Hello World - From Sales to Software

If you’d told me five years ago that I’d be writing code for a living, I’d have laughed. I was deep in the sales world, hitting targets and building client relationships. But somewhere along the way, I discovered that building things with code scratched an itch that closing deals never quite reached.

The Pivot

It started with a side project - a simple tool to help track my sales pipeline. Nothing fancy, just a spreadsheet replacement. But building it hooked me. The problem-solving, the immediate feedback, the satisfaction of making something work.

I enrolled at the Open University while still working full-time, spending evenings and weekends working through modules on programming, databases, and system design. It wasn’t easy, but I was learning skills that I could apply immediately.

What I’ve Learned

The transition wasn’t easy. Imposter syndrome is real, and there’s always someone who knows more than you. But I’ve found that my sales background is actually an asset:

Communication: I can explain technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders. Years of translating product features into customer benefits taught me to speak human.

Problem-solving: Sales taught me to find solutions, not just identify problems. A customer objection isn’t the end of a conversation - it’s the start of understanding what they really need.

Resilience: Rejection in sales prepared me for debugging sessions that make you question everything. A failed deployment is nothing compared to cold calling.

The Balance

These days I split my time between software engineering at Go Ape and outdoor pursuits. The Peak District is my playground - paragliding when the conditions are right, trail running when they’re not, and hiking in between.

There’s something about spending time in nature that makes me a better developer. The best solutions often come to me on a ridge somewhere, not staring at a screen.

What’s Next

I’m excited to share more here - the projects I’m building, the lessons I’m learning, and occasional thoughts on life outside the code editor (yes, that still exists).

If you want to chat about code, paragliding, or anything in between, drop me a line.

Thanks for stopping by.