The Roller Coaster of Starting a Business
Over the last year, my life has been a real roller coaster. After being laid off from Snapchat, I decided to start my own business. At first, I was excited about the opportunity to work for myself and drive impact across multiple developer products. But the reality was much harder than I expected.
I started without a clear idea of what services I would offer. I tried different things but never really found my groove. It was probably the hardest year of my life, which is saying something because I've been through loss and financial distress before.
What made it so difficult was that I felt like I should have been able to start a business and find success at this point in my life. The lack of clarity and vision was really tough for me. I'm used to seeing the end goal and running fast to get there, but I wasn't at my peak performance at all.
A Moment of Self-Reflection
In February, I made a comment that didn't come out right. The ramifications of that comment led me to some deep self-reflection. I realized I hadn't been my normal, happy, bubbly, helpful self for a while. It sent me spiraling into a circle of doubt and overthinking.
I found myself obsessing over what people thought of me and my reputation. This wasn't like me at all. I usually lead with kindness and generosity, and if someone doesn't like me, I typically think it's their loss because I know my heart and have confidence in my actions. This time, I regretted my actions.
God's Humbling Process
During this dark time, I experienced some loss and heartbreak. Looking back, I believe God was using these moments to humble me and show me what really matters. He was bringing me back to the light and reminding me of my true nature—to lead with kindness and generosity without worrying about what others think.
Rediscovering My Faith
This experience made me realize how important my faith is to me. I wasn't raised in a Christian household. We didn't go to church or read the Bible. But I've had this faith my entire life, even as a little girl praying to a higher power during tough times.
I realized that I am filled with the Holy Spirit and have been my entire life. Somehow, I had lost touch with that part of myself. This realization led me to focus on strengthening my faith and becoming a stronger Christian.
Investing in My Relationship with God
I've been investing heavily in my relationship with God:
- Spending more time in the Word
- Connecting with fellow Christians to learn and grow
- Bringing more faith into our home
- Praying for others more often
- Leaning on God's word for guidance in all situations
This shift has led to a happier and more wholesome home life for myself and my family.
The Call to Disciple
All of these investments in my faith have made me realize that God calls us to disciple. I never wanted to be the Christian who pushes people away by saying, "Jesus is coming back, you need to behave!" But I've come to understand the importance of sharing my faith in a different way.
Someone in a coffee shop shared a beautiful concept with me. They said we need to give everyone a parachute. If you're jumping out of a plane and someone else is about to jump without a parachute, wouldn't you give them one? That's just human nature.
In the same way, it's time for me to equip non-believers with the "parachute" of faith. I'm not going to shove my beliefs down anyone's throat, but I want to exemplify my faith through my actions and words. I want to:
- Talk about my faith more openly
- Pray for others more frequently
- Be there for people in times of need
- Show others what's available to them if they believe
The Assurance of Salvation
Recently, when becoming a member of my church, I was asked an interesting question: "On a scale of 1 to 10, how likely do you think it is that you'll go to heaven?" As someone new to formal Christianity, I hesitantly answered with a 6 or 7, thinking about my imperfections.
But I learned that the answer should always be 10 for believers. God sacrificed His only son so that we could have eternal life in heaven. If you believe that Jesus died for your sins, you have eternal life in heaven. It's not about being perfect; it's about believing.
This realization was like a breath of fresh air. Now I can confidently say "10" when asked about my assurance of salvation. Not because I'm perfect, but because I believe.
Bringing Hope Through Faith
I think there are a lot of people out there living in a dark, hopeless world. It's such an important time to bring faith to others who don't have it. By sharing our experiences and living out our faith, we can offer hope and a "parachute" to those who need it most.
If I can pray for you, disciple you, or be there for you in any way, please provide me the opportunity to do so. It's what I'm called to do.
The Roller Coaster of Starting a Business
Over the last year, my life has been a real roller coaster. After being laid off from Snapchat, I decided to start my own business. At first, I was excited about the opportunity to work for myself and drive impact across multiple developer products. But the reality was much harder than I expected.
I started without a clear idea of what services I would offer. I tried different things but never really found my groove. It was probably the hardest year of my life, which is saying something because I've been through loss and financial distress before.
What made it so difficult was that I felt like I should have been able to start a business and find success at this point in my life. The lack of clarity and vision was really tough for me. I'm used to seeing the end goal and running fast to get there, but I wasn't at my peak performance at all.
A Moment of Self-Reflection
In February, I made a comment that didn't come out right. The ramifications of that comment led me to some deep self-reflection. I realized I hadn't been my normal, happy, bubbly, helpful self for a while. It sent me spiraling into a circle of doubt and overthinking.
I found myself obsessing over what people thought of me and my reputation. This wasn't like me at all. I usually lead with kindness and generosity, and if someone doesn't like me, I typically think it's their loss because I know my heart and have confidence in my actions. This time, I regretted my actions.
God's Humbling Process
During this dark time, I experienced some loss and heartbreak. Looking back, I believe God was using these moments to humble me and show me what really matters. He was bringing me back to the light and reminding me of my true nature—to lead with kindness and generosity without worrying about what others think.
Rediscovering My Faith
This experience made me realize how important my faith is to me. I wasn't raised in a Christian household. We didn't go to church or read the Bible. But I've had this faith my entire life, even as a little girl praying to a higher power during tough times.
I realized that I am filled with the Holy Spirit and have been my entire life. Somehow, I had lost touch with that part of myself. This realization led me to focus on strengthening my faith and becoming a stronger Christian.
Investing in My Relationship with God
I've been investing heavily in my relationship with God:
This shift has led to a happier and more wholesome home life for myself and my family.
The Call to Disciple
All of these investments in my faith have made me realize that God calls us to disciple. I never wanted to be the Christian who pushes people away by saying, "Jesus is coming back, you need to behave!" But I've come to understand the importance of sharing my faith in a different way.
Someone in a coffee shop shared a beautiful concept with me. They said we need to give everyone a parachute. If you're jumping out of a plane and someone else is about to jump without a parachute, wouldn't you give them one? That's just human nature.
In the same way, it's time for me to equip non-believers with the "parachute" of faith. I'm not going to shove my beliefs down anyone's throat, but I want to exemplify my faith through my actions and words. I want to:
The Assurance of Salvation
Recently, when becoming a member of my church, I was asked an interesting question: "On a scale of 1 to 10, how likely do you think it is that you'll go to heaven?" As someone new to formal Christianity, I hesitantly answered with a 6 or 7, thinking about my imperfections.
But I learned that the answer should always be 10 for believers. God sacrificed His only son so that we could have eternal life in heaven. If you believe that Jesus died for your sins, you have eternal life in heaven. It's not about being perfect; it's about believing.
This realization was like a breath of fresh air. Now I can confidently say "10" when asked about my assurance of salvation. Not because I'm perfect, but because I believe.
Bringing Hope Through Faith
I think there are a lot of people out there living in a dark, hopeless world. It's such an important time to bring faith to others who don't have it. By sharing our experiences and living out our faith, we can offer hope and a "parachute" to those who need it most.
If I can pray for you, disciple you, or be there for you in any way, please provide me the opportunity to do so. It's what I'm called to do.
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