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In this episode, host Kevin Griffin is joined by Joshua Berrios, who shares his journey from the military to becoming a software engineer for a healthcare SaaS company. They discuss Flow Club, a virtual coworking platform, where Joshua and Kevin first met. Joshua also speaks about his experience with burnout, finding balance, and the importance of staying humble. Additionally, he touches on his faith, how it influences his professional journey, and his plans for launching a faith tech company. Finally, Joshua shares some valuable advice for both believers and non-believers aspiring to break into the tech field.
00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome
00:15 Discovering FlowClub: A Virtual Coworking Platform
00:32 The Concept and Benefits of FlowClub
02:10 The Unconventional Meeting and Connection
02:24 The Impact of FlowClub on Productivity
04:48 Transitioning from Military to Tech
11:19 Balancing Military Duties and Freelancing
19:58 The Journey to Full-Time Software Development
29:44 Lessons Learned and Future Plans
32:04 Advice for Aspiring Developers
36:18 Conclusion and Farewell
Links:
- Twitter (Personal) - https://twitter.com/JBerri0s
- Twitter (Podcast) - https://twitter.com/code_fellowship
- LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshuaberrios/
- LinkedIn (Podcast) - https://www.linkedin.com/company/codefellowship/
- Youtube (Podcast) - https://www.youtube.com/@codefellowship
Creators & Guests
Host
What is Multithreaded Income Podcast?
In the "Multithreaded Income Podcast," host Kevin Griffin navigates the nuanced landscape of generating multiple income streams as a technologist. Aimed at professionals who wish to diversify their revenue while maintaining a focus on technology, this podcast dives deep into unconventional strategies, untapped opportunities, and actionable advice.
It's time for the multi
threaded income podcast.
We're like insurance for a
turbulent tech landscape.
I'm your host, Kevin Griffin.
Join me as I chat with people all around
the industry who are using their skills
to build multiple threads of income.
Let us support you in your career
by joining our discord at mti.
to slash discord.
Now let's get started.
enhanced_kevin-griffin_1_01-05-2024_144926_#1:
Hey, everyone.
Welcome back to the show.
I'm joined by my special
guest today, Joshua Berrios.
How are you today, Joshua?
enhanced_joshua-berrios_1_01-05-2024_134924_#1:
Hey, I'm doing really good
despite the mean cough.
But I'm doing great.
How about you?
enhanced_kevin-griffin_1_01-05-2024_144926_#1:
I'm doing great.
I'm glad you, uh, I think we met
in probably unconventional way.
We met on flow club,
enhanced_joshua-berrios_1_01-05-2024_134924_#1:
I'm FlowClub, a virtual
co working platform.
That's
enhanced_kevin-griffin_1_01-05-2024_144926_#1:
Are you still doing flows?
enhanced_joshua-berrios_1_01-05-2024_134924_#1:
I am, and I am a host there too.
I've been doing it for over
close to two years now.
enhanced_kevin-griffin_1_01-05-2024_144926_#1:
So for anyone out there listening,
flow club is, I'm going to explain it.
And yeah, It's not going to make
any sense to you, but promise me, I
promise you that it works really well.
So flow club, you sign up, you log
into the website, you basically
have a calendar of people that
are hosting what we call flows.
And so if I'm recording this right now,
about three o'clock in the afternoon,
someone's probably hosting a flow.
No flow could be.
30 minutes, 60 minutes,
120 minutes, 180 minutes.
Yeah.
And there's a variety of different
ones, but basically you log into
a flow and there's a host and the
host and however many people show
up for the flow, go around the table
and they say, in this flow, I'm
going to accomplish a list of goals.
I'm going to do X, I'm going
to do Y, I'm going to do Z.
And then for the period of time
that you're there, you go off and
you work on your goals and the host
usually plays music of their choice.
So some people have really good taste
in music and some not so good taste in
music, but you go through and you do
all your tasks and you check them off.
And then at the end of the
flow, you all come back.
And you celebrate the stuff that you got
done and the wins that you had, and it's
really cool in the interface because
you can throw confetti and it's the
whole thing, and I think this is a big
part of it is that you're on camera and
you're basically co working with virtual
people for an extended period of time.
