Building Meaningful Tech with Jordan Powell | Techstrong Unplugged EP21

Hey everybody, and welcome back to Techstrong Unplugged. I'm your host, Natan Solomon, and this is episode 21 of our series. In this episode, we're taking you to ucon 2024 at ucon.

Our co-host Cassandra Chin met up with Jordan Powell and they discussed the importance of building meaningful technology. io, and he highlights the importance of solving complex problems and the joys of continuous learning. Without further ado, let's head over to Vu Conf 2024.

Welcome back to Text on Unplugged. I'm your host, Cassandra Chin, and today we have Jordan Powell. How's it going?

Cassandra, Can you introduce yourself? Yeah, uh, my name is Jordan Powell. io, and we have built the, the open source testing framework called Cypress.

So I've been with, uh, Cypress for about three years now, so super excited to be speaking with you. And here at ucon. How did you get started into technology?

It's a great question. So when I was in high school, my family, uh, owns a sign company. And so, um, this was 20 some years ago, and back then I'm from a rural area and a small community, and people would come in and they would say, Hey, I need a new sign.

They're starting a business or something like that. And my dad, you know, we would get the information, what's your phone number? What services do you offer?

What's your logo? And then oftentimes we'd ask, do you have a website? And sometimes I started to notice a pattern where people would say, I don't have a website, but I, I need one.

And so I started like this B light bulb went off and I was like, Hmm, I could like learn how to build websites, and it kind of seemed something cool and fun at the time. And so I, I was like, okay, so I'm gonna learn it. So I just be went on YouTube and just started like slowly learning every single day.

And, um, then when people came in, uh, I would, uh, well first I had started with my, my fam our, the sign company, our family, uh, website. I built one for that. And then when people would come in and we would ask the question, Hey, do you need a website?

Or Do, what is your website? They'd say, I don't have one. Well, we'd say, well, you know, my dad would say, well, my son could build it for you.

And so I would do it for a few hundred bucks or something to help me pay for college. Um, and then I slowly just began to develop the skill and just really fell in love with the challenges of software and, um, just how fun it really can be. Um, and from there, uh, started doing websites for other companies and other agencies, and then started to move into more enterprise software, um, at a, uh, a couple local companies and then, uh, switching, doing consulting, and then now working at Cypress.

So Do you still enjoy your work a lot? Oh, yeah, very much so. I think that, uh, this is by far the most fun, the funnest job I've ever had.

I think that several aspects is one, building, helping build a tool, and being a part of a team that builds a tool that is used by millions of people all over the world is really like gratifying and satisfying, knowing that like, uh, the work you do is being used by other people. And that's really cool feeling as well as I work with really great people and they're, they're fun to be around and they're very, very intelligent and smart. So it always strive me to be better, um, which I think is really, uh, important.

And, um, just in general, I think that the challenges around testing and just in general the tech space are, are very fun challenges that it's not for everyone and there are frustrating times, but I think that, uh, for the most part it's, it is really fun. I really enjoy it. What is your typical day like in your work?

In my work? That's a good question. So, uh, well first I gotta go work out.

I have to work out. That's a good, uh, uh, good place to start. So my mind is clear.

But then when I start my job, uh, normally I'll catch up from the day, I'll, I'll make sure I've caught up on email, slack messages, things like that. Uh, and then typically I have, um, a set of projects that I'm working on or maybe a, a ticket or something that I'm trying to complete, and I'll just work through that. I usually have a, a few meetings throughout the day, but for the most part, I work remotely.

So, uh, I work with people all over the world. And so, um, other than attending meetings, my day is very loosened and, um, uh, pretty flexible, which I really enjoy as well. So that way oftentimes I'll go work at a coffee shop for a few hours to get outta my house or go work outside.

Um, something like that. So, uh, so yeah, hopefully that gives some context. It's probably pretty boring to des to describe it, but, uh, it's, for me, it's, it's fun.

It's, it's, it's, uh, a good working environment. I think every day you actually do something different. Yeah, yeah, for sure.

Like, I'd say that there are definitely similarities, but like, uh, the fun thing about software is like, is you're solving hard problems all the time. So like, um, even though the job you're doing is technically the same, it feels different every day because the problems you're solving are oftentimes different problems. Um, so I think that that's one of the things I really enjoy about software is that, um, it's not boring job.

Like, um, some people think it'd be boring, but actually you're doing something new all the time and you're kind of forced to learn constantly. So I think that being in an industry where it's moving so fast, there's new technologies, tools and things like that all the time, it kind of forces you to learn. Um, and for me, I, I enjoy learning.

So that, that's a, uh, uh, that's, that's a, a, a positive part of this. We're Solving problems as software. Like do you start from scratch every time you look at a problem?

Or do you like, borrow knowledge from other problems? Yeah, that's a great question. Um, I would say that, uh, it, it depends, but generally, um, uh, generally the more I can, well, I would say in general, when we, everything in life, we, we sort of, we, we build upon previous history and experience, right?

So like, today, I'm not gonna just go walk across the street without looking, because I know when I was a little kid, if I tried to do that, my mom would say, don't do that. You're gonna, you know, you could get run over or something like that. So now as an adult, I learned from that experience.

And so even though I, I'm walking across the street in a new way, it's, it's, I'm, I'm building off of past history and experience. So when it comes to problems you're solving, inevitably, even if we start from scratch with something new, we're still trying, we're like, in the back of my mind, I'm still thinking, okay, this is, uh, this is how I would solve this problem in the past, or maybe I have done a similar thing. Maybe it was a different framework or a different tool, something like that.

