Stories from the Hackery

NashviIIe Software School
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Find out what it takes to start a career in software development, data analytics, data science, or UI/UX design from those who made the leap. Hear from musicians, veterans, single-moms, teachers, bartenders, postdocs, warehouse workers, and more - all graduates of Nashville Software School (NSS) - as they discuss their transition to tech and their capstone projects presented at Demo Day. Founded in 2012, NSS is a flourishing community of over one thousand alumni, active students, and a team of dedicated instructors all working together to grow and learn their craft. As a non-profit, NSS is committed to growing diversity in tech by creating opportunities for under-represented groups in these fields. Learn more at nashvillesoftwareschool.com.

  1. Career Shift: From Photographer & Marketer to Application Engineer

    JAN 28

    Career Shift: From Photographer & Marketer to Application Engineer

    What happens when a side hustle photo business turns into a decade-long marketing career that no longer fits? In this episode, Michael Galo shares his non-linear journey to Nashville Software School (NSS). After feeling "stuck" in marketing and communications, Michael decided to follow the advice of local coffee shop regulars and dive into tech. Michael discusses the intensity of the six-month Software Development bootcamp, the "fire hose" of learning, and why he chose to immediately specialize further by joining NSS's brand-new Data Engineering program through the ProTech initiative. 01:33 Life Before NSS: A Decade in Photo Production, Marketing & Communications 02:31 The Spark: Too Many Alumni at the Coffee Shop 02:57 Why Software Development? 04:59 Navigating the Bootcamp Challenge: The Capstones 06:52 The Importance of Community and Teamwork 08:01 Specializing with Data Engineering and ProTech 10:41 Deepening Backend Skills and Data Architecture 12:18 Expanding the Job Search Target 14:24 Career Development: Beyond the Resume 16:18 Advice for the Job Search: Stay Connected 18:00 Is Now the Right Time to Invest in Yourself? 20:10 Final Thoughts: Busting Through the Walls

    22 min
  2. Generative AI Levels the Playing Field for Neurodiverse Technologists | Stories From The Hackery

    JAN 15

    Generative AI Levels the Playing Field for Neurodiverse Technologists | Stories From The Hackery

    Generative AI is leveling the playing field for neurodiverse technologists. In this episode of Stories From The Hackery, we sit down with NSS alum, Shalane Proctor for an honest and insightful conversation about neurodiversity, learning to code, and generative AI as an assistive technology. Shalane shares what it was like to be diagnosed with AuDHD during bootcamp, how that shaped her learning process, and why generative AI tools like ChatGPT became key to understanding complex concepts. Whether you’re neurodivergent yourself, have neurodivergent colleagues, or are just curious how generative AI is really being used on the ground—this episode will stick with you. 00:00 Introduction to Stories from the Hackery 01:17 Meet Shalane: From Customer Service to Software Engineer 03:05 Networking and Landing the First Job 06:35 Challenges and Discoveries in Software Engineering 08:23 Navigating Neurodiversity in Tech 14:08 The Role of Generative AI in Learning and Development 17:23 Balancing AI Assistance with Personal Growth 20:59 Lessons Learned and Future Directions 22:39 Limitations of ChatGPT in Software Engineering 25:53 The Role of AI in Automation and Job Creation 26:38 Practical Use Cases for AI in Software Development 30:35 AI's Impact on Neurodiverse Software Engineers 35:41 Personal Reflections on AI's Assistance 39:02 Technology Guilty Pleasures and Gaming 40:31 Final Thoughts and Appreciation Links: Nashville Software School: https://nashvillesoftwareschool.com The 70% Problem - By Addy Osmani: https://addyo.substack.com/p/the-70-problem-hard-truths-about