And that's, that's where I met Joshua.
I think we were in several flows together
enhanced_joshua-berrios_1_01-05-2024_134924_#1:
yeah.
Last year,
enhanced_kevin-griffin_1_01-05-2024_144926_#1:
on LinkedIn.
And, and, you know, the rest is history.
It's amazing how we
get connected nowadays,
enhanced_joshua-berrios_1_01-05-2024_134924_#1:
yeah.
enhanced_kevin-griffin_1_01-05-2024_144926_#1:
but Joshua, I think, would you agree
like flow club really enhances how much
you're able to get done in a given day,
enhanced_joshua-berrios_1_01-05-2024_134924_#1:
Yeah.
So I do agree with that.
I actually started using it,
uh, last year around this time.
And, um, this is not a
sponsored ad or anything.
It's just been,
enhanced_kevin-griffin_1_01-05-2024_144926_#1:
link in the show notes.
Yeah.
enhanced_joshua-berrios_1_01-05-2024_134924_#1:
too so we can see which
one gets the most, right?
Um, but it's been great.
Um, especially with, for myself who, um,
I, I guess I have undiagnosed ADHD, who
knows, um, but I also suffer from other
mental health issues due to my time in
the military and it has helped me stay,
uh, more concentrated, um, since I'm not
in that environment where everything has
to be in order and I have to like put
on a civilian cap and then kind of be.
No offense, but more complacent
and lazy about certain things.
Um, but flow club has kept me in order.
I has helped me during the times
where I got laid off last year.
Um, transition into
tech as a video creator.
Um, ended up working at
FedEx for a little bit.
We're still on flow club, trying to.
Network with people and work
on, uh, applying to jobs.
So it's been great.
Um, and I still use it today as my
full, uh, and I host there as well.
So as a full time software
engineer, I still use it
because my whole team is remote.
And I like to feel like someone's
next to me, even though they
don't know what I'm talking about.
enhanced_kevin-griffin_1_01-05-2024_144926_#1:
we'll have to see how many
listeners we can get on flow club
because of this conversation.
So hopefully we have painted a pretty
picture, but that's not why we're here.
We're not here to talk about flow club.
We're here to talk about joshua joshua.
Why don't you tell listeners
out there kind of what are
you doing now for a living?
enhanced_joshua-berrios_1_01-05-2024_134924_#1:
Yeah.
So, um.
I am a full time software engineer for a
healthcare SaaS company out of Wisconsin.
Um, I live in Lincoln, Nebraska, so
I'm among one of the remote employees.
All our team is remote, really.
Um, and I actually just started
this role May 1st of this year
after I was laid off from my
previous role as a UI UX developer.
Um, and it has been a
blessing in disguise.
So,
enhanced_kevin-griffin_1_01-05-2024_144926_#1:
And you come from a you just
kind of touching on a non
traditional tech background.
Um, you were Sure.
In the, uh, armed forces, uh,
tell us a little bit about that.
Uh, what branch of the
military were you in?
enhanced_joshua-berrios_1_01-05-2024_134924_#1:
I was in the U.
S.
Army.
enhanced_kevin-griffin_1_01-05-2024_144926_#1:
Okay.
enhanced_joshua-berrios_1_01-05-2024_134924_#1:
The greatest branch to ever live.
That's what people say.
I am not very prideful.
I love all the branches.
Um, But, Yeah, I was in the U.
S.
Army.
I was in from 2017 to 2020.
I didn't get to do the
30 years that I wanted.
The Lord had other plans and I ended up
getting badly injured that I couldn't
stay in or upkeep my physical ability.
But I learned a lot while I was there.
I was driving trucks, which was
my primary job, uh, 88 Mike is a
transport, uh, a motor transport
operator, if I can get that right.
And, um, I actually got taken off the
line, the truck line to assist with
the S six shop, which is basically the
communications and technology shop.
So like, we deal with troubleshooting
computers, even to setting up
radio communications on the trucks.
Um, they found out I worked for
Dish Network prior to joining the
military, um, so cable dogging was
something that I really enjoy, um,
and climbing up and setting up cables.
So I was like, hey, let's
get this guy to help us.
And I, This is all God's plan.
