2025 was easily the most transformative year of my life. I started the year as an electrician and I'm ending it as a software developer in the SF Bay Area.

I’ll be honest: this transition started with a bit of a personal breaking point, but it pushed me to face the fears that held me back. As a college dropout, I doubted if I could learn to code or if I was "too old" to pivot. I’ve learned this year that I am capable of learning anything I put my mind to.

Some highlights that changed my trajectory:

• Stepping Outside Of My Comfort: Meeting Scott Chacon early in the year. A nervous lunch with him and his friends showed me what the tech community is really like. Huge thanks to Roro Okpu and John Nunemaker for their guidance since then.

• Building The Foundation: Spent Jan–June in a backend mentorship program that gave me the foundation I needed.

• Community: Winning a CascadiaJS ticket through Chris Griffing’s stream and meeting the incredible folks at Torc (shoutout to Jason Torres!). The Seattle community and CascadiaJS was a great experience!

• The Big Move: My wife and I packed up and moved from Indiana to the West Coast. (Fun fact: Nebraska is a very long state).

I’m incredibly proud of how far I’ve come. I’m now looking for my first full-time role in tech and couldn't be more excited for what’s next.

Special thanks to my wife for being the ultimate partner through this wild ride.