    42 min
  3. Career Shift: Hairdresser to Data Analyst | Stories From The Hackery

    12/16/2025

    Career Shift: Hairdresser to Data Analyst | Stories From The Hackery

    Career change is a roller coaster, but it's one you can navigate with the right support. Jenni Roselle, a graduate of Nashville Software School’s full-time Data Analytics cohort DDA16, shares her journey from a decade as a hairdresser to landing a data analyst role at Ascension. Jenni discusses how the pandemic prompted her re-evaluation of her career, how her brief compliance role sparked an interest in data storytelling, and why she chose NSS (her husband's success story helped!). She offers invaluable advice on tackling the bootcamp's intensity by setting firm boundaries and shares her strategy for job search success, emphasizing that all connections—even those from swing dancing—matter. 00:58 Life Before NSS 01:04 The Spark for Data 03:21 The Motivation to Choose NSS 03:49 Navigating the Bootcamp Challenge 05:40 Setting Boundaries to Avoid Burnout 07:23 Mock Interviews and Career Development 10:59 Strategy for Landing the Job 12:12 Networking Advice: Always Share What You're Doing 13:37 Unexpected Connections (from Swing Dancing!) 16:04 Is Now the Right Time to Start? Data Analytics Bootcamps: Full-time: https://nashvillesoftwareschool.com/programs/data-analytics-full-time Part-time: https://nashvillesoftwareschool.com/programs/data-analytics-part-time Analytics Jumpstart: https://nashvillesoftwareschool.com/programs/analytics-jumpstart

    19 min
  4. Career Shift: Vet Tech to Software Developer with Kasey Endsley | Stories From The Hackery

    12/09/2025

    Career Shift: Vet Tech to Software Developer with Kasey Endsley | Stories From The Hackery

    Kasey Endsley, a graduate of Nashville Software School’s full-time, full-stack Web Development Cohort 76, shares her journey from working as a vet technician and manager to becoming a software developer. She discusses finding a career that finally offers the intellectual challenge she was seeking. Kasey dives into the power of the NSS community and the impact of continued training through our ProTech classes. Most importantly, Kasey offers her best advice for anyone asking: Is now the right time to do a bootcamp?. Spoiler: She says you should believe in yourself and take the chance. Hear her successful job search strategy, including why she focused on networking with NSS alumni and applying to companies that hire local graduates. 01:04 Before NSS 01:40 The Motivation to Change Careers 02:37 From Neopets and MySpace 03:28 The Aha Moment in Bootcamp 05:28 The Power of the NSS Community 06:18 Continuing Education with ProTech 09:31 Confidence Boost for the Job Search 10:24 Networking for Success 13:47 The Importance of Genuine Connections 15:32 Why Start a Software Development Bootcamp Now Software Development Bootcamps: Full-time, Full-stack: https://nashvillesoftwareschool.com/programs/web-developer-full-time/ Part-time, Full-stack: https://nashvillesoftwareschool.com/programs/web-developer-part-time/ Continuing Education Classes: Cloud Deployment Fundamentals: https://nashvillesoftwareschool.com/programs/cloud-deployment-fundamentals Introduction to Agentic AI for Developers: https://nashvillesoftwareschool.com/programs/agentic-ai-tools-for-developers

    17 min

  5. 11/13/2025

    Climbing the Agentic AI Learning Curve: Software Development | Stories From The Hackery