It was designed this way for a reason.
Um, He kept me there throughout
my time in the military.
Um, so I was basically a, what
they would call a 25 Bravo, an
IT specialist, oh, and also a 25
uniform, which is more communication,
especially dealing with the radio.
And it was cool because I always
desired to be in the IT field as
a technician, uh, doing computers.
It's something I've always had a passion
for since I was like 10 years old.
Uh, at 10 years old, I was
exposed to graphic design.
I came from a photography
and video background.
Um, fun fact about me.
I was a semi pro motorsports photographer.
So there was always technology in my
life and I'm also a self taught musician.
So learning how to produce my own music
and intertwining all these artistic
talents and gifts that I've had.
Um, into technology as time progressed
and having the opportunity military
actually gave me more free time
to do freelancing on the side,
enhanced_kevin-griffin_1_01-05-2024_144926_#1:
Well, yeah, let's go into that.
You started freelancing as a software
developer while you were in military.
enhanced_joshua-berrios_1_01-05-2024_134924_#1:
um, as a web developer,
enhanced_kevin-griffin_1_01-05-2024_144926_#1:
Well, developer.
enhanced_joshua-berrios_1_01-05-2024_134924_#1:
Yeah.
enhanced_kevin-griffin_1_01-05-2024_144926_#1:
If everyone listened to
audio, he did air quotes.
So web developer, um, how'd you kind of
get your foot in the door doing that?
enhanced_joshua-berrios_1_01-05-2024_134924_#1:
So, I actually was learning
how to use WordPress more and
building websites with WordPress.
I had my own personal website for my
photography and for my video work.
I was a tech YouTuber for a little bit.
So I had websites that
I created over time.
But this time I was doing a photography
business on the side while I was
in, I was stationed in Hawaii.
So what.
Place isn't better to have
that type of business.
And, um, I did that and I helped
out some, you know, service members
get photos of themselves with their
families, maternity shoots, et cetera,
engagement, and I built a website, but I.
I heard about this, uh, theme builder
called Divvy, um, and by elegant
themes, and I didn't, I heard about
elegant themes in the past and
I've used some of the themes, but I
didn't know they had a page builder.
So then I started learning about
page builders, and that's why I say
quote unquote web developer because
I feel like I'm more of a designer
than a web developer in that sense.
'cause it's a no-code solution.
Um, but.
Fast forward, I was talking to a friend,
uh, who was former military as well.
And he had an SEO company.
I don't know if he still has it.
And I met him through a video game.
This is the funniest thing ever.
I met him through a video
game and we became friends.
And then he talked about Divi
and he's like, Hey, this hosting
company, uh, called Host Husky.
They give you Divi as part
of you hosting with them.
So I did that nine bucks a month.
And.
I am able to put at least
three sites on my account.
And then from there, I had an issue where
I talked to the founder of the company.
Cause this is a very
small one person startup.
And we started chatting.
He helped me with the issue.
I started designing things
and he saw how I worked.
And he hired me as a contractor
while I was in the military in 2019.
enhanced_kevin-griffin_1_01-05-2024_144926_#1:
That's a great way to get
in is the, the sure thing.
Just someone sees what you can do and
just start saying, I can give you money.
Yes.
Do things for
enhanced_joshua-berrios_1_01-05-2024_134924_#1:
Yeah, and it all started because
he was like, Hey, I really
like what you're doing here.
And we had conversation, um, we talked
about my faith and his faith, um, his
faith is non conventional to mine.
So he's a Mormon.
I'm an evangelical Christian, uh, but
that didn't stop God from working there.
and kind of paving my
way through this career.
And he asked me to do a logo for
one of his clients because they
were building a course site.
And he asked me, how much would I charge?
And I'll be transparent.
I was like, uh, 250 bucks.
And so I, yeah, I was like, yeah, sure.
So he was like, yeah, sure, I'll do it.
And I, he gave me just what he needed and
I just put it together and that was it.
And I made 250 bucks quick.
The Lord knows I needed it, right?
So, uh, and that's where it all started.
And I've been, I'm not with, uh, Small
Dot, which is the creative agency.
