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Jeroen Leenarts: So hi,
everybody. Welcome to the extra
special edition with Kim Arnett.
As you might remember, she
interviewed me a little while
ago. So now it's my turn to
interview her. So, Kim, Hi, how
are you doing today?
Kim Arnett: Hey, I'm doing good.
How are you?
Jeroen Leenarts: Yeah, I'm good,
actually, because I'm
interviewing you. So that's a
lot easier for me actually.
Kim Arnett: And easier for me
to.
Jeroen Leenarts: Yeah. Yeah. Now
you can just do talking and not
listening, right?
Kim Arnett: Yeah. Yeah, for
sure. I'm good at that part.
Jeroen Leenarts: Okay, um, so
let's get started. You're like,
you're living in Michigan.
You're an iOS developer. You
tend to do a lot of things with
stickers. And I don't know, I
don't know where to start. So
let's just start at the
beginning. How did you get into
Intertek? And how did you get
involved with computers?
Kim Arnett: Sure. So growing up,
I was, let's see, my extent of
knowledge of computers was like
games. I had some PC games.
There was like Barbie riding
club, which I fangirled over
hard because I loved horses
growing up I showed showed so
that one was super fun. Math
blasters was super fun. I had
some older sisters. So we had, I
think it was called like
scooters Magic Castle, that one
is memorable to me as well. So I
definitely was always interested
in them growing up. But I never
really imagined myself as like,
I don't know, a pewter whiz,
like, right. So let's see, fast
forward. graduated high school,
we had a Oh, it was, it was kind
of like an intro to programming.
But it wasn't really an intro to
programming. It was like, we
made a website with HTML. So
that was really interesting. In
high school, you know, to have
that experience, especially
because MySpace was coming out
and that kind of stuff. So very
good time to learn HTML and kind
of, you know, toe dip into that
world. But I still didn't know
that was programming. So let's
fast forward a couple more years
into college, I was actually
pursuing a math major, because
I, in all honestly had no idea
what to do what to do with my
life. So I was always really
good at math. And I thought
maybe, you know, I could be a
teacher, or something along
those lines, and really help
kids kind of just get it.
Because, you know, I was
inspired by some of the
professor, not professors,
teachers that I had growing up,
that helped me just get it. And
there were some that helped me
hate math. So I have both ends
of the spectrum. So I was kind
of interested in that. And in
doing so I ended up taking a
intro to programming course,
which was like a gen ed a lot.
toril is what they're called.
And we remember, optional class,
like to like, kind of fill in
the spaces, right. So I ended up
taking internal programming. And
it was really weird experience.
Because the first day I did not
realize it was like a classroom
setting in a lab setting. So the
first day I walk into the
classroom, but we were actually
supposed to be at the lab. And
there was a guy sitting at a
desk, and I asked him if this
was intro to programming, and he
just started hype of
hyperventilating. Like, oh my
God, here we go. And then the
second time I saw him, I was
like, Oh, hey, cuz I knew nobody
in this, you know, field or
major or anything. Like,
everyone was completely new
people I've never seen before.
So the next time I saw him, you
know, I said, Hey, thinking,
we've at least talked before.
And then he just started
speaking in French, so my
friendship was not welcome.
Okay. But yeah, super
interesting. So yeah, I, I don't
know, I just kept my head down.
That was like, Okay, I'll just
do what I'm supposed to do and
not worry about it. And about
halfway through the class, the
professor pulled me aside and he
was like, you know, you should
consider changing your major to
computer science. You have a
knack for this. And I was like,
I don't know. You know, this
class is really weird. Like,
nobody will talk to me. I really
have no business being in here
like everyone. seemed to have
built their own computer. At
some point, everyone knew how to
get rid of viruses. And I was
the one that destroyed three
computers with viruses. So
Jeroen Leenarts: you were
collecting them in attention,
Kim Arnett: absolutely. MSN all
the way. I just really fell out
of place. And I didn't feel
welcome. But the more I thought
about it, and I was also a
single mom at the time, which
I've talked about before, um,
other areas. So the more I
thought about it, and the more I
looked into it, I realized that
computer programming pays
extremely well. And that's a
really great future for myself
and a way to take care of my
daughter. And then, you know, I
also thought about the aspect of
creating, I really liked
creating things. I felt really
good when I got things to show
up on the screen. So yeah, I
took one more class, just to
make sure before I changed my
major for the 85th time. And I
fell in love.
