How to be an artist who also pays the bills – Eamonn Cottrell [Interview #151]

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On this week’s episode of the podcast, freeCodeCamp founder Quincy Larson interviews Eamonn Cottrell. He’s a software engineer who also runs a local chain of coffee shops in Knoxville. Eamonn taught himself to code using freeCodeCamp. And he’s since published 37 freeCodeCamp tutorials on using productivity and automation using spreadsheets.

Support for this podcast comes from a grant from Wix Studio. Wix Studio provides developers tools to rapidly build websites with everything out-of-the-box, then extend, replace, and break boundaries with code. Learn more at https://wixstudio.com

Support also comes from the 11,113 kind folks who support freeCodeCamp through a monthly donation. Join these kind folks and get involved in our mission by going to donate.freecodecamp.org

We talk about:
– Eamonn love of coffee and how he bought VHS tapes to learn latte art
– How he finds time to expand his skills in between running coffee shops and ultra-marathoning
– How he used spreadsheets to automate the logistics of running coffee shops
– How he balances being a musician and writer with the practical realities of providing for a family of 6

Can you guess what song I’m playing in the intro?

Also, I want to thank the 10,993 kind people who support our charity each month, and who make this podcast possible. You can join them and support our mission at: https://www.freecodecamp.org/donate

CORRECTION: Vincent van Gogh was supported by his younger brother – not his brother in-law. van Gogh never married so he never had a brother in law. I’m not sure why I thought that. Also, he seems to have sold more than one painting in his life, though nowhere near enough to support himself as an artist.

Links we talk about during our conversation:

Eamonn’s freeCodeCamp articles: https://www.freecodecamp.org/news/author/sieis/

Eamonn’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@eamonncottrell

Excel-based esports: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2QC6VQXo8U

Ultra Marathons: https://www.youtube.com/@runtired

Got Sheet: https://www.gotsheet.xyz/

Progress and Perfection: https://www.progressandperfection.com/

Eamonn on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eamonncottrell/

Eamonn on Twitter: https://x.com/EamonnCottrell

Chapters
0:00:00 Introduction to Eamonn Cottrell
0:03:35 Eamonn’s Diverse Pursuits
0:05:39 The Ultra Marathon Journey
0:10:59 Training and Daily Routine
0:20:33 Family Life and Parenting
0:24:55 Overcoming Addiction and Recovery
0:30:24 The Journey of Recovery and Community Integration
0:33:42 Embracing Regrets and Learning from Mistakes
0:37:14 Education and Career Progression
0:45:48 Life as a Barista: Craftsmanship and Community
0:52:34 Mastering Latte Art: A Blend of Skill and Passion
0:55:57 From Barista to COO: A Career Transformation
1:02:14 The Power of Automation in Business Operations
1:10:03 Personal Finance Management through Spreadsheets
1:12:38 Navigating Financial Realities
1:14:08 The Art of Budgeting and Planning
1:14:57 Creating and Sharing Knowledge
1:16:21 The Intersection of Creativity and Productivity
1:19:56 The Journey of a Creative Mind
1:22:24 Balancing Creativity with Practicality
1:25:15 Documenting Your Journey
1:28:49 Future Aspirations and Family Life
1:31:49 The Balance of Work and Creativity
1:33:40 The Impact of Parenthood on Productivity
1:36:55 Lessons from Gaming and Life
1:41:36 Final Thoughts and Resources Read More freeCodeCamp.org