Uh, that he has, uh, that built
Host Husky, but I did do, um, work
for, uh, Small Dot from 2019 all
the way to the beginning of 2021.
Mm
enhanced_kevin-griffin_1_01-05-2024_144926_#1:
Now we talk a lot about life work balance.
How were you balancing doing your
freelancing work with the very
demanding work of the military?
enhanced_joshua-berrios_1_01-05-2024_134924_#1:
hmm.
Yeah,
enhanced_kevin-griffin_1_01-05-2024_144926_#1:
really just take time off, uh, military
to go, go do your side, freelancing stuff.
enhanced_joshua-berrios_1_01-05-2024_134924_#1:
No, correct.
And that's why I say, like, um,
God was so good because it was a
blessing in disguise is being able
to be in a position where, um, my
leadership would give me time to just.
Go do what I gotta do.
Um, once I was done with my
work, but still be present,
be available by my phone.
enhanced_kevin-griffin_1_01-05-2024_144926_#1:
Gotcha.
enhanced_joshua-berrios_1_01-05-2024_134924_#1:
Um, obviously when it comes to like
trainings, I can't get out of that.
I have to go.
Um, so, uh, the founder of these,
of these two companies, Hosusky
and Smalda, it's the same founder.
Uh, he was gracious enough to understand.
One, that I was in the military, and
two, that I was in Hawaii, so I was
like, six hours behind, completely.
Uh, so when he was working, or going
to, or done for the day, I was like,
midway into my day working for the army.
Um, so a lot of my work was done after
I got home, where he would be sleeping.
So, um,
enhanced_kevin-griffin_1_01-05-2024_144926_#1:
a benefit for you because all the
communication has to be asynchronous.
So, you'll Send a message at
the end of your day, but that's
when his day is starting.
enhanced_joshua-berrios_1_01-05-2024_134924_#1:
mhm.
enhanced_kevin-griffin_1_01-05-2024_144926_#1:
you're ready to work, you have the
answer, hopefully to all your questions.
enhanced_joshua-berrios_1_01-05-2024_134924_#1:
I actually don't like that.
I'm, uh, I'm more of a,
enhanced_kevin-griffin_1_01-05-2024_144926_#1:
on one that
enhanced_joshua-berrios_1_01-05-2024_134924_#1:
yeah, I'm over a real time person.
Mm hmm.
Yeah.
So it's with this, with that experience,
I learned a lot about what it is to, um,
work in a creative agency environment,
the pace, the asynchronous communication,
et cetera, et cetera, et cetera.
So a lot of the times what I did was I
had, I looked down because I am looking
at my phone and I had Google chat
there, which is where we talked through.
So if he had a question,
I wasn't doing nothing.
I was.
Answering questions.
I had a galaxy note eight
or nine around the time.
Um, I think it was a nine and It
was big enough where if I needed
to make some changes on a website
I could With the little pen, right?
So,
enhanced_kevin-griffin_1_01-05-2024_144926_#1:
phone out, do some quick work,
enhanced_joshua-berrios_1_01-05-2024_134924_#1:
yeah.
enhanced_kevin-griffin_1_01-05-2024_144926_#1:
minutes.
And
enhanced_joshua-berrios_1_01-05-2024_134924_#1:
Right.
enhanced_kevin-griffin_1_01-05-2024_144926_#1:
so I'm really curious as I
live in a Navy town, so I, I.
And I'm surrounded by military
folks, my, my entire life.
I was a Navy brat.
I love working with veterans.
Uh, like veterans are always,
they're always on time.
They're always structured.
Like they follow the rules
and they don't take any BS.
They like, they, I love working
with those types of folks how
do you think your military?
Training has kind of helped you
become a better software developer.
enhanced_joshua-berrios_1_01-05-2024_134924_#1:
So, my military training actually,
uh, experience actually helped
me be a better product manager.
Um, so when I was in small dot and I
was doing contract work, I also led
a team of myself and a web designer.
The, and then I also got to
the point where I was talking
to clients at a high level.
I even got presented like the
opportunity to be a vice president
of the company and all the things I
even helped with the host Husky side.
But the thing is that I learned what
it was to manage task and like rating
them accordingly, which is also a part
of being a software developer, software
engineer, being able to be discerning
on Uh, how much a task is going to take
or the priority of a specific task to,
uh, the, the user stories, et cetera.