Jeroen Leenarts: So you
mentioned already that you that
you're a single mom. So was it
challenging to do an education
while being a mom?
Kim Arnett: Yeah, do not
recommend. Really. It was
incredibly difficult, but in my
mind, I didn't have another
choice. I got, right. So how I
got through it is I utilize
every resource available to me.
You know, I was living with my
parents, they would help me
immensely with babysitting. At
one point, I had an internship
and I was paying a babysitter to
come to the house and then help
out so I could also get homework
done. And I wasn't you know,
expending my parents. The
responsibility? Yeah, it was
extraordinarily tough. There
were many nights I was up till
2am. Just studying, just doing
homework, just getting my stuff
done for the next day. And then
you wake up at five and do it
all over again. So yeah, it was
incredibly difficult, incredibly
hard to get through. But it was
so rewarding. Once I finally
did.
Jeroen Leenarts: You persevered?
And you came through, right?
Kim Arnett: Yeah. Yeah. Success
story, I think. Yeah. So I mean,
I think about it frequently. And
I think about it's so easy to
give up. You know, there was one
point I was pursuing a, it's
like one of those medical
degrees that you could get in
like, two years. And just I
think it was something with CAT
scans, or I don't even remember,
pluck that part out of my life,
out of my mind. Um, but yeah, I
was, I was looking at that at
one point, because it was like,
what is the quickest way I can
get out of school and make
money? But then I realized that
medical stuff is disgusting. I
don't want to do. So that wasn't
for me, and that's okay. It's
not for everybody. But yeah, I
think I think about all the
routes I've could have taken to
get either where I'm at, or all
the different routes I would
have taken, and where those
would have ended up. And I'm so
thankful that I stuck with it.
I'm so thankful that I was able
to provide a good life for my
daughter, you know, is a rough
couple years. Don't get me
wrong. But, you know, now I'm
able to pretty much give her
anything she would want or would
need. Not that she's totally
spoiled for the record. But, you
know, we got some years to make
up for as well.
Jeroen Leenarts: So And how old
is your daughter right now?
Kim Arnett: She just turned 12.
Jeroen Leenarts: That yeah,
that's, that's when you really
get into the conversations with
her energy can explain things.
Yeah. So would you say that she
is thankful to the choice that
you've made?
Kim Arnett: Um, I think,
Jeroen Leenarts: as a 12 year
olds can be of course,
Kim Arnett: yeah, I was gonna
say, I don't think she really
has a clue. But, you know, she,
I don't know, she sees the world
a different way than I do,
because she just sees it as
extra time she got to live with
their grandparents, you know, so
that was really fun for her. And
I don't think she was quite
aware of all of the struggles
that you know, was were going on
at the time, so You know, I
think she's certainly happy with
her life now. But yeah, it'd be
interesting to get her
perspective because I, it's not
really something we talk about a
lot. Kind of
Jeroen Leenarts: onwards and
upwards. Maybe that's a
conversation once she's out of
school and having, having her
own life. Yeah. So um, so yeah,
you did your education. She did
your studies. So you got your
first job. How did that happen?
Kim Arnett: Sure. So I graduated
in December, which means that a
lot of people are redoing their
budgets. A lot of budgets are
not approved yet. And there's
not a lot of open roles because
nobody graduates in December.
Everyone in the US, at least,
you know, companies tried to
line up their open positions in
the summer, because that's when
a lot of graduates are
graduating. It's in the spring.
So yeah, it was it was really
interesting. I had a few
connections that I had made
through my internship
extravaganzas. So I did have an
internship, and it was supposed
to turn into a full time job.
And then the budget got revoked.
