Balancing Software Engineering and a 350K TikTok Community

Mihret Alemayehu — Mon, 16 Mar 2026 01:23:25 +0000

Most people who know me professionally know me as a software engineer.

I spend most of my days writing code, solving technical problems, and thinking about systems. Currently, I work as a software engineer at GEICO and live in Dallas, Texas.

But outside of engineering, I’ve built something very different.

Over the past few years I’ve also grown a community of more than 350,000 people on TikTok under the username @mercylin08.

Balancing those two worlds has been one of the most interesting challenges of my life.

How It Started

My TikTok journey wasn’t planned.

In late 2021, a close friend of mine named Fitse came over one evening and showed me a video he had posted on TikTok. I had heard of the app before, but I had never seriously considered creating content on it.

Out of curiosity, I made an account and recorded a short video.

The next morning I checked my phone.

My video had reached about 700 views.

That moment sparked something. It made me curious about how the platform worked and how content spreads across audiences.

So I kept experimenting.

A Developer’s Curiosity

As a developer, I naturally started approaching TikTok the same way I approach software problems.

I tested things.

Different styles. Different songs. Different ways of presenting content.

Most of my videos focus on Ethiopian Protestant music, which carries strong emotional meaning for many viewers. Over time I noticed something interesting: certain lyrical moments resonated deeply with people.

Comments started appearing from viewers who said the songs brought them peace or helped them through difficult moments.

That feedback kept me motivated to continue.

The Viral Moment

Like many creators, I experienced one video that suddenly accelerated everything.

One of my posts started spreading quickly across the platform and eventually brought in around 40,000 new followers.

At first it felt surreal.

But I realized something important afterward: viral moments are unpredictable, but consistency is controllable.

So I made a rule for myself.

Post every day.

No excuses.

Consistency Over Time

Working as a software engineer while creating content daily is not easy.

There are days when work is intense. Deadlines, debugging sessions, long meetings. On those days it would be easy to skip posting.

But consistency compounds.

Since August 2025, I’ve gained over 55,000 new followers, largely because I continued posting regularly.

That discipline reminded me a lot of software development itself.

Progress rarely happens overnight. Instead, it builds through repeated effort.

Facing Criticism Online

Another reality of building an online platform is learning how to handle criticism.

Because my content is connected to Ethiopian music and culture, I’ve sometimes faced criticism from individuals who believe I should follow more traditional expectations about how I present myself online.

At first those comments were difficult.

But over time I learned to focus on the people who genuinely benefit from the content.

Many viewers tell me the songs bring them encouragement, peace, or motivation.

That perspective helped me continue creating despite negativity.

Where Tech and Creativity Meet

Even though my TikTok content focuses on music, my background in technology always shapes how I think.

I earned my Master’s degree in Computer Science from Maharishi International University, and I’m especially interested in how Artificial Intelligence could transform creative industries.

In the future, I hope to build AI-driven tools that help creators interact with music and audiences in new ways.

The intersection between technology and creativity is becoming more powerful every year.

Being both an engineer and a creator allows me to see both sides of that evolution.

Final Thoughts

When people ask me how I balance engineering and content creation, the honest answer is simple:

One day at a time.

Write code.
Create content.
Repeat.

Both worlds require discipline, creativity, and persistence.

And in many ways, they’re not as different as they first appear.

DEV Community: Mihret Alemayehu

Balancing Software Engineering and a 350K TikTok Community