S2E6: Michael Mentele - From Launch School to making $250k at Facebook

S2E6: Michael Mentele - From Launch School to making $250k at Facebook

Author: Launch School May 17, 2020 Duration: 42:45

In this episode, I asked one of our very first Capstone graduates to share with us what’s been going on a few years removed from graduating Capstone. Michael joined Launch School in 2016, finished Capstone in 2017, and is now making a “quarter of a million” at Facebook working on the Oculus VR team.

We always talk about Launch School being a long-term investment, so now we get to see what the returns on that investment can look like years down the road. I loved this conversation because despite the dream job and impressive salary, Michael absolutely exudes humility. He said something that I completely agree with, which is that humans are more similar than we are different, and if he can do it, anyone can. Just two years ago, he was just like you: here at Launch School working through the assignments. Note that this episode was recorded in the fall of 2019 and it is now, at the time of publishing this episode, mid-2020. I hope you enjoy our conversation.


For anyone curious about the deliberate, patient path to becoming a true software craftsman, the Launch School Podcast offers a grounded and insightful companion. This isn't about quick hacks or trending frameworks; it's a deep, ongoing conversation about the fundamentals of mastery itself. Each episode connects through the shared experiences of learning to code, drawing on voices from within the Launch School community and beyond. You'll hear from students navigating the curriculum, employers discussing what they truly value in developers, and seasoned engineers reflecting on the principles of long-term career growth. Discussions naturally explore effective study habits, the philosophy of mastery-based learning, and the practical realities of transitioning into a professional role. By focusing on the underlying process of expertise, this podcast provides a unique and thoughtful resource for anyone committed to a meaningful education in technology. Tune in for honest conversations that reframe the journey of learning to code as one of continuous, intentional growth.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 50

Launch School Podcast
Podcast Episodes
S2E9: Student Panel Discussion [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:01:18
Welcome to another episode of the Launch School podcast. This is a slightly different episode in that it’s a recording of a webinar we did a few weeks ago about our Deferred Payment Program. Now why would we include a we…
S2E7: Sunny Beatteay on Landing a Dream Job and Getting Promoted [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:08:28
Welcome to Season 2, Episode 7 of the Launch School podcast. In this episode, I had a chance to chat with Sunny Beatteay, a senior software engineer at Digital Ocean and Capstone alum. This conversation was recorded a fe…
S2E3: Sasha Prodan - 3 year journey to software engineering [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 55:10
I catch up with Sasha Prodan, who describes her multi-year journey to her high-paying software engineering role. Sasha arrived in the US as an immigrant, worked retail jobs to support herself, and spent 3 years completin…
S2E1: Tannr Allard - $120k job first, college after [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:41
In this first episode of Season 2 of the Launch School podcast, I chat with Capstone graduate Tannr Allard about his reflections on going from leaving college to a $120K job to working in blockchain development.
Meet a Student: Letladi Sebesho [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:24
In this episode, we speak with Letladi Sebesho, a South African developer who recently completed all (well, most) of the Launch School courses. He talks about how Launch School compares with his computer science courses,…