I spent 13 years in financial services — 7 at Discover Financial, 6 at Bread Financial — consistently finishing in the top 5% of my team. I was good at my job. Really good.
But in March 2026, I enrolled in Coding Temple’s Full-Stack Web Development bootcamp and started building.
Here’s what 3 months actually looks like from zero.
Month 1: HTML, CSS, and Figuring Out Why Nothing Looks Right
I started where everyone starts — HTML and CSS. Built a food landing page (FoodSpot) and a multi-page event site (EventHive). Learned Flexbox, Grid, responsive design, and why box-sizing: border-box should just be the default everywhere.
What I shipped:
- FoodSpot — food landing page
- EventHive — responsive multi-page event site
What I earned:
- ✅ Web Development with HTML & CSS (Coding Temple verified badge)
Month 2: JavaScript, Then Python
JavaScript clicked faster than I expected. DOM manipulation, ES6+, event listeners. Then Python — and honestly, Python felt natural. The OOP concepts made sense immediately.
What I shipped:
- Python CLI Task Manager — persistent task app with file storage, OOP, exception handling
- Defeat the Evil Wizard — text-based RPG with multiple classes, inheritance, combat logic, and game state management
What I earned:
- ✅ JavaScript Mastery
- ✅ Python Foundations for Software Engineering
- ✅ Advanced Python
Month 3: React
React was the biggest jump. Component architecture, hooks, state management, routing. But I got through it by building something real.
What I shipped:
- FakeStore API — a full e-commerce SPA consuming a live REST API with dynamic product rendering, client-side routing, CRUD operations, and loading/error state management
What I earned:
- ✅ Single Page Apps with React
What I Brought From Finance That Helped
People underestimate what non-tech backgrounds bring to code. Here’s what transferred directly:
- Data analysis → Debugging mindset. I spent years finding patterns in account data. Finding why code breaks is the same muscle.
- Process optimization → Clean, readable code. I care about how things are structured.
- Working under pressure → Deadlines don’t scare me. High-volume, high-stakes environments were my normal.
- Documentation → I wrote compliance documentation for years. Writing clean comments and READMEs comes naturally.
What’s Next
I’m relocating to Richmond/Chesterfield, VA in August 2026 and actively looking for roles in IT Support, Technical Support, Application Support, and Software Development.
If you’re on a similar journey — career pivot, bootcamp, non-traditional background — let’s connect.
3 months ago I couldn’t build a webpage. I’m not just transitioning into tech — I’m competing to be the best in the room.
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