He Learned C++ Alone During COVID. Then Everything Changed.

Braden Ganetsky has always wanted to know how things work.

Growing up in Winnipeg, Canada, that curiosity showed up first through twisty puzzles — Rubik’s cubes and increasingly complicated variations. But solving them wasn’t enough.

He wanted to understand how they were designed.

That instinct eventually led Braden into mechanical engineering, 3D modeling, programming languages, and ultimately C++.

During the COVID lockdowns, he learned much of it alone.

Then his first job gave him something he hadn’t really had before: other people to talk to about C++.

That sense of connection grew even further through conferences and the broader C++ community.

Today, Braden’s motivation is straightforward:

“C++ is difficult. C++ is complex, and I want to work hard to make that not be the case.”

His story is about curiosity, persistence, and what happens when learning stops being an isolated pursuit and becomes part of a community.