My Story

Early Years

I didn’t have my own computer growing up. The access I got came in fragments—playing a fish game at my grandparents’ house, browsing the web at my aunt’s place, and eventually using a beige desktop with dial-up around 2004. Every moment on a computer felt like something to hold onto.

Gaming was how I first got interested in technology. PS1, GameCube, PS2, Xbox—I went through them all. I still play on PC now, mostly Rocket League. But beyond just playing, I was curious about how the things on screen actually worked. How did multiplayer connect people? What made graphics render? I didn’t have answers, but the questions stayed with me.

I was also the person people asked when their computer broke. Something about troubleshooting just clicked for me, even before I understood much about the underlying systems.

Getting a Laptop

In high school, a mutual acquaintance’s dad owned a cybersecurity company. He knew I was interested in programming and didn’t have my own computer, so he gave me a laptop.

That made a real difference. I started learning on Codecademy, built a few small projects, and got a sense that programming was something I could actually do. But like a lot of teenagers, I didn’t stick with it. Other things took priority, and I set it aside.

College

College got me interested in programming again. I learned C, C++, and Java, built a weather API project and a dice game. My grandparents gave me a MacBook Air for graduation, and I spent time exploring web development and the terminal.

But I wasn’t ready for it. I had a full scholarship and dropped out. Looking back, I was too immature to appreciate the opportunity. That was a mistake.

Working Retail, Starting a Family

A few years later, things were different. I got married, bought a house, and was working at Publix—the same grocery store I’d been at since I was 16. Miranda was pregnant with our first child.

My parents worked retail their whole lives. I didn’t want to do the same thing. I needed a career, and I didn’t have four years to go back to school. Web development seemed like the most practical way back into tech, so I started learning again—this time with more focus.

Teaching Myself

I used FreeCodeCamp to learn. In late 2018, I built the first version of this website—it wasn’t pretty, but it worked. Then I built a website for my stepdad’s lawn care business. That one is still live today, though I’ve updated it a few times since.

First Jobs in Tech

In March 2019, I started freelancing for a local agency called Mindvolt. Scott, the owner, has been a mentor ever since. I still do occasional work with them.

Six months later, I got my first full-time role at Sure Secure Solutions. They were a subcontractor for Leidos on a NASA contract, and I worked on web applications for managing IT operations and tracking contract performance across NASA centers. I didn’t have a degree—just a portfolio and projects I could point to.

Going Back to School

Without a degree, there was a ceiling on where I could go. So I enrolled at Western Governors University and finished my Bachelor’s in Information Technology in one year (August 2021 to May 2022). Along the way, I picked up some certifications: the CompTIA trifecta (A+, Network+, Security+), ITIL v4 Foundation, Data+, and Project+.

OneStream

In October 2022, OneStream Software reached out through LinkedIn. The role was focused on Azure development, which was new territory for me. I took it.

I’ve learned a lot here. I got my Azure Developer Associate (AZ-204) and Azure Solutions Architect Expert (AZ-305) certifications. Most of my day-to-day work involves serverless architecture—Azure Functions, Durable Functions for orchestrations, Web APIs. I’ve also taken on more responsibility over time: designing systems, building proof-of-concepts, improving documentation and engineering standards, and helping other engineers on the team.

Spectacle Software

I’ve done freelance work throughout my career, mostly through Mindvolt. In October 2023, I started my own thing—Spectacle Web Design, which later became Spectacle Software. It’s still small and still evolving.

Now

I work on cloud systems, help other engineers when I can, and try to leave things better than I found them. The path from playing games at my aunt’s house to where I am now wasn’t direct, and I made mistakes along the way. But here I am.

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Timeline

Year	What happened
2018	Built first personal website, started learning seriously
2019	First freelance work (Mindvolt), first full-time role (NASA contract via Sure Secure)
2021-2022	Finished BS in IT at WGU, got CompTIA certifications
2022	Joined OneStream, started working with Azure
2023	Started Spectacle Software
Now	Azure Solutions Architect, development lead