Getting Started - Daniel Bourke

"How'd you get started with machine learning and data science?" | Interview with Ken Jee

My answers to a series of questions about starting to learn data science/machine learning, how I got a job in the field and more from an interview Ken Jee.

Creating

Drip by drip

How to earn $80 million in 40 seconds.

Getting Started

Suck at something new

Dave and I had an idea once. We were driving down to the beach. On the way, we stopped by waterfall with the rope swing. I was supposed to be doing university work and Dave was supposed to be working at the bank but we couldn’t care. Adventure awaited.

Getting Started

“I’m not sure where to start”

We were sitting at the dinner table and my little brother, Sam, starts speaking. He says he’s not sure where to start. Then he keeps going. “I’m not sure where to start, so I’m just making whatever I can think of.” I tell him. “That’s the

Getting Started

Talent not required

It’s easy to palm it off on natural ability. “He’s a natural... that’s why he can do it.” “She’s so talented, I could never do that.” But where did they start? Does a piano player get born with the ability to play piano? Does a programmer

Creating

Your first 100

If you’ve never created anything, you might be trapped in a mental prison. In year 8, my art teacher told me my drawing was bad. So I stopped drawing. In year 12, my English teacher said my writing was too repetitive and didn’t have enough structure. So I

Business

Copy others until you figure out your own style

“They said to go out on my own,” he said, “but I told them I have no idea what I’m doing.” He kept going. “So then they said, don’t worry, just copy us until you figure it out, we’ll help you out if you need,” he looked

Life and Living

When will you be ready?

When you think of starting something new, sharing your work, putting your art out there, it can be tempting to wait. Wait until you know more. Wait until you're not a student anymore. Wait until your work is better than the rest (who decides this?/who are you comparing to?

Work

The reward always tastes better when you've worked for it

The hot shower at the end of a cold run. The big meal at the end of a hard training session. The paycheque after writing an article people enjoy. The view at the top of the mountain after hiking up it. But the best? The best reward? The best reward

Life and Living

How to deal with imposter syndrome

The first time I walked into an artificial intelligence meetup, I felt like I shouldn’t have been there. The second time I walked into a machine learning event, I felt like I shouldn’t have been there. The 20th time I walked into an artificial intelligence meetup, I felt

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu

White belt mentality

I’ve been doing Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) for the past year. I’m addicted. I should’ve signed up to a martial art earlier. Aside from the life lessons like learning how to lose, how to stay calm under pressure, how to defend yourself, one of my favourites is having

Business

The "2 Year Self Apprenticeship"

My friend sent me this post. The "2 Year Self Apprenticeship" model by @lewismockerReading it was a form of confirmation bias. It was as if I was reading what I’d been subconsciously (or consciously? How do you tell?) doing the past 2-years. I’m in between step 4 and