I grew up in a busy city, in a big extended family, and the noise always felt natural to me. We traveled a lot, so I changed schools often and learned early how to walk into a new room and make friends. Talking to people and getting to know them has never felt daunting.

My parents worked hard to make ends meet, so I spent much of my childhood at my aunt’s place. Growing up away from home taught me to adapt and to be happy wherever I landed. What I missed most was mentorship, which is why I value it so much now.

Moving to Canada changed things. I’d been an average student for most of my life, but project-based work flipped that. Building real things instead of memorizing theory was what I’d been missing, and for the first time it felt like I’d found my calling. That’s where I found a fire I hadn’t felt before: to build things that make life easier for people.