But I think that we, we do build off those experiences even if we do start from new, but typically programmers are pretty lazy. So if we can, if we can copy or adapt something that's already been built, uh, we can be faster usually. So that's, um, oftentimes the approach we sometimes stake.

So, So it kind of builds up upon each other. Definitely. Yeah.

And, and I think, and I think it's really a good, I, I think that's how we do life in general, really, to be honest. But yeah, it definitely, it definitely builds upon it. So Is there anything else interesting you wanna talk about?

Interesting. Oh, man, that's a open ended question. Um, one of the things I do think that, um, you know, I would say I, I'm really passionate about, uh, this industry.

I love, there's so many amazing people. Um, and it's, it's really not, not only fun work, but I think it's work that is meaningful that, um, if you are, if you like challenges and solving hard problems, it's something that you'll enjoy. And so I always try to encourage people to get into this industry.

Um, and so one of the things that I have done is, is done mentoring, uh, uh, over the years. And I think that, um, something I'm passionate about, because it was me. I, I'm a self-taught engineer.

I didn't go to school or anything like that. And so for me, like it took a really long time to develop the skills needed where I can do a job that I have today, uh, uh, effectively and will. But I think that, you know, the more we can give back and, and help teach other people, um, I think that is really important in our industry.

And something that, uh, you know, I was just recently talking with, um, someone actually from Brazil that, um, a friend of mine that I, I met back in 2021, and he was starting to get into programming, but he was kind of like discouraged and, and didn't want to, kind of was going back and forth, maybe I don't want to do it. And I encouraged him. I said, let, let me meet with you.

Let me start to just meet with you. We just start building something. And we, we ended up doing that and he, I talked to him about, uh, two, three months ago and he was like, you'll never believe, like I, I got a job.

Uh, he's from Brazil, and he's like, I just moved to America, and he is, I'm working for a, a, a, a company remotely. And he's like, program has really changed his life and he has a good job, and he has, he just got married. And so I think that, um, one of the things that I love about this industry is that, you know, you can work anywhere in the world if you work for a remote company.

Um, and it's, um, not only fun work, but it's, it's meaningful. You can help solve, uh, it interesting problems that you maybe, uh, a problem that you maybe find, uh, more valuable or interesting than, than, or important than someone else. So I think that the message is giving back, uh, and teaching people, um, maybe that are newer in, in the industry, Meaningful work.

Like are you helping other programmers or even people outside the industry? Um, both. Yeah.

So like, I think that helping people in the industry is important because like, um, not that I have all the answers or I'm the smartest person, but like, um, I have maybe experience that they, like, we all have experiences that someone else doesn't have. So, um, if I can share my experience and help maybe, uh, them, someone learn something that they don't know, or at least give a different perspective than what they maybe have thought of, I think that that's important. But also people that aren't in the industry, someone that's like, I've always enjoyed computers or, or technology or building things, but I don't know how to get started.

So I love thinking that getting someone not in the industry into the industry is, um, is really meaningful as well. So, Um, when we talk about helping people outside the industry, yeah, we, we all have smartphones and they're kind of run by computer technology. Yeah.

So could you say, we could help people outside the industry, even like, through programming, maybe, like they use technology but don't really wanna be programmers. Yeah, that's, that's true. Um, yeah, especially with, um, with AI is that like you can, you could in theory build some things, um, without a lot of knowledge of programming.

So I think that, um, you definitely could with, with, with phones. I mean, you can connect with anyone really in the world with a smartphone, which is really cool. So I think that's the cool thing of technology, is it it good and bad?

We were, we're overly connected. Like we can be connected with anyone in the world, which is really cool. And because of that, we can then share our experiences and knowledge across.

So someone who has a smartphone, maybe they don't wanna code, but maybe they have an idea that I could code. So maybe together we could build something really cool or, uh, something that's meaningful to, to both of us or something like that. So I think that that's a definitely interesting perspective.

Like how do you give mentorship? 'cause I know you're also giving a talk here. Yes.

Is that a form of mentorship? Yeah, you know, that's a great question actually. Uh, I haven't really thought of it that way, but I think it is, um, I think that, um, uh, I, I guess I don't look at myself as like, as the smartest one here or anything like that, but I do feel like I, I can share the experiences that I have.

Uh, so giving a talk is, is basically saying, Hey, I've tried to solve this hard problem and this is the, the lessons I've learned through that experience. So for me, um, I do think it probably is a form of mentorship. Um, I think that what I've found is, is when you're trying to mentor someone who's wants to get into industry or maybe, uh, in the industry, but um, maybe like earlier in their career building something like, like actually building something tangible where they feel like they're, they're building, like they're making progress towards something is, is really, uh, helpful, uh, tool along the way.

Um, as well as, um, you know, even just giving a talk like this, I think, um, is good because again, I'm gonna show examples of, of some lessons I've learned as well as, you know, uh, some of the, the findings, uh, that sort of thing. But yeah, I, I think that, um, I haven't thought about it that way, but I think that definitely this is a form of mentoring probably. Yeah.

Mm-Hmm. I think we've had a really good chat today. Yeah, Absolutely.

This, this is a lot of fun and it's been great to be here at ucon. And, um, uh, yeah, I'm, I, I'm really excited for the rest of the conference and thanks for having me. Yeah, thank you.

Absolutely.