So then I had to start looking
kind of last minute, I didn't
have a lot of leeway into like,
Hey, this is happening. It was
just like, wow, we're really
sorry. So I was panic searching
about two weeks before
graduation. And thankfully, the
university had a career fair
that they had set up. So there
was a few companies, it was a
full full, like you would
expect, you know, because it was
December, and like everything I
just said. But there were enough
companies to at least have
conversations. Some of them were
really positive. A lot of them
were really negative. One
company didn't even want to talk
to me, because I had never heard
of their company. Which was
really interesting. But in
hindsight, learning more about
that company, as you know, I've
gone through the, through my
career, I am very glad to talk
to me. There was another
recruiter that I had gone
through the internship interview
process with, and I actually got
two different offers through
that internship. And I didn't
accept either one of them, I had
accepted a different one that
was about 30 minutes closer to
home. And he was pretty salty
about it. I'm salty enough that
he took my resume out of my hand
and just placed it in a stack
and said, Is there anything else
I can do for you? And then the
third company, the third
company, you know, I again, like
desperate single mom, just
please, somebody hire me. So the
third company, I was talking to
the recruiter at the table. And
she had said that they had this
pilot or kind of a pilot
program, but his professional
growth program that they take in
entry level developers, and you
can either go down the Java
track, or you can go down, they
had a new mobile track. And I
said, Well, I had this iOS class
once. And so they were like,
well, what are you interested
in? I'm like, wherever you need
me, really. I love it all.
Jeroen Leenarts: Just get me at
a keyboard.
Kim Arnett: That's right. So um,
they really were having trouble
finding mobile developers for
this program, because it was
such a new technology. And not a
lot of universities. Were
teaching it yet. So yeah, very
thankful I got into that it was
a three month program. They
trained us in Android, iOS, and
jQuery Mobile. And then from
there, they hired you out
internally. So you would present
the stuff that you've built
through this program, to
different teams within the
company, and then they would
pretty much select who they
wanted to work with going
forward. So that was really
cool. It was really cool to get
experience of like, what
different parts of the company
did, what different products
they had, and that sort of
thing. So yeah, I pretty much
got to choose iOS, out of the
gate, which was really cool, you
know? Total fan of their
products that I couldn't afford
at the time. Everything else? So
yeah, super, super interesting
how all that turned out, it
feels like it was kind of by
chance. But I was also fortunate
enough to just keep pushing
towards what I enjoyed.
Jeroen Leenarts: So So you got
started with your first role as
an iOS developer through this
program? How long did you stay
with this company?
Kim Arnett: Good question. It
was about two years.
Jeroen Leenarts: Okay. And was
it a good run that you had
there? And did you learn a lot
there? Or? And what was the
reason for you to? So Let's
rephrase that. So you worked
there for two years? What was
the reason for you decided to
start looking elsewhere?
Kim Arnett: Sure. So after I
call it graduated from this
program, I got hired into a team
that was doing web development
for a short stint. I didn't feel
like the team was very
supportive. So I immediately was
like, climbing back into the
other teams, like, Where can I
get into iOS? So then I landed
on a team with one of the other
graduates, and I was doing iOS,
he was doing Android. And it
was, I was there for about a
year and a half on that team.
And it was really great. There
were some senior people at the
company that were willing to sit
down and explain things to let
me rephrase. There were senior
people at the company that, you
know, really valued, that
there's no dumb questions. So it
was really nice, having a place
where I could ask anything that
I came across and having a
supportive environment where it
was okay to get it wrong, it was
okay to you know, sit down at
somebody else's cube and go
through the problem together.
You know, I got my first toe dip
into testing with that team. I
learned what a proxy was, and
how to kind of network the bugs
and things that were going on. I
thought that was like, amazing
at the time. I was like, wait,
you could do what and you can
see it on your computer. Like
that's wild. Um, so yeah, it was
it was overall a really great
experience. There were it was a
really diverse team, too, which
I didn't quite appreciate at the
time, because that was normal to
me, right? I, let's see i in
school, there were very few
women. There were very few non
white people. So it was really
interesting coming into this
team, where they had pretty good
diversity overall. So yeah, that
just felt normal to me. I
thought, you know, this was what
a working team would look like.
