“If not now, when?” My Coding Origin
As many new people into coding, covid-19 was the catalyst to pursue a career in software engineering. But for me, the roots of my decision began years before i actually decided to make the plunge into the unknown world of coding.
The origin of my choice started in a bittersweet time period for me. For two years, I sacrificed my personal goals to attempt to build something bigger than myself. I met with two investors looking to open an arcade bar in the city of Detroit. We hadn’t had that style of bar in the city before so it took some time for me to grasp it but they reached out to me for advice on their beverage program. At this time i was managing and bartending at a jazz club in the heart of the city and really enjoyed my work. I had passed up on some other promising job opportunities to take the bar manager job with this new Barcade. Even before we opened, they offered me the general manager job. I asked for more money than I thought they would accept because i didn’t want to turn them down. To my surprise, they accepted on the spot. Fast forward two years and I find myself running one a very busy bar. The concept was a hit and I was given the weird problem of having too long of a line on weekends and not enough cash on-hand some days to refill the registers the next day. The relationship with ownership had grown cold, with the major dividing factor was our next step. I was pursuing the title of becoming a Detroit institution whereas they had the dream of franchising. Those two ideas on the surface seem pretty similar. As you dive deeper into it though, one gains its status from being unique. The other monetises the experience. Probably the best comparison is Chilli’s v Franklin Barbecue. You can get ribs at both but Franklin’s is a mecca whereas Chilli’s makes way more money. This divide between myself and ownership led to them hiring a new general manager subsequently replacing me. The guy had experience launching Buffalo Wild-Wings in Michigan and could give them the structure they needed to expand. It came as a shock to me but I remember being at peace with the decision. I was proud of what I had help build and I felt I could leave the hospitality industry feeling like I climbed a mountain. Before I could even get into my car and really digest the whole situation, one of my liquor reps called me. They had a new deal on a whiskey I was working with and wanted to see if I was interested in meeting up. I explained the meeting I just had with ownership and passed on my replacement’s contact information. Then she asked me that burning question, “So what’re you going to do now? I’ve got a couple accounts looking to hire”.The first thing that popped in my mind was something I had been thinking about since before I became a bartender. I told her “I’m going back to school for computer science.”I couldn’t believe I said it out loud finally. It felt like it became real. i thought “If not now, when?”. It sent me down the rabbit hole of looking up all I could. Applying to a few different colleges. Sending my transcripts to one I decided on. Bad news, I missed the fall deadline by a couple weeks. No biggie I’ll wait. In the meantime, I took a job at a busy college bar 45 minutes outside of Detroit in Ann Arbor. Then I got a call I never expected I would. One of the hottest restaurants in the city was planning on opening up a new format of a bar and they wanted me on their team. I thought my days of service were coming to an end but this was an opportunity I felt i would have been a fool to pass up. That voice of “If not now, when?” was getting softer and softer. Next thing I know it has been two years and I became the second in command. This organisation was the cream of the crop and we had an all-star staff who’s resumés made me look like a novice. That voice of “If not now, when?” had gone all but silent. Then covid happened. I remember feeling helpless when that first bit of chaos ensued. My trade thatI had spent years honing now made me obsolete in a pandemic world. A stay-at-home bartender is just an alcoholic. As the weeks went on though, I heard that familiar voice coming back: “If not now, when?”. My work had been in constant contact with me and when the call came that we’d be reopening in a month, it left me with a big decision. My boss and now best friend called me to tell me for heath reasons, he wont be coming back to work. That voice started yelling that phrase even louder now. Ownership called me to set up a meeting. I took the meeting without deciding either way but I couldn’t hear anything else but that damn phrase. When I went to the meeting, they wanted to congratulate me on the promotion I was being offered. Before I could really digest it, my heart finally spoke out. The same way it had four years previously. I responded with “I appreciate the offer but I’m going back to school for software engineering”. This came as a shock to them but after the momentary disappointment, they were very supportive. I know the path I have chosen wont be easy and so far I have been right but I finally answered that burning question from all those years ago: I choose now.
