Launching a Dream Startup

The Storyteller

My journey into modern coding started long before becoming a Microsoft Developer in early 2024. I was formerly a systems engineer specializing in deploying, integrating, and securing OS and virtual applications across various domains. For years, I avoided anything that remotely resembled a terminal interface. PowerShell and other Command Line Interfaces (CLI) looked like ancient Sanskrit. I genuinely could not make sense of what I was seeing, even blaming the condition on faulty left-side brain activity—if that's even a thing. All this to say, it wasn't until I discovered one (okay, two) critical pieces of information that made everything fall into place.

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Out of options

Nothing tests the creative spirit more than facing a zero-sum option. The first lesson I learned is knowing when you're ready to make the leap. It wasn't like learning code was the only attempt at trial and error before. However, this time was different. I was out of work for months and needed a job to pay bills. That, and every other opportunity was closed off so it was sink-or-swim. I prayed, asking God to teach me how to code, or at least give me the wisdom to learn. He answered it.

Mentorship

Technology helps, but humans are better. Why? Because we're designed for connection. We need people more than machines to live, relate, and exist. Our biology is wired that way. We all need persistent motivation to push ourselves to achievement, especially when learning complex subjects like computer languages. Mentorship, like coaching, is the best way to encourage peer-to-peer support in education, and what I hope to instill at WildFx.

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Secret sauce

Now for the "eureka" moment. I don't think success happens overnight, just like I don't believe one can merely learn code in a single instance. Even foundational concepts must be trained and conditioned until they become second nature. However, the turning point came in the form of a story from unexpected origins.

As a self-published author, I enjoy crafting fiction using metaphors and parables to illustrate a message. So, I just applied what I enjoyed best to learning how to code in Python. The concept was simple: help a lost lion cub find his way home. Simple, right?

Around the same time as this concept formulated, AI/LLMs (like ChatGPT and Gemini), were also gaining massive appeal. I explored these tools and found them beneficial for testing and debugging. What resulted were the early stages of Code of the Lion, a free code challenge designed to teach foundational Python concepts framed within a mini-game. After finishing the labs, you should walk away with a sense of accomplishment, all while having fun, similar to how children learn.

Future

There is a lot more in the works for WFx (too numerous to count) but I will say the most exciting thing is watching people learn and grow. That is what society desperately craves more than having machines do all the work. Who knows, maybe with a little faith and luck, this just might touch an entire generation of young dreamers to launch their own startups one day :D