So yeah, I like that a lot. I
decided to move on eventually,
mostly because of pay. I did not
get the promotion that I felt I
greatly deserved. And yeah, so
that really sucked to go through
that experience so soon. But I
also knew that there were people
that were getting paid far more
than I was, and they were doing
far less than that. So it was
time to go. By that point in
time, you know, we had, let's
see, the senior iOS developer
had left. So I kind of picked up
all of the pieces that he had
left and made sure that things
were still moving. That included
maintaining to apps, which was a
lot for a junior developer. But
yeah, I just I felt like that
went totally unappreciated. And
it had been two years and I was
still at my entry level salary.
So boo.
Jeroen Leenarts: Yeah, that's,
that's a bummer. So so and so
what year are we at right now?
Because two years after
graduation?
Kim Arnett: Yeah, that would be
2014.
Jeroen Leenarts: And and so you
you move to another position at
another company, because of the
reasons that you mentioned. How
did that work out for you then?
Kim Arnett: Sure. Um, yeah. I I
thought maybe some of my
problems were because I was an
enterprise development, you
know, situation. So I was
interested to see what a smaller
company had to offer. So my next
role, I did go to a smaller
company, there was three iOS
developers in one Android
developer at the time. I think
that's it. So that was a really
good, well, interesting
experience. They definitely had
some unique challenges. I did
like that, you know, there were
times that the developers were
directly interfacing with the
clients, to get them, you know,
whatever they needed, or
whatever changes tweaked or, you
know, so that I thought that was
pretty cool that, you know, you
could just hop on a call and be
like, so what's going on? What
bug? Are you seeing? Okay, you
know, I'll work on it right
away. So that was really neat.
But ultimately, I ended up doing
a lot more web work there than I
cared for. So I think it was
about another, maybe a year and
a half, two years, probably year
and a half. And I decided it was
time to move. There's a little
bit of a pattern emerging.
Jeroen Leenarts: Well, it
depends. Because if you haven't
found the place for you, where
you can really thrive and and
grow, then why not move on?
Right? Yeah. Yeah, for sure. So,
um, so to watch your current
position, how many jobs that you
have in the meantime, before you
ended up at your current
position?
Kim Arnett: Great question. So
this is my, this company in
eight years.
Jeroen Leenarts: Wow, that's,
that's reasonable, especially if
you're like starting out on your
career.
Kim Arnett: So to hear you say
that.
Jeroen Leenarts: Yeah, but that
that's always very personal
reasons for people to make
certain decisions and actually
deciding to give up on
somebody's job security, to
pursue another position at
another company, it's, it's
something that takes courage to
actually do. And I took nine
years at my first company where
I worked to finally hand in my
notice, so I took a little bit
longer than you. And so, so
that's a very different
experience as well. So So, in
all this, you've always been a
single mom, you've always been a
woman in tech, you've always
been I should have put this a
very, at least how you come
across to me as a very happy
person. Like you're you're
really bright angel. I, I reckon
that you tend to make some noise
when you're working. Is that
correct? Oh. So so what were the
challenges that you were facing
in your career thus far? What
were the then I'm not, I'm not
talking about the technical
things, but more the, the
interpersonal and the well,
basically, sometimes really
stupid things?
Kim Arnett: Sure. Yeah. So I
actually got married to my
husband in 2013. So it was about
a year after I started working
professionally. And we were
together during that time, just
not married. So it was
interesting to go through all
that together as well. And so
yeah, it has been an interesting
roller coaster. So we got
married in 2013 When I started
looking for my second and third
jobs, so this was 2014 2015 ish,
2016 maybe closer. This is
relevant, I promise. So when I
was looking for my second and
third jobs, you know, part of
the process is applying with
your name and your resume. And
you have to check mark that you
know, you didn't lie and all
this other stuff. So I got this
really nasty email from a
recruiter I was working with one
day and it was that a company
that I really wanted to work
for. So I kind of took it
extremely personally when I got
this email, but it was really
nasty emails saying that I was
lying to them that I had did not
have my degree that I started
her on this wild Goose Chase
just to, you know, be a fraud,
basically. And I asked her, it's
like my degrees hanging up next
to my desk, would you like a
picture? And she she was
basically like, no, don't waste
my time anymore. And I was like,
What did you call the university
under my maiden name? Oh, we
found it. I was like, are you
like this? I'm not the only
married person in tech that went
to school. Made a name right.
