Grow with Google —
I get asked about how one might get started in working in technology pretty frequently.
More often than not, I advise for someone to build something. Scratch your own itch and develop a solution to a problem that you are having. However, it’s not lost on me that that could be daunting to the novice or someone without a burning inclination to just go figure things out. It certainly is a bit to nebulous for most to bet their livelihood on.
Google IT Support Professional Certificate is a solid alternative for folks with little or no professional IT experience to dive in, with a bright light at the end of a relatively short tunnel.
The course is subsidized by Google and costs $49/month (Full financial assistance is also available to those who qualify). It can be completed in 8 months. IT Support salaries start north of $50,000. And a ton of these jobs are remote, meaning you work from home or where ever you happen to be that has an internet connect.
I think that is pretty cool.
https://blog.google/topics/grow-with-google/it-support-professional-certificate/
Advice for Entrepreneurs –
First Round Review Posts lots of round ups with collections of in depth articles on how to run a company. This collection of curated advice for founders and those that wish to be is great: http://firstround.com/review/the-30-best-pieces-of-advice-for-entrepreneurs-in-2017/
Y Combinator asked their network for advice for first time founders. There are some solid gold nuggets in there: https://blog.ycombinator.com/advice-for-first-time-founders/
What Is Bitcoin and why should I care? –
Bitcoin has flown into the world’s collective focus over the last few years, much in part to the amount of money folks have made as a result of trading the asset. However, what has yet to fully take off is the facility to use the asset to exchange value (i.e buy something). That second bit is changing. What’s more, the underlying technology, the blockchain, is fueling innovation all over the park.
This article from the New York Times offers an in depth overview of the technology, how it works, and why you may want to consider understanding it a bit better. Spoiler: It’s very likely to play a big role in the way many technologies will evolve in the near future.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/16/magazine/beyond-the-bitcoin-bubble.html
Amazon is considering Nashville –
I wrote last week about my desire for Amazon to consider Nashville for their second Headquarters.
Looks like they are: https://www.amazon.com/b?node=17044620011
The New York Times published an interesting take on who will win and why: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/09/09/upshot/where-should-amazon-new-headquarters-be.html
What’s on the radio –
I listen to this type of music most often when I’m writing, coding, and doing research. I can’t listen to music with lyrics as my mind will follow them. And I really like the tempo and high notes of this particular track.
Diascries – Anemone
William is really loving the cold weather here in Tennessee and so am I.