In this technology-driven world, new innovations are just around the corner. These new innovations bring changes that require adaptability. Adapting to this fast-pacing world can make even the more confident people doubtful about their skills and potential, holding themselves back, Nicolas Genest, the CEO and founder of CodeBoxx Technology wanted to come up with a different approach to tackle this situation. His new venture will give you the skills and resources necessary to become an efficient and highly appreciated developer on the technology scene. He believes in educating people to new skills and providing them with a chance to use them on a new job, become an entrepreneur or even a freelance worker.
Prior to founding CodeBoxx Technology, Nicolas has been a highly successful CTO for vente-privee.com, The RealReal, Modcloth. Over the span of 15 years he has been leading teams in multiple and has taken on challenges many passed on and thought impossible. Throughout this impressive journey, he has always been leveraging his organizational acumen, his business bias and his technology leadership.
Targeting Audience
The value proposition that CodeBoxx puts forward is quite unique. It offers people who are naturally attracted to technology, but still do not have any leveraged access to it, to learn what is already accessible to jump-start a new chapter of their career. Nicolas believes that nobody should be refused the right to learn based on education, background, age, gender, etc. Especially immigrants or high school dropouts who are really keen towards learning and becoming a developer to start contributing. CodeBoxx proposes a framework that allows focus and performance along with mass exposure to the technologies that make modern developers qualitydriven and productive.
CodeBoxx offers a 16-week boot camp, which is the key for an efficient and fast-paced learning process. After two weeks going through an intensive selection program where one’s strengths and weaknesses are tested; the 14- week Odyssey program will lead every graduate to a guaranteed job at the end of the road. Jobs are offered by numerous elite partner businesses or through CodeBoxx’s digital workshop. Graduates don’t pay tuition fees until they are hired. CodeBoxx takes on most of the risk until completion making it, for most participants, the only option they had to take their first steps into a new career.
One Step Forward
People who share similar beliefs are likely to come out on top at things they do collectively. When Nicolas started CodeBoxx, he was dedicated to find people who would embrace the cause, the social mission and live with the common values that his organization was founded on. The very few people he launched CodeBoxx with were high-quality people and Nicolas made sure of it. With his core team, he was able to create a strong culture and carry those values forward.
One of Nicolas’ strength is his capacity to surround himself with people who are results-driven, dedicated and hard working. He quickly and efficiently identifies the character traits of a person and assigns them to certain tasks or roles making sense to the business at any given moment. He portrays the values of true leaders and, as a result, is the forefront of trust. Establishing the definition of success for him and for every member of the organization helped him in creating the pillars of a strong culture that aims to empower everyone.
Aligning Business with Technological Era
Nicolas asserts, “you should never lose sight of what you do things for. Hardest things are often the most impactful ones and the most valuable. Getting carried away or tempting to focus on the things that you are good at will happen often, but you should be determined at what you do.” He understands that empowering people is important but what is also capital is to constantly remind them that the objective is always greater than any individual on the team. One does that by highlighting their individual impact within the collective effort. Everyone is part of a community effort to be a relevant alternative to the changing landscape in education and labor.
The three pillars on which CodeBoxx stands are Excellence in execution, Going the extra mile and Keeping a nimble and flexible mindset. These pillars are hammered everyday into participants’ minds by the members of CodeBoxx team so that it becomes their way of life and gives them an edge in their career by making their work ethics and attitude stand out.
Future Insights
“Always measure success through the impact you are having over the people you try to solve problems for.” says Nicolas. He states that in the upcoming future, he wants CodeBoxx to leave a footprint in communities over the entire world like it has started to do since its inception. Simultaneously, he also wants to help number of people from all walks of life by giving them an opportunity to launch their career in technology.
Moreover, he also mentioned that their primary focus will stay on their primary customers, which are of course the participants who trust the school to launch or boost their technology career, but a special attention will be paid to their business partners to make sure they are fully satisfied with the graduates CodeBoxx offers them. Moving forward he also wants to create a workforce of change that will give back to the developer community.