Like, tell me that's not true.
Um, but yeah, that that was the
first like, what the hell? I'm
good.
Jeroen Leenarts: So yeah, that's
that's very silly, really, in
the sense that that somebody
wouldn't check. Someone's made a
name to see if if a resume
checks out. But it does seem to
indicate some kind of bias going
on maybe?
Kim Arnett: Yeah, yeah. Like, I
don't know. Maybe she had not
worked with women engineers
before? I don't know.
Jeroen Leenarts: Seven. Okay,
but that happens. And then
credibly weird.
Kim Arnett: But yeah, I don't
know. I feel like that's a given
button. You know. Um, let's see
what else happened. There was.
There's a lot, it seems like
there's always something there
was a recruiter I was working
with once he was extremely
toxic. For my work, we were
going through this really tight
release schedule. And he wanted
to line up in person interview,
like, the next day. And I was
like, it has to be next week, I
just don't have any bandwidth
right now. You know, I still
have to take care of my job.
First and foremost, like, I'm
the only developer here. You
know, this is this is really
important that I need to focus
on this week. But I would be
happy, you know, next week as
let for year, I'd be happy,
like, whatever time you can get
in early in the week would be
great. He then called me, and he
verbally assaulted me over the
phone and said things like, you
don't really want to look for a
new job. You're, again, wasting
everyone's time. You know, if I
really wanted this job, I would
do whatever needs to be done to
go to this interview. You get
the you get the picture. Yeah.
And I ended up like calling off
everything. I was like, forget
it. Like, I can't deal with
this. This is ridiculous. And
then his manager had called me
and was like, Are you interested
in working with me? And
continuing this interview? And I
said, Sure, blocked his number,
blocked his email. So I made it
through the in person got the
offer. The manager was supposed
to walk me to the door my first
day. And she ended up quitting,
she never showed up. So yeah,
that was also really interesting
to witness like so early in my
career. Because again, you're
going from like, these
assumptions that everyone's good
and everyone, you know, the
positive intent thing that we
always hear about and you just
kind of like inherently assumed
because you came from school
where you know, it was a really
supportive environment and
people were cheering you on to
then you get into the real world
and you realize that there are
really terrible people out there
you know, and and just people
that are just clueless I guess
to like, I had worked at my
first job for like I said,
almost two years. And after I
laughed, there was a guy that
came up to one of my team
members and asked for the intern
when I was there for two years.
Jeroen Leenarts: How long can
you be an intern? That's like
half year maybe maximum?
Kim Arnett: I know it's just I
haven't all this ridiculous
ridiculous
Jeroen Leenarts: but but what
you say that so that you come
from a positive supportive
environment like school and your
family? Was it Was it hard for
you to deal with the fact that
they're just pretty much
horrible people out there?
Kim Arnett: Yeah. Yeah, it's
still hard. You know, you see
what happened on Twitter this
even the last three days just
ah, oh,
Jeroen Leenarts: Yeah, it's I
don't even, I can't even begin
to imagine what kind of shit
gets thrown in your direction.
Just because of the fact that
I'm how silly and stupid it
might sound. I'm not a woman.
Yeah. And I've seen things. As a
bystander, you know that that
stuff happens and and it's like
that you start to wonder what
are what's what's wrong with
people, it's a person on the
other end receiving this, just
think before you do something,
and maybe just, you know, delete
that message before you send it
yet. Okay, let's get to happy
things again. Lots of therapy.
Kim Arnett: Yes, please. Oh.
