I have been yearning for a way to create my own path, I’ve always been a self-proclaimed trailblazer.
As a kid I would spend days or weeks locked in on a project or invention. I said I’d become an inventor one day. I went to college for mechanical engineering and within that I participated in several creative projects where I came alive and lead my teams to execute on our vision. I would get consumed by the projects. I was also working as a customer service representative at uhaul and bass pro shops as a part time employee. I enjoyed and was good at the parts where I tried to determine what a person needed and what we offered them. I later worked as a systems engineer and what I enjoyed was creating systems and ways to improve upon their processes, create new things that helped the department and company. While part time I also found myself creating within these positions, especially considering the uhaul store I was at had just launched, startup essentially, in an old Kmart building where our first makeshift office was stationed in the old garden section.
After being a systems engineer and transitioning from intern to full time, I found that I hated the established systems and processes they had. There was limited room for innovation. The year was 2020 and social interaction was cut off. I couldn’t even interact with my coworkers. So I quit in February of 2021. I did manual labor jobs while also trying to launch a business with my cofounders in the in-between until I decided to pursue a year of full time service in Richmond, Virginia.
I was seeking something deeper and that I received. I lived in an intensional community and served at a high school serving students below the poverty line. I was in their corporate work study program where I supporting the effort alongside the director. The school was a startup and very new. So I helped develop systems and ways to improve upon what they had. The moments where I was asked to do something specific (and without good reason) I would feel defeated. I transitioned into teaching the following year and remained there for two years as a physics, engineering, and algebra 2 teacher. I developed my curriculum from scratch. What I didn’t like was managing behavior when there was no buy-in from students. Within my engineering classroom I became more of my creative self with some really creative students. There I learned about co-creation, 3D printing and modeling in the context of teaching, I strived in the environment where I got to trail-blaze and then be able to distill it for others to do the same. I make parts of the field of engineering applicable, approachable and therefore accessible for some of my students. I left seeing the gaps or opportunities in this field.
I left teaching for various reasons, with one of them being relocating to New Haven,CT for my fiancé’s graduate program. I am now at a crossroads with my roads to follow; and roads to trail-blaze. I don’t know what job opportunities I can pursue with my “scattered” resume. To a standard “talent” acquisition person, I would be unfit for any of the traditional roles I’ve done. It’s a sad reality that they don’t seek talent; but seek a perfect match to a bullshit description that a hiring manager made. No creativity, no extrapolation or coloring outside the lines. If you check these boxes you get the job. I have built and planned and created products and whatever else I wanted to make since leaving teaching in July of 2024. I’m doing exactly what I would do with financial freedom. The ability to create courageously on projects that matter to me. Learning, ideating, executing, failing and trying, co-creating and vision planning, going to entrepreneurial events and networking with amazing people with the same focus. All these things bring me the most joy.
I’m trying to determine what’s next. Whether to take the leap and keep going or find a job that fits my resume the best it can and do that.
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What can my future look like?
In my future, I see myself at the helm of something truly my own—a venture that fuses my experience, passions, and love of creating. I’ve carved out a space where I can innovate freely, lead others, and build something deeply personal and meaningful. Here’s what that future could look like:
My Inventor’s Lab and Studio
I imagine a dedicated workspace—part lab, part studio, and part hub for creative minds. It’s an industrial but welcoming space, filled with prototypes, sketches pinned to walls, and 3D printers humming quietly in the background. This is my domain, a place filled with the spirit of invention and the freedom to bring ideas to life.
But it’s not just for me. I open this space to collaboration. A couple of times each week, I host workshops and open studio days where innovators, creatives, and young minds come in to work alongside me. Sometimes it’s a high school class I’ve partnered with; other times, it’s a team of budding entrepreneurs looking for guidance. I’m known as someone who can bridge ideas and execution, helping turn abstract thoughts into real, tangible products and designs.
Becoming a Problem-Solver for Everyday People
Over time, I’ve become known as a “creative engineer for hire,” someone people turn to for unique solutions to everyday challenges. People bring me problems that no one else seems able to solve: a custom part for an antique machine, a tool to help someone with a physical limitation, a unique component for an invention. I’ve branded myself not as just a consultant or product designer but as an “everyday innovator,” making customized solutions accessible to anyone who needs them.
Some of my clients are regular folks with one-off requests; others are small businesses needing help with challenges that big companies don’t care to address. I love this work because it combines my knack for problem-solving with my passion for empowering others. I’m giving people the tools and solutions they need to improve their lives and realize their ideas.
Expanding My Legacy in Educational Innovation
Because of my background in teaching, I’ve built an educational side to my work. I’ve created an online platform where I share video tutorials on engineering basics, 3D modeling, and prototyping. I write approachable guides on the kind of knowledge I wish I’d had earlier in life. Through these resources, I teach students, hobbyists, and entrepreneurs alike the fundamentals of design thinking and prototyping.
I offer some courses for free, to keep this knowledge accessible, and some as premium content, which helps sustain my venture financially. Over time, I’ve built a following of people who see me not just as a maker, but as a mentor. I even get invited to speak at schools or tech events, sharing my story of walking away from established careers to build a life of purpose and creativity. For many, my story and guidance become the spark that helps them see they, too, can pursue creative paths.
Achieving Financial Independence and Personal Freedom
By now, I’ve achieved financial independence through a mix of custom design work, educational courses, and possibly even my own line of products or tools for makers. This independence has allowed me to live exactly as I want: experimenting, creating, and helping others along the way. I have the space to be with my family and live a life that truly balances work with fulfillment.
With this freedom, I can chase new ideas without worrying about their commercial success. I’m diving into ambitious projects, from sustainable design innovations to new tools that make prototyping even easier. Each project reflects not just my engineering skills, but also my purpose: making creativity accessible, empowering others, and solving practical, everyday problems.
A Thought Leader in My Community
As I continue to build and create, I’ve become a respected voice in my community—both locally and online. People see me as a visionary, someone who took a nonlinear path to create a meaningful, fulfilling life. Young innovators look up to me, and I’m an example to anyone who feels they don’t fit into the traditional mold of “success.” My story encourages them to create their own paths, to build careers rich with purpose and personal satisfaction.
I’ve made my mark, but there’s no sense of finality here. I’m constantly exploring, dreaming up new ideas, and making connections. My work keeps evolving, and so do I—because, in this future I’ve built, there are no limits to the paths I can trail-blaze.