Um, because even though that,
uh, you're in the military,
you're at a lower level, there.
One thing that my dad taught me when
he was in the military and he taught me
when I was going in is always look Us two
steps ahead two ranks above you and that's
where I always wanted to be till this day
I've always I always have that mentality
So like I'm a software engineer today
the first day that I got into my job.
I asked my boss What's it gonna
take for me to be a senior
or being at your position?
Because it's important for me and a lot
of times I'm gonna get there So we have
that cap on, that's something that I do,
like I help my peers, my subordinates
around me in areas that they don't know.
I was in the healthcare industry.
I work for a healthcare SaaS company.
There are certain things from a user,
uh, experience in a UI, uh, side of
things that doesn't make any sense
the way that they're developing.
So what I do is I take leadership.
I'm a thought leader.
I give my, my thoughts
and opinions on that.
And I think that's where my
military experience has also
taught me not to be fearful of
giving a leadership like thought.
Always take ownership, especially
when you have autonomy.
In the role that I was in
the military, I had so much
autonomy that it was dangerous.
And I failed at that autonomy.
I lacked in certain areas.
God made sure that I knew, and he
humbled me and made sure that I
knew that I was lacking in these
areas and I needed to fix it.
Same thing when I got out of the
military into the civilian world and
continued contracting, freelancing,
and then working these other jobs and
the ones that I got laid off from.
Same thing, there was something I lacked
in, but since joining as a software
engineer, the current role that I have,
I've taken all my failures and all the
good stuff and implemented it into a
much better way of being a developer.
enhanced_kevin-griffin_1_01-05-2024_144926_#1:
I love that so much.
It's a, I have a hard time with
that as well as the autonomy of if
I've had projects before where I
kind of had a blank slate and I.
I have to take that and I have to add
structure to it and I have to give
myself individual deadlines and my,
my end client doesn't really care
that I got something done today, but
I care that I got task A, B, C done.
Um, they're all adding up to this bigger
project because when I don't do that, and
I've, I've had this early in my career
where I've gotten to the end of projects
and I have failed to deliver what.
I was asked to deliver and it was because
I didn't keep myself to a stringent enough
schedule and deliverables and deadlines.
So I can really appreciate just bringing
that structure into managing a project.
enhanced_joshua-berrios_1_01-05-2024_134924_#1:
Yeah.
And I'm not going to sugar coat.
It at all.
I'm still not good at it.
I, I honestly prefer when there's
something like a criteria that needs to be
met and then I can execute on a criteria.
That's just how my brain works.
But if I have to do something out of
blank slate, let's say that I don't
have any experience in, I'm like, uh,
I'm a frozen deer looking at headlights
and But if you give me something like
a healthcare, it's a perfect example.
Cause I have a passion.
I've I've worked in the healthcare
customer service industry for a while.
And the products that we're building
at my company, they help the customer
service aspect of the healthcare industry.
So there.
My thought leadership is ignited.
It's fueled.
Why?
Because something I have a passion
for, something that I really enjoy,
the technologies that we're using.
I'm having a lot of fun with
technologies that I don't know.
I'm still having a lot of
fun with learning them.
And then also getting to know that
the company I work for is made up
of 10 percent of military veterans.
The CTO is a U S air force veteran.
So in a way, it's like, Whoa,
like God has placed me in a
place where I'm not only valued.
Uh, because they see the work ethic that
I can bring to the table, but there's
a lot of decisions that I've been able
to make because they've recognized,
Oh, this person is a thought leader.
Instead of where I've been before
in certain places where my thought
leadership was just kind of like
written down and then the paper was
crumbled and thrown into the garbage.
And that's immoralizing.
It happens.
Mm hmm.
enhanced_kevin-griffin_1_01-05-2024_144926_#1:
So let's move on.
Sadly, your military career came to an end
and not necessarily by your own choice.
Uh, how did you rebound from that?
And what was next after?
You had to leave the military.
enhanced_joshua-berrios_1_01-05-2024_134924_#1:
Yeah.
So when I got out, um, we bought a house.
We were about to have our second child.
