I often say this program changed my life — and I mean it in the deepest, most genuine way. It has shaped my personal and professional growth in ways I never imagined as someone just exploring AWS.
My journey with AWS Community Builders began back in 2020, when I was invited to join while still an AWS Student Ambassador. At that time, I was just a kid fascinated by cloud, clueless about communities, and excited by every new AWS announcement. I had no idea how profoundly this program would impact my life.
The Early Days — When Everything Was Raw, Chaotic, and Beautiful
When I joined, the program was very different from what it is today. Back then:
- People would drop questions randomly in Slack.
- A few of us would jump on quick calls to help each other out.
- I myself asked countless technical questions.
- And the community — despite being far smaller — was unbelievably generous with time, advice, and knowledge.
I remember seeing Jason managing everything basically alone — emails, spreadsheets, swag, onboarding, sessions — with support from a few AWS folks who already had full-time roles. It was grassroots, manual, and driven purely by passion.
Fast forward to today, the program has matured dramatically:
- Dedicated AWS community managers
- Hero, UG, and Cloud Club integrations
- Organized workflows through Builder Central
- Clear pathways for events, content, and involvement
And with CBs growing 5–10×, the scale is phenomenal.
I’ve had the privilege of witnessing this evolution from both sides — as a learner and as a contributor.
Learning, Sharing, and Becoming 12× AWS Certified
The Community Builders program became the place where my curiosity turned into action.
Here, I:
- asked questions,
- absorbed insights,
- started writing,
- gained confidence,
- and, eventually, took certifications seriously.
In 2023, I achieved 12× AWS Certifications — earning the golden jacket, something I’m truly proud to have maintained through 2025.
Turning Curiosity Into Expertise — and Sharing It Through Writing & Speaking
As I went deeper into AWS during those years of learning and certification prep, my curiosity transformed into genuine technical depth. I’ve always considered myself an AWS geek — endlessly curious, obsessed with announcements, and excited to explore anything new. I would spin up architectures just to understand how something behaved under the hood, break things on purpose, fix them, and document everything along the way. Over time, I somehow became that “AWS friend” people messaged when they were stuck, and I loved being able to help.
Writing became the natural extension of that curiosity.
Every time I learned something, I blogged about it. Anything that fascinated me, I wrote about it. It became second nature — almost like thinking on paper.
I started writing consistently on dev.to, at a time when not many CBs were publishing regularly. That consistency earned me multiple awards on the platform and introduced me to the world of technical writing professionally — and honestly, quite profitably. Over the years, I’ve written 100+ blog posts across platforms and built a writing routine strong enough that it eventually pushed me to start my own AWS-focused newsletter, which now has nearly 50 editions filled with insights, architectures, updates, and learnings I wanted to share with the community.
There were experiments beyond writing, too.
A few of us even created a GitHub organization for CBs, hoping it would become a shared space where we could collaborate on projects, store useful repos, or build tools together. It didn’t fully take off, but it reflected the energy, ambition, and creativity of the early days of the program.
And like any meaningful journey, mine had lessons.
During the phase when I was publishing AWS whitepaper reviews, some posts triggered plagiarism concerns because referencing the material closely made it appear too similar. I did receive warnings from Jason. Even though my intentions were good — to review, not replicate — it taught me how to be more careful, how to credit properly, and how to write in a way that respects original sources while still adding my own perspective. Those lessons shaped me as a writer and as a community contributor.
As my writing gained momentum, something else naturally followed: speaking.
What began as small sessions for friends or college students gradually grew into meetups, community events, and conference talks. Writing helped me articulate ideas; speaking helped me communicate them. Together, they pushed me out of my comfort zone and into roles I never imagined myself taking.
To date, I’ve delivered 100+ talks across:
- AWS User Groups
- Cloud Clubs and Community Builder spaces
- University events and tech clubs
- Virtual and in-person meetups
- Global cloud conferences and summits
Every talk made me better at breaking down complex concepts. Every audience brought new questions that pushed my understanding deeper. And every session reminded me why I love this field so much.
This combination — deep technical curiosity, 100+ blog posts, a 50-edition newsletter, dev.to awards, experiments like the CB GitHub org, lessons from early mistakes, and 100+ speaking engagements — has shaped a huge part of who I am in the AWS ecosystem. It built my voice, strengthened my confidence, and helped me contribute meaningfully to the community that shaped me.
Discovering AWS User Groups — The Chapter That Changed Everything
In 2022, through the CB Slack, I connected with Farrah and Walid — and got an opportunity to attend KubeCon in person. That event changed my community trajectory.
I discovered AWS User Groups — something I had heard CBs talk about but never found locally. AWS UG Vadodara had no social presence then, so I didn’t even know it existed.
Once I joined, everything shifted.
I became a co-organizer in 2023, and unexpectedly, a bridge — connecting CBs with UGs and vice versa. Being part of a community at that scale, on-ground and in-person, was transformative for me. I’ll write a separate post on this journey, but it’s one of the most meaningful chapters of my life.
People — The Heart of This Program
If I have to pick one thing that defines my experience, it’s the people.
I’ve met:
- AWS Heroes
- UG Leaders
- Cloud Club Captains
- CBs from across the world
- AWS employees who later became colleagues, friends, mentors
Some I learned from.
Some learned from me.
Some became travel buddies to summits and community events.
I’ve mentored 100+ people for certifications and another 100+ on how to become a Community Builder.
And I’ve met CBs who later became AWS Heroes, or joined AWS, or built something incredible. Knowing I played even a small part in their journey means the world to me.
The Swag, The Vouchers, The Opportunities — But More Than That…
Yes, the swag has been next level.
At home, there’s literally a dedicated cupboard just for AWS goodies.
Yes, I received exam vouchers, AWS credits, and plenty of opportunities to experiment and build.
Yes, I got to speak at virtual, local, and even international events — something unimaginable for the shy kid I used to be.
But more than all of that…
…this program gave me confidence.It gave me community.It gave me belonging.It gave me a platform to grow — personally and professionally.
From being scared to speak in public, to traveling cities and countries to share knowledge — I owe a big part of who I am today to this program.
An Honest Thank You
I truly appreciate this program — not as a title or badge, but as a catalyst that shaped my career and identity.
Thank you to every AWS Community Builder past and present.
Thank you to everyone who answered my questions, read my blogs, mentored me, or let me mentor them.
Thank you to the people who built this space, nurtured it, and made it what it is today.
And a very special thank you to the folks like Jason, Farrah, and the entire AWS community team — who work behind the scenes to keep this ecosystem thriving.
This community helped me grow.
It helped me find my voice.
And it continues to inspire me every single day.
Thank you for building something that genuinely changes lives — including mine.
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