    Does generative AI level the playing field between a junior and an experienced developer? Or does experience matter more than ever? To get a real-world perspective, we sat down with two Nashville Software School (NSS) graduates now working together at Purity Health: Ripal Patel, an alum of Web Development Evening Cohort 8 and developer with five years of experience, and Drew Goodman, a 2024 graduate from Web Development Cohort 70. They share their perspectives on climbing the agentic AI learning curve, from their initial fears about AI to how it's already changing their daily workflows 02:08 - Meet Ripal: From Healthcare to Software Development 05:18 - Ripal's Initial Hesitation About AI 08:02 - Meet Drew: From Finance to a New Career in Tech 09:41 - Drew's Experience in a Slower Job Market 14:46 - Ripal's View: Did Experience Help in the AI Class? 18:10 - Drew's View: AI, Experience, and the Power to 'Screw Things Up' 19:37 - Aha Moment: 'It's Not Gonna Take My Job' 22:09 - How AI Changes the Developer Workflow: More Time Reviewing 23:41 - How AI Helps Junior Devs: More Time for System-Level Learning 26:09 - Key Mental Skill for AI: Breaking Down Big Tasks 30:33 - How is AI Different from Stack Overflow for Learning? 33:35 - Using AI to Learn a New Tech Stack on the Fly 36:04 - Workflow Breakdown: Agentic Mode vs. Ask Mode 40:29 - Using Guardrails and Instructions to Keep AI Consistent 44:53 - The NSS Mindset: 'Learning How to Learn' 46:41 - Advice for Experienced, Hesitant Developers 47:38 - Advice for Junior Developers Using AI 49:41 - Recommended Resources 52:07 - Tech Guilty Pleasures LINKS: Purity Health: https://www.purity-health.com/ Nashville Software School: https://nashvillesoftwareschool.com Should Startups Hire Junior Developers in the Age of AI? | Stories From The Hackery with David Andrews and Fletcher Watson of Purity Health: https://learn.nashvillesoftwareschool.com/blog/2025/10/29/should-startups-hire-junior-developers-in-the-age-of-ai-stories-from-the-hackery Agentic AI Tools GitHub Copilot: https://github.com/features/copilot Cursor: https://cursor.com Anthropic's Claude: https://www.anthropic.com/claude Community & Learning Resources Nashville Data Nerds: https://www.meetup.com/data-nerds/ FreeCodeCamp: https://www.freecodecamp.org/ Udemy: https://www.udemy.com/ Stack Overflow: https://stackoverflow.com/

    56 min

  6. 11/05/2025

    Evolving our Teaching For The AI Age | Stories From The Hackery

    Generative AI tools are changing software development, but how does that impact how we teach it? In this episode of Stories from the Hackery, NSS Founder John Wark sits down with Lead Instructor Steve Brownlee to discuss the intentional way generative AI has been integrated into NSS’s full-stack software development bootcamp. They cover NSS’s AI journey: from initially coaching students to use AI as a personalized learning assistant (and not for code generation) to teaching "reverse engineering" workshops where students learn to prompt AI to build projects they just completed themselves. Steve shares how NSS remains focused on building strong foundational skills first, emphasizing that students must know how to write good code before they can effectively review and manage AI-generated code. They also look ahead at new professional development courses, like Agentic AI for Developers, and what the rise of AI Engineering means for the tech industry. SHOW NOTES: 04:00 The Evolution: Integrating GenAI into the Bootcamp 07:17 Using NotebookLM as a Personalized Learning Tool 09:58 Creating Sample Data with an LLM 11:31 The "Reverse Engineering Workshop": Learning to Prompt 18:27 Using AI to Complete Features in a Final Project 23:25 The Most Important Skill: Learning How to Learn 25:09 Beyond the Bootcamp: The Agentic AI for Developers Workshop 30:48 How Agentic AI Works: Your "Coding Intern" 35:24 What's Next? A New Class on Debugging Existing Code 43:09 The Future: What is AI Engineering? 51:38 Final Thoughts: An Exciting Time for Developers LINKS: ChatGPT: https://chatgpt.com/ NotebookLM: https://notebooklm.google/

    55 min
  7. Should Startups Hire Junior Developers in the Age of AI? | Stories From The Hackery

    10/29/2025

    Should Startups Hire Junior Developers in the Age of AI? | Stories From The Hackery

