If you had told me as a teenager that I would be working at Apple as an engineer, I would not have believed you. If you had told me that I would be leaving that company after 3 years, I would have said ‘never!’

When I took this role, I wasn’t sure if I would measure up to the standard. I had also gotten to the final rounds of interviews at Google, Meta, and LinkedIn so I figured I was good enough to be considered. However, thoughts would creep into my head that once someone took a chance on me, I would not be able to pull my weight. The imposter syndrome was real.

Having worked at Apple retail for a short stint while in college, I knew that I was a good cultural fit at the company, but the corporate reputation was intimidating. The values of the company of tenacity, excellence, and the best user experience were clear to anyone who spoke with a current or former corporate employee. I was a pretty good college student, but this was the big leagues. The way I figured, I would at worst, get a pretty cool year in and be a resume booster.

I had one of the best managers in the company who mentored me every step of the way. Over my 3 years there, he gave me the opportunity to work on iOS, macOS, visionOS, and tvOS on various features and products. It was a dream come true to work with the design teams, other engineers, and everyone else who lived and breathed Apple products. After 1 year, my manager and I were already discussing promotions and I was promoted at my second annual review. I led quite a few projects and was on track for a great career at the company.

I even had my name appear in a keynote and a press release which was awesome! Apple

I became a software engineer because I love creating user-facing apps of all kinds. The fact that I can think of an idea, dedicate some time on my MacBook, and see that idea come to life is a beautiful thing. To do this at Apple was an incredible privilege and the best learning experience of my career. The decision to leave was not an easy one, but ultimately was independence. I knowingly took an in-office position and never expected to be allowed to have a remote work arrangement, but my family wanted to move out of these tech hub cities as we grow. We wanted the personal freedom to move to a smaller city/town and buy a home. Additionally, I knew that Apple did not allow any sort of software development outside of work unless it was for educational purposes. That meant, understandably so, that I would no longer be able to have an Apple Developer account or create apps for Apple platforms. The confidence and knowledge I gained working there also made it harder to not pursue my own creative endeavors. Whether or not I ever did anything with them, it is something that helps me feel more human.

There were other reasons for leaving, both personal and professional, but being limited geographically and creatively were the hardest ones to accept right now.

All corporate employees were given a printed copy of Make Something Wonderful from the Steve Jobs archive. I began to read it not long ago and it opens with a beautiful, albeit ironic, quote.

“One of the ways that I believe people express their appreciation to the rest of humanity is to make something wonderful and put it out there” Steve Jobs

It’s hard to encapsulate what an incredible blessing it was to be there but, after 3 years in Cupertino, we decided it was time to move our family back to Louisiana.

I am starting this blog to share my thoughts and opinions about app development, product design, game development, and the tech industry at large. My hope is to contribute to a community of creative individuals who love building things as much as I do.

With gratitude