Life has a way of guiding us where we belong, even when it’s not the path we planned.
I knew rather early on, my life’s purpose would be taking care of children. And for a while, that purpose was fulfilling. I went to college and got a degree in elementary and early childhood education and taught early childhood for over a decade.
But burnout is real, especially in a high-demand, low reward field, with limited opportunities for professional growth.
I never planned to be around the tech field, that happened by accident. When Mike and I got married, I started learning. I learned how to help with website backups and updates. I spent Saturdays helping run workshops and building community.
It wasn’t long before he became MikeDemo and I had affectionally earned the title of Mrs. Demo in the Open-Source community.
As the pandemic hit, my burnout had hit its peak. It was important that I find my new path. The center shut down and I was able to find some tech work from home to supplement my time off. It was a silver lining, that provided me with confidence and a new direction.
In the spring of 2021, I started working with All Recovery, a tech start-up focused on mental health. As a transplant into the tech world, I found the roots I developed in my first profession were strong but I finally had the space to grow past my previous confinement.
Changing directions is scary but hiding in your comfort zone is painful. I can’t imagine facing this journey without the support and encouragement of my loving husband and the amazing mentors I have met along the way.
Becoming The Demo 