinforming millions of people. Overall, creators should feel a great sense of responsibility.

Content creators have a responsibility towards their audience and should not promote harmful products or behaviors for personal gain.
Trust is built between the audience and the creator, and creators should carefully consider what they talk about and promote.
Thumbnails may not accurately represent the content, which can be deceptive.
Using positivity and clickbait to engage viewers is discussed.
Content creators should avoid promoting negativity or inciting harassment.
Mr. Beast is mentioned as an example of a content creator who uses positivity in his content.
Jarvis Johnson shares his struggle in translating his optimistic personality into his content.
Well-thought-out criticism should be used instead of resorting to negativity or harassment.

Taylor asks - In what ways do you think content creation can benefit one's career in the tech industry?

Content creation can benefit one's career in the tech industry in several ways:

Helps exercise problem-solving skills and think about different ways to solve problems
Building a personal brand through content creation provides visibility and opportunities
Teaching others through tech-related content enhances understanding of the subject matter
Showcasing expertise and helping others can enhance career prospects in the tech industry
YouTube videos can provide experience, share information, and help others in the tech industry
Accessible role models in the tech industry are important for aspiring individuals.

Jarvis made a podcast when he was a teenager

Jarvis Johnson, a software engineer turned YouTuber, reveals snippets of a podcast he made as a teenager, showcasing his early interest in podcasting and software engineering. He emphasizes his preference for learning through personal interest rather than grades and expresses a desire to explore subjects he didn't focus on in high school. Jarvis humorously reflects on how he would excel in high school now that he is older.

Key points:

Jarvis made a podcast during his teenage years, which he hasn't listened to much but has included snippets of in his videos.
He got into podcasting and software engineering because he enjoys doing things himself when he finds them cool.
Jarvis learns better when he is interested in the subject rather than being forced to learn for grades.
He wants to explore various subjects that he didn't focus on in high school, indicating a change in how he absorbs information.
Jarvis jokes about being able to excel in high school now that he is older.

Octopus Blues asks - What lessons did improv teach you/who would you recommend it to, if anyone?

Improv teaches valuable lessons in team dynamics, stepping out of comfort zones, and overcoming irrational fears. It is a safe and beneficial experience, despite its cheesy reputation.

Predictions for YouTubers and content creators

In the next few years, predictions for the YouTube and content creation industry include:

TikTok producing more traditional creators despite criticism
Desire for YouTube to become a more supportive place for creators
Hope for a change in the hierarchy of value between different forms of media
More traditional media people joining YouTube and investing in the platform
Opportunities for up-and-coming creators and less presence of content farms
Potential issue of companies buying success on YouTube by copying popular content
Value of individual creators and their unique perspectives
Overall hope for less noise and more quality content on the platform.