From Military Intelligence Analyst to Staff Developer Advocate: My Journey Without a Degree
I’m a staff developer advocate in software engineering — and I didn’t take the traditional path.
After my first semester at Butler University, I left school and enlisted in the military in May 2016. For six years, I served as an intelligence analyst, assessing global threats in real time and supporting U.S. military operations. In 2019, I volunteered for a deployment to the Middle East, working 12-hour shifts, seven days a week, in a war zone.
While there, I realized this wasn’t how I wanted to spend the best years of my life. I needed a change.
Discovering Software Engineering
Back home, I began researching alternative careers on YouTube and came across creators who had become software engineers without college degrees. Inspired, I reverse-engineered their paths — watching videos, following tutorials, and practicing relentlessly.
I started with Python but quickly switched to JavaScript, HTML, and CSS through an online course. Coding was tough, but it was also exciting. With long hours after my intelligence work, I dedicated three hours every night to learning — and eventually began blending my analytical background with coding to build technical projects in my military role.
That led to a six-month temporary duty assignment — essentially an apprenticeship — with Section 31, an Air Force unit building applications for the Space Force. There, I worked simultaneously as both an intelligence analyst and a software engineer.
Battling Impostor Syndrome
At first, I felt completely out of my depth. Every day after work, I questioned whether I belonged. I thought I had been hired by mistake.
But then I reframed how I approached learning. Coming from a background in sports, I realized that mastering code is like mastering any skill — it takes reps, patience, and consistent effort. I wasn’t expected to be a seasoned developer overnight, just to grow and learn. That mindset shift was everything.
Mentorship also played a crucial role. I found two mentors — one senior engineer within the Air Force and another civilian — who helped me cut through the noise, focus on what mattered, and apply what I learned. Today, I still have mentors at Slack who continue to challenge and support my growth.
Landing at Slack
In 2020, I launched a YouTube channel to document my coding journey and share insights into becoming a developer without a degree. By 2022, as I transitioned out of the military, I posted a short “open to work” video on Twitter that went viral. I received messages from companies like Google, Amazon, and ultimately joined Slack — where I now serve as a staff developer advocate.
My role involves building custom applications in Slack and teaching these skills to customers globally through workshops, keynotes, virtual content, and presentations.
Lessons Learned
If you’re struggling with impostor syndrome, remember: the people who hired you are smart, and they saw something valuable in you. Keep showing up. Keep learning. And trust the process.
Today, I’m confident in my abilities — not because I know everything, but because I understand how to learn, adapt, and deliver value. I wouldn’t change a thing about my journey.
It’s proof that with grit, curiosity, and the right support, you can build a meaningful career — no degree required.