It all started in high school. I went to a specialized math, science, and tech center, and we had an assignment to make a website. I may have volunteered to make a few for my friends…and we all got caught. My punishment? Make another website for a summer camp at the school…it was a blast.

I have a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from kettering University. I’ve learned how to code just about anything: hardware, software, and everything in-between. I started with ladder-logic and writing code for robotics/manufacturing machinery (automotive and solar). Then I ventured into web applications, scripting, MES (Manufacturing Execution Systems), and SQL.

The best part of my work day was when I was coding, so I pivoted to web development, where I learned full-stack .NET (C#) and front end code. I quickly fell in love with the latter, but needed a change of environment both from the bureaucracy of the boys club at a development firm. I moved from a large development firm to a start-up, hoping it would also quench my entrepreneurial thirst. It turns out that being so much closer to those running the show made it that much harder.

Entrepreneurial-ship runs in my blood. I was the one you were all thankful for in group projects. I find it impossible to accept poor leadership, and am never afraid to speak up. I worked long hours and did extra to keep up to date on new tech after hours. All I did was work.

Once I had the first of my three kids, my perspective on work/life balance changed. If I were going to have a career that took me away from my adorable new partner in crime, it had better be worth it; and working to accomplish somebody else’s dream was simply not anymore. That’s when I put on my big-girl pants and took the leap.

I’m not going to lie, freelancing had it’s own difficulties, but once I got my footing, it felt like home; I could make space for myself, my family, my hobbies, and my curiosities, all while furthering my career at my own pace.

I’ve now worked with companies in industries from enterprise software and manufacturing to retail and non-profits. I’ve made sites from scratch, within the most popular CMS platforms, supplemented in-house development teams, advised design teams, taken lead on multi-disciplinary teams, and closed projects out solo.

Once I allowed myself the space to explore, grow, and have a life outside of my career, things improved drastically. Constantly working at 200% doesn’t leave room for personal development, a social life, or finding any semblance of inner peace, so giving myself permission to slow down, get real, and think about what truly mattered was my ticket out of peoples’ (and my own) unrealistic expectations.

Not only have I found a new way to enjoy my career, but my personal life as well.

I know how fortunate I am to have the privilege of being able to work for myself and rely on my network for the expertise that they are thankfully willing to share. It’s never truly a one-woman show here, and without the support of my friends, family, professional network, and clients, my career would look entirely different. I’m so thankful for any and all who have helped me learn, given me a shoulder to cry on, or have reminded me of what I’m capable of.

I know differently now, but grew up thinking work is something you do to pay the bills; you don’t have to like it, but you have to do it. And being a young woman who was great at math and science, was gently (and not so gently) “guided” towards a career in engineering.

I’ve never believed in people being either right-brained or left-brained. I excelled in math and logic, but was never big into science. I loved sports just as much as music, and decorating as much as building.

I’d be working as an engineer dreaming about owning my own clothing brand, and once I owned my own ethical fashion e-commerce shop, I found myself missing the code.

I’ve struggled to find my place because I was always drawn to both the creative and the logical, and no matter how you try to fight it, the world tries its hardest to make you be one or the other.

I didn’t listen. I now own my own ethical fashion online shop, Joon + Co. and my own website business. Who says you can’t have it all?

The boys club you hear about in the development and engineering worlds is real. It is improving, but is still a very different career for men and women. When I started work in the development industry, little did I know the toughest thing ahead of me would have nothing to do with math, science, or technology.

I’ve had to fight every step of the way to be treated as an equal and to have the same opportunities as my male counterparts. A lot of it was just a difference in how girls and boys were brought up at the time. In engineering, my peers grew up wood-working with their dads and joining robotics teams while I grew up playing house, dressing up Barbies, and taking dance lessons…so there was a lot of catching up to do on my own time.

In development, the guys would get to go home and code video games, have beers while they reviewed pull-requests, and go to networking events to further their knowledge. Most of the women I knew, including myself, were home making dinner, exercising, caring for children, cleaning the house, oh and trying to learn code at 1am in order to keep up with the guys…all to get passed up for projects because so-and-so was buddies with the boss. I eventually got sick of being called “hun,” being talked over in meetings, and having people be more interested in my new haircut than the project I just closed out.

I became sick of having to work twice as hard to prove myself at every turn. I didn’t believe in the whole “lean-in” principle and instead I leaned all the way out and left to do things my own way.

I served on the advisory board and as an instructor for BitCamp, a day camp ran by Software GR where middle school girls were taught how to make their own custom website. I co-founded Girl Develop It’s Grand Rapids chapter. I volunteered at schools, workplaces, organizations to teach young people about code and engineering.

By starting at a young age and giving girls the same opportunities and exposure as their male peers, the industry opens itself up to a world a new experiences, backgrounds, and ideas. Reaching out to the young girls is a great start to diversifying the industry.

I hope to inspire others to step up and step out of their comfort zones because the world needs tech leaders with open minds, diverse experiences, and technical abilities not hindered by egos, insecurities, and out-dated work habits.

I am very aware of how privileged I am to have the opportunity to work for myself, and to have had the means to acquire the skillset to do so.

I am so unbelievably grateful for having the resources to show the young women and girls what we are all capable of, and why the industry needs them.

Many of us in this industry come from a background of privilege and it is our duty to help diversity the industry.

Different backgrounds lead to different experiences and different ideas lead to more innovation, so let’s use our powers for good and help the industry reach the talent that it needs to encompass the needs of not only people like ourselves, but the underprivileged as well.