Has it really been 5 years already?
It feels like yesterday, I was sitting in a fairly empty classroom of students enthusiastic about learning the latest version of HTML, known as HTML5. I remember myself, a young (and very lost) college student, making the connection that HTML is what I used to design my MySpace profile. Those were the days!
Fast forward 5 years, I’m working as an independent contractor for several nonprofits and small businesses out of Kailua Kona, Hawaii. Looking back it feels so surreal, but when I actually think of my journey to entrepreneurship, it came down to the hours of work I put in.
There is a saying that always stuck with me that goes, “Nothing worth having ever comes easy.” I knew at 25 that I successful in the sense that I would have all the resources necessary to take care of myself and the people I love. I’m still working toward that goal, but I feel like I’ve made significant progress. I’m currently working on getting my business incorporated which is mind-blowing to think about. I never thought I would own a business. But here I am (or I should say we, because I do have a team) pushing forward to realize my dreams.
Why am I telling you this?
I’m a first-generation American citizen. My father is from El Salvador and my mother from Honduras. My parents are immigrants who came to this country for the American dream and they accomplished their dreams, but my American dream is different. I look up to the entrepreneurial pioneers that laid the groundwork so that generations that followed would find success; people like Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Elon Musk, and Nikola Tesla. No matter their background, they all came to the United States to advance technology in this country. I want to be like them.
My next step is to become a Software Engineer. I have worked with HTML, CSS and JavaScript for the last five years. It’s time to move into full-stack development and software engineering so that I can build web apps and robust products for my clients.
I start my Software Engineering journey on Monday, November 4th at Flatiron school and I couldn’t be more excited. Feel free to follow my journey on Twitter or Instagram!