    Should startups only hire senior developers? The conventional wisdom says yes, but what if hiring junior developers is actually a startup's secret weapon for building a strong, collaborative culture? In this episode, we talk to Purity Health's Chief Technology Officer, David Andrews, and Chief Product Officer (and NSS grad!) Fletcher Watson. David and Fletcher share why they've made it a priority to hire junior developers from the beginning. They discuss how they create a supportive culture, mentor new team members, and help them find their career paths. Plus, we get a real-world look at how their team uses generative AI tools like GitHub Copilot and the "strong guardrails" they’ve put in place—like mandatory code reviews and complete test coverage—to ensure quality. This is a must-listen for aspiring developers who want to know what supportive companies look for and how great teams are built or startups looking to hire junior developers. 00:33 Welcome & Introduction 01:06 Fletcher Watson's Journey: From Teaching in Korea to NSS 03:58 David Andrews' Story: A Serial Entrepreneur & Technologist 06:04 Roles at Purity Health: CTO vs. CPO 07:01 What is Purity Health? (Mission & Tech Stack) 11:53 The Startup Case for Hiring Junior Developers 14:42 Why Juniors Are Key for Building Culture 20:42 How to Mentor: Making Juniors Feel "Comfortable" 27:57 Helping Developers Find Their Path 38:25 Integrating Generative AI at a Startup 39:35 "Strong Guardrails" for Using AI 44:10 Using AI to Build and Review Tests 50:15 Build Guardrails to Avoid "AI Salvage" 53:47 Technology Guilty Pleasures 57:18 Final Thoughts LINKS: Purity Health: https://www.purity-health.com/ Nashville Software School: https://nashvillesoftwareschool.com GitHub Copilot: https://github.com/features/copilot

    59 min
  8. The Engine Behind AI: Why Data Engineering is in Demand | Stories From The Hackery

    09/10/2025

    The Engine Behind AI: Why Data Engineering is in Demand | Stories From The Hackery

    In this episode of Stories from the Hackery, we talk with Nashville tech leader and hiring manager Jason Turan about one of tech's most in-demand fields: data engineering. Jason, a long-time friend of NSS, was one of the first people to tell us that Nashville needed more data engineers. He shares his perspective on what a data engineer does, describing the role as the "connective tissue between data producers and data consumers". Listen in to hear us discuss: - Why data engineers are essential for flipping the 80/20 rule, allowing data scientists and analysts to spend less time cleaning data and more time finding insights. - How the rise of generative AI has acted as an "accelerant," increasing the need for high-quality data and the professionals who can provide it. - Actionable advice for getting started in the field, including the importance of focusing on a "T-shaped skillset" with SQL at its core. - Why Jason's number one piece of advice is to be curious, experiment, and "go out and do the thing". 01:20 Meet Jason Turan: His Tech Origin Story 03:04 Jason's History with NSS and Hiring Grads 07:28 Defining Data Engineering: The "Connective Tissue" of Tech 11:15 Why Nashville is a Hub for Data Engineers 13:56 Healthcare's Impact on Nashville's Data Jobs 20:35 How GenAI Accelerates the Need for Data Engineers 31:33 Getting Started: Lower Barriers to Entry 39:03 A Top Use Case for AI: Understanding Your Codebase 52:21 Misconceptions & the "T-Shaped Skillset" 55:29 The Value of Hands-On Learning: "Go Do the Thing" 58:52 Lightning Round: Favorite Tech Tools 01:00:32 Lightning Round: Top Reads & Resources Links Metabase: https://www.metabase.com/ DuckDB: https://duckdb.org/ MotherDuck: https://motherduck.com/ Ralph Kimball: The Data Warehouse Toolkit: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1118530802 Bill Inmon: Building the Data Warehouse: https://www.amazon.com/Building-Data-Warehouse-W-Inmon/dp/0764599445 Edward Tufte: The Visual Display of Quantitative Information: https://www.amazon.com/Visual-Display-Quantitative-Information/dp/0961392142 Brendan Keeler: The Health API Guy: https://healthapiguy.substack.com/ TLDR Newsletter: https://tldr.tech/ Nashville Technology Council (NTC): https://technologycouncil.com/

    1h 7m
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Find out what it takes to start a career in software development, data analytics, data science, or UI/UX design from those who made the leap. Hear from musicians, veterans, single-moms, teachers, bartenders, postdocs, warehouse workers, and more - all graduates of Nashville Software School (NSS) - as they discuss their transition to tech and their capstone projects presented at Demo Day. Founded in 2012, NSS is a flourishing community of over one thousand alumni, active students, and a team of dedicated instructors all working together to grow and learn their craft. As a non-profit, NSS is committed to growing diversity in tech by creating opportunities for under-represented groups in these fields. Learn more at nashvillesoftwareschool.com.

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