From Code to Calling: My Journey So Far (Part 1)
Last year, I graduated with a degree in Computer Science from Addis Ababa University — a proud moment that marked the beginning of a whole new chapter in my life. Not long after, I was lucky enough to land a job as a Fullstack Developer at hellobalemuya.com. That moment felt like a win, and I was ready to give it everything I had.
Since then, it's been a whirlwind. I’ve worked on real-life projects, solved bugs at 2AM, led teams, and pushed out features that thousands now use. Alongside my full-time work, I also dove into side projects — some just for the love of learning, others as freelance gigs to sharpen my skills even further.
Now I’m nearly two years in, with experience in both remote and on-site roles. I’ve grown so much, technically and personally. But if there's one thing I've consistently struggled with... it's sales. Yep, not coding, not deadlines — selling what I build.
You can create the most amazing app, with elegant design and powerful features, but if you can’t explain it clearly and sell the value to someone who’s supposed to use it or invest in it — it can feel like all that effort just vanishes into thin air.
I’m known at the office as someone who works hard (shout out to my awesome workmates for always noticing 👊🏾), but I’ve also been told — quite a few times — that I’m underpaid for what I do. And honestly? I feel it. Not because I want to complain, but because deep down, I know I just haven’t figured out how to confidently ask for what I deserve. I get stuck wondering, “How do I even start convincing someone to value what I’ve built?”
Still, I keep going. I keep building. Because at the end of the day, my love for creating beautiful, useful, and meaningful things always takes over. I often forget to chase payment because I'm too focused on the passion I have for the project in front of me.
But hey — I’m learning. Growing. Reflecting.
This is just the beginning of what I hope will be a series of honest thoughts I’ll share with you. Maybe you’re also in tech, freelancing, building, or just figuring things out like me. I’d love to connect, hear your story, and grow together.
To be continued...
#DeveloperJourney #FromCodeToCalling #FullstackDeveloper #TechInAfrica #LifeOfADev #BuildInPublic #PassionForTech #UnderpaidButTalented #FreelanceDev #RemoteWork #StartupLife #SoftwareEngineer #EthiopianDeveloper #CodingLife #DevStruggles #DeveloperStories #TechCommunity #LoveWhatYouDo #KeepBuilding #NextChapter
Last year, I graduated with a degree in Computer Science from Addis Ababa University — a proud moment that marked the beginning of a whole new chapter in my life. Not long after, I was lucky enough to land a job as a Fullstack Developer at hellobalemuya.com. That moment felt like a win, and I was ready to give it everything I had.
Since then, it's been a whirlwind. I’ve worked on real-life projects, solved bugs at 2AM, led teams, and pushed out features that thousands now use. Alongside my full-time work, I also dove into side projects — some just for the love of learning, others as freelance gigs to sharpen my skills even further.
Now I’m nearly two years in, with experience in both remote and on-site roles. I’ve grown so much, technically and personally. But if there's one thing I've consistently struggled with... it's sales. Yep, not coding, not deadlines — selling what I build.
You can create the most amazing app, with elegant design and powerful features, but if you can’t explain it clearly and sell the value to someone who’s supposed to use it or invest in it — it can feel like all that effort just vanishes into thin air.
I’m known at the office as someone who works hard (shout out to my awesome workmates for always noticing 👊🏾), but I’ve also been told — quite a few times — that I’m underpaid for what I do. And honestly? I feel it. Not because I want to complain, but because deep down, I know I just haven’t figured out how to confidently ask for what I deserve. I get stuck wondering, “How do I even start convincing someone to value what I’ve built?”
Still, I keep going. I keep building. Because at the end of the day, my love for creating beautiful, useful, and meaningful things always takes over. I often forget to chase payment because I'm too focused on the passion I have for the project in front of me.
But hey — I’m learning. Growing. Reflecting.
This is just the beginning of what I hope will be a series of honest thoughts I’ll share with you. Maybe you’re also in tech, freelancing, building, or just figuring things out like me. I’d love to connect, hear your story, and grow together.
#DeveloperJourney #FromCodeToCalling #FullstackDeveloper #TechInAfrica #LifeOfADev #BuildInPublic #PassionForTech #UnderpaidButTalented #FreelanceDev #RemoteWork #StartupLife #SoftwareEngineer #EthiopianDeveloper #CodingLife #DevStruggles #DeveloperStories #TechCommunity #LoveWhatYouDo #KeepBuilding #NextChapter
Forwarded from NiDoole
🚀 Ardaa Digital Services is taking in remote interns!
Get ready to learn, grow, and innovate with us from anywhere!
Stay tuned 👉 @ardaa_digital
Get ready to learn, grow, and innovate with us from anywhere!
