My journey into software hasn’t been a straight line. It didn’t start with childhood coding competitions, a computer science background or reading entire programming books or manuals like Elon Musk and others. Instead, it began with curiosity, a desire for impact, and the realization that technology is one of the most powerful ways to solve real problems in society.
In the past year, I’ve been steadily developing my skills across backend engineering, cloud architecture, and full-stack product development. I’ve worked on projects that challenged me, broke me, rebuilt me, and taught me to think not just as a developer—but as a problem solver.
Where I Started
Like many people, I started by learning the basics: front-end development, JavaScript fundamentals, and UI frameworks. But I soon realized that what truly fascinated me were the systems behind an application—the logic, architecture, data flow, and scalability.
That curiosity led me deeper into:
- Node.js & Express.js (for building backend services)
- AWS & Terraform (for cloud infrastructure and deployment)
- Flutter (for mobile app development)
- ..and even Java for desktop and web applications (not so much though).
Learning each of these wasn’t just about syntax. It was about understanding how real applications are built, scaled, deployed, and improved.
What I’m Building Now
I am currently engaged on projects, including building a platform designed to improve how people discover, evaluate, and experience housing—especially in markets where property search is difficult, unreliable, or slow.
Working on the web and mobile platform has pushed me to learn:
- Microservices architecture
- API design
- Secure authentication & permissions
- Video processing for mobile (such as YouTube Shorts)
- Cloud deployment pipelines
- Real-world debugging and user feedback loops
There are projects where I feel I am not just coding but designing systems that affect real people’s lives.
What I’ve Learned So Far
Here are a few lessons that have shaped my perspective:
Consistency beats talent. Even small progress, made daily, compounds over time.
Systems thinking matters. It’s not about writing code—it’s about understanding how everything fits together.
Real problems are messy. Building for real users requires empathy, patience, and iteration.
Learning never ends. Every new problem opens the door to 10 new things to explore.
Where I’m Going Next
My long-term goal is to grow into a high-impact engineer and researcher, contributing to scalable systems and meaningful digital solutions, especially those that improve access, equity, and opportunity.
I do love the idea for pursuing graduate studies in Computer Science / Software Engineering (although I have a MBA in Management Information Systems), where I plan to deepen my knowledge in core application services such as Distributed systems, Cloud architecture, AI-assisted application design, Scalable platform engineering.
I’m excited about the opportunities ahead and the people I’ll meet and learn from along the way.
Here’s to progress. One step at a time!
— Stennis
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