How Daniela started working as a freelance web developer thanks to SheCodes
๐โโ๏ธ Before SheCodes
Daniela is one of the most recent SheCodes graduates who has a pretty inspiring coding journey ๐She was born in Bogota, Colombia and now lives in Brooklyn, NY. She studied Sustainable Business and Communications at Green Mountain College in Vermont and then got a job as an Operations Manager at Brooklyn Cured.ย
As an Operations Manager for Brooklyn Cured she managed accounting, logistics, demand planning, inventory, loss prevention, order processing, vendor relations, scheduling, retail/restaurant relations, and other aspects of operations. She also oversaw the largest percentage of business growth in company history and applied sustainable business knowledge to reduce waste and maximize efficiency across the entire enterprise.ย
So sheโs definitely an employee who can wear many hats ๐Itโs no surprise then that she started to become interested in coding in order to further expand her professional skill set and open the door to new work opportunities. Outside of work, she enjoys HIIT, rock climbing, dancing, reading and painting - her interests span far and wide ๐๏ธโโ๏ธ ๐งโโ๏ธ ๐ ๐ ๐จ
โLearning to code was something that was in the back of my mind since I graduated from college. For the last three years, I worked in the food industry, and even though I enjoyed my job I knew I wanted to explore a new field. This year I found myself with more time on my hands and decided that I wanted to explore coding. I wanted to have a better understanding of the tech world, what it had to offer, and what my role could be within it.โ
๐ฉโ๐ป Her SheCodes Experience
As aforementioned, Daniela was interested in learning how to code in order to improve her skill set and positively impact her career role and trajectory. She conducted some research online and came across SheCodes. She decided to jump right in after attending the free SheCodes Express session; she didnโt try any other coding courses before SheCodes.ย
โI wanted to learn a new skill that would have a positive impact on my career. Matt Delac, the teacher and creator of SheCodes, hosted an insightful orientation where he explained the importance and potential of coding. After that orientation, I was motivated to move forward with my decision to learn to code.โ
Daniela completed her SheCodes journey in September 2020. She took a SheCodes Workshop, SheCodes Plus, and SheCodes React. In the workshops, she loved the content, the challenges, and the learning environment.
โI loved learning about front-end development. Most of all, I enjoyed the JavaScript challenges. I loved that JS allowed me to enhance the user experience and add interactive elements to my weather application. Working with other women created an environment where I felt very comfortable asking questions, providing feedback, and sharing my coding experience. It felt like a real coding community.โ
Take a look at Danielaโs impressive React Project here ๐https://gallant-bhabha-2cf0b3.netlify.app
๐ How SheCodes has Helped to Change Her Life
Daniela thoroughly enjoyed her SheCodes experience in that she gained knowledge in product development, design, and management. She learned about the tech industry overall and received new opportunities thanks to her coding knowledge ๐คฉ
"I have new knowledge not only of front-end development, but of product design and project management. This knowledge gave me an insight into some of the needs in the tech industry, its components, and how they operate. I am now engaged with web design and development firms, and would not be able to support them in the way that I am without the skills I learned as part of the SheCodes program."
"I have new knowledge not only of front-end development, but of product design and project management. This knowledge gave me an insight into some of the needs in the tech industry, its components, and how they operate. I am now engaged with web design and development firms, and would not be able to support them in the way that I am without the skills I learned as part of the SheCodes program."
Daniela immediately put her new coding knowledge to good use and began searching for new opportunities. She ended up getting some freelance development work along with a Project Management opportunity from a Brooklyn based web design company ๐
โA few weeks before the end of my final SheCodes React project, I landed freelance development work with a Brooklyn based web design company called Bushwick Design. My responsibilities include updating CSS styles, updating page content, and designing pages on WordPress, and Squarespace. The company also asked me if I was interested in Project Management part-time. This is on top of doing developer work!โ
โA few weeks before the end of my final SheCodes React project, I landed freelance development work with a Brooklyn based web design company called Bushwick Design. My responsibilities include updating CSS styles, updating page content, and designing pages on WordPress, and Squarespace. The company also asked me if I was interested in Project Management part-time. This is on top of doing developer work!โ
Around this time, Daniela also decided that she wanted to start her own company. Danielaโs big splash was founding a web design company and community for ambitious women: Ripple Collective. This was made possible thanks to her newfound interest in coding, her degree in sustainable business, and multiple years of experience as an operations and project manager in several professional domains. Like SheCodes, Daniela's new company aims to address female underrepresentation in professional domains.ย
"Seeking to address the issue of female underrepresentation in professional circles, I started Ripple Collective in 2020. The company was founded with the belief that the current status quo just doesnโt cut it, and itโs not going to change unless women take collective action and support one another along the way. Ripple Collective exists to empower women. Leveraging modern visual design and user experience techniques, we help women establish a bold presence on the web that canโt be ignored.
ย ย
Weโre not just your average web design company. Ripple Collective is a community of ambitious women โ including entrepreneurs, artists, and professionals โ who support each other and share a passion for female empowerment."
Weโre not just your average web design company. Ripple Collective is a community of ambitious women โ including entrepreneurs, artists, and professionals โ who support each other and share a passion for female empowerment."
The SheCodes team is immensely proud of Daniela and canโt wait to see how she will continue to put her new knowledge to good use ๐In her coding future, she says that she would like to keep working with React and will keep looking for opportunities to do so. She also has the goal of becoming a full-time front-end developer and wants to keep learning and creating.
But for now, she can enjoy her new job benefits and increased freedom thanks to her development skills and knowledge.
โBecoming a developer has allowed me to work remotely, enjoy the work more, work within an industry I find interesting, and spend more time with family.โ
๐ฉโ๐ผ Advice to Future SheCodes Student
Check out what Daniela has to say about her SheCodes experience and workshops ๐
โSheCodes provides a unique experience to dive into the coding world and explore the possibilities of working in the tech industry. The platform was user friendly, the information was up to date, and the curriculum was delivered in a clear and organized manner.โ
โSheCodes provides a unique experience to dive into the coding world and explore the possibilities of working in the tech industry. The platform was user friendly, the information was up to date, and the curriculum was delivered in a clear and organized manner.โ
โThis course can be quite challenging at times, and the best thing you can do is to be patient with yourself, take your time and remember all the reasons why this is important to you.โ
Danielaโs SheCodes Plus testimonial:ย
โI LOVE SheCodes! Every lesson is very well made and the challenges can be very fun. SheCodes has an amazing group of developers ready to help whenever you need them. This is my first time learning to code so I'm happy I came across SheCodes. They have made the process of learning to code a very pleasant experience. I have learned so much and look forward to taking the next course - SheCodes React.โ
Danielaโs SheCodes React testimonial:ย
โLearning to code with SheCodes was exactly what I was looking for. All material was presented in a clear and organized way. The SheCodes team was very good at answering all the questions I had during the course. Again, this was a very smooth experience. A few weeks before the end of my final React project I started coding for a web design company based in Brooklyn, NY. Very happy to see some return on my investments!โ