Stay tuned 👉 @ardaa_digital
From Code to Calling: Part 2 — From Projects to Products
First of all — wow! 🙌 The support, comments, and kind messages I got after my last post were honestly overwhelming in the best way. Thank you to all my friends and connections here and on LinkedIn — you made me feel heard and seen. Truly.
This time, I want to talk about a shift that hit me recently: Modern software development isn’t just about building projects, it’s about building products — tools that solve real-life problems for thousands (or even millions) of people.
Let me ask you this 👉🏾
Have you ever been stuck on a problem, then found out you're not alone — that hundreds of others face the same exact issue?
Well, that’s a product opportunity.
These days, I’m fascinated by what’s coming out, especially AI-powered solutions — and not just globally, but right here at home in Ethiopia 🇪🇹.
From AI tools that assist with Amharic document translation, to systems that help farmers predict crop success, to platforms that improve logistics and ride-sharing in Addis, it's clear that innovation is happening around us, not just in Silicon Valley.
And no, I'm not (yet 😅) a product manager — but I've got ideas and passion for building things that matter. I’ve started thinking:
✅ Is this app just cool to build?
✅ Or is it something people will need, use, and pay for?
Even basic ideas can be powerful when built with local context in mind. Like:
A mobile app that helps vendors at Merkato track daily sales
A digital queue system for public offices (yes please!)
Or a tool that reminds Ethiopian students of entrance exam schedules and resources.
We don’t have to wait for Silicon Valley to solve Bole traffic or Yenegew Sew’s plot twists 😅 — we can build our own tools, with our own understanding of life here.
So, let me end with this: 👉🏾 What software product do you wish existed in Ethiopia?
Drop a comment — I’d love to hear ideas, collaborate, or even build one together!
Thanks for reading ❤️
To be continued...
#DeveloperJourney #FromCodeToCalling #BuildInPublic #TechInAfrica #EthiopianDeveloper #AIInAfrica #ProductThinking #SolveRealProblems #CodingLife #TechCommunity #StartupLife #LocalInnovation #DigitalEthiopia #KeepBuilding #NextChapter #SoftwareProduct #MadeInEthiopia
First of all — wow! 🙌 The support, comments, and kind messages I got after my last post were honestly overwhelming in the best way. Thank you to all my friends and connections here and on LinkedIn — you made me feel heard and seen. Truly.
This time, I want to talk about a shift that hit me recently: Modern software development isn’t just about building projects, it’s about building products — tools that solve real-life problems for thousands (or even millions) of people.
Let me ask you this 👉🏾
Have you ever been stuck on a problem, then found out you're not alone — that hundreds of others face the same exact issue?
Well, that’s a product opportunity.
These days, I’m fascinated by what’s coming out, especially AI-powered solutions — and not just globally, but right here at home in Ethiopia 🇪🇹.
From AI tools that assist with Amharic document translation, to systems that help farmers predict crop success, to platforms that improve logistics and ride-sharing in Addis, it's clear that innovation is happening around us, not just in Silicon Valley.
And no, I'm not (yet 😅) a product manager — but I've got ideas and passion for building things that matter. I’ve started thinking:
✅ Is this app just cool to build?
✅ Or is it something people will need, use, and pay for?
Even basic ideas can be powerful when built with local context in mind. Like:
A mobile app that helps vendors at Merkato track daily sales
A digital queue system for public offices (yes please!)
Or a tool that reminds Ethiopian students of entrance exam schedules and resources.
We don’t have to wait for Silicon Valley to solve Bole traffic or Yenegew Sew’s plot twists 😅 — we can build our own tools, with our own understanding of life here.
So, let me end with this: 👉🏾 What software product do you wish existed in Ethiopia?
Drop a comment — I’d love to hear ideas, collaborate, or even build one together!
Thanks for reading ❤️
To be continued...
#DeveloperJourney #FromCodeToCalling #BuildInPublic #TechInAfrica #EthiopianDeveloper #AIInAfrica #ProductThinking #SolveRealProblems #CodingLife #TechCommunity #StartupLife #LocalInnovation #DigitalEthiopia #KeepBuilding #NextChapter #SoftwareProduct #MadeInEthiopia
https://medium.com/@cstafesebiruk23/are-you-just-a-coder-or-a-secret-weapon-debaa7c66d55
Read like Weapon 🔫
Read like Weapon 🔫
Medium
🧠 “Are You Just a Coder… or a Secret Weapon?” 🤔💥
Let me tell you a secret — I once fixed a printer problem, gave a design review, helped write a marketing post, and then switched back to debugging API errors — all before lunch. 😅 I used to box…