Ditching My Microsoft Job for Startup Purgatory with Sam Crombie [Podcast #171]

On this episode of the freeCodeCamp podcast, founder Quincy Larson interviews Sam Crombie, a software engineer and prolific open‑source contributor who left his Microsoft job to join Y Combinator and now wrestles with startup pivot hell while deciding how to deploy the half‑million dollars he raised. The conversation covers AI coding tools (02:59), the role of AI in software development (06:05), challenges with large code bases (08:56), and the future of AI in software engineering (15:04). It also delves into Sam’s early years (17:59), navigating college admissions (21:04), internship experiences at Microsoft (39:51), the decision to leave Microsoft (48:34), the Y Combinator experience (59:51), navigating pivot hell (01:25:58), and advice for future founders (01:41:34).