#101: Avi Flombaum – Co-Founder of Flatiron School

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Avi Flombaum is a lifelong educator. He is the Co-Founder of Flatiron School, which grew to thousands of students and got acquired by WeWork.

Prior to starting Flatiron School, Avi also built several companies.

Avi’s philosophy believes that education should mold and flex to the needs of the student.

On this episode, he shares his insights about their different programs and how they’re making education more accessible to people without having to carry that huge financial burden themselves.

About:  
Lives In: New York, NY
Current Job Co-Founder of Flatiron
Date Recorded 8/16/2018

Show Notes:

[02:42] Adam explains the reason for the acquisition of Flatiron by WeWork and the current initiatives and partnerships they’re doing to increase access to education while reducing the financial burden.

[07:18] Why Avi thinks there is no “holy grail” of education and their partnership with Access Labs Initiative in New York City and 2U

[09:30] Avi describes creating a global campus through meetups and what language he recommends for beginners to learn.

[12:50] The importance of making choices and celebrating our differences to foster innovation. Learn why he thinks Ruby is the language of startups.

[15:30] Avi explains the reason behind their logo: “Flatiron is a way to get somewhere.” and the admissions process at Flatiron. Find out the things they look for in applicants.

[19:48] The difference between an in-person vs an online program and how you can prepare yourself for each of them to set yourself up for success

[24:13] The current programs at Flatiron as well as the different industries they wish to serve (UX, product management, digital marketing, cybersecurity, information security, etc.)

[25:50] Building talent over buying talent: How to prepare yourself for leadership and how Flatiron helps companies facilitate this

[28:55] Avi’s insights into the future of the coding bootcamp space in general as well as his thoughts on income share agreements

[32:44] How to choose a school: Avi shares their student employment outcomes, their money-back guarantee, and some tips in choosing a school.

[38:00] Different industries where you can find tech jobs, where Flatiron’s remote immersive programs are located, and the nuances of teaching internationally

[43:10] The role of storytelling in education and a brief look at Avi’s own story

[50:00] Stop thinking about what to do with coding, but realize you can do anything with it! Listen to what Avi has to say if you think you’re too old to learn how to code and how to get past impostor syndrome.

Contact Info:

Avi Flombaum

Twitter: @aviflombaum

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aviflombaum

Email address: avi@flatironschool.com

Flatiron School

Articles & Mentioned Resources:

Learning Resources

WeWork

Student Employment Outcomes at Flatiron

Personal Projects/Partnerships:

Flatiron’s Free 80+ hour HTML, CSS & Javascript Course

Flatiron School

Opportunity Hub

Access Labs Initiative

2U

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