Chapter 1: The Beginning of My Python Journey

Over a decade ago, I embarked on my adventure with the Python programming language. Without enrolling in formal courses, I initiated my learning through personal projects. My primary resources were YouTube tutorials, Stack Overflow, and the official Python documentation, which allowed me to acquire skills as needed.

Photo by Clemens van Lay on Unsplash

As time went on, I began to land freelance gigs, earning a few hundred dollars intermittently. At that time, I was also running a tutoring business, which meant that the freelance income served as a nice supplement. My tutoring sessions for MBA students on weekends were particularly lucrative, earning me up to $600 per hour. Each student paid my standard rate of $75, as many struggled with their math-intensive courses, making it easy to justify the individual rate even during group lessons. Additionally, I recorded the sessions and uploaded them to YouTube, providing students with the ability to review the material at their convenience.

In my tutoring center, my primary focus was on Math and Science, covering subjects like Physics, Chemistry, Algebra, Geometry, and Calculus. However, the most profitable area was tutoring for SAT and ACT exams, with my SAT preparation book set to be published on Amazon soon.

As I honed my Python skills, I began to attract clients for Python tutoring. However, an enticing job offer from a local startup changed my trajectory. The CEO initially sought my help to learn Excel for generating reports. After a successful tutoring session, he was so impressed that he offered me a position that same evening, stating that I had taught him more in two hours than highly paid consultants had in several days. It was an incredible opportunity, allowing me to work just three days a week with excellent pay, while still managing my tutoring business in the evenings and on weekends, all while continuing to expand my Python knowledge.

During my part-time role at the startup, I applied my Python expertise by developing an account management system and a pricing comparison tool using Scrapy, an open-source framework for web data extraction. Despite my PhD in Chemical Engineering, I found immense satisfaction in this flexible lifestyle. I continued working at the startup for a couple of years while balancing my other business ventures.

After leaving the startup, I secured a full-time position at a different company, which I landed thanks to my Python proficiency and previous experience in the healthcare sector. This role was particularly appealing as it offered fully remote work. I still hold this position today, and the company operates as an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP). The owner plans to sell the company in the coming years, which could lead to a significant financial windfall for me. In this role, I oversee data analytics, focusing on enhancing this business area through machine learning, artificial intelligence, and data visualization. The company's revenue growth directly influences my future payout.

My journey with Python has yielded rewards beyond my initial expectations.

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Chapter 2: My Transition to Professional Development

In this video, I share my personal journey of becoming a Python developer. I discuss the challenges I faced and the strategies I employed to overcome them.

In this second video, I detail how I would approach learning Python if I were starting from scratch, offering practical advice for beginners.