When I was in the
military, I had one child.
So balancing, um, a little bit of
that, balancing like being a full
time dad, full time, uh, service
member, full time husband, and in a
basically almost part time to full
time contractor was very tough.
And I was very consumed by my work.
I need to get that done before
I can spend time with my family.
Um, and a little bit of that
actually seeped into moving
into the civilian world.
One, because it was the only thing
that I had some income from, but
I didn't really make much from it.
And then two, I was also looking
for a more stable job, um, which
eventually ended up being working
for a garbage company as a recycling.
Uh, I got laid off of that, but
I was still doing freelance cause
that I would go in at five in the
morning, get out by two o'clock.
So it was a full shift.
And then after two o'clock I had
to come home and then I would work
on websites for the same company.
Then I started getting into,
uh, business meetings and
decisions, et cetera, et cetera.
So my responsibility started, uh, becoming
a lot more, uh, And that was a lot of
pressure, um, that I say, Oh yeah, I can
handle, I can handle, I can handle it.
I, I, today I realize now that at
that time I was really lying to myself
and forcing something that God just
didn't have prepared for me then.
Um, so as a devoted Christian,
I have to come to a realization.
That I have to humble myself and see
what God's will is in my life and
for my family as I walk this path.
God knows what I want and what I,
what my family needs, but there's a,
there's a fine line where I have to
choose my over providing for my family's
necessity over a vanity metric that I
might try to be fulfilled at the time.
So I did that freelancing
contracting all the way to like
December, uh, 20, uh, 2020.
Um, a lot of hard lessons were
learned through that time.
I lied to my family at times.
I'll be very transparent here if
that's okay, uh, with certain things.
And, um, I ended up getting an office
outside and I was paying for that.
Basically, everything that I was
making was just to maintain that little
area so that I'd be able to do work.
And that wasn't my, my best moment at all.
That's one of the failures
that really taught me.
That I need to focus on my family's
necessity more than trying to
build a career that may not
take me anywhere in that season.
enhanced_kevin-griffin_1_01-05-2024_144926_#1:
So what was the next catalyst
that eventually brought you in the
full time software development?
enhanced_joshua-berrios_1_01-05-2024_134924_#1:
So I ended up working after that
leaving, uh, as a contractor.
I ended up working for, uh, Homeland
Security and, uh, immigration
department as a data entry operator
night shift, uh, this was the start
of 2021, um, and everything was
going well, night shift was great.
I got differentials, I got a
little extra money, uh, but I had
the day to do whatever I like.
If I wanted to work on a
freelance business, I kept doing
freelancing as much as possible.
Um, I kept, uh, networking
with other people, et cetera.
But I also had to focus on my
family and knew I best to do that.
Then all of a sudden, um, towards
the latter end of 2021, um, I read
that I can use my GI bill to go.
to a bootcamp or any
tech vocational program.
So I went there.
I talked to my wife.
We kind of figured out everything.
Uh, we prayed about it.
Um, I fell at peace and the Lord said,
go for it because I get paid to go to
the school as long as it's full time.
And because the job that I, I had.
The, it would allow me to go part time,
I still got night differentials, so it's
like almost I didn't lose any money.
And I was able to go to school full
time so I can get paid by the art,
by the VA for going to school, which
actually compensated very well,
um, per month while I was going
and still paid the bills and some.
And, um, I, I finished a, like a full
stack development bootcamp in 2021.
And then I started looking for a role.
I didn't get into a role.
So I continue working this
job until eventually in 20.
22, I broke into tech, like my first
official on paper role as a video
creator for a WordPress company before
I've done some contracting work as
a freelance video creator, creating
tutorials for like Divi and whatnot.
So I, I had that
repertoire net experience.
But eventually fast forward, I,
that was one of those jobs that I
had so much autonomy that it was
so dangerous, but there was no
structure because that position was
new and I had to build the structure.
So I failed and I, out of that failing,
I learned that I abused my autonomy
way too much and I didn't get the
job done the way that I should have.
So I got let go and I was trying
to look for a job as a developer.
I said, no, this, I told my wife,
I'm going to, this time I'll
look for a job as a developer.
No video content creation.
I could do that anytime.
