In my Turning Strengths into a Career post, I wrote about how I became a project manager, but I didn’t mention how I ran my own web and then app development business between 2019 and 2023.

While working at the startup incubator, I kept getting suggestions from various sources that it would be worth learning to code, as this kind of knowledge and mindset could even benefit my own profession. So, in 2018, I started taking various programming courses (mostly on Udemy, but I also completed courses on 1-2 other platforms).

At first, I was just exploring what programming language would suit me best and be most useful. After dabbling in Python and C#, I soon found myself drawn to web development, starting with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript to build websites. This eventually led me to developing custom WordPress themes, which got me into PHP as well.

I soon became curious about what it would be like to be an entrepreneur and make a living from web development, but to be honest, this was initially just a distant thought. I loved my job, had a great boss and colleagues, was good at what I did, was satisfied with my salary, and had complete freedom in my tasks, plus I could work remotely. So, I didn’t want to quit, and the whole idea of being a freelancer was more of a distant dream, a backup plan in case the incubator work came to an end.

Then, unfortunately, tragedy struck: my boss passed away from a heart attack, which changed everything. The incubator wasn’t the same without him, and the new leader was a fan of micromanagement, which ended the freedom and trust that had previously defined our work. For me, that was the moment I decided to step up and try my hand at the freelancing web developer role I had once only dreamed about.

It wasn’t easy because I became both a developer and a freelancer at the same time, and COVID hit around that time too, limiting networking opportunities. Despite this, I managed to land and complete some great projects.

At first, I continued working with some startups we had supported through the incubator, so I was still involved in project management. But at some point, I felt that if I really wanted to try my hand at being a developer, I had to go all in – I couldn’t half-commit to this. (In hindsight, I don’t entirely agree with that mindset anymore.)

Meanwhile, I continued to improve my programming skills because I saw that with the increasing availability of website builders like Wix and Squarespace, there was less and less room for developer-created websites. This led me to transition towards app development, and in 2021, my husband and I started developing applications together.

I really enjoyed this work too; it was a huge challenge, but I finally got to work on larger-scale projects, and I wasn’t doing it alone this time. We developed an application for WAGO Hungary, and we also created apps for smaller startups.

But something was missing.

Then came our own startup.

In December 2021, during the holidays, we came up with the idea of creating a smart magic wand that could control smart devices around the house as if by magic. For example, turning lights on with a “Lumos” or muting speakers with a “Silencio.” Initially, it was just a DIY hobby project, but we soon realized we should try to approach it as a startup, prototype it, and if everything went well, pitch it to investors and mass-produce it.

That’s how we started developing the magicStick, which we worked on until the end of 2023. And that’s how I found my way back into project management, as I was the one handling these tasks. I had to define the project scope, create timelines and budgets, and manage selection processes because, throughout the project, we worked with hardware developers, software developers, 3D designers, manufacturers, and a video production team to eventually create a prototype that could actually turn devices on and off.

And that’s when I realized what was missing. Because as much as I loved the development tasks, it was always project management that felt like home to me.

You can still watch the video we made for securing investment for this project on this website, but at the end of 2023, we decided to close both this project and our collaboration. I plan to write a post about the process and reasons behind this decision, and I hope to do so soon. But in short, we realized that living and working together isn’t easy, and we decided that our relationship was more important than working together.

So, 2024 arrived, and I started the year without knowing what to do next: Should I continue as a developer, or should I try to return to project management?

At first, I thought I didn’t have to choose – I could be both. But as I tried both roles, I realized I was fooling myself – my path had always been project management, no matter how cool I thought it was to be a female software developer.

Do I regret the detour?

There were moments when I did.

When I found myself constantly having to explain my dual resume during job applications, I wasn’t thrilled about having spent a few years as a developer.

But the truth is, these years taught me a lot about entrepreneurship, my own endurance, and the specifics of IT projects, leading me to complete an Agile Project Management course as well. Plus, as a freelancer, I greatly improved my ability to represent myself and my rightful interests, even with difficult clients.

And I’m certain that if I hadn’t tried, I would have always wondered, “What if?” and I would never have known if a programming career was truly for me.

So overall, I’d say no, I don’t regret this detour because it’s what brought me to where I am now – where I belong.