Six months ago I was unemployed. I was also nervous, uncertain, and had never "built in public" in my life.
Yesterday, I received an email confirming that I've been accepted into the AWS Community Builders program for 2026-2027.
I'm writing this because I want to talk to the version of myself from six months ago - the one who was (and still is!) hesitant to hit "Publish" on that first post.
How it started
When I found myself between jobs, I decided to pour my energy into an open-source project: a PHP modular framework. I had a specific vision for modular monolith architecture and willingness to share it with the PHP community. I started writing here on dev.to to document the "why" and the "how": Building a Modular PHP Paradigm Series' Articles
At the time, I didn't think of myself as a "writer" or a "content creator". I was just a dev with an idea.
The Turning Point
Sharing my work was not just about the code. It was about building confidence, engaging with the community, and developing the idea with insights that were not on my radar before. It led to a very unexpected, yet rewarding outcome: my acceptance into the AWS Community Builders program.
My message to you
If you are working on something, even if it feels niche, even if you think "no one will care": Share it anyway.
You don't just build software when you build in public; you are developing yourself. You build a reputation, a network, and opportunities that you can't even see yet.
I'm so proud to join this cohort, and I'm incredibly grateful to the dev.to community for being the place where this journey actually began.
Such an exciting moment!
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