She's like, well, you're going
to have to work McDonald's or
Panda Express or something.
To pay the bill to, you know, so that
the severance pay doesn't go away.
Yada, yada, yada.
And yeah, things didn't look out.
It was nothing was promising.
I work with the recruit with
tech system, which is a very well
known, uh, recruiting agency.
And then, um.
Yeah, that took a while.
I put in some applications.
I got rejection after
rejection after rejection.
So I ended up working for FedEx.
And then I ended up working for FedEx
for only a couple weeks, which is insane.
Because eventually I got my UI UX
developer role, um, in the summer.
So,
enhanced_kevin-griffin_1_01-05-2024_144926_#1:
And then you moved on to where you
are now with the healthcare SAS.
And I feel like that's a, that's a pretty
well rounded career you've had so far.
And you're just getting started.
enhanced_joshua-berrios_1_01-05-2024_134924_#1:
it has, it has been amazing.
Um, because I started off at
like, um, a five figure role.
So I started off at like 80 K and
the first developer role that I got.
And then when I was doing video
creation, same thing, 80 K.
So like I was so humble enough
that I was like, Hey, I would
be willing to work for you guys.
If you guys can meet me on 80 K and
they did, which for most company,
that's better than anything.
Cause they would rather pay less.
Right.
Um, and so I started doing.
I started working that job, uh, there was
a season where things started going well
and there was a season where things didn't
go so well and I experienced burnout.
I was like, wow, this is what a lot of
developers, programs are talking about
on YouTube, Twitter, all the spaces about
burnout when it comes to coding and stuff.
Um, but my burnout affected my
Relationship with God and affected
my relationship with my family.
So it kind of almost felt like
I was in a small dot year.
So, Hey, like after the
military, but not as bad.
And then fast forward, I got laid off
and that was a blessing in disguise.
This time around, I had enough experience
with multiple languages and being a
developer that I was able to position
myself as a mid level developer.
The thing about when.
You have leadership skills, and
you have some creative agency
experience, and all these things,
but my resume did not show it.
So my problem was, Kevin
My resume was crap.
So I polished that up fast forward,
uh, what was supposed to be six
months of unemployment or more,
uh, while, or just me working at
a local fast food chain, right.
Trying to make ends meet and,
and whatnot, um, turn into
like six weeks of unemployment.
Which I only got one check out of it
because my state, there was a lot of
discrepancy there and then next thing
you know, I got an offer letter and
now I'm making six figures in less
than two years and breaking into tech.
Um, and I'm not trying to showboat or
just say, Oh yeah, but the, I've learned
that if you know how to position yourself.
And you know how to walk the talk,
you're able to get into the places that
you, that you are, that you can get.
And obviously faith plays
a big part in, in my life.
So I believe that it was also God's
grace over my, my family, um, as well.
. enhanced_kevin-griffin_1_01-05-2024_144926_#1:
What's next
enhanced_joshua-berrios_1_01-05-2024_134924_#1:
What is next?
That's a really good question.
That's a, that's a lot of necks.
Um, Uh, what a lot of people, what
I didn't mention is that throughout
all of this, I created a, uh, podcast
for Christian developers, where
Christian developers can come onto
the podcast and give their testimony,
their stories, technology, talk
about technology, faith, et cetera.
Then I actually created a community.
Now I, there was a hiatus, things
weren't going so well because
I was trying to balance life.
I mean, all that stuff that you just
heard, it was like a tornado, right?
Yeah.
That's like.
Or is everything gonna fall
after the tornado is done, right?
Well, it is all over the place and,
um, things weren't going so well there
and like ins inspiration whatnot.
This la ladder of 2023, like late,
uh, summer when I started, uh, well
beginning of t uh, the summer of 2023.
Uh, traction, um, traction
started coming through.
I picked up the podcast.
I started, uh, putting more effort
into the community and now we have.
Pretty good community that's growing.
So for this year, I'm going to continue
growing the efforts for Code Fellowship.
Um, and out of this, I
actually entered Flow Club.
I met another software
engineer who is of the faith.
And we are planning on starting
up a faith tech company together.
Uh, just lightly bootstrapping
it, taking our time.
He has a full time software
engineer role, just like me.
