Hi everyone, Edward here 👋
Until recently, I was working as a software project manager. I have 8 years of total work experience, including 5 years in project management — leading teams, managing timelines, and delivering projects end-to-end. I enjoyed the challenge, but then something unexpected happened: the UK company I worked for shut down. Just like that, I was out of a job.
At first, I did what anyone might do — I started looking for another PM role. But the more I thought about it, the more something didn’t sit right.
I realized that while I had experience managing software projects, I didn’t actually know how to build software myself. I always relied on a team of developers to get things done. That might sound fine, but it made me feel stuck — like I couldn't create anything on my own. I had the ideas, I understood the process, but I lacked the technical ability to execute.
It hit me especially hard when I thought about business opportunities. People around me had specialized skills — design, social media, e-commerce, operations. My skill was “project management,” which is important, yes — but it often requires a team to apply. I wanted more self-sufficiency. I wanted to be able to build.
So I made a decision: I’m going to become a software developer.
Right now, I’m learning the basics — HTML, CSS, JavaScript — and I’ve just started with React. I was really inspired by a video on Youtube by Phillip Choi, where he talked about the importance of building real things that solve real problems, instead of just learning syntax.
I have a direction for my first project and a lot of motivation to keep going. But I’ll be honest — I’m scared too.
I have roughly 6 months of savings to give this career change everything I’ve got. I’m coding day and night, documenting everything I learn, and hoping to make something that shows both skill and potential. I will be documenting as much as I can here.
If you’ve made a similar transition — or you’re just ahead of me in this journey — I’d love to connect, learn, and maybe even be mentored. Any advice, encouragement, or feedback is more than welcome.
Thanks for reading — and here’s to the builders.
— Edward Chia
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