Jeroen Leenarts: So from what I
understood, right now you're
working at a great place, we're
not going to name where you
work. But people who dig around
a little bit can probably find
out where you work. But from
what I understood from one of my
other contacts, it's, it's a
great place to be at, and
they're very supportive. And
they, they like to have a very
diverse group of engineers
working on that technology. So
that's great, you got to the
position where you want to be
and where you can thrive and
where you can grow and where you
can be a great developer. But it
shouldn't be that hard to get to
such a position, right, if you
have to skills and the diplomas
and the will to actually do
that. So in all of this is there
anything in this entire process
that in hindsight, you could
have optimized so that you ended
up at your desired desired
position? Easier, sooner or with
less hassle?
Kim Arnett: Sure. Yeah, I think
a few key takeaways for me is,
know what the bottom line is,
know what you're willing to walk
away from? You know, because I,
unfortunately put myself in a
lot of situations that I felt
were toxic environments for
various reasons. And in
hindsight, to some extent, it
was because I left things up to
the company, things that I cared
about things that I should have
cared about. I just assumed that
other people would also care
when that's not the case at all.
So you know, there's another
instance where getting out of a
toxic environment, I took a
lower pay than was market value.
And I knew that, but I didn't
have the confidence to walk away
from it. Right. So I just wanted
out of this toxic environment.
Yeah. So when I started that
job, that kind of, you know, put
me already behind the ball. And
I also learned while I was going
through this process that I'm
very morally driven. So it's not
so much that I was getting paid,
let's say $10,000, less than
somebody else. It was the diff,
it was that I wasn't getting
paid the fair way. Right. Right.
So being already behind the
ball, seeing other people
getting promoted after I had
been at another company for two
years. That really sucked. And
having these conversations with
my manager, we're going nowhere.
So to some extent, you know, I
felt like I didn't have a choice
other than to leave and find
where somebody would pay me
market value. So yeah, I think
you know, knowing what your
bottom line is being willing to
walk away. If you're interested
in looking for a new job, look,
before you have to look, look
before the situation gets toxic,
before your hand is forced,
because then you're going to be
in a situation like I was where
it's like, I don't care, just
make it. Right. That's right.
Jeroen Leenarts: To make sure
you mentioned the bottom line is
that strictly financially or set
also, what you deem acceptable
for what you deem acceptable in
work environments, in behavior
of your peers.
Kim Arnett: Yeah, I think it
means whatever it means to you.
In some instances, it has been a
financial motivator for me. In
other instances, it's I need to
be at a company that values
diversity, right? I am tired of
having these conversations. And
you know, having to prove myself
every day or every other day or
whatever that looks like. So I
you know, for some people, I
need to be on a supportive team
I need to be, you know, whatever
that bottom line is for you. And
additionally, ask questions
around that. You know, I have a
blog post out there somewhere, I
think it's on dev two, it's
interview questions you should
ask. So I think, you know,
taking advantage of that time in
the interview, where the
interviewer will ask you, if you
have any questions for them, you
know, figure out like, what's a
deal breaker for you and ask
questions around that. You know,
ask about diversity inclusion,
if that's what's important to
you ask about promotions, if
that's what's important to you.
Jeroen Leenarts: Yeah, because
so much status, so much
interviews, people are in the
interview, just because they
want to show themselves to the
company. But an interview for a
position is also a great
opportunity to actually
basically interview the company
to see if the company is a fit
for you. And, and I find it so
surprising that so many people
when they are in a job
interview, they take this
completely submissive role in
that they are like, completely
turned over to the whims of the
company or the entity that's
interviewing them. And it's,
it's so interesting, because
especially if you're in tech,
and you have like, some skills,
you're actually in a position of
power as a individual. So I'd
say it's anybody in interview,
if you, of course, it's hard to
have the confidence I know. But
wield that power, make sure that
you get what you deserve. And
that's, that's that's so
important. Because, yeah, it's
there's nasty people out there,
right.
Kim Arnett: Yeah. It's a two way
street. Use it.
Jeroen Leenarts: Yeah. And, um,
so right now, it's, you're
enjoying yourself at your
current position. But there's
also something going on with
stickers. And I know I mentioned
stickers a lot to you. But I
have a thing with stickers. So
and I reckon you have a thing
with stickers as well. So why
stickers? Why create a web shop
and sell your own stickers?