Um, We're our goal is
not to replace our jobs.
Our goal is to honor and glorify God
with our skills and our talents and
gifts and also learn from the process
of what it is to build up a faith tech.
company.
Um, soon enough, I'm going to launch
the first product, which is kind of
like a newsletter product, a strategy
to build up the mailing list and user
base for the three products that we're
going to build out throughout this year.
enhanced_kevin-griffin_1_01-05-2024_144926_#1:
Well, it's awesome.
I'll have to have you back in
a couple months or a year or so
and see how that's all going.
Uh, Joshua, just kind of
wrapping things up here.
If there's anyone out here who's inspired
by your journey, and they, they said, I,
I want to, I want to be just like Joshua.
What's a piece of advice you might
give to that person right now?
Joshua,
enhanced_joshua-berrios_1_01-05-2024_134924_#1:
that I would give is, one, if you're
of the faith and I'm addressing,
I'm addressing it because this is
like a different way of speaking to
both non believers and believers.
If you're of the faith.
Don't trust in your heart, trust in
God's heart and His will for your life.
Present all your plans to Him
and He will guide your steps
and the path that you should go.
Time and time again, everything that I
have mentioned in areas, and I can go
hours talking about my testimony in those
areas, is because I didn't listen to God.
So there was time of humbling, and then
when I humbled myself, I'm exalted.
Jesus says that if you, uh, exalt
yourself, you will be humbled.
And if you humble yourself,
you'll be exalted.
You don't want to be humbled.
want to be humble so
that you may be exalted.
So that things can go well for you.
And for the non believers, I
would also give the same advice.
Be humble.
Know your worth.
Structure that worth.
But don't be prideful.
Keep a low vision, low peripheral.
That's what Jesus is saying here.
You know your worth, but don't
exalt yourself above others,
because you can learn from everyone.
You really can.
And recognize your flaws.
Everyone this is for everyone recognize
your flaws before they bring destruction
to the path that you're trying to build.
Whether the software development,
product management, whatever role
in tech or in life in general.
That's my advice, because if you're
trying to do freelance, freelance is
going to consume a lot of your time
away from your family because you're
trying to build up a name, you're
trying to build up your business.
And that's something that I'm
going to take in with this year is
baby steps and focus on one client
at a time, one client at a time.
And then the Lord will open up
a path where I can do good work
for a couple hours in my day
job and do self development.
And then career improvement
and use that as part of that.
enhanced_kevin-griffin_1_01-05-2024_144926_#1:
anything that we missed that we
could talk about before we wrap up?
enhanced_joshua-berrios_1_01-05-2024_134924_#1:
no, I think this is really awesome.
Um, I love the inspiration has come from
all the episodes that I've listened to
and can, and will continue to listen to.
And I'm definitely gonna take up
on your invitation of the discord.
Um, so I can learn from everyone.
Um, but I don't, I don't think.
There's anything else.
I think if, if you are wanting to be a
part of my community and want to be in
fellowship, uh, you guys can check out
Code Fellowship on YouTube, on all the
podcasting platforms and, um, And then
you can send me a message over on Twitter,
I'm active on Twitter and Threads.
Um, send me a message over on Twitter and
I can send you a link to the community.
Um, I am gonna try to be building
in public, so hey, help me, help
you, and you help me, uh, help me.
So, so yeah, that's uh, that's
pretty much it, I think that's uh,
that's all I have to say there.
enhanced_kevin-griffin_1_01-05-2024_144926_#1:
sounds good.
And we'll put links to everything
in our show notes, too.
So it should be nice and easy for everyone
to come find you find your community.
Um, and there's plenty of
room to cross pollinate.
Joshua, with that, thank you so
much for hanging out with us today.
And listeners, thank you so
much for listening to the
multi threaded income podcast.
We'll see you again next week.
Y'all have a great week.
You've been listening to the
multi threaded income podcast.
I really hope that this podcast
has been useful for you.
If it has, please take a moment to leave a
review wherever you get your podcast from.
And don't forget the
conversation doesn't stop here.
Join us on our discord at mti.
to slash discord.
I've been your host Kevin Griffin
and we'll see you next week.
Cha ching!