Join us on a captivating fireside chat with Martín Vargas-Vega, a trailblazing Latinx Software Engineer, philanthropist, and non-profit founding member. In this inspiring interview, Martín shares his remarkable journey breaking into the tech industry, guiding us through the steps that led him to become a Software Engineer. His expertise in leading end-to-end product development is evident through his recent success at Habu, a startup that was acquired by LiveRamp in January 2024.

Outside of work, Martín is committed to uplifting the Latinx community in the tech world through his involvement and impactful contributions at the Digital NEST (https://digitalnest.org/). Moreover, he plays a pivotal role in steering the LCF Latinos in Tech Giving Circle (https://latinocf.org/latino-giving-ci...) to provide support to Latino-led nonprofits throughout California.

We hope you enjoy this interview, and learn a lot from it like we did! This was a truly engaging conversation, as we delve into Martín's experiences, insights, and the meaningful initiatives that drive his passion for making a positive impact in the world of technology.

Let us know what are your key takeaways from this fireside chat and send us your feedback in the comments below. Feel free to share this with others who are interested in breaking into tech.

Connect with Martín on LinkedIn:
  / martinvargasvega  

Chapters:
0:00 Key Insight
0:14 Welcome
1:07 Martín’s Background
2:02 How did you get exposed to software engineering?
5:15 Joining the Board of the Digital Nest
6:33 What does a typical day look like as a software engineer at a tech startup?
9:26 Valuable Skills for Software Engineers
11:57 What is a Proof of Concept
13:48 What makes a good Product Manager?
15:57 Engineers asking questions to PMs
17:14 LiveRamp’s acquisition of Habu
24:21 Engineering Demos
24:48 Ingredients of a successful startup
25:55 What makes a product great?
28:07 How did your team approach prioritization?
30:15 Finding Core Use Cases first
33:09 What has been the most challenging aspect of breaking into the tech industry?
39:52 Can you walk us through your thought process on how to find a coding bootcamp that works for you? 
40:24 Working at Big tech vs. Startups
41:15 Deep Dive on Tech Bootcamps
41:51 Websites to learn how to code
42:12 Tech Conferences & Scholarships
43:01 Supporting yourself financially during a Bootcamp via Gig work
45:00 Typical timeline to land a job after a Bootcamp
46:01 Interview Advice
49:28 What has been critical to your success? 
53:39 Asking others for advice
55:58: LCF’s Tech Giving Circle & Getting Involved
58:46 What has been the biggest lesson you have learned so far?
1:01:34 Lightning Round Questions
1:01:38 Favorite Snack
1:51:01 Favorite Music Artist
1:02:03 Role Models
1:03:10 Favorite travel destination
1:04:07 Dancing Tips
1:05:04 Closing Remarks

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💡Disclaimer: Advice and opinions in our videos are our own.

♥️ A Note from Us:

Our hope is that you don't compare yourself to anyone else's journey, we all come from different backgrounds, have different experiences, resources, and opportunities in our lives. Everyone's life path is different and you are right where you are supposed to be. We each reach our dreams at different times, and that is okay. By no means do we have it all figured out, but we are trying to help in any way we can to uplift others and share the knowledge that we've gained in our lives and careers. We are rooting for you every step of the way and we are here to help in any way we can.

With Gratitude,
Dante and Itzel


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