#### Starting something new can feel super overwhelming…and kind of terrifying. The good news? A lot of us feel this way—no, really, that’s the good news! That, and we’re all in this together.

On this week’s show, we talk with Saron Yitbarek about how she started, grew, and nurtures [CodeNewbie](https://www.codenewbie.org/)—the most supportive community of programmers and people learning to code. It all started with one little (but powerful) sentiment: _be nice_. We also talk to her about what it’s like to be new at something, making a place for yourself at the table even if you’re not sure there’s a seat for you, and living up to your own potential.

> I don’t think I’ve ever taken a piece of feedback that I didn’t immediately inside respond with, like, intense anger and, you know, taking offense to it. But…we’re not optimizing for my feelings. And we’re not optimizing for me patting myself on the back. That’s not the point. We’re optimizing for creating a really strong and amazing community and to be a resource for other people.

> —Saron Yitbarek, founder of CodeNewbie

Also in this episode, we:

- Swap stories about first jobs, finding office advocates, and gaining the confidence to take the reins at work.

- Get pumped about summertime vibes and vow to spend a little more time outside, even if it means sweating a little. (A lot.)

And don’t forget to check out CodeNewbie’s [Twitter chat](https://twitter.com/search?f=realtime&q=%23CodeNewbie&src=typd), [podcast](https://www.codenewbie.org/podcast), and [Codeland conference](http://codelandconf.com/).

## Sponsors

This episode of NYG is brought to you by:


_[Shopify](https://www.shopify.com/careers), a leading global commerce platform that’s building a world-class team to define the future of entrepreneurship. Visit [shopify.com/careers](https://www.shopify.com/careers) to see what they’re talking about._


_[WordPress](https://wordpress.com/noyougo)—the place to build your personal blog, business site, or anything else you want on the web. WordPress helps others find you, remember you, and connect with you._

 


_[Harvest](https://www.getharvest.com/), makers of a_