Kim Arnett: Sure. Um, so yeah, a
few years ago, this actually
started this is my second shop.
So a few years ago, you know, I
was looking for a creative
outlet that wasn't just
programming. So yeah, I started
kind of teaching myself about
design software. I started using
Affinity Photo and affinity, I
think it's called designer.
Yeah, Affinity Designer. And
just playing around, you know, I
volunteer with animal rescue. So
I was doing some images and
graphics for them. Got some
experience under my belt. And
then I decided, you know, I'm
really tired of like, the
typical. I don't know, I feel
like programmers aren't that
creative when they're creating
stickers and T shirts and stuff.
So Oh, I'm sorry. They're,
they're very cookie cutter. You
know what I mean? Like, there's
not little cute emojis or
anything like that tied to them.
Maybe that's just that they're
not cute, they're more
masculine, I don't know, I
haven't quite put my finger on
it. But I decided, you know, it
would be a lot of fun to start
maybe making T shirts that I
would actually wear. And you
know, women's cut that I would
actually wear instead of
everything being unisex. So
that's kind of where my first
shop started. I ran into a few
problems that it was kind of
like a trial and error process.
You know, I would spend a lot of
time getting, let's say, this t
shirt created and designed. And
then it would go out of stock or
like I'd have, you know, it
would just be permanently gone.
So I would have to find a
different t shirt. And it was it
was a really long and drawn out
process. And I was overthinking
everything and overanalyzing
everything because that's what I
do best in my life. So it just
it really wasn't worth it for
like the two shirts that I sold
during that year or whatever it
was. So I shut it down took some
time and was like okay, what,
you know, what can I do that
will fulfill this need without
spending so much time like
worrying about these little
details of the shirt. So that's
kind of where stickers came into
play. And I've had a lot of fun
playing around with some
different designs. That has been
a learning process as well. You
know what looks good and sticker
format, printed out versus what
doesn't. I'll show you this
right here. I still make
mistakes. So for those in the
podcast won't be able to see it,
unfortunately. But I printed my
stickers on the wrong sheet of
the paper on the rock paper,
this was like just yesterday. So
they have the watermark all over
them that says, Please print on
the other side. So you know,
things still happen still still
a learning process and getting
it right. As with anything
that's handmade, I guess. But
it's been super fun to have this
creative outlet. And I'm so glad
that more people are finding my
shop this time around and just
enjoying the stickers and the t
shirt designs as well. So,
Jeroen Leenarts: okay, cool. So
how is the shop doing for you,
then?
Kim Arnett: It's doing good. Um,
there's weeks that I have
absolutely no sales. There's
weeks that, you know, I think
the most I've ever had was maybe
like, 10 in a week. So not, you
know, life changing by any
means. But enough that it's it's
so fun. You know, I just created
a new like little Norwell
norwall norwall pointer
exception. So that's a new
sticker that I have on my shop.
But yeah, it's it's just been
fun. That's all it really is.
It's just a hobby. You know, if
I can make a little bit of cash,
I've already you know, donated
some money to some people in
need over the pandemic through
proceeds that I've made for my
shop. So that's been fun as
well, because it is just a
hobby. I'm able to support
people that help support me, so
Jeroen Leenarts: yeah, cool. And
so let's see if there's anything
that we still need to talk about
yet. WWDC what was like the
announcements in there that will
have the biggest impact on your
day to day life as a developer?
Kim Arnett: Day to day life?
Jeroen Leenarts: That's yeah,
Kim Arnett: that's interesting.
Um, man, as the developer, I'm
not sure I'm pretty excited
about the possibilities of X
cloud, or x cloud. Hmm, X code
cloud. I think that's really
exciting. I, my current team,
you know, we've been having some
problems with CI CD. So I'm
interested in that possibility
that's really appealing to me.
But as a user, like I was really
excited about the 3d maps and
reality kit. I think that
combination is awesome as
somebody who gets lost quite
frequently, as also super
excited to see the object
Capture API. Cuz now I might
actually, like make a game. It's
something I've always wanted to
do, but 3d objects scare me.
