When I look back at my career, it’s surreal to think that I started as a developer, writing code late into the night, and now I lead more than 100 engineers across multiple countries. My journey from developer to founder and leader has been full of challenges, learning curves, and invaluable lessons. In this blog, inspired by the video I Started as a Developer… Now I Lead 100+ Engineers, I want to share the key insights from my founder journey and the advice that helped me transition from coding to building and leading high-performing engineering teams.
The Early Days – Passion for Coding and Building Products
Like many developers, I began with a love for solving problems and building products from scratch. In those early days, my world revolved around writing clean code and experimenting with new technologies. I never imagined that one day, I’d be responsible not just for my own code, but for guiding entire teams, shaping company culture, and making strategic decisions that affect hundreds of people.
This period was critical because it gave me the technical depth and empathy needed to understand engineers on my teams today. As a founder, having once been a developer myself allows me to lead with authenticity and credibility.
The Turning Point – From Developer to Leader
The transition from developer to founder didn’t happen overnight. It came with opportunities to take on more responsibility, collaborate across departments, and eventually start my own company. I quickly realised that being a great developer wasn’t enough to scale a business I had to learn leadership, communication, and decision-making at a completely different level.
One of the hardest shifts was letting go of day-to-day coding. At first, it felt like losing a part of my identity. However, I soon understood that my role had evolved. Instead of writing code myself, I was now empowering others to build, mentoring new leaders, and creating systems that allowed teams to thrive.
Building and Scaling Teams – Lessons from Leading 100+ Engineers
Leading a team of over 100 engineers taught me more about people than technology. Hiring the right people, setting a strong culture, and providing clarity of vision became my top priorities. As a founder, I realised that talent is only as effective as the environment you create for it.
One of the biggest lessons was the power of delegation and trust. Early in my founder journey, I made the mistake of micromanaging. Over time, I learned that the best way to scale is to hire smart people and give them ownership. This approach not only accelerates growth but also builds loyalty and accountability within the team.
Key Advice for Developers Who Want to Become Founders
If you’re a developer aspiring to start your own company or lead large teams, my biggest piece of advice is to invest in leadership skills as much as technical ones. Being technically strong gets you started, but communication, strategy, and vision are what take you further.
Focus on learning how to manage people, resolve conflicts, and make decisions under uncertainty. As a founder, you’ll spend more time aligning teams and setting direction than writing code. And that’s okay it’s how you create a lasting impact.
Reflections on My Founder Journey
Looking back, every step of my journey from being a passionate developer to a leader of 100+ engineers taught me something invaluable. The struggles, the failures, and the wins all contributed to my growth as a founder. I wouldn’t trade those early coding days for anything because they built the foundation for the leader I am today.
If you want to understand more about my journey, watch the video I Started as a Developer… Now I Lead 100+ Engineers. It dives deeper into the real challenges, mindset shifts, and lessons I’ve learned over the years.