In this episode, we sit down with Quincy Larson, founder of Free Code Camp, to explore his incredible path from high school dropout to influential tech educator. Quincy shares his unconventional journey — from living in his car and working fast food jobs to building one of the most impactful coding education platforms in the world.
We discuss the power of self-learning, the evolution of coding education, and the philosophy behind building meaningful skills. Quincy also dives into his productivity habits, structured routines, and why he prioritizes lifelong learning over traditional memories.
Lane's interview on Free Code Camp: https://www.freecodecamp.org/news/getting-a-developer-job-lane-wagner-podcast-157/
Free Code Camp podcast playlist: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDLDCm3bPfU&list=PLWKjhJtqVAbm04DK8TSUCRheRjW2P9TR7
Learn back-end development: boot.dev
Listen on your favorite podcast player: backendbanter.fm
Follow Quincy on X/Twitter: @ossia
Free Code Camp: freecodecamp.org
Timestamps:
00:00 - Intro and Meeting Quincy
01:05 - Running a charity
03:58 - Getting deep into podcasts
11:58 - Quincy's lifestyle
17:47 - The Birth of Free Code Camp
25:47 - What has freecodecamp been working on
27:40 - Building Skills vs. Chasing Shortcuts
30:20 - How to Stand Out in Today's Tech Job Market
50:44 - What changed since Quincy wrote his book
54:06 - Obligatory AI talk
1:12:01 - Where to find Quincy
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