Jeroen Leenarts: Yeah, that
they're complex. And you need to
do like a lot of furnaces.
Kim Arnett: Yeah, I've made some
really ugly stuff.
Jeroen Leenarts: These are
stickers, right. Right. Because
they look, they look amazing. So
the the X code cloud thing that
you mentioned that and also the
CI CD challenges that you're
facing. We're facing some issues
where I work as well. And it's
very interesting to see what
Xcode cloud will bring and don't
have access to the Early Access
better yet. So I hope I'll get
access soon. Yeah, and then who
knows what it'll bring? Yeah. So
just to wrap things up a little
bit, because we're approaching
45 minutes so that we've been
talking. You also do some other
things besides your day job,
your stickers and some other
things if I'm correct, right.
Kim Arnett: What else do I do?
Oh, I'm kind of so I've been
involved in some online
communities. I'm a really bad
slack citizen. So I made a lot
of slacks, but unfortunately,
I'm not very. I don't contribute
a lot as much as I'd like right
now. But yeah, I you know, I'm
really active on Twitter, as
many people know. Maybe even
annoyingly, so. But in doing
that, you know, I hope to not
only share my experience, but I
hope to be the person that I
wish I had when I was coming
into development.
Jeroen Leenarts: So and and if
people have a question for you,
our day, think you can help them
with something. What's the best
way for people to actually Get
in touch with you. And of
course, because of the crap that
you sometimes have to deal with
on Twitter, because it's
amazing. I reckon you have some
sort of filtering going on to
make sure that you fat somebody
who shows up in your DM. So
what's the best approach people
can take in that regard?
Kim Arnett: Sure. Yeah, I think
Twitter is still the best route
because it's most public. So I
do have message requests on so I
will see your message, but I
won't always accept it. So
please, you know, if you need
something for me, or you just
want to say, include it in just
one message. And for the most
part, like I'm pretty flexible
with who I accept. So not all
hope is lost. But yeah, I
definitely do have to filter
some stuff out. Because even
when I have, you know, give
benefit of the doubt, sometimes
I get experimental, it's like,
Okay, let's see what happens.
And I recently had somebody say,
Oh, you're in Detroit. I said,
Yeah. And this was just like,
after, hey, you know, I'm an iOS
like, oh, you seem normal. Okay.
Hey. So he asked if I was in
Detroit, I said, Yeah. And he
drew a picture, like a
screenshot of a map from his
house to Detroit. And I said,
Okay, that's grounds for a
block. There was nothing else
they're like, please just don't
do that. But yeah, messaged me,
like, you know, let's chat. I'm
here for it. You know, if you
just want to send me a tweet,
that's totally fair game, too,
and probably easier and
preferred. But yeah, I also blog
and def to my username. There is
Qaeda code. My username on
Twitter is Qaeda code. It
spelled exactly how it sounds.
KYDACO. De.
Jeroen Leenarts: Oh, where does
this Twitter handle come from?
Actually, because yeah, my name
is Kim. That's
Kim Arnett: yeah, good question.
Oh, and my shop Qaeda co.com
half course. Okay. So yeah,
Qaeda code comes from my
initials are KDA. So if you
spell out k, k, y, and then DA
is my middle of last name.
Jeroen Leenarts: That's clever,
actually. Okay, so now people
know how to find you on the
internet and know how to get in
touch with you on the internet.
Is there anything you still want
to share? Because we've talked
about Qaeda koat.com. Please go
visit nice stickers there. But
is there anything that we've
missed
Kim Arnett: out things so talked
about a lot of stuff.
Jeroen Leenarts: I agree to
that. But it was again, a lot of
fun. And I hope people listening
to this. Enjoy the conversation
as much as I have talking with
you, Kim. And well, talk to you
again in the future. I'd say if
there's any new developments,
then let me know. And maybe
we'll hook up again and see
where you're at at that point in
time.
Kim Arnett: Yeah, sounds great.
Thanks so